Ducks reacquire Francois Beauchemin for Joffrey Lupul, prospect and draft pick

The Ducks upgraded their defense and created long-term salary cap space Wednesday when they reacquired defenseman Francois Beauchemin — a key figure in their 2007 Stanley Cup championship — from Toronto for winger Joffrey Lupul, touted college defense prospect Jake Gardiner and a conditional draft pick in 2013.

Beauchemin comes with a high salary cap hit of $3.8 million this season and next. But Lupul’s contract carries a cap hit of $4.25 million per year through the 2012-13 season. Without that contract on their books the Ducks should have more flexibility to re-sign core forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, whose contracts expire after the 2012-13 season, and keep them with winger Bobby Ryan, who is under contract through the 2014-15 season.

Beauchemin left the then-salary-cap-strapped Ducks as a free agent in 2009 to sign with the Maple Leafs. His time there has been rocky — he was -4 in 54 games this season and had only two goals and 12 points — but Ducks fans remember his hard hits, dangerous shot from the point, and the four goals and eight points he contributed in 20 playoff games in the 2007 playoffs while averaging a hefty 30 minutes and 33 seconds’ ice time per game.

Lupul came back from a devastating post-surgical infection to score five goals and 13 points in 26 games with the Ducks this season. Gardiner, 20, has averaged a point per game with the University of Wisconsin this season and was chosen by the Ducks in the first round of the 2008 entry draft. The Ducks were reluctant to give him up but paid that price to reinforce their defense for a playoff run this season.

Ducks General Manager Bob Murray had been looking to strengthen the defense since the team rebounded from a rocky start and reentered the playoff picture. If Beauchemin can approach his old form, their top six defensemen should be fairly strong.

Check back later for comments from Beauchemin and Murray.

-- Helene Elliott

Photo: Francois Beauchemin in 2007. Credit: Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press

NHL All-Star skills contest participants chosen

Here's the lineup for the six events in the NHL's Super Skills contest Saturday at the RBC Center.

Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater -- Order determined on the ice

Team Staal                                                     Team Lidstrom
*Michael Grabner – New York Islanders           Duncan Keith – Chicago Blackhawks
Mike Green – Washington Capitals                  *Taylor Hall – Edmonton Oilers
Patrick Sharp – Chicago Blackhawks               Matt Duchene – Colorado Avalanche
Ryan Kesler – Vancouver Canucks                   Martin St. Louis – Tampa Bay Lightning
Marc Staal – New York Rangers                      Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning
Kris Letang – Pittsburgh Penguins                  Keith Yandle – Phoenix Coyotes

The event will consist of six preliminary races with two players skating at one time taking one lap of the ice; the players from each team with the fastest time for their team will then meet in one final match race.  One of the races will be between two players skating backwards. 

BlackBerry NHL Breakaway Challenge

Drew Doughty, Teemu Selanne lead the local teams in NHL All-Star voting

The overall vote leader in the NHL's All-Star balloting is no surprise: Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (pictured above). After two weeks of online voting, he now has 218,791 votes. 

The nicest surprise? The guy who jumped up to second place while no one was looking. That would be Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price, whose 145,726 votes are the most among write-in candidates. That's right. Write-in. Price has been outstanding in goal so far this season.

Tampa Bay's scoring machine Steven Stamkos is third with 141,818 votes.  More than 6 million votes have been cast through last weekend.

But what about the Kings and Ducks?

Teemu Selanne is doing the best among Ducks with 25,545 votes. Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan and Corey Perry aren't far behind him, though. Noteworthy write-in totals: goaltender Jonas Hiller has 9,791, Lubomir Visnovsky 7,137 and Cam Fowler 6,938.

The Kings?

Drew Doughty is leading the way with 94,606. Anze Kopitar has 31,923, while the very deserving Ryan Smith has 16,465. Noteworthy is team scoring leader Justin Williams as a write-in candidate with 8,486. Jonathan Quick comes in ninth among goaltenders with 40,140, while defenseman Jack Johnson has 12,871 write-in votes.

