Frankincense and Murr (ducks)

Finally.

Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray's blood pressure has shot up to 120 over 100.

What took so long?

It's about time the big boss started throwing his lackadaisical players under the zamboni.

Murray has had to watch his team fail repeatedly for the past three months.

His woeful Ducks just lost three of four on a forgettable eastern roadie before the Christmas break. They are in 29th place in the NHL, just one point better than the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Ducks have been dopey all season long.

Bruce Boudreau's voice appears to have gotten muted and tuned out by the majority of high paid Ducks who now sit idle with a 12-15-6 record. They are in the bottom of the dumpster in the mediocre Pacific division.

Murray told the Orange Country Register that he has a bunch of passengers right now.

“We had far too many returning players who decided training for this season was optional, thus a poor start,… Murray said.

“After succeeding during the past few regular seasons, suddenly we are underachieving and having to handle adversity, and some are not physically prepared to work through the challenge.…

The Ducks lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 7 of the WCF. They were one win a way from playing Tampa for the Hockey Holy Grail. Today, they are a mess of a team that can't execute a simple break out play.

It boggles the mind how bad the once feared Ducks have become.

Granted they lost key players like François Beauchemin, Kyle Palmieri and Matt Beleskey last summer. So what. Where are the team leaders to bridge that gap?

Murray made it a point not to single out any players in particular, however, I will do so:

Ryan Getzlaf

Ryan Kesler

Carl Hagelin

Jakub Silfverberg

Patrick Maroon

Kevin Bieksa

Andrew Cogliano

Getzlaf, the captain, one goal in 29 games. A chintzy empty net goal. Big whoop.

Don't mistake the Ducks being only 5 points out of a playoff spot as them being a good team. They have been awful this season largely because they score only 1.9 goals per game. Were it not for Corey Perry's 10 goals his Ducks would be dead in the water.

Murray laid the smack down on his squad and coaching staff.

“There's only a few times a year you can make significant changes to your team – the draft/free agency time period and the trade deadline,… Murray told the Register. “There's been only one trade this year for a reason.

“In saying that, at this point I don't think any player could be surprised or shocked if he were to be traded.…

I expect a seismic shift in SoCal when the NHL trade freeze thaws on 12/27.

If I'm Bruce Boudreau, I'm sleeping with one eye open, gripping the pillow tight.

***

As we enjoy the Christmas holiday and the time spent with family and friends, it’s time to reflect back on the first three months of the NHL season.

Here’s my list of forwards who have been less than their best this season.

These are leaders who are not leading their teams right now.

I call them “naughty… because each one is not not playing up to his full potential.

Ryan Getzlaf Paging, Mr. Getzlaf. Mr. Ryan Getzlaf. The 30 year old captain of the most disappointing Anaheim Ducks has just one goal this season and it was scored on an empty net. Getzlaf has taken only 62 shots and has an abysmal 1.6 shooting %. He is ranked #440 in the NHL in goal scoring today. To his credit, he has 18 assists. 19 points in 18:56 TOI in 29 games played is close but no cigar. Getzlaf underwent an emergency appendectomy is October and was forced to miss 5 games. I can't conform it but I think that Getzlaf is playing his way through his injury. I saw him play live in Buffalo last week and he was a shadow of his former self. He was easily pushed off pucks and he skated like a 55 year old man. He should just shut it down now if he is injured. His Ducks needed a leader not a follower.

Sid Crosby

Sid The Kid in The witness protection program? Has anyone seen him lately? The Penguins have been a mess this season and their leader has been an average player. In an attempt to kick start the heart of his struggling team, Pens GM Jim Rutherford fired Mike Johnston and replaced him Mike Sullivan two weeks ago. Crosby has 6Gs and 22 points in 32 games played. He has taken only 93 shots and his 6.5% shooting percentage is a problem. Crosby has 33 missed shots and 20 giveaways. He has only 3 PPGs in 32 games played. At this rate, Crosby will finish this season with career low point totals and the Pens will miss the playoffs if he doesn’t find his mojo. The Pens are in 12th place in the East and in sixth place in their division. Sid better slip into a phone booth and pull on his Superman cape or the Pens will be cooked come playoff time.

Ryan Kesler

Kesler has been a major disappointment this season. He has four goals and 12 points. That's poor production for his 19:17 TOI. He has taken 66 shots and scored four goals. His 6.1% shooting % is unacceptable. Getzlaf has 29 PIMs. Kesler and Getzlaf on paper are one of the best 1-2 punches at center. On the ice, they have been a yard sale. I'm guessing that Ducks GM Bob Murray is wondering if he can return Kesler to the Ducks with the receipt of his 6 year, $41 million contract.

