My phone rang tonight…it was an incoming call from the Ducks and an invitation to listen in on the Ducks fan forum.

So I took some notes…and please bear with me, because they are very rough notes…but here is what I’ve taken from tonight’s discussion…

There were a few questions about outlying subjects…having pyrotechnics (probably not going to happen), the new cup holders and having access to WiFi.  But who cares about those?

Question regarding the 2nd line combination:

Randy Carlyle‘s response was that he’s not been overly happy with the connection between Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu (I was kinda surprised to hear that).  He feels that perhaps they are too fancy at times and need to get back to some basics and work on including whomever the 3rd man is on that line.  Also, Carlyle made it sound as though Joffrey Lupul will be that man. He expects that the line will continue to grow, but it’s not exactly where they would like it to be right now.

Question regarding an All Star game being held in Anaheim:

Tim Ryan suggested that it is possible we might see an All Star game here in the next 5 years. However, there are other teams on that list and no decision has been made.  It is something that the Ducks organization is interested in doing and of course they feel it would be great for the city of Anaheim and Orange County as a whole.

Question regarding the 7:05 start time:

I’m only mentioning this purely for UJ because he HATES the 7:05 start time.  Tim Ryan has made it clear that once again survey’s have shown that people enjoy the weekday start time of 7:05.  So there!

Question regarding Luca Sbisa and the possible development playing with Scott Niedermayer:

Randy Carlyle feels, as I’m sure many fans do, that having Luca Sbisa play alongside super defenseman Scott Niedermayer is the ultimate opportunity for any young player in the league. HOWEVER, there is also a strong desire to be cautious with Sbisa and his development into an NHL player.  **Many fans will recall that the Ducks took great liberties in developing many of their young superstars (a few names you can find on the top line, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan) in the minor leagues before putting them on the big stage full time.  This will definitely be something to consider when it comes time to start Sbisa here in the NHL this season, or send him to his junior team.  I personally wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t an NHLer this year.**

Question about Evgeny Artyukhin and undisciplined penalties:

We all saw Evgeny Artyukhin take 3 minor penalties on Sunday night, and it’s a big concern for a team who already spends way too much time in the penalty box.  Of course the Ducks are discussing things with the big man, and OTHER big men on the team, in focusing on those types of minors that are often unnecessary. However, Carlyle does understand that with a man of his size, simple things like interference will probably be much more noticeable.

Question regarding the new Goaltending Coach Pete Peeters:

He tends to work on developing the individual player.  He is also very likely to get out there and lead by example. At 52 years he has no problems putting on the pads, getting into the net and taking shots from the big guys like Getzlaf and Perry.  Although, Carlyle thinks he needs new pads.  His old ones represent Edmonton.

Question regarding the 1 year deal for James Wisniewski:

Bob Murray expressed his concerns with James Wisniewski‘s previous injuries and tendency to drop the gloves.  He feels as though he would like to see more from the young defenseman and feels as though he had a promising camp, and things will have to continue to develop from there.

Question regarding Goaltending:

At this point both JS Giguere and Jonas Hiller are battling for the position.  They are going to continue to battle it out and the coaching staff will take into consideration winning records. Therefore, a winning record against specific teams will play heavily into ones favor, like against the Kings, Phoenix, or San Jose (which makes me think Hiller will be put to the test on Saturday).

There was a lot of ground covered, and if you do care to know more about the cup holders, then you’ll want to check out the forum when it’s posted online (That is a big fat assumption on my part…there is a chance it WON’T be posted online…but I highly doubt that)!  Also, there was no hint whatsoever of who the Ducks will be cutting before tomorrow’s noon deadline or who will actually be in net on Saturday.  No surprises there, right?

In the mean time…we’re just days away from some meaty Ducks hockey!  I can’t flippin wait!

GO DUCKS!!!