Scott Niedermeyer was officially suspended Tuesday because the star defenseman of the Anaheim Ducks did not report to training camp. The 2007 playoff MVP has not yet decided whether he will retire early at the age of 34. Teemu Selanne is in the same boat as Niedermeyer except that Selanne is 3 years older. What could this mean for the Ducks this season? Let’s break it down into a few different scenarios. For instance, if only Scott Niedermeyer retires this season I believe that it will not make as such a huge impact as others believe. This may come as a surprise to some, especially to Ducks fans, but I truly believe that if one of these players do retire, Niedermeyer would be the preferable choice. Even without Niedermeyer and his playoff MVP and captain status, the Ducks still have an outstanding defense consisting of Francois Beauchemin, 
Mathieu Schneider, and of course Chris Pronger. If Selanne retires on the other hand, there will be a much larger impact on the Ducks offense, beacause he is the heart and soul Ducks offense. Sure they have Andy McDonald, emerging star Ryan Getzlaf, and recently acquired Todd Bertuzzi, but none of these players have proved to be as dynamic and influential as Selanne. Todd Bertuzzi may be able to pitch in on offense, but with his disappointing stint in Detroit and his questionable back, he may fail to make much of an impact in Selanne’s absence. If both decide to retire, we’ll be seeing a much different Ducks team this year. With two of their most respected, skilled, and feared players gone, the Ducks will have to get elevated play from everyone on their roster, especially on offense. Finally, If neither decide to throw in the towel, the Ducks are going to make another trip to the playoffs if not a repeat appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. Regardless of which scenario actually happens, it’s going to be interesting to see how this season turns out for the Anaheim Ducks.
Mathieu Schneider, and of course Chris Pronger. If Selanne retires on the other hand, there will be a much larger impact on the Ducks offense, beacause he is the heart and soul Ducks offense. Sure they have Andy McDonald, emerging star Ryan Getzlaf, and recently acquired Todd Bertuzzi, but none of these players have proved to be as dynamic and influential as Selanne. Todd Bertuzzi may be able to pitch in on offense, but with his disappointing stint in Detroit and his questionable back, he may fail to make much of an impact in Selanne’s absence. If both decide to retire, we’ll be seeing a much different Ducks team this year. With two of their most respected, skilled, and feared players gone, the Ducks will have to get elevated play from everyone on their roster, especially on offense. Finally, If neither decide to throw in the towel, the Ducks are going to make another trip to the playoffs if not a repeat appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. Regardless of which scenario actually happens, it’s going to be interesting to see how this season turns out for the Anaheim Ducks. 
No comments:
Post a Comment