Carl Hagelin

Like his teammates Getzlaf and Kesler, Hagelin is struggling big time. Thus, the Anaheim offense continues to shoot blanks. Hagelin was traded to Anaheim from the NY Rangers last July for forward prospect Emerson Etem. Hagelin has just 3 goals and 5 assists in 33 games played. He is -12 in 14:55 TOI. Hagelin has just 59 shots on goal which equated to a 5.1% shooting percentage.

Jakub Voracek

What happened to his goal scoring? Voracek scored 22 goals and added 59 assists last season. In 2013-14 he pumped in 23 goals and 39 assists. This season he has scored just 3 goals on 100 shots on goal in 34 games played. That's a 3% shooting percentage. To his credit, Voracek has 20 assists in 18:16 TOI. Voracek isn't being paid the big bucks to logo snip opposing goalies. He is being paid to light the lamp.

Ryan Johansen

It's like the attack of the body snatchers in CBUS. Johansen has been missing in action for most of this season. In 33 games he has scored just 6 goals on 83 shots (7.2 shooting %) and has chipped in 17 assists. He has zero game winning goals and just one PPG. That's not great production in 17:36 TOI per game. No wonder John Tortarella has healthy scratched Johansen a couple of times this season. Johansen scored 26 goals and added 45 assists last season. He His breakout season was 2013-014 when he popped in 33 goals and added 30 assists.

The Blue Jax are trying to trade the Vancouver native but he isn't doing them any favors by slumping right now.

Chris Kreider

The Rangers certainly could use a pop of offense from Kreider to help them get back on the winning way. The 6’3…, 225 lb. power forward needs to be more consistent. He has 16 points in 36 games played. He has just one PPG this season. A man his size has to dominate on the PP. He has 35 PIMs in 36 games. I feel like Kreider has more to give inside shifts than he is presently giving. He skates 16:05 TOI per game. To his credit, he has 77 hits and 14 blocked shots, however, Kreider has 25 missed shots and 17 giveaways this season.

Ryan Callahan

The Tampa Lightning have bene a middling team all season long. They can’t seem to play a consistent brand of hockey on a week to week basis. The Bolts find themselves 23rd in the NHL in goals scored with 2.46 per game. Ryan Callhan has to be a better offensive contributor than he has been if he and his Bolts plan on making the playoffs. Callahan is 9th in team scoring right now with 11 points in 36 games. He has taken just 71 shots and has covered on only 5.1% of them. He has landed only 40 his and has 12 giveaways. Callahan is a gritty, energy man. When he is on his game, his teammates feed off of his energy. He is blending in far too often this season. He averages 17:57 TOI per game.

Nick Foligno

In 2014-15, Foligno enjoyed his best offensive success of his NHL career when he scored 31 goals and added 42 assists. He also potted 11 PGGs for the Blue Jax. He was his team’s best offensive and defensive forward last season. So, what’s happened to his game this season? He presently has 5G, 14As in 35 games, He is -11. He has taken 84 shots and has scored only 5Gs. He has delivered 77 hits and has blocked 25 shots, however, he has 20 missed shots and 14 giveaways. He is averaging 17:18 TOI. The Blue Jax need their captain to lead them in al statistical departments if they are going to be a playoff team in April.

Jordan Staal

Is J. Staal still in the NHL? I feel like he has been tied up, taken away and held for ransom. He has been invisible for the past two seasons. With all the talk about his brother Eric about to be traded at the NHL trade deadline, you’d think that J. Staal would be busting his ass so that the team Eric goes to would want Jordan as well. Kind of like a Sedin bro thing. Jordan has 7Gs, 7As for a bad Hurricanes team this season. He has 1 PPG. He has landed only 64 shots on net in 34 games played. He has 31 missed shots and 22 giveaways. Time to pick it up, Jordan. You have more to give on a nightly basis.

***

What do I want for Christmas, you ask?

I want Cam Fowler to be a Buffalo Sabre.

The 24 year old is the perfect solution to Buffalo's need for a left handed, top four D.

Fowler's Anaheim Ducks team are the most disappointing team in the NHL this season. I fully expect their GM Bob Murray to fire their head coach Bruce Boudreau after the holidays. I'm also expecting Murray to trade a core player or two to shake up his lethargic, offensively stagnant team.

Why trade Fowler?

Because the Ducks have young D depth and can afford to trade Fowler for a top six, scoring forward.

My friends @TradedNHLPlayers made me this head shot of Fowler in Blue & Gold. I like it. I like it a lot!

Merry Christmas, Sabres fans!

***

Leave it to my man Jay McKee to make me laugh like a fool.

Steve Harvey as Gary Bettman. Photo shop gold!

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