All good things must come to an end. Ok, maybe this season wasn't exactly a good thing, but hey, it kinda ended well. It's been a pleasure bringing you Ducks stuff this season and we'll continue to do so while other teams aren't yet enjoying their off-season. You can count on us to be the number one site for anti-Kings and anti-Sharks playoff coverage. We'll also have some coverage of World Championships featuring a couple Ducks. Oh and the draft! This is the highest draft pick for the Ducks since Bobby Ryan was drafted number two overall. Busy summer ahead.

This game is practically a pre-season game. Calgary isn't in the playoffs as well, so I expect effort to be at 65% on both teams. With that being said we're going to do something a little different. After the jump, all the writers will be giving you their MVP and LVP on the season, and the number one priority for the Ducks this off-season. You guys can discuss our choices during the most irrelevant game of the entire season. Enjoy!

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Going to skip today's review of RFA's, and give you guys some desperately needed Justin Schultz news!

Bob Murray, currently being held in Azkaban Prison (I think - that's the only way I can explain his lack of contact), spoke through at Death Eater to give an update on the Ducks prized prospect. You can read EEric Stephens complete article, but I'll give you the highlights:

-- Ducks personnel have kept in contact with Schultz for the past couple of years. This allowed the organization to get to know him better and vice-versa.

-- Naturally the Ducks are really excited to have him join the franchise when he's ready to go pro. They support Schultz's decision to finish out his junior year and senior year if he so decides. Something interesting I didn't know, if Schultz goes pro after this school year, the Ducks have policies in place to assist him in finishing his degree.

-- I think this next part is huge: Scott Niedermayer went to visit Justin at school. Todd Marchant went as well, but I have to believe that Scotty had the biggest impact. C'mon! It's Scott freaking Niedermayer!

-- Finally, everyone and their moms want Schultz. Those salivating the most over the prospect are Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, and the New York Rangers. Toronto has Schultz's former defensive partner (and former Ducks prospect) Jake Gardiner, and the Rangers have former teammates Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh.

Remember, as a part of NCAA rules, until he officially announces that he's going pro, he can't retain the services of a player-agent. Who he picks will have an impact on his decision. From what I've read, Schultz seems to be a really level headed kid. How he handles this process will have a lasting impact on he is perceived, character-wise, throughout his career.

Last Game Preview, I took at look the upcoming free agents that were currently up with the big club. Since this game means absolutely nothing and I'm pretty sure the Ducks winning this game won't allow them to be spoilers in any way, let's take a look at the players in the Ducks system that are looking for new deals. I'll do Unrestricted Free Agents today and Restricted Free Agents the next game.

UFA:

Ryan O'Marra - Acquired in a trade with Edmonton, O'Marra played in two games with the Ducks this season on the fourth line. He was replacing Nick Bonino for a couple games and ended up with blanks across the boards. Once Bonino was ready to go, O'Marra was sent back down. Prior to joining Anaheim, he played for the Oilers' minor league affiliate, the Oklahoma Barrons. In 40 games with the Barrons, he had 8 goals, 9 assists, and was a plus-15. In 14 games with the Crunch, he scored 1 goal and 2 assists, with a minus-1 rating. Conclusion: He's expendable.

Jean-Francois Jacques - When he was signed, I figured he was the heir-apparent to George Parros, mainly because Parros would fight Jacques frequently when he was with the Oilers. Jacques is an anomaly to me. With the Crunch, he has 20 goals, 17 assists and 91 PIM's in 59 games; however, with the Ducks he has zero goals and assists with 12 penalty minutes in 6 games. Oh and he was suspended twice in two separate tours with the Ducks. First time he was suspended for the remainder of the preseason (3 games) plus 5 regular season games. Once that suspension was up (after a series of call-ups), he made his way back in the lineup and seemed to be suspended again almost instantaneously. After delivering an illegal hit to the head of RJ Umberger, he was suspended 3 games. He has since served that suspension, one again through call-ups) and hasn't made a return trip to Anaheim. Conclusion: Could be a cheap replacement for Parros, but I don't see him fitting in with Boudreau.

Matt Smaby - In doing my research, it doesn't look good for Smaby when he's not on the Ducks list of players in the system. Could be because he's often injured? Maybe? Anyhoo, in a fight during the pre-season, he injured his hand and was out around 2 to 3 months. He's back with the Crunch and has 2 goals, 7 assists and 46 PIM's. Beyond that, not much to say about him. Conclusion: Another cheap alternative to Parros.

Sean Zimmerman - Another lackluster minor league player. Zimmerman was acquired last season from Boston. He was signed to a one-year extension at the end of the season after posting amazing numbers in Syracuse - 0 goals, 7 assists, and 47 penalty minutes in 51 games. His numbers are slightly better this season: in 42 games, he has 1 goal, 6 assists and 39 PIM's. He has yet to have a call-up to the big club. Conclusion: I can't see why we'd keep him around.

