That's all, folks. The 2011-2012 season for your Anaheim Ducks is officially done. I'm still in a bit of disbelief that the regular season is over. To me it feels like we just came back from Finland. Hmm, that's probably because I erased almost all of the first half of the season from my memory.
It's funny. The Ducks started the season 4-1-0, the best start in franchise history. Even the Cup team went 3-0-2 in it's first five. This is when we, as fans, screwed everything up; toting this team as what could be the surprise of the season. What the Gods of Magumbo giveth, the Gods of Magumbo taketh away. The team spiraled out of control that a league best second half of 24-14-6 couldn't fix. The Ducks finished the season 34-36-12 with 80 points - their worst finish since the 2003-04 season. By the way, the last time the Ducks missed the playoffs in the 2009-10 season, their final record was 39-32-11. Ouch.
Now to the guy speaking in the video above - Teemu Selanne. Was this really his final game in the NHL? Is he really going to end his 19th season like this? I have to believe he'll be back because he doesn't want to finish he career like this. Yet, I was a little scared when he referenced the 'end of the road'. He says he's going to tell Bob Murray his plans before July 1st, the start of the free agency signing period. Now he's said that every year and it's usually around August/September when he finally makes a decision. Teemu is a smart guy and realizes the hole he's going to leave by retiring. If he truly believes that this team is right on the cusp of being really good, he's going to need to be a part of it. Just sayin'.
GOOD
-- Congrats to Bobby Ryan for getting his 30th and 31st goals of the season on. He had 7 shots on goal in the game. Ya think he wanted to get to that plateau? He now joins Phil Kessel, Ilya Kovalchuk, Alex Ovechkin, Jarome Iginla, and Teemu Selanne on the list of active players to have at least four straight 30+ goal seasons. Bobby now joins Selanne and Paul Kariya as the only Ducks to acomplish the feat. He was also the only plus Duck on the night.
-- It was nice to see Dan Ellis and George Parros in the lineup for the final game of the season, as I believe it will be their last in Ducks unis. This is the first time Ellis has dressed in 41 games since suffering a sports hernia injury that required surgery. Parros did not help his case for a new contract by getting a 10 minute misconduct for continuing to make remarks to Hakeem Aliu of the Flames. Aliu received the same punishment.
-- In having to dress five defenseman, Bruce Boudreau decided to have an experiment on the power play. His first unit contained five forwards: Teemu Selanne, Bobby Ryan, Saku Koivu, Corey Perry, and Ryan Getzlaf. It worked the first time with Ryan getting the goal. The rest of the time it didn't work, going 1 for 5 on the night - including a couple 5 on 3 opportunities. I realize this is in the 'good' category. That's because I liked the experiment.
-- All of our AC readers! You guys kept showing up, even when the team didn't. We appreciate you! I'd give you the jersey off my back, but it was a Christmas gift and not many of you can fit a child's XL.
BAD
-- Did anyone else notice Jonas Hiller after the final whistle? The team skated out to give him a tap on the helmet and he skated right past everyone and went directly in the locker room. I could tell he was pissed with the way this game ended up. There were a lot of unlucky bounces, but like many games this season, he wasn't helped by the guys in front of him. That in turned cost Jonas his 30th win of the season. Instead he got his 30th loss. Hiller has been much more vocal this season and I wouldn't be surprised if he has some stinging remarks in his exit interview next week.
-- On multiple occasions, Cam Fowler was pounded by Hakeem Aliu. Following the first hit, Fowler went out of his way to hit Aliu, which lead directly to a Calgary goal. Cam needs to get angry, but in the way Scott Niedermayer used to. Scott wouldn't pummel people. Instead, he would give a well placed crosscheck or elbow out of the officials eyeline. He'd give a facewash to an opponent and then skate away like nothing happened. Fowler needs that toughness in his game. Finesse can only get you so far.
-- The fragile Lubomir Visnovsky was out today, leaving the Ducks with 5 defenseman.
UGLY
-- We're not in the playoffs.