Ducks' Spark of Hope in First Half Horror

      If you had told the Anaheim Ducks coming out of training camp that come the half point of the season, they would be the second worst team in the entire NHL, you would probably have been met with a lot of doubtful reactions. However, the Ducks have reached the exact midpoint of their season and find themselves in just that position: second to last. Over those 41 games, the Ducks have collected 32 points and have celebrated a mere total of 13 wins. If there is a bright spot to be found among those numbers, it is the fact that 3 of those 13 wins have come about during this modest 3-game winning streak that the Ducks have put together over the past weekend, and in offensive fashion as well.  Here are a few of the things that the Ducks will probably have to do in order to have a much better second half.

Devils retiring Niedermayer's #27, acquire D Foster, expect C Zajac back

The New Jersey Devils seemed to be playing better hockey lately.  They've won 4 out of their last 5 games and have even started scoring goals and outplaying teams consistently recently.  This week is also particularly significant for the Devils because they've added a piece to their team that they really haven't had in a long time: an offensively-minded defenseman. 

Boudreau Replaces Carlyle in Anaheim

        It was only a matter of time before something happened in Anaheim, and tonight it was announced that Randy Carlyle is on his way out and that Bruce Boudreau, who was just let go from the Capitals organization, will be taking over the reigns behind the bench. Following Carlyle out the door are his assistant coaches, Mike Foligno and Dave Farrish, and video coordinator Joe Trotta.

Sitting Ducks

After an impressive fast start to the season, the Anaheim Ducks find themselves in quite a slump right now. They just finished off a seven game road trip with a 5-0 loss in Detroit to bring their overall record on the season to 5-6-3, with their only win on the road trip coming against Minnesota by a score of 3-2.

Ducks Start on the Right Foot

        Webbed foot, that is. The Anaheim Ducks decided to break the pattern set by the past couple of seasons and are now sitting with a 4-1-0 record. While some were wary about what was to come after a disappointing 4-1 loss to Buffalo, seeing as it was a little reminiscent of the Ducks past few starts, they turned it around and are now on a four-game winning streak. Right now, they are enjoying a small, but well-deserved, breather as they wait to face Dallas at home on Friday.

Ducks Go 1-1 in Scandinavia

        The Anaheim Ducks started the season across the pond in Europe and came home with a 1-1 record. Even though the first game in Finland was a disappointing 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, they managed to get two points by defeating the New York Rangers in a Shootout in Stockholm. Now that the season is officially underway, we have a few answers to those questions posed in a previous post.

Sabres open up Season Today

Brandon Hess- We are roughly 4 and half hours (at 1:30pm EST) away from the puck dropping in Helsinki, Finland where the Buffalo Sabres will open up their 2011-2012 season as the home team against the Anaheim Ducks. Last night at the team dinner Lindy Ruff announced the team captains, with Jason Pominville receiving the honor of wearing the "C" and Paul Gaustad, Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy, and Drew Stafford being named alternates. Tonight's scratches are Matt Ellis and Mike Weber, meaning M.A. Gragnani will get the nod on defense. Check back Monday as I'll have a recap of the Sabres opening European games, as well as a look forward to the rest of the October schedule. For in-game updates during today's season opener follow me on twitter @SabreHess

Selanne Back Again

Teemu Selanne apparently still has a hunger for the game, which is good news for not only Ducks fans, but for anyone who is a fan of the game.  He announced on Thursday that he has signed on for the 2011-2012 season, adding in to his message that he is back "for at least one more season."    Regardless of how many times we have let out a sigh of relief at this very same news before, knowing that we will see number 8 flying down the ice once again is as exciting as ever.

Report: Devils to retire Niedermayer's #27

Five players were a part of all three New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup teams (1995, 2000, 2003): Scott Stevens, Ken Daneyko, Sergei Brylin, Martin Brodeur and Scott Niedermayer.  Brodeur is the only active player remaining, and two of those players have had their jerseys risen to the rafters.  Now, according to Tom Gulitti of Fire and Ice, that exclusive group could gain a new member, as the Devils are reportedly planning Scott Niedermayer Night at the Prudential Center next season.  The reported date could be December 16th against the Dallas Stars.

Questions for the Ducks

This offseason for the Anaheim Ducks has been, like a few previous offseasons, full of questions.  It seems like the themes continue to repeat.  Retirement?  Goaltending?  Depth?  Defense?  As other teams continue to build and remodel their squads, the Ducks have had to do a bit of tinkering themselves.  Here are some of the question marks that have presented themselves throughout this past offseason, some of which still remain as we get closer to the start of training camp.