The Ducks acquired LW Tomas Fleischmann for the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2015 3rd round draft pick and Dany Heatley. General Manager Bob Murray pulled out an other rabbit from the hat here. Days after he told Lance Pugmire of the L.A. Times that he wasn't very interested in rentals, he picked up a player in the final year of his contract. For what Murray payed to get a player of Flash's skills, he was able to modify his earlier position.
The 30 year old Czech has battled through many injuries over his 10 year NHL career. He has only played in over 80 games twice. Still is a top end talent, when healthy. Flash may very well have the chops to compliment Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry on their left side.
Scanning the Rumor Mill
I'm pretty sure the acquisitions of Jiri Sekac and Fleischmann ends the hunt for a forward. Murray will spend the next two days looking for a defenseman.
Eklund has the Ducks in on Washington's Mike Green and Nicklas Grossman of Philadelphia. I'm not a fan of Grossman, and I don't see him as an improvement over what the Ducks currently have. Mike Green is a player I have always liked. He would be a big boost to the power play, but he would be very expensive. Also, are the Caps really sellers right now?
Another player linked to the Ducks is Jeff Petry from Edmonton. I'm not sure he can help, maybe he can. The former second round pick has spent his entire career in Edmonton and on some very bad teams. Is he part of the reason the Oilers have been so awful or is he a victim of circumstance? Either way I don't put much stock in a defenseman that is a career -65 in four plus seasons.
Yesterday's trade of Kimmo Timonen to Chicago has turned up the heat. He was a veteran that would have helped this team greatly on the power play and he would have been a good mentor to Sami Vatanen when he returns.
Marek Zidlicky is on the block. He can hold down the power play until Vatanen's return and play top four minutes.
Keith Yandle of Phoenix is another player that is rumored to be available. I think he would do well in Anaheim. The Ducks have the ammunition to pull a deal off, but I get the impression the Coyotes would rather trade him to the Eastern Conference if the decide to move him.
Big W
How bout them Ducks! Trailing by two goals and stonewalled by Kings goalie Martin Jones, they had every chance to fold up stakes and fight another day. They didn't. Two goals in a minute and a half pulled the Ducks level. Corey Perry then scored the eventual game winner on a nice give and go with linemate Ryan Getzlaf.
Maybe the most telling sign that this isn't the same Duck team from last year is the way they played against Anze Kopitar. Primarily fronted by Ryan Kesler, Kopitar was held shotless for the contest. It remains to be seen whether or not the Ducks can play Kopitar that tight in a playoff series. It is however a good sign that the Ducks can take away an opponents best player for a game. One more observation, Sekac looks like a keeper.
#WeOwnThe3rd
-Ed