There is a great disturbance in the force and it's coming from Anaheim. The return of Ryan Getzlaf and Jakob Silfverberg to the lineup is finally upon us. Both forwards are expected back tonight when the Ducks host the Carolina Hurricanes on Star Wars Night at the Pond.
The Ducks, just as a rebuilt Darth Vader rising from the ashes of Mustafar, are seeking vengeance, revenge and unlimited power with the health of the lineup.
Okay, enough with the silly Star Wars goof.
After a full day of participation in practice, it`s clear both Getzlaf and Silfverbery are healthy and ready to contribute to the success of the club in its final 52 games - if they stay healthy...(knock on wood.)
Both are expected to resume their special teams assignments and insert back into the top six. It will be the first time since the destruction of the Death Star, (sorry couldn't resist) the top six will resemble an actual NHL team. Getzlaf has missed 19 games with a facial fracture and Silfverberg has been out five games with an upper-body injury.
Coach Randy Carlyle has been on top of his game managing the depleted roster. Now he has the luxury of two top-end talents to reintroduce. Getzlaf will be back as the Ducks’ top-line center and Silfverberg as the second-line right wing. Adam Henrique will drop down to second-line center, giving Anaheim two solid lines at the top.
I'm cautiously optimistic. The Ducks managed to get by playing above their heads. AHL level talent filled in admirably and Henrique has been a nice surprise. But at what point do they regress by to their means? Henrique is not a point-per-game talent and shouldn't be counted on to be so. Chris Wagner and Kevin Roy were never intended to play big minutes either. That said, Anaheim is living proof that organizational depth is one of its hallmarks of success.
Tonight's opponent should help the reconstructed lines get acclimated to one another. The Hurricanes lost four of their last five (1-1-2) and have been outscored nearly two-to-one (18-10).
The healthier they get, the less excuses they have. Let's see where the Ducks go from here.
May the force be with you, Steve