Anaheim Ducks

via ducks.nhl.com The Anaheim Ducks announced the signing of the 2008 fifth round draft pick Stefan Warg to a two-year entry-level contract today. If you don’t recognize that name, you’re not the only one. No offense Stefan. When the Ducks drafted him back in ’08, Warg was playing in Sweden but opted for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League (WHL) after the Ducks selected him. After one full season with the Thunderbirds and a season split between Seattle and the Prince Albert Raiders, also of the WHL. The 23-year-old went back to his native Sweden after those two seasons in the WHL. There, he spent two seasons with Orebro of the Swedish league Allsvenskan and one season with Vasteras, also of Allsvenskan. He has been under the radar in the Ducks system until he posted decent numbers with Vasteras this past year, 4 goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 52 games played. He also posted 40 PIM and a plus/minus of +21. Don’t read too much into this signing, he isn’t expected to be a significant prospect. However, he will be coming back to North America this upcoming season, to play with either Norfolk (AHL) or Fort Wayne (ECHL) Stefan Warg (via ducks.nhl.com) Age: 23 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Right Height: 6’3″ Weight: 220 lbs. Scouting Reports: A big and right-shooting defenseman. Warg is a skilled passer, physically strong and pretty tough. Plays solid in his own end, but could be more explosive. Is a defensive player that makes very little errors and always does his best for the team. via EliteProspects.com Warg is a smart player who makes good passes and skates well.  He will need to fill out and learn the North American style of play.  With the right development, he has the size and skills required to become a solid NHL defenseman. While it is always a risky move for players to go back to Europe for development, Warg has rounded out well and turned into an everyday defenseman in the league. While he has been almost completely under the radar among Ducks prospects thus far, Warg has maintained a solid level of play, development, and a desire to play in the NHL and North America. His wish may become reality soon as rumors have been swirling since mid-April of 2013 that the big Swede and only European drafted by the team in 2008 is going to commit to North America for next fall. However, nothing at this point has officially been released. via HockeysFuture.com Well, it’s been officially released that he signed with the Ducks and with his desire to play in North America, it’s safe to say he’ll be with Norfolk or Fort Wayne. Thanks for reading! Any questions? Contact us! Or follow us on twitter @PucksofaFeather! We’re back on Facebook, so like us! Follow me on twitter @ducks_sean! Follow our Lead Editor on twitter @thekrishill! Follow my fellow Staff Writers on twitter @bauerhockeydude and @CamLanier!

The Ducks have signed defenseman Stefan Warg to a two-year entry-level contract. Per club policy, financial terms were not disclosed. Warg, 23 (2/6/90), appeared in 52 games with Vasteras of Sweden’s Allsvenskan league (second division) in 2012...

Player Name/position: Devante Smith-Pelly, RW Overall Grade: D, for a guy who played more than half the season with the big club last year, you have to expect more than just a cup of coffee. Contract Status: signed through 2013-14 $870,000 Cap Hit; $690,000 Salary (per Capgeek, of course) 2013 Stats: 7 Games Played; 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points, minus-4, 8:59 TOI/G 2013 AHL: 65 GP, 14-18-32, minus-20, Playoff Stats: N/A Offense: Despite the lockout, the simple fact that he played 42 fewer games this season in the NHL than last would seem to indicate that he did not meet expectations. However, as one might expect his numbers in the AHL this season on a per game basis (.49 P/G, .21 G/G) were significantly better than his NHL numbers last year (.27 P/G, .14 G/G). Of course that is comparing apples and oranges when quality of competition is taken into account, so it's hard to tell what he would have been able to do with more consistent opportunities at the top level. Defense: As dicey as it may be to look solely at plus/minus, there is no disputing that minus-20 is not a good sign, particularly for a player like Smith-Pelly who has the size and skill to be a force on both sides of the puck. If you're interested, his Corsi On 5-on-5 was -26.31 (per behindthenet.ca) ahead of only Brad Staubitz and Rikard Rakell for the Ducks this season, but a sample size of seven games isn't going to tell you much statistically or anecdotally. Highlight of the Season: DSP broke out with 12 points in the month of March (5-7-12) nearly doubling his numbers for the rest of the season combined, to that point (6-10-16). In fairness, he only played four games in January, thanks to being called up for training camp and the start of the NHL season. Expectations for Next Year: I, personally, still have high hopes for DSP. Based on what I read coming out of our Norfolk correspondents, Shawn and Scott, this season he seemed to have a very strong end of the year after struggling early on. Of course, that still raises concerns about how he adjusted to the heightened level of play in the AHL while the lockout was in effect. I'd still love to see him with a chance to get those child bearing hips in front of NHL goalies and evolve into our version of a Tomas Holmstrom or Johan Franzen, which has been sorely missed since the departure of Dustin Penner.

