The lockout is lasting much longer than I though it would and I never really thought I would be left with nothing to write about except a floundering AHL hockey team, but folks - that is what this has come to.

Through 17 games the Ducks AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, have sunk to the bottom of the Eastern Conferences' East Division with a less than impressive 7-10 record. The Admirals have lost five in a row and are 2-8 in the last 10 games. Keep in mind the Admirals were the 2012 Calder Cup Champions. As you know the Ducks ditched Syracuse and shifted AHL operations to Norfolk, so a lot has changed in the last five months. A little disappointing nonetheless.

BUT, enough of the doom and gloom, we have enough of that to deal with on the NHL front with the current labor situation - or lack thereof.

Let us instead focus on some of our favorite players in Norfolk.

Peter Holland is good. Ducks fans are in for a real treat with this kid. His nine goals and 16 total points leads all Admiral skaters to this point.

He is followed closely by Kyle Pamieri with 14 points (6g 8a). Palmieri turned some heads last season when he produced a handful of goals late in the season for Anaheim. These two gentlemen are the Ducks future stars and as of right now they playing like it.



Devante Smith-Pelley has himself eight points thus far (1g 7a). Unfortunately, he is a team worst -10. Ouch!

Nate Guenin continues to get better with every game. With five points (1g 4a) and team high +8 he is clearly the Admirals only true rock on the blue line.

I am a bit disappointed in the performance of Emerson Etem. Every since his 50 in 50 pursuit last season I have been a bit of a fan - not quite a man crush - but a fan. So far he has yet to get him offensive game going. He is fourth of the team in shots but, with just four goals he is well below the production I would have expected from him at this point.

From this point forward I will post a weekly Admiral update - at least until the NHL resumes, someday. I hope.

Follow me on Twitter! @StevePalumboNHL

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