The skinny on Bret Hedican.

Do you feel comfortable here yet?

Yeah. It's been a change. It's been a great opportunity for me to join a great team. A great defensive corps as well. For me to join this team was an honor. It's a great opportunity to see what this team can do and if it goes a long way in the playoffs, that's why I play the game is to try to get another chance at the Cup.

On the timing of joining the team in Ottawa:

I never thought the chance would come to play with a guy like Niedermayer, Pronger, Beauchemin, Montador, you've got Huskins and some great players back here. to come in and join that defensive corps is a great opportunity for me, so I took it.

Were you concerned with the Ducks' slow start?

No. Not at all. I knew what this team was capable of. You win championships with good defense and this team has good defense. Great defense, not good. Great defense. And they've got the experience up front as well. They've got all upside. As far as getting off to a slow start, I wasn't concerned with that at all. Long season, 82 games, you're going to have ups and downs. They got off to a slow start, but as you can see we're on a roll now.

Randy Carlyle on Hedican's role:

Hedican can provide us with minutes, and that's safe minutes, and he's done that so far. I think he's still getting his feet wet. He hasn't made any huge mistakes. I think that in itself is huge from the player's standpoint that he's just getting comfortable with our group and hopefully that can continue. I think it fits along the lines of, the less you notice him might be the best because he hasn't made any mistakes for us.