 It was just three short years ago that the Anaheim Ducks brought the Stanley Cup to Southern California. The veteran team which defeated the Senators three seasons ago has undergone significant changes; the Ducks not only have new owners, but the leadership of the team on the ice is quite different as well. Can the revamped Anaheim Ducks once again make a run at the division and the Cup? Last season had its ups and downs. The Ducks struggled at times early on, but crept into the playoffs as the West's final seed with a 42-33-7 record. That left Anaheim with a matchup against the San Jose Sharks. Surprisingly, the Ducks upset the Sharks and moved on to the second round to meet the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit defeated Anaheim in a hard fought series that went six games, and although they were out of the playoffs, the Ducks couldn't help but feel optimistic coming into this year. The offseason was a busy one in Anaheim. Faced with an unjustifiable salary cap situation, team management made a few serious changes on the blue line. The biggest deal sent elite defenseman Chris Pronger to Philadelphia for three promising young players, most notably Joffrey Lupul, who had 25 goals and 50 points last season. The Ducks saw the departure of Brett Hedican and Francois Beauchemin to free agency. Fans need not worry though, as the offseason wasn't all about players leaving. Anaheim not only made a great deal by signing former Montreal captain Saku Koivu to a one-year contract, but also acquired former first-round pick Nick Boynton, in addition to Steve McCarthy to fill in the gaps on defense. The Ducks will score a lot of goals this season. On the front line, they have a wealth of talent, led by young stars Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan, and Lupul. Not forgetting about aging sniper Teemu Selanne – still a dangerous player – there is definitely enough skill to make up three scoring lines, thus making Anaheim one of the toughest teams to defend in the entire NHL. Considering that captain Scott Niedermayer is one of the greatest offensive defensemen ever to play the game, and with Ryan Whitney also a force in the opponent's end, the Ducks should be able to put two very dangerous power play units on the ice. However, Anaheim will sorely miss Beauchemin and Pronger, as both were extremely capable of defending and starting the rush up ice, while the loss of Pronger may truly be too difficult to evaluate since he is quite possibly the most intimidating player in hockey, truly impacting every game in which he played. Simply put, the Anaheim Ducks are not going to be nearly as intimidating defensively this season. Given the slightly softer defense, it is a good thing that Anaheim's goaltending situation seems to be rock solid. As starter, Jonas Hiller played very well last season, and all throughout the playoffs. Add to that the fact that Hiller's backup is former Conn Smythe winner Jean-Sebastian Giguere, and Anaheim definitely has the added benefit of two strong goaltenders. Anaheim's plan for success this season will simply be to score a ton of goals. With so much firepower on hand, such a plan should give the Ducks plenty of opportunities to win a lot of games. Between the talent up front, a pair of excellent offensive defensemen, and a great tandem of goaltenders, the team should not only finish among the league leaders in goals this season, but also hold down their opponents' scoring as well. This team is on a mission to not only make the playoffs, but to bring the Stanley Cup back to Southern California. Get your tickets now, and come experience the exciting new up-tempo Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center as they attempt to complete the mission.
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