Anaheim Mighty Ducks

The surprise team of last season is working to keep its place among the league's elite

By Stephen Cannella

Team Page | Predicted Finish: 9

Second-year coach Mike Babcock may have a unique way with words -- during last spring's Stanley Cup finals he introduced the terms "playing greasy" and "puck management" -- but he usually gets his point across. Babcock's take on the coming season is, "The league won't be hunting Ducks in camouflage anymore."

Sergei Fedorov Donald Miralle/Getty Images/NHLI SI RANKING (1 best - 30 worst) OFFENSE 11 DEFENSE 7 GOALTENDING 6 POWER PLAY 10 PENALTY KILLING 2 G.M. AND COACH 5

What he means is, after coming within a game of winning the chalice, Anaheim will no longer have the element of surprise in its favor. With a shocking playoff run that carried them past the second round for the first time, the Disney-owned Ducks shed their reputation as a Mickey Mouse operation. In the off-season G.M. Bryan Murray continued to make savvy moves, most notably allowing captain and 25-goal scorer Paul Kariya to become a free agent instead of paying him $10 million to pick up his option. For roughly the same annual cost Anaheim signed free-agent forwards Sergei Fedorov (five years, $40 million) and Vinny Prospal (five years, $16.million). The 33-year-old Fedorov, a former league MVP, scored 36 goals for the Wings last season, and Prospal, 28, led the Lightning with 79 points.

Look for Fedorov to center an explosive first line that includes Prospal and Petr Sykora, who had a team-best 34 goals last season. With gritty Steve Rucchin, the new captain, and speed demon Rob Niedermayer, who was rejuvenated by a trade from the Flames last March, depth up the middle is a strength.

Another Anaheim strong suit was its seasonlong commitment to team defense. Goalie J.S. Giguere, whose playoff performance (1.62 GAA, .945 save percentage) won him the Conn Smythe Trophy, was helped by the cocoon that the Ducks created around him. Anaheim might have hoisted the Cup if it weren't for an impotent power play. This season Babcock will emphasize the importance of getting bodies in front of the net, not the excessive passing he feels was his team's undoing last year. "That was a skill power play," he says. "I'm more of a meat-and-potato guy."

Expect that message to get through loud and clear.

Insider

A key for the Ducks is their ability to win face-offs, especially by Steve Rucchin and Jason Krog.... Expect a breakout season from second-year LW Stanislav Chistov -- he proved to be a big-play guy in the postseason.... How well intense coach Mike Babcock handles fragile free-agent signee Sergei Fedorov bears watching. Their relationship will be a big factor in how the Ducks' season unfolds.... This team can play overly aggressively because the penalty-killing unit is outstanding.

Issue date: October 13, 2003