Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes + other tidbits.

Surprised to see the news when I woke up this morning:

After last nights disappointing loss to the Kings, Bob Murray has made a few changes and the "big-one", if you want to call it that, came in two parts:

1. New York Rangers have claimed Ducks Center, Erik Christensen, off of waivers.

2. Ducks have penned Montreal Habs Center, Kyle Chipchura, and give them their 2011 4th Round Draft Pick. Please don't mistake his name with that yummy Mexican delicacy where you deep-fry a burrito and/or the infamous yet mythical goat blood sucker.

Chipchura is known to play a very grinding type of game. He is a two-way player. Something that is needed. I'm sure BM is crossing his fingers whilst quietly mumbling to himself "Please-Please-Please-Please work!"

Along with moving EC and adding KC, ha, the Ducks have sent Brendan Mikkelson down to the AHL and have called up Defenseman, Brett Festerling, from the Toronto Marlies of the same league.

The vet players had the day off today from practice at Anaheim Ice but during that same practice, Winger, Joffrey Lupul participated in his first full-on hard skating practice since playing on Nov 19th and had to be scratched due to them pesky back spasms.

“It was nice to be back out there with the guys,” Lupul said. “A week ago, there was no chance I could be out on the ice. A lot of will depend on how I feel tomorrow. I have to see how my body reacts. I have my fingers crossed. I really want to be back as soon as possible. This is a critical time of the year for us.”

Speedy recovery, Loopes

As far as what I think about these "changes"? I don't know. I personally believe that we need something completely new, something big, not just shift around players who haven't done much for the team. This is not what I call "rattling the cages".

The Ducks left today for Dallas. They take on the Stars tomorrow night. Puck drops @17:30 and can been watched on the NHL Network!

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In other news from around the league:

Yesterday it was announced that Washington Capitals Forward/Superstar/NHL Golden Child, Alexander Ovechkin, was suspended for 2 games after going knee-to-knee with a Carolina Hurricanes player on Monday night. Now a lot of us know how dangerous of a player Ovie can be. He's not shy to leave his feet from the ice when hitting or going knee-to-knee and frankly, the suspension is about time. Too long have the NHL averted their eyes whenever he made dangerous/questionable hits such as this. The league are ones to be very inconsistent suspending other players for hits less than his and letting Ovie off with a slap on the wrist. He ended up hurting himself on that dirty hit and is now DTD. Some think that 2 days was too harsh, I think it's right. I would like to see it at 3 days but being that he's out hurt because of it, I get where the league are going with it in this situation. You also have some people saying that he didn't lead with his right leg. This shows that he totally did:

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Now everyone has already heard and/or witnessed what went down the other night in Atlanta when the Florida Panthers were in town to take on the Thrashers. Everyone knows that Panther D-man, Keith Ballard took his frustration out but had bad aim and whacked Panther goalie, Tomas Vokoun, right in the melon instead of the iron in attempt to do what many of us have witnessed frustrated players to do after getting scored on, breaking sticks on the posts. Now I've heard discussion on whether or not the NHL should've suspended Ballard. Ok, I think if the NHL had done such action, it would be the dumbest thing to do although it was pretty dumb, not to have a go in breaking his stick, but to blindly turn whilst swinging the stick in a baseball like fashion. Another dumb thing after whacking the goalie and cutting his ear was the fact that Ballard probably thought:

"Hmmmm, I just totally hit my team mate... ummmm... ummmmm... I'm gonna try again, get my aim right, break my stick, and ummmm.. skate off the ice! Ok!! Here goes!!! Stick broken... RUNAWAY!!"



His goalie was down in the crease when he had the second try! I mean c'mon! How did he NOT know that he missed the post completely? Oh well, Vokoun is alright with just the cut. Expect many a fruit basket and flowers delivered to the goal tender with the cards signed by Ballard after writing, "My bad."

One more...

Last night, Toronto Maple Leafs netminder, Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson was taken to a Montreal hospital last night just after playing the full 1st period and stopping 8 shots. Apparently he told Leafs coach, Ron Wilson, that his heart beat was accelerated. He didn't have to stay over night and returned to Toronto before being looked at by specialists. He has had heart problems and surgery in the past. I think this will affect his trade value...


Go Ducks!