One more from Selanne.

Teemu Selanne told reporters before leaving Honda Center today that he plans to talk in depth with Paul Kariya about a possible reunion in Anaheim.

Kariya has not played in a year because of lingering post-concussion symptoms, which led Selanne on a tangent about hits to the head in the NHL.

“He’s healthy now but … if you saw all the hits that happened this year in the head, they’ve got to do something,” Selanne said. “Giving one or two games, it’s not going to, you know – if they want to take those out, they have to do more.”

His suggestion? “I guarantee that if you get 20 games one time, players are going to think twice if they do anything. It’s not worth it, you know.”

It was then suggested that Selanne become the NHL’s discipline czar when he does retired.

“I would be really good with that,” he replied, laughing. “I would be tough.”

How Paul Kariya figures into Teemu Selanne’s plans.

Teemu Selanne’s decision to play another season in the NHL will depend in part on … Paul Kariya?

Selanne said Tuesday that he’s interested to know if Kariya would return to Anaheim after missing all of the 2010-11 season with post-concussion symptoms.

“Obviously all the years that I had with Paul, it was just unbelievable,” Selanne said. “I talked to him yesterday and we’re going to meet next week. We didn’t even talk about injuries yet but I want to talk to him about how he’s doing, what he’s thinking and maybe go surf with him.”
Continue reading “How Paul Kariya figures into Teemu Selanne’s plans.” »

Perry named NHL’s player of the month.

The latest accolade for Corey Perry might not be the last.

The Ducks’ right wing was named the NHL’s Player of the Month on Friday. He finished March with a league-leading 15 goals, bringing his league-leading season total to 46 and becoming just the
fifth NHL player since Jan. 1997 to score 15 goals in a single
month.

The first question he took on a national conference call was about what might be next: The Rocket Richard Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s leading goal-scorer.

I don’t know if you can ever say that you’re going to win
it,” Perry said. “I mean, you have to have a lot of great bounces and teammates to
play with. I have to give a lot of credit to them. Recently it’s been
going well, and you know, I’m just trying to help the team win. That’s
all I’m worried about.

Perry’s 15 goals were the most in a single month in franchise history. Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne previously shared
the record (Kariya had 13 in January, 2000 and Selanne recorded 13 in
November, 1997).

For the season, Perry is also tied for
first in the league game-winning goals (10, also Daniel Sedin and Alex Ovechkin).
He’s tied for fourth in points (89) and power-play goals (12), and tied for
eighth in short-handed goals (3). He also ranks second among all NHL
forwards in ice time (22:07), which is also first among all right
wingers.

You
just go into every game expecting to play well,” Perry said. “Things happened in
March that doesn’t happen very often. It’s one of those things where you
go out, you play your game, and you see what happens.
But you know, March was a good month, and hopefully there’s more to come.”

March was a good month for a few Ducks.
Continue reading “Perry named NHL’s player of the month.” »

Ducks name Getzlaf captain.

That 25-year-old center Ryan Getzlaf officially became the eighth captain in Ducks history Sunday wasn’t out of the blue. He was one of two alternate captains last season, along with Saku Koivu, and both were seen as logical successors when captain Scott Niedermayer retired in June.

The more interesting wrinkle was how Getzlaf earned the “C” that was stitched onto his jersey prior to Sunday’s preseason tilt with the Los Angeles Kings.

“The players made that decision,” head coach Randy Carlyle said.
Continue reading “Ducks name Getzlaf captain.” »

Agent: Kariya will sit out 2010-11 season.

Paul Kariya will miss the entire 2010-11 season due to post-concussion symptoms, his agent Don Baizley said in a statement Friday.

There was some mutual interest between the Ducks and their former captain, who spent the last three seasons with the St. Louis Blues and last played for Anaheim in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. Kariya missed six games after sustaining a concussion in a game last December. It is not known if the 35-year-old free agent – who had multiple concussions earlier in his career – has had another since.

This latest news calls into question whether Kariya, a 16-year NHL veteran, will ever play again. For now, it puts to rest any rumors that the Ducks would bring him back next season, a prospect that was met with mixed reactions from fans.

Kariya was limited to 11 games in 2008-09 because of hip surgery. He returned in 2009-10 to score 18 goals and 43 points in 75 games.