Mark Bell - His story is one of redemption after struggling with alcohol throughout his early career. (Google his story, I'm not going into it here.) Bell was a member of Chicago, San Jose and Toronto. After his time in Toronto, Bell went to play two years in Europe before being signed to a one-year contract by the Ducks prior to this season. His numbers in Syracuse are lackluster. In 35 games, he has 6 goals, 10 assists, 37 PIM's, and is a minus-13. During the Ducks epic run in January, he was called up for a 5-game stretch that resulted in only 5 PIM's on the stat sheet. Conclusion: Expendable. His good years are behind him.

Troy Bodie - I love Bodie. I loved him when he was a Duck and I was sad when he was claimed on waivers by Carolina. He isn't overly talented but he'll fight if you need him to. As an alternate captain for the Crunch, he has 5 goals, 9 assists and 114 PIM's He's probably going to be a career AHL-er, but I'm fine with keeping him in our system. It's just funny that we got rid of him only to get him back. Sound familiar? Conclusion: Bob Murray is likely indifferent with Bodie and it might matter who our next AHL affiliate is.

**Ducks signed prospect Chris Wagner to a three-year entry level deal. Wagner left Colgate University following his sophomore season this year.**

Holy crap did this season fly by. I can't believe it's the final home game of the season. For some of the players hitting the ice tonight, it will be the last time we see them in a Ducks home jersey. Of the many possible free agents leaving the club, there are a few we should take a closer look at:

Sheldon Brookbank: If you would have told me last season that I'd be concerned about re-signing Brookbank, I would have punched you in the baby maker. Sheldon has had a remarkable turnaround of a season. He played in only 40 games for the Ducks last year, and came up flat in goals and assists and was a minus-8. Currently, he is tied with Saku Koivu for the team high in plus/minus with plus-11 through 76 games played. He's overcome his offensive block and has 3 goals and 11 assists. Brookbank's game has blossomed under Bruce Boudreau. He has the confidence in himself back that he admittedly said he lost last season and beginning of this one. At a current cap hit of $875K, he's a good bargain for a steady defensman. Plus if the Ducks decide to dump Parros (more on that in a bit), he can play enforcer when necessary.

Jason Blake: Ooooh Blakey. While I refuse to believe that Blake's absence earlier in the season sent the Ducks into their epic end of 2011 tailspin, I can't help but thank him for getting hurt. Why, you ask? With his absence, and subsequent downward spiral, came the change of coaches. Once Blake made it back in the lineup, he was shuffled across all four lines, healthy scratched once, and then found a home (and limited ice time) on the fourth line. I don't foresee him in the Ducks future. The youth movement has already begun to take hold, and Boudreau has stated that he wants to be able to roll four solid lines every night - not just three and some spare change for the fourth line guys. Blake is a scrappy player that probably has another year or two left in him, but it won't be with the Ducks.

George Parros: I'm going to be brief with him because I'm working on a full post for later this week. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Parros is one of the most popular Ducks in team history. For all that he lacks in ability on the ice, he makes up for in personality and charm. Parros told Eric Stephens that he wants to stay in Anaheim but his agent has yet to hear from the Ducks. Personally, I would love for him to stick around another season, but I have to be logical about next year's team. He's a lot like Blake, he can easily fill fourth line minutes (slowly dwindles throughout the game), but does he contribute to making the team better as a whole?

Saku Koivu: Anyone that has read me for a while knows that I love Saku Koivu and would deeply depressed if he didn't re-sign with the Ducks. I'd rather have him retire than go to another team. Koivu seemed to echo my sediments in his comments to the Register. Koivu is like the safety blanket you had as a kid - you just feel better when he's around. He has no problem being the second center behind Ryan Getzlaf, even though Boudreau tends to lean towards Koivu in pressure situations. At some point, the Ducks will need to cut the cord and trust their youth; however, until Nick Bonino and Peter Holland fully mature into their positions at the NHL level, Koivu will need to be there to bridge the gap between them and Getzlaf. Bobby Ryan and Andrew Cogliano at center do not offer the same skill set at Koivu, even as he gets up there in years.

Teemu Selanne: Of course I had to end with this one. I just can't imagine him going out on a season like this. He leads the team in scoring, is third in goals, and is one of six Ducks to have played in every single game this season. Earlier in the season, I knew this season would be his last, but now I'm not so sure. His skills are obviously not deteriorating and he still enjoys what he does. Knowing the competitor in Selanne, he's not going to want to quit when he knows he's still got it. My gut feeling is that he's going to be back, but I don't want to get my hopes up. I feel like the Ducks owe him one more honest-to-God shot at a Cup before he hangs 'em up for good. Yet, I can't be sure. I'll be at the game with my dad, cheering loudly for 'One More Year', and just like I did last year when the Ducks skated off in Nashville, I'll probably cry because it's Teemu. (I am a sucker for emotional moments, even if the Ducks have three games left after this. I'll cry during the last game, too!)