But it really makes you wonder what is going on when former Kings player Sean Avery (he currently ranks third in the league for penalty minutes) of the New York Rangers has 38,551 write-in votes. Even as a joke, this isn't funny.

Through Jan. 3, NHL fans will be able to select up to six players by position -- three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender -– without regard to the conference in which their teams play.

As part of a new format for the 2011 All-Star game, the three forwards, two defensemen and goalie with the most votes will be named first NHL All-Stars. Want to vote? Click here. Meanwhile, here are

4 Ducks, 4 Kings make NHL All-Star ballot

The NHL released the All-Star ballot Friday, and the steady Kings and the newly surging Ducks each placed four names on the 100-name list.

For the 11-3-0 Kings, goaltender Jonathan Quick, forwards Ryan Smyth and Anze Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty made the ballot, while the high-scoring "core four" forwards from the Ducks made it -- Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks have a league-high six players on the ballot: defensemen Brian Campbell, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook plus forwards Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane.

Twenty-year-old center Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, is making his first appearance on the ballot. He currently leads the league in goals and points this season, and his 51 goals last season tied him with Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby for the goal-scoring title.

Crosby also made the ballot. Here is a full list.

Voting, which begins Monday and runs through Jan. 3, will be entirely online -- including for the first time through Facebook (facebook.com/NHL) -- and through mobile devices. Fans can select up to six players by position -- three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender –- without regard to the conference in which their teams play.

The three forwards, two defensemen and goalie with the most votes will be named first NHL All-Stars.

Oh, and fans will also have the ability to write in a player of their choice. Anyone for Ducks rookie defenseman Cam Fowler or forward Saku Koivu or Kings forward Justin Williams or defenseman Jack Johnson?

After the fans select the top six, the remaining 36 All-Stars will be named by the NHL from the list and write-in votes for a total of 42 All-Stars (three goalies, six defensemen and 12 forwards per team). In addition, 12 NHL rookies will be chosen by the NHL to participate in a skills contest for a total of 54 participants.

After the 42 have been selected, two captains will be chosen per team by the players. Then a draft will be held with all 54 during which the captains will draft the remaining members of their respective teams.

The All-Star game will be Sunday, Jan. 30, at RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C.

-- Debbie Goffa

 

 

 

Notes after Ducks' 3-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes

Courtesy of the Ducks' media relations staff, here are some postgame notes:

The Ducks have gone 2-0-1 in the last three games.

Toni Lydman scored a goal in his second straight game, his first career goal streak.

Over the last three games, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan have combined for 6-13=19 points, including 1-6=7 tonight. Getzlaf has a three-game point streak, earning 2-6=8 points during that span. Ryan has scored 1-4=5 points over the last three, including a career-high three assists tonight.  Perry is also riding a three-game point streak (3-3=6).

Cam Fowler scored his first NHL goal in his sixth career game.

Over the last three games, Jonas Hiller has gone 2-0-1 with a .918 SV% (101 of 110) and 2.93 GAA (9 GA/184 MIN).

Tonight’s attendance was 13,574.

Perry on the game-winning goal: "Bobby made a great play in the defensive zone. He battled for the puck and made a great play to get it to Getzy. The two of us were just trying to get to the net as fast as we could. Getzy found a way to get it through and I got a stick on it."

On earning five of six points at home: "It was huge to get back in the win column and have that feeling going on the road. We know we can win in crucial times. We showed it tonight. We found a way to win. That is how we have to play."

Ducks edge Coyotes, 3-2

Corey Perry's redirection of a pass from Ryan Getzlaf proved the difference as the Ducks held off a late push by the Phoenix Coyotes and held on for a 3-2 victory Sunday at the Honda Center.

Bobby Ryan earned his third assist of the game after he was knocked down behind his own net and managed to get up and feed a pass to Getzlaf. The Ducks' captain skated up the left side and held the puck before timing a pass to Perry, who redirected it past Jason LaBarbera at 14:23 of the third period.

The Ducks had led, 2-0, after two periods but Phoenix pulled even on goals by Scottie Upshall and Eric Belanger and jammed the net in the final seconds in a desperate attempt to score again. Jonas Hiller made 36 saves in net for the Ducks.