DUCKS NEWS Francois Beauchemin has had ACL surgery, the Ducks reported on Monday. [Yahoo! Sports] You've already seen this on our banner, but the Ducks have signed William Karlsson, who is currently a top rookie in his native Sweden. [NHL.com] The Hockey Writers analyze Corey Perry's invisible performance against Detroit. [The Hockey Writers] Fort Wayne Komets goalie Nick Boucher had decided to end his career. [Indiana's NewsCenter] Paul Kariya is Throwback Attack's Random Pro of the Week. [Throwback Attack] The Ducks are still crushed by their early playoff elimination. [wavy.com] The Fort Wayne Komets shocked everyone with their 1993 Turner Cup title. [News-Sentinel.com] A throwback George Parros jersey foul. [Puck Daddy] Former Ducks "Great" Andy Sutton's 15 year career has officially come to an end [Puck Daddy] AROUND THE NHL Justin Bourne discusses the Patrick Roy to the Avalanche rumors, and discusses the positive and negative aspects of big name players coaching teams. [Backhand Shelf] Elliotte Friedman from CBC weighs in on the Roy situation as well. [CBC] Should the Capitals re-sign Mike Ribeiro? [Washington Post] New York Rangers defenseman was hurt in the team's Game 3 loss to the Boston Bruins. [NHL.com]

Player Name/position: Jordan Hendry, Defenseman Overall Grade: B+, No complaints but nothing stands out; just how it should be for a defensive defenseman with a caveat that we didn't get to see him tested at the NHL level. Contract Status: UFA, $600,000 Salary/Cap Hit in 2013 (per Capgeek, of course) 2013 Stats: 2 Games Played, 0 goals, 0 assists 0 points 17:35 average TOI per game 2013 AHL Stats: 62 GP, 2-9-11, 63 PIM, minus-9 with Norfolk. Playoff Stats: N/A Offense: Well, he sure as Hell wasn't expected to provide any offense with the big club, so I guess he met expectations there. His best offensive season in the NHL was with the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, where he put up eight points (2-6-8) in 43 games and he clearly didn't have that kind of opportunity this season. However, his .17 points per game is right on track with his previous three prolonged stints in the AHL (.16 in '09, .15 in '08 and .20 in '07). Most impressively he got 101 shots on goal (1.6 per game) as an Admiral this season, eclipsing his previous best of 97 (1.2 per game) in 2007. Defense: His minus-9 rating (for what it's worth) was the worst and only the second negative rating of his AHL career (minus-3 in '08). I'd love to see his average time on ice to get an idea of how Norfolk coach Trent Yawney was using him, but even the AHL's game sheets don't keep track of that. Honestly, it's very difficult to tell how he lived up to expectations, having only seen him play in two games this season. Trust me, the analysis will get much better as we work our way up the depth chart in this series. Highlight of the Season: Two multi-point games (2/17 vs. Bridgeport, and 3/9 vs. Hershey) and a stretch of four points in five games from Dec. 1-14. During that hot streak the Ads went 3-1-1 and Hendry scored both of his goals for the season, including the game winner over the Binghamton Sens. Expectations for Next Year: None. He's a 29-year-old free agent who spent most of 2011-12 with Lugano of the Swiss league. I'd say this year he was eighth on the defensive depth chart, behind Sami Vatanen and slightly ahead of a concussed 18-year-old first round draft pick in Hampus Lindholm. So, if he is re-signed he's not likely to crack the Ducks' lineup barring several simultaneous injuries to blueliners. Having said that I would have no problem signing him up for another year of stay-at-home defending in Norfolk, unless our resident Admirals fans have something else to say about it.

Why some goaltenders win, and why some don't, is an issue that remains tightly masked. Why was Tim Thomas so phenomenal in 2011 and so invisible since? Why is Marc-Andre Fleury suddenly behind the boards? Who can predict, understand or explain Ilya...

May 12, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin (23) during a stoppage in play against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period in game seven of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Yesterday, the Anaheim Ducks announced that defenseman Francois Beauchemin underwent successfully surgery to repair his torn ACL. You know, the torn ACL he played the final month of the regular season with. You know, the torn ACL he played in the playoffs with. Absolutely incredible. It was arguably the best season of his career. AND in the playoffs he averaged 25:22 TOI compared to 23:37 TOI in the regular season. AND he was tied for the team lead in playoff scoring with 6 with Ryan Getzlaf. That is #DucksDedication right there. He is hoping to be ready by the start of the 2013-2014 regular season. Wow, next year I will actually be able to include two years when describing the length of a season. All will be back to normal next year, thank god. Thanks for reading! Any questions? Contact us! Or follow us on twitter @PucksofaFeather! We’re back on Facebook, so like us! Follow me on twitter @ducks_sean! Follow our Lead Editor on twitter @thekrishill! Follow my fellow Staff Writers on twitter @bauerhockeydude and @CamLanier!