(Other expiring contracts currently on the NHL roster: Dan Ellis, Nick Bonino (RFA), Niklas Hagman, and Rod Pelley)

Another game, another chance to destroy a team's playoff dreams.

Tonight the Ducks play the Coyotes, a team still desperately fighting for one of those precious few playoff spots in the Western Conference. The Coyotes took a big step towards that goal by beating the recently snake bitten Sharks in their last game by a score of 2-0. The Coyotes are still the same team they've been for last few years, relying on spectacular goaltending and solid team play. They're one of those teams that some how always find a way to be in playoff contention, despite the critics predicting otherwise every off-season. Since the arrival of our new head coach we have dominated the Coyotes, going 3-1 and winning the last match up in Phoenix. Rather than tempting magumbo and start mentioning specific players, I'm just going to say that the Coyotes are deceptively good.

But enough about Pheonix, what about the Ducks? What records will Teemu Selanne break tonight? Which young gun will impress us all tonight? How will Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry continue to battle despite the lack of playoffs? Will Jonas Hiller ever be too tired to start again? [Ed. Note: Very possible that we'll see Jeff Deslauriers tonight.] And how many people will be watching this game with the Final Four going on? Hopefully the answer to the last one is quite a few because these Ducks still need our attention and support. There's always next season!

Around the interwebs, the topic of the day seems to be Teemu Selanne. I will not break trend. However, instead of analyzing the same speech he gives every year, "I'll decide this summer" and "I have no feeling either way", I'll go with what I think it's going to take to get him back.

1) Most obvious - if he feels healthy and wants to play. Do you realize that this year, Teemu has played in every game of the season? Even Corey Perry missed time, but not the 41 year-old Selanne, who is usually beset by aches and pains along the way. Remember, he had his knee scoped over the past off-season, and it seems to have worked out just fine.

2) How the Ducks finish these last six games. Bruce Boudreau will play a big part in this because he's probably going to try to remind Teemu how good this team can be with a full year of his coaching. His return looks more likely if the team can finish strong.

3) Saku Koivu. The reason Saku came to Anaheim was for Teemu. There hasn't been much talk of Koivu's plans following the expiration of his contract this off-season. My hope is that he comes back for another year, and can convince his BFF Selanne to come too. Saku is still on the hunt for his first Cup, and I'm sure he's going to play all that he can to get his chance - hopefully it's with us.

4) Bob Murray's Off-Season Moves. To me, this is the most important to get Selanne (and probably Koivu) back in a Ducks uniform next season. Each year when he signs his one-year deal, Selanne always mentions that he talks to Bob Murray about his plans for the team and he examines the moves he's made thus far. The youth coming up the system give us a lot of hope, but the team will need a couple proven veterans to really make any serious changes. I always come back to the year we got Chris Pronger. He is evidence that one key player can make the difference on a team with a mix of youth and vets. The Ducks need to find another Chris Pronger-esque player this off-season without having to sell off the farm.

Am I way off base here or do you think I hit everything that it's going to take to have Selanne return? He's the heart and soul of the organization. I'd hate to lose him at the same time as we're going into the final year of Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf's contracts. Enjoy him while he's here folks. If you can get down to Honda Center on Sunday, bring the Kleenex. It's going to be an emotional game for the fans and Selanne. Let's give him another reason to stay - the fans.

(Earl Sleek and I participated in an SBN blogger roundtable for the Pacific Division teams. Apparently everyone else is trying to get in the playoffs. Whatever that means. Read about it here.)

[Ed. Note: Here at Anaheim Calling, we're all about promoting love and harmonious relationships. So much so that we're willing to entertain a little couples counseling on the site. Welcome back Duck Buddy, Ryan, and his Bruin-loving partner, Peter, to preview tonight's game. Both guys write for the awesome site Puck Buddys.]

RYAN:

Once or twice a year there is a game on the calendar that creates a divide in my home. As some of you may already know, my partner, Peter, is an avid Boston Bruins fan. Honestly, the Bruins maintain my allegiance when they are playing any other team then the Ducks. I probably watch 65 games a year with Peter. So for this special game I am inviting him to participate on helping me write this post.

Which reminds me, what are we betting on for this game?

