NHL: Plenty to be Ducky About

Although the Anaheim Ducks are no longer called "Mighty", their play on the ice would suggest otherwise. Backed with two Norris Trophy winners, one of the highest scoring European players of all time and a goalie who once posted a .945 save percentage in the playoffs, perhaps the word "Mighty" is not strong enough of a word to describe them. The Anaheim Ducks have a core of young players who have filled a scoring role and employ the second line. The trio of Ryan Getzlaf (pictured), Corey Perry, and Dustin Penner have been instrumental to the Anaheim Ducks this season and especially in the postseason. McKeen's was on hand for Game 5 of the Western Conference finals, and reviews the young "Ducklings", as well as Valtteri Filppula, Kyle Quincey and Tomas Kopecky of the Detroit Red Wings.

Ryan Getzlaf, C, Anaheim

To say that Getzlaf is having his coming out party in the 2007 playoffs would be the understatement of the year .. currently ranks second in the playoffs with three game-winning goals and leads the Ducks in scoring thus far .. a massive presence, he uses his size perfectly to his advantage, as he shelters the puck well and is especially efficient in the neutral zone, where he is so large that he commands room .. displays sudden bursts of speed and has really improved on his first-step quickness .. his long stride serves him well to find open areas and his strength down low is what has made him effective in the playoffs, as he plays a tenacious cycle game .. has a tendency to over think at times and will rush plays .. will also cough up the puck too easily when just entering the offensive zone, as he is eager to distribute the puck and go to the net .. needs to show more patience .. he does a good job on the half boards in PP situations, as he is able to slow the play down and think a little more thoroughly .. has quick hands and can shot the puck hard and fast .. he plays on the PK in 3-5 situations, as well as the second PP unit .. what makes him so effective on the PP is that he makes simple plays, like deep dump ins or circling ever so slightly to create more room and force the defenseman back .. on the PK, he once again adopts a simple approach, as he gets the puck out of the zone quickly and wins many wall battles .. his play has catapulted him into nearly superstar status.

Corey Perry, RW, Anaheim

Perry has given the Detroit defenseman something to think about the entire series, as his pugilistic approach has more than riled the Wings into taking costly penalties .. has a nose for the net and drives it with authority, as he shows little apprehension to get dirty even though he knows he will be pummelled as a result .. he is a capable scorer, which makes him even more of a thorn in the opposition's side .. puts forth a solid effort every shift and wants to win, as proven in his play around the goal and willingness to take a hit to establish a healthy cycle game .. his strength is well served, as he can retain his balance accordingly, buying additional time and space .. his skating is slightly awkward, though it has improved, but his speed is still not blinding and average at a stand still .. he plays hard but can lose some focus and intensity, as he cannot carry a line but is a good support unit on the wing.

Dustin Penner, LW, Anaheim

Quietly has put up the points despite being absent from the PP .. his icetime has been in slight decline and his confidence has been affected as a result .. has not found his game completely on a line with Perry and Getzlaf and while his skating allows him to keep up, his anticipation has him often chasing a play rather than initiating it .. fails to establish position in the offensive zone .. players literally bounce off his imposing 6-foot-4, 245-pound frame .. his skating does not have much get up and go speed but his long stride helps him eat up ice once he gets going .. he struggles to get back in his defensive zone coverage and often is not leading the charge on a breakout due to his lack of speed .. he is quite agile given his large frame, as he can switch directions rather effortlessly .. has taken a slight step backward however, his play has not been a determent, as others have just been playing better and have stolen his icetime.

Travis Moen, LW, Anaheim

Another stellar performance from an unlikely source this postseason has been the play of Moen .. on a line with Rob Niedermayer and Samuel Pahlsson, the trio have provided timely scoring with an element of grit .. a smart player who anticipates well and is willing to take a hit to make a play .. leaves himself rather vulnerable and will need to turn his shoulders slightly, so he does not leave his entire front exposed .. a smooth skater, who is quick but appears to only have one gear .. has a wide stance that helps him shield the puck and cover the ice well .. will go to the net and stay there .. will always get his shots even though they lack accuracy or power on the net .. is the first to make a pass or shot and go to open areas or toward the net, as he lacks puck skills or true stickhandling skills .. should return to reality next season and be a serviceable playoff performer, as he understands his role.

Valtteri Filppula, C/W, Detroit

Filppula has shown such maturity in his game that he is on the verge of stardom .. while this may be a bold statement, the fact that he logs more minutes than seasoned veterans do speaks volumes as to what coach Babcock thinks of him .. he is a threat every time he steps onto the ice because he is playing with so much confidence .. takes a regular shift with both Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg, as his versatility, committed work ethic and desire are tangibles that are not always measured in the stat column .. he can create offence off the rush, he is a healthy skater and coupled with his keen anticipation and active stick he is often intercepting passes and going the other way .... he is so aware of his position on the ice and his ability to get behind players and pickpocket them may be his best suit .. he still needs to make quicker decisions but once he gets more familiar with the league, he should have no problems making those adjustments .. perhaps a young Federov in the making.

Kyle Quincey, D, Detroit

With injuries to Mathieu Schneider and Niklas Kronwall, Quincey has found himself in the lineup at the most critical time of the year .. becoming more aware of his position on the ice, but he still struggles with gap control and many forwards are able to get him to commit while making a play around him .. he needs to move his body more when stickhandling up the ice, as his play is easily telegraphed .. he is a fluid skater and it helps him to keep up .. he shows flashes of offensive maturity, as he made a strong play to pinch and created a chance while still being able to recover .. should be a cornerstone on defence that is capable of playing more next season.

Tomas Kopecky, RW, Detroit

Has played very sparingly in the last few games .. registered no time in the third period or overtime in Game 5 .. a swift and agile skater, he gives the Wings more size and replaces the diminutive Jiri Hudler but does not create as much in terms of stick skills and offensive ability .. did very little to make an impact in his limited minutes.

Jiri Hudler, C, Detroit

Has struggled to stay in the lineup for the playoffs, as he has played a total of six games, three each in both series .. learning to play better without the puck, he does a formidable job of picking up his man and staying with him .. has great breakaway speed and keen scoring instincts .. he can sneak out of the corner and wisely uses his wristshot in a screen to catch a goalie by surprise .. he wants the puck in the offensive zone but he needs to be more selfish and shoot more, employing his accurate wristshot .. he isn't a graceful skater but he is fast .. should be able to refine his game however, it may be too early for him to be a key contributor during this playoff run.