Gathering of the Ducks:2016 Training Camp Questions!

20 Days till Puck Drops for the Ducks who will be unleashed for 2016-2017 Season. Many Ducks Fans including yours Truly knows very well Ducks hockey is almost there and it's that Time of year again. As we await The Start of the Gathering as I always called it. We are eager for this Team to hit the Ice and we know from the Ducks Training Camp Roster Players from previous season and some Prospects will be attending of what I see is Stage 1 of Ducks Assembling 24th Edition of the Anaheim Ducks. Many Questions,Concerns and others wonder what will this team look like....Many Question as we begin looking forward to 16-17 Campaign. When will Hampus Lindholm and Rikard Rakell re-sign?. That has been a question all Ducks Fans have asked for the entire summer. With Patience slowly fading.....many wonder How Long this is going to take or IF they are going to show up. If anyone has taken a look at the Ducks Training Camp Roster, Swedish Duo's name not on the List has some express Concerns with many having fears of them being hold outs during Training Camp. But we have to look at other side and reasons why both may not be at Training Camp besides speculation of them not Re-signing.

1.Rakell is recovering from surgery on scare tissues from his appendectomy which requires 2 weeks for him to recover. 2.Lindholm is busy in contributing to Team Sweden who are in World Cup of Hockey Semifinals. Whether they advance remains to be Seen. Another Question that is ask by us all is Randy Carlyle....Will the Only Coach in Ducks History restore Greatness back to the Ducks Cause?. As far as we won't know how our Ducks will do well under return of a Previous Ducks Head Coach. One thing we all want is Carlyle to get our team back to the top by not only have a strong Start from start to finish...But Snapping th 4 straight Game 7 losses that still fresh in our Memory.


Carlyle's has his critics and supporters, yet we can agree on a simple Fact that RC has contributed to the Ducks Winning the Stanley Cup in 2007. Other Questions appear at Training Camp is justified....."What place will the Ducks Finish?", "Will Ducks Make a Trade?" and"Will some of the Ducks Young Guns earn a spot on the Roster"?...Those are few out of Many that Ducks Fans have for our team. Regardless of who will make it to the Team and what 24th Edition of our Ducks will look like. One thing I beleive we all share is Optimism of knowing in our Hearts this team can not only do better but realize the Potential in Winning the Series and finishing off our Enemies. a Little FYI to all Ducks Fans reading this...last Game 7 our Ducks Won was in 2006....Last Game 7 Ducks won at HOME...1997. So IMHO it's time we Break that SLUMP or I prefer to call it Cold.



DuckPride 4ever
MooseDuck

Remembering Ruslan Salei

Not day,week,Month or even year goes by thinking bout one of the Former Ducks Defencemen who wore the Mighty Ducks Logo with honor and Pride. Ruslan Salei or many of us Ducks Fans call him "Rusty". We can all say that his passing and tragedy of Lokomotiv Yarsoslavl Plane Crash on Sep7th 2011 not only affected many Ducks Fans including our Ducks in General...But Hockey Fans worldwide. Players including Rusty have play with teams that have connections to NHL,AHL,KHL and other leagues.......It was Fan's worst nightmare losing not only Players but entire Coaching Staff. But Salei's Passing had a tremendous effect on Ducks Fanbase and in Orange County California. Not only Ducks Lost a Former Player but a Wife lost a Husband and Son lost a Father that Terrible Day. No Words describe the numbness knowing that not only Ruslan Salei but Players we know well had their lives cut short...... I believe it's a symbolic Duty for all Ducks fans to Honor Rusty's Life and Contributions to the Ducks Cause...Me Personally it hit me hard that a Player during the Ducks Early Years was gone.


Ruslan Salei was Drafted in 2996 NHL Entry Draft out of IHL's Las Vegas Thunder at 9th Overall of 1st Round of that year's Draft. Born in Nov 2nd 1974 in Minsk,Belarus...Rusty Choose to play in Hockey in North America for the Las Vegas Thunder in 96-97 season...It was during that single season with then now Defunct team at the time he wast scouted by the then-Mighty Ducks who drafted him in the Top Ten. You can say "Rest is History" But History always his story to Tell. From his Hits on Opposing Rivals to scoring important goals in 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs.


There is so many people who I read,watch and see how Rusty has touched their lives in many different ways. I choose to Honor his Memory by always picking him as part of Ducks All-time team and always love that Goal he scored to give our Ducks momentum was something I cherish....perhaps you all share the sentiment too. One thing that makes me think of him is his Family....Bethann Salei and her 3 childern including the youngest who I really Hope will know how lucky she is to have father who was not only a one of best Ducks D-men but a great guy to be with. We should choose to remeber Ruslan for not only his Days with the Ducks but with teams he played on...be it Detroit and Florida. But we should remeber him for a Father to Aleksandro,Alexis and Ava. Husband to Bethann. For Memories and choosing to Honor Ruslan is important duty to all DUCKSFANS to cherish his memory and honor him dearly.....*Raise Glass* Here's to YOU RUSTY!


DuckPride 4ever
MooseDuck

Ducks Youth:Sky's the Limit

One thing that we should not lose focus or Faith in once Puck Drops on Oct13th. is Possibly and it's Highly Realistic with depth within the ranks of our team. Nic Ritchie,Shea Theodore and maybe Stefan Nosesn are Ready for the NHL. I Know Ducks will give them a Look and a shot to earn a spot on Ducks Roster this year. Stats for these 3 tells us they are willing and able to take that Next Leap towards contributing to the Ducks Cause. Ritchie's 16goals,14assists 30pts is a first step and perhaps He's eager to prove he belongs with the Big Club. Theodore's Stats 9goals 28 Assist 37pts add to the fact he was call by our Ducks playing 19 games with 3 goals 5assists 8pts and positive feedback many Ducks Fans who I think many at the Ducks Front Office feel Theodore can make that Jump once Puck Drops on Oct13th. Stefan Noesen is another Player coming back from injury and answering with 10goals 22assists 32pts gives us a Player who with shear determination got back from Injury to show his Resilience gives hope to see him in a Ducks Uni maybe this season or the Next. Either way all 3 of our young Guns are suited and ready to take the leap. The Talent of these 3 are examples of what call "Developing within".

A Phrase I coin in regards to Ducks molding and preparing Next Generation of Ducks to inherit their role in advancing the Ducks Quest to Win the Stanley Cup. It's been done before with guys like Mike Leclerc,Vitaly Vishnevski,Martin Gerber and others over the 24 years. Could we see these 3 seize the moment only 2 things can happen. 1 Ducks re-sign Hampus and Rikard to long term deals and Trade Fowler or 2. Trade Fowler for Picks and a Cheap Player and re-sign Swedish Duo to Long Term. Either way Don't be surprise if 1 or all 3 will seize the chance to be a Regular on the Ducks roster.



DuckPride 4ever
MooseDuck