Getzlaf had two assists and Perry had a goal and an assist. The Ducks (2-3-1) finished the game without rookie defenseman Cam Fowler, who suffered facial cuts and a possible broken nose in the second period.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

--Helene Elliott

Photo: Ducks right wing Bobby Ryan and center Ryan Getzlaf (middle) celebrate a goal by defenseman Toni Lydman in the second period Sunday. Credit: Alex Gallardo / Associated Press

Ducks rally for first win of season, beating Canucks, 4-3

The Ducks looked, well, dead. Out-skated, out-shot and out-hit for two periods of their home opener against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, they awoke when their big line of Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry stirred and carried them back from the abyss.

Ryan stripped the puck from Henrik Sedin, the NHL’s most valuable player last season, at the Canucks’ blue line to start a give-and-go with Getzlaf and finished it off with the goal that lifted the Ducks to a 4-3 victory in their opener at the Honda Center. Ryan’s goal, at 10:12, was his first of the season and capped the first demonstration of the firepower the team was supposed to have but hadn’t shown in losing its first three games by a combined 13-2.

Ryan had been in the penalty box on a weak hooking call in the offensive zone when the Canucks took at 3-2 lead, at 5:23 of the third period. Christian Ehrhoff’s slap shot from the right point deflected off Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler and past Jonas Hiller, deflating the announced sellout crowd and, seemingly, dooming the Ducks to another loss.

But moments after Ducks defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky had cleared the puck out of his own crease, the Ducks went up ice and pulled even, with Getzlaf finding Perry with a perfect pass by the left post. With Roberto Luongo on the other side, Perry had the entire left half of the net — and he didn’t miss, raising his arms in celebration and relief at 8:54.

Hiller was solid in facing 39 shots for the Ducks, who are 9-8-0 in home openers in franchise history.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

-- Helene Elliott 

Ducks after two periods: Ducks 2, Canucks 2

The Ducks pulled even at 2-2 in the second period thanks only to a five-on-three advantage

With Keith Ballard serving a penalty for holding Jason Blake behind the Vancouver net and Kevin Bieksa banished 20 seconds later for slashing Corey Perry’s stick, the Ducks overpassed the puck for a while before Teemu Selanne took a pass from Ryan Getzlaf and ripped a shot over Roberto Luongo’s shoulder from the left circle.

The goal, Selanne’s first this season, was scored at 15:09.

The Canucks outshot the Ducks, 11-5, in the period for a 27-18 edge in shots through two periods. Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller was sharp and his solid play was the only reason the Canucks weren’t ahead by five or six goals.

More later at www.latimes.com/sports

Helene Elliott
 

Ducks must match their actions to their words

The Ducks said all the right things as they prepared for their home opener Wednesday against the Vancouver Canucks.

They've got to stay out of the penalty box. They've got to show discipline and teamwork. They’ve got to avoid giving in to the frustration that has mounted during an atrocious 0-3 start.

What's left now is for them to back up their words and stop this runaway freight train before it wrecks their season -- and takes Coach Randy Carlyle with it.

Carlyle was animated on the ice Wednesday but relaxed talking to reporters after the morning skate. Pro sports, he said in discussing what rookie Cam Fowler might learn from the team's awful start, "isn't always a bowl of cherries." But to face such adversity at the start of the season -- after repeatedly saying during training camp that they had to have a good start -- makes the fruit smell all the more rotten and increases the sense of urgency to turn things around.

Especially in the first home game of the season.

"For sure. It's huge. There's a huge amount of pressure on our group right now. You can feel it," Carlyle said. "They don’t feel good about what's transpired.

"And we knew going in we’d have a tough schedule. And you open two buildings, Detroit and Nashville, back-to-back and come back and play a young, energized team in St. Louis. We knew that our work would be cut out for us. And now we’re meeting a team for our home opener that some people would classify as a Stanley Cup contender at the beginning of the season. So there's lots of pressure on us to perform to a higher level.

"The task is not insurmountable for our group. We just haven't played anywhere near the level that we’re capable of playing."