Sweden’s William Karlsson celebrates his goal against Finland during the third period of a world junior hockey championships semifinal game, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, in Calgary, Alberta. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette) Fresh off a regular season and postseason with a tremendous amount of impact made by recent draft picks, the Anaheim Ducks signed their 2nd round pick from the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, William Karlsson. Karlsson, fresh off winning the Swedish Elite League Rookie of the Year, is 20-years-old and from Marsta, Sweden. After totaling 12 goals and 33 assists for 45 points in 46 games for Vasteras in the Swedish version of the AHL (Allsvenskan), Karlsson put up 4 goals and 24 assists for 28 points in 50 games for HV71 in the SEL. He also was a +17 in those 50 games. He’s just another promising young forward in a deep prospect pool for the Ducks. via ducks.nhl.com Age: 20 Position: Center Shoots: Left Height: 6’0″ Weight: 176 lbs. Scouting Reports: A speedy and skilled player. Karlsson has good hockey sense and is fairly all-round overall. Works hard both ways and is reliable defensively. Nice passing ability. Creates a lot of scoring changes with his skating. Has a creative side and some shifty moves too. Needs to get stronger. (EP 2011) via EliteProspects.com Karlsson is one of three very well-rounded Swedes in the Ducks system. His speedy, two-way game should prove suitable to the North American game as soon as he gains some more strength. Not only is he quick, he is also shifty and capable of making plays in traffic. Karlsson was outstanding for the Swedes in their sprint to gold at the World Juniors. This season Karlsson has played in the relegation-tier Swedish pro league and performed very well. It would be outstanding for his development to get some time in the SEL and then a stint at the North American minor pro level. While he is still not very close to making his NHL debut, Karlsson projects as a second-line center who could ease into a checking role if his scoring output was not up to snuff. via HockeysFuture.com Thanks for reading! Any questions? Contact us! Or follow us on twitter @PucksofaFeather! We’re back on Facebook, so like us! Follow me on twitter @ducks_sean! Follow our Lead Editor on twitter @thekrishill! Follow my fellow Staff Writers on twitter @bauerhockeydude and @CamLanier!

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – MAY 19: Finland’s Lauri Korpikoski #28 scores on USA’s John Gibson #35 while Justin Faulk #27 looks on during bronze medal game action at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)Lau Stockholm, SWE – Yesterday, Team USA defeated Team Finland 3-2 in a shootout to win the bronze medal game. USA took a 2-0 lead into the third period with goals from Craig Smith and Paul Stastny. However, Finland would score twice, both by Lauri Korpikoski, and force an overtime. Neither team could find a winner in the 10 minute four-on-four overtime, so it would go to a shootout. After one goal in the first three USA shootout attempts, Alex Galchenyuk, and one goal in the first two Finnish shootout attempts, Janne Pesonen, gave Korpikoski a chance to win the game but was denied by John Gibson. In international rules, after the first three shootout attempts for each team, a team can use any player they want as many times as they want in the sudden death rounds. Finnish phenom Mikael Granlund got to shoot first in the first sudden death round and completely missed the net. Galchenyuk would get the nod from head coach Joe Sacco in USA’s first sudden death round attempt and would not disappoint. Galchenyuk went backhand-forehand in both of his two shootout attempts and scored both times. It was an incredible tournament for Team USA and they took home their first medal since 2004. The impact made by the younger players such as Gibson and Galchenyuk was outstanding. This tournament was the last major tournament before the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games next winter and USA Hockey definitely has to feel good about these results. Now, most of the players on this roster will probably not be on the olympic team. There are probably a few exceptions, like Paul Stastny, Erik Johnson, T.J. Oshie and maybe even Galchenyuk. John Gibson was arguably the team MVP after taking the #1 job from Ben Bishop during pool play. Who knows? Maybe even Gibson will get some chatter about being on the Olympic team……..Okay, that’s a stretch. I don’t that happens with guys like Ryan Miller, Jonathan Quick, Craig Anderson and Jimmy Howard. Oh and Tim Thomas, if he wants to. Anyway, I can’t wait for the Olympic hockey tournament. Thanks for reading! Any questions? Contact us! Or follow us on twitter @PucksofaFeather! We’re back on Facebook, so like us! Follow me on twitter @ducks_sean! Follow our Lead Editor on twitter @thekrishill! Follow my fellow Staff Writers on twitter @bauerhockeydude and @CamLanier!

Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin underwent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery on his right knee on Thursday. The surgery was performed by Dr. Ronald Glousman at the Kerlan-Jobe Center in Los Angeles. Beauchemin is expe...