Quacked

With hockey season still a few months away, I thought I’d take a look at the current roster and what we can expect from it. General Manager Bob Murray made an unusual splash on July 1st this year, reeling in veteran defensemen Bryan Allen from Carolina and Sheldon Souray from Dallas. However, room was made for these two at the expense of Lubomir Visnovsky who was dealt to the New York Islanders and Sheldon Brookbank who agreed to a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Grab your torches and pitchforks, Ducks fans. It’s time to start a new witch-hunt. This time, it’s personal.

Not yet 10 years removed from the grand Paul Kariya deception that took place at the then-nexus of the Anaheim franchise’s road to respectability, the wounds born of mistrust still run deep. Enter Justin Schultz.

(PHOTO: Gary A. Vasquez/US Presswire)

Imagine a world in which the Anaheim Ducks no longer have “The Big 3”, a triumvirate of elite power forwards — Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan — that has been a part of the team for nearly a half-decade.

Now imagine I’m not crazy and let me elaborate.

(PHOTO: Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/MCT)

What is a Ducks fan to do when the playoffs are a distant memory for his team? Opine on the fortunes of other teams, of course!

The Los Angeles Kings are knocking on the door of a Stanley Cup finals appearance after summarily taking the first three games of their series against the Phoenix Coyotes. It was only in game four that the desert dogs (is that really the best nickname they’ve been given in 16 years?) showed any signs of life and got up off the mat.

(PHOTO: Zia Nizami/KRT Photos)

Anaheim Ducks fans: we need to get over ourselves. The Los Angeles Kings are a very good team, and pretty soon we won’t be able to laugh derisively while we point at them with a Cup-ringed finger.

Now, hold your rotten fruit and vitriol before you earnestly launch them in my direction — the Kings becoming hockey’s kings might not be the end of the world.

Consider for a moment the situation as we have watched it unfold on the ice via our television screens. When the Kings backed into the playoffs, few took them seriously. In fact, other than the Washington Capitals, perhaps no other team had so conspicuously failed to live up to lofty predictions this season. And much like the Capitals are now doing, the Kings are surpassing even the wildest pre-playoff expectations that had been beset by more than six months of inconsistent scoring and other sundry underachievement.

(PHOTO: Don Smith/Getty Images)

The following story appeared in the March 4th issue of Puq Magazine.

There was a certain magic about the 2007 Anaheim Ducks championship team, and it had nothing to do with its twin pillars on defense (Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger). It didn’t have anything to do with its two excellent goaltenders, each a possessor of impressive playoff records. It didn’t even concern the youthful infusion of talent brought to the table by the wonder “twins” Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.

It was the swagger of a team that had the best third line in hockey.

After a protracted publication cycle, the March issue of Puq, our exclusive magazine, has arrived. You can read it (along with every back issue) online via Issuu or the Puq Hub. Remember to follow @puqmag to get all the latest updates.

What’s new this month? We take a look at the Ducks’ chances of qualifying for the playoffs, the decision to not deal Teemu Selanne at the deadline and the importance of having a gritty checking line. On top of all that, there is tons of great new exclusive artwork featured inside AND a great peek at a couple of prospects who will be available in June’s draft (special thanks to Alex Adrian).

Thank you again for being the best fans in hockey.

(PHOTO: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The following story appeared in the January 31st issue of Puq Magazine.

It’s an age-old question about age-old players — how long after their play begins to decline does their team have an obligation to keep paying them for their services?

For the Anaheim Ducks, it’s a question that has never even crossed the minds of management when Teemu Selanne is the subject of conversation.

It’s hard to believe we’re already on the third issue of our magazine, yet here it is! It’s got a brand new name, but all the same great content you’re used to reading. Starting this month, we’re providing access to read it (along with back issues) online via Issuu (although we’d recommend downloading them yourself as Issuu seems to have trouble displaying some of our content). If you want to access them the old fashioned way, check out the Puq Hub. We’re also launching a sister Twitter account for the magazine, where you can funnel all your suggestions, sexual harassment complaints and cashier’s cheques: @puqmag.

What’s in this great issue? Without spoiling too much, we cover the Winter Classic, the World Junior Hockey Championship, the Ducks’ recent turnaround and there’s even a handy February calendar marked with the schedule and a few other important Ducks dates.

Hope you all read it and enjoy it. Thanks for being such a great community.

(PHOTO: Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

Playoffs? Don’t talk about ­— playoffs?! You kidding me?! Playoffs?!

In so many words: yes, with a couple of caveats.

By now, most sports fans are familiar with that particular rant, unleashed by football coach Jim E. Mora when asked about his team’s chances of making the playoffs. We have not to-date  — unfortunately — seen Bruce Boudreau go on a similar tirade, but perhaps that’s for want of the appropriate question. More likely, it’s because we fans have simply refused to acknowledge the thought ever since the Ducks hit rock-bottom around Christmas.

That was just fine by me, by the way. Numbing myself to the idea of the Ducks sliding out of the playoff picture helped deal with the reality and had me looking forward to a lottery pick in what’s expected to be a deep draft this June.