Time is now for Getzlaf as Ducks' new captain

Ryan Getzlaf didn’t need to have the captain’s C sewn on his uniform to be considered a leader on the Ducks.
His voice has been audible for a while in their locker room and he wore the “A” of an alternate captain last season. But with the retirement of future Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Niedermayer, the moment was right for the de facto leader of the next generation to become the official leader.
Getzlaf on Sunday became the eighth player to be chosen captain in the Ducks’ history — Niedermayer had two separate stints — as the result of a vote by players. The 25-year-old native of Regina, Canada, beat out Saku Koivu, who served nine seasons as captain of the Montreal Canadiens, and Teemu Selanne, another certain Hall of Fame pick. They will serve as alternates, with Todd Marchant and Corey Perry designated to act as alternates when necessary.
Being chosen a team captain is a huge honor in any sport but is especially coveted in hockey, which values the team over the individual. Getzlaf said Sunday he welcomes the honor but knows he’s not the only leader in a room that houses Koivu, Selanne and other veterans.
“We’ve got enough leaders here that things are easy,” he said.
Selanne said he expects Getzlaf to be a different captain than the soft-spoken Niedermayer.
“They’re two different personalities. Getzy’s going to be way more vocal than Scotty,” Selanne said. “Scotty was leading by example, by doing all the right things all the time. Everybody’s different but to be captain that’s a sign that your teammates respect you so much. It was a tight vote and that’s how it should be.”
Getzlaf, who led the Ducks in preseason scoring with two goals and nine points in five games, said he feels no need to change his personality.
 “You don’t become the captain and then change what you’re doing. It’s like become the president and change everything that you campaigned about,” he said. “It’s a thing you grow into and I was lucky enough to be honored with it today.”
The timing was right, Selanne said, because the Ducks have increasingly turned to younger players to fill key roles.
“Obviously Saku doesn’t need the C and we have good leaders here. You don’t necessarily need a letter to be that kind of guy,” Selanne said. “It’s a good challenge for Getzy and obviously he has seen good leaders around him before. He’s going to do a great job, I know.
“Getzy has all the tools to fill the spot perfectly. I know that he’s going to take even more responsibility. We do our jobs around him and support Getzy. It’s his time.”
Getzlaf said he’s ready to lead the Ducks through what looms as an uncertain season, one that will test their defense and resolve.
“I don’t think it raises expectations,” said Getzlaf, a key member of Canada’s Olympic champion hockey team at the Vancouver Games. “It comes with a certain responsibility. I’m willing to accept that and look forward to it. I’m up for that challenge and that leadership group that we’re in right now.”

-- Helene Elliott
 

Ducks don't have agreement with Bobby Ryan, but they're talking

The Ducks and restricted free agent winger Bobby Ryan have not agreed on a new deal but the resumption of talks Tuesday -- and the likelihood that negotiations will continue this week -- have cast new optimism on a situation that appeared headed for a stalemate.

A mid-afternoon Twitter report by Larry Brooks of the New York Post saying that Ryan and the Ducks had agreed on a deal believed to be for five years at $5.5 million per year was emphatically denied by the Ducks and by Ryan's agent, Don Meehan, who added, "We have no deal in place at all." And there's every reason to believe those denials. The two sides hadn't spoken in weeks before Meehan and General Manager Bob Murray spoke on Friday and again Tuesday and they likely still have differences to resolve.

The Ducks don't want to pay Ryan more than they're paying Ryan Getzlaf, who will have a cap hit of $5.325 million each of the next three seasons (Corey Perry has the same hit each of those seasons). Getzlaf is their acknowledged leader, a franchise center who has a Stanley Cup championship to his credit, so paying another forward more money would be a show of disrespect. Ryan has said he wants to stay in Anaheim, where he has become a fan favorite for the 66 goals he scored the last two seasons and his outgoing personality.

The problems center more on the length of the contract than money. The Ducks offered Ryan a five-year, $25-million deal earlier this summer because they want to keep him long-term and because they don't want him to become a free agent at the same time Getzlaf and Perry can become free agents, after the 2012-13 season. Ryan turned it down because he wants a shorter deal -- and talks stalled.