PETER:

Hello to all you Ducks fans. Sorry that you're meeting me today. 360+ days a year, I'm rooting hard for the Ducks. In my mind they are Bruins-West. Tough and skilled, they play the game the way that it should be played. They even both were built with the help of Brian Burke (thanks for Tyler Seguin, Jared Knight and Dougie Hamilton, Brian!) I really do like the Ducks, but tomorrow, I'll be wearing my Patrice Bergeron jersey and cheering for the black and gold.

A bet? Hmm, Bruins are playing the 2nd night of back to backs and I had a couple beers at tonight's win over the hated Kings, so I'd better be careful here. How about loser buys tickets to the next Bruins-Ducks game?

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It's quite obvious that while not mathematically eliminated by NHL, we are completely out of the race - even if the Ducks win all of their remaining games. So I ask you this, are wins even worth the effort?

I hate when the Ducks lose, no matter what. Which is why I am strongly opposed to tanking for better draft position. Many of you believe that this is the route to take for the rest of the season, in hopes that our draft pick will be playing this time next season and we'll be in the playoffs. I can understand that, but I look at our only reason not to - Teemu Selanne. Do we want to send Teemu out like that?

The Blues are good - duh. While I'm expecting a bloodbath, I think the team's mindset for the rest of the season will be shown tonight. Do they give it 110% against a team that, win or lose, is already in the playoffs? Playing spoiler like we did against San Jose is motivation, but how about now?

Tonight the Ducks visit the San Jose Sharks at the HP Pavilion, in a game, err, series that the Ducks can finally say they have had success taking part in this year.

In the series opener, the Ducks shutout the Sharks 1-0 start off their ‘North American’ season. They followed that up with a 3-2 win in their first road game of the year, otherwise known as the "Jason Blake laceration game". In a Boxing Day bout, the Ducks continued their mastery of their Northern rivals with another 3-2 trouncing. Only once – January 4th – have the Sharks beaten the Ducks.

This is the penultimate matchup between the two California rivals, and a game where the Ducks are looking to bounce back from a horrific final 20 minutes they had last night against the visiting Nashville Predators.

Since the last matchup between the two clubs, the Sharks have improved for better or for worse. The Sharks find themselves one point of out 8th spot in the West, with the most games in hand of all the bubble teams. The Ducks are getting their first look at recent acquisitions TJ Galiardi (0 points since joining San Jose), and Daniel Winnik (1 assist since joining San Jose) who the Sharks obtained from Colorado. As well, tonight will be the first time Anaheim plays against right-winger Martin Havlat, as he returned Thursday from a 39-game absence due to a torn left hamstring. Havlat is a player the Sharks have loved having back in the lineup, as they have amassed a record of 18 – 7 – 3 when the Czech sniper is healthy.

For the Ducks, they look to play spoiler. Although they have lost six straight on the road, defenseman Toni Lydman looks to figure back into the lineup tonight, while Jonas Hiller looks to get his 33rd consecutive start, and 68th overall. Hiller has a record of 2 – 1 and a GAA of 1.69 against San Jose this season. As well, indications are that Head Coach Bruce Boudreau has finally placed Devante Smith-Pelly on the1st line. Odds are he is playing next to Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.

Enjoy the game folks! Go Ducks Go!

With Friday's loss to the Los Angeles Kings, our Ducks all but eliminated themselves from post-season play. In a game that seemed to be a microcosm of their season, the Ducks came out listless. The Kings jumped to an early 3-0 lead as we heard the collective remote of the Ducks fanbase changing the channel. We were all ready to turn the page, but just like the 2011-2012 Ducks have done so many times this season, they climbed back in with thrilling reclaim, only to be shut out once again.

In tonight's action, Ryan Getzlaf and co. take on the Nashville Predators; these same Predators who the Ducks were preparing to take on in the first round of the NHL playoffs almost a year ago. The Preds lead the Ducks 3-0 in the season series thus far, outscoring them 10-4. Tonight's matchup concludes the regular season set in what looks to be a feisty affair for one of the NHL's raw and uncompromising new rivalries.

With 10 games left on the schedule, all we can do now is simply enjoy the Ducks. Who knows what next season holds? For the first time since 2003, the team might be Selanne-free. This could be the last stretch we see RPG together. Maybe even the eternal Jason Blake and his bloated $4 million contract will ride into the sunset. We should all be so lucky.

For the Predators, Eric Stephens has reported goaltender Anders Lindback will be in net tonight in place of Pekka Rinne, while centre Paul Gaustad will miss tonight's game with an upper body injury. Forward Colin Wilson looks to be a healthy scratch for the second straight game.

Enjoy the game folks. And watch out for those Nashville fans that tend to migrate to AC with their ample dislike for #10. Go Ducks Go!

[Ed. Note: Play nice with our Predator visitors. I will be at the game, but my hammer of justice has a long reach.]