Ducks Announce 2006-2007 Schedule
Mood:  incredulous
The Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club will open its 14th year in the National Hockey League at home versus Los Angeles at 7:05 p.m. PDT on Friday, Oct. 6 at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.

The Ducks will battle each of their Pacific Division foes eight times (four home, four away) once again this season for a total of 32 games. Anaheim will also play four games (two home, two away) against each of the 10 non-division clubs in the Western Conference for a total of 40 games. All NHL teams play 72 games against teams from their own conference. The NHL regular season schedule includes 82 games in total, 41 games at home and 41 games on the road. In addition, the Ducks play 10 inter-conference games, hosting each team from the Atlantic Division once and traveling to each of the Southeast Division cities once. Highlights at home include Jaromir Jagr and the New York Rangers on Nov. 1, followed by Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 6. In addition, the New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers all make visits to Anaheim this season. The Ducks will travel to Atlanta, Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington. The Ducks do not play Boston, Buffalo, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto this regular season. Division versus division assignments rotate annually. The Ducks will play 17 of their first 25 games at the Arrowhead Pond, including six of their first seven games. Fans can look forward to five-game homestands from Oct. 9 to Oct. 20 and Nov. 12 to Nov. 21, in addition to a season-long eight-game homestand from March 2 to March 18. The eight-game homestand is tied for the longest in franchise history (also in 1996-97 and 2001-02). The Ducks will play in 15 back-to-back games this season, up two from last season's 13 back-to-back sets. Anaheim's longest road trip of the season is five games (twice). The first is Dec. 8 to 16 (Washington, Tampa Bay, Florida, Atlanta, and San Jose) with the second from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2 (Phoenix, San Jose, Carolina, Minnesota and Detroit). Anaheim ends the regular season playing seven of their last nine games on the road. Individual game tickets for Ducks regular season home games will go on sale later this summer. An exact date and time will be announced when the information is available. Tickets are available in several price ranges. The Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim seats 17,174 for NHL games.

For the entire Anaheim Ducks 2006-07 regular season schedule, go to the Anaheim Ducks' Official Website.

Ducks Move Weekday Start Times to 7:05 PM
Mood:  surprised
The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the club has moved its weekday start times to 7:05 p.m. The club will continue its tradition of starting Sunday home games at 5:05 p.m.

We felt this was a decision that our fans and specifically season seat holders should make, said Anaheim Arena Management President / CEO & Anaheim Ducks Executive Vice President / COO Tim Ryan. It was clear that sentiment toward 7:05 p.m. weekday starts was growing throughout the season, culminating with responses at our annual Select-A-Seat event. The club moved weekday start times ahead 30 minutes following a year-long study with fans and business partners. After receiving both formal and informal feedback during the course of the 2005-2006 season, the club conducted a survey with season ticket holders at the team's annual Select-A-Seat event in June. Quantitative data collected showed overwhelming support for a move to 7:05 p.m. starts. The vast majority of respondents also voted to maintain 5:05 p.m. starts for Sunday home games. The season ticket holder survey conducted at Select-A-Seat included a wide variety of additional topics, including feedback on game entertainment, food & beverage, parking and several other on-and off-ice related themes.

Ducks Annouce 2006 Pre-Season Schedule
Mood:  incredulous
* Sorry for the misalignment of the preseason schedule below. *

The Anaheim Ducks announced today the club's release of eight pre-season games for September in preparation for the 2006-2007 regular season.

Tickets for Ducks pre-season home games as well as regular season home dates will go on sale at a later date. Exact times and days will be announced when the information is available. The Arrowhead Pond seats 17,174 for NHL games. Below is the Ducks complete 2006 pre-season schedule. The entire NHL regular season schedule is expected to be released tomorrow.

Date~~~~~~~~~~~Opponent~~~~~Venue~~~~~~~~~~~~~Time
Mon. Sept. 18 vs. Kings~~~~Arrowhead Pond~~~~7:05
Wed. Sept. 20 vs. Sharks~~~Arrowhead Pond~~~~7:05
Fri. Sept. 22 vs. Canucks~~Arrowhead Pond~~~~7:05
Sat. Sept. 23 @ Sharks~~~~~Save Mart Center~~7:30
Sun. Sept. 24 @ Canucks~~~~GM Place~~~~~~~~~~5:00
Mon. Sept. 25 @ Kings~~~~~~Staples Center~~~~7:30
Wed. Sept. 27 vs. Coyotes~~Arrowhead Pond~~~~7:05
Sat. Sept. 30 @ Coyotes~~~~Glendale Arena~~~~7:00

Ducks Sign Genoway, Wilson
Mood:  not sure
The Anaheim Ducks announced today they have signed right wing Colby Genoway and defenseman Clay Wilson to two-year, entry-level contracts. Nno financial terms of the deals were disclosed.

Genoway, 22, played his first professional season with the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2005-06, scoring 26 goals and 61 points with 78 penalty minutes (PIM) in 77 games. The Morden, Manitoba native finished the regular season eighth in the AHL in rookie scoring. In 13 Calder Cup Playoff games last season, Genoway recorded 4 goals and 12 points, finishing tied for third among all AHL rookies in playoff scoring.

The 6', 201 pound forward played three seasons at the University of North Dakota in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). In 113 career games with the Fighting Sioux, Genoway collected 25 goals and 81 points. He led North Dakota in points and assists in 2004-05 with 13 goals and 44 points in 42 games.

Wilson, 23, spent most of last season with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL), scoring 10 goals and 27 assists with 40 PIM in 60 games. In 16 Calder Cup Playoff games, he collected 3 assists with eight PIM. In addition, he played 13 games with Muskegon of the United Hockey League (UHL), recording 3 goals and 9 assists with nine PIM. Prior to turning pro, the Sturgeon Lake, Minn., native played four seasons with Michigan Tech (WCHA), collecting 17 goals and 57 points with 119 PIM in 148 career games.

Ducks Sign Chistov to Two Year Contract
Mood:  not sure
The Anaheim Ducks announced today they have re-signed left wing Stanislav Chistov to a two-year contract. No financial terms of the deal were disclosed.

Chistov, 23, has appeared in two NHL seasons. The 5'10", 200 pound forward earned 12 goals and 30 points in 79 games as a 19-year-old rookie in 2002-2003. He helped the Ducks advance to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals, adding 4 goals and 6 points in 21 playoff games. Chistov collected 2 goals and 18 points in 56 games for Anaheim during the 2003-2004 season. A native of Chelyabinsk, Russia, Chistov played in the Russian Super League last year. He earned 11 goals and 32 points in 47 games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, helping that team to the league's best regular season record. He was drafted by Anaheim in the first round (5th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Ducks Agree to Terms with C Andy McDonald
Mood:  a-ok
The Anaheim Ducks announced today they have re-signed center Andy McDonald to a three-year contract. No financial terms of the deal were disclosed.

McDonald, 28, appeared in his sixth NHL season in 2005-06. He played in all 82 regular season games finishing tied for 20th in the NHL in points, while earning career highs in goals (34), assists (51) and points (85). McDonald finished first on the team in assists and game-winning goals (7) and second on the team in goals, points, power play goals (13) and plus/minus (+24). The 5'11", 186 pound center ranked sixth in the NHL in faceoff win percentage, winning 56.3% (first on the Ducks roster). He also recorded the longest road point scoring streak in the league this season and the longest in franchise history with points in 14 straight, from Jan. 6 to March 7 (7 goals, 14 assists, and 21 points). A native of Strathroy, Ontario, McDonald saw his first NHL Stanley Cup playoff action in 2006, earning 2 goals abd 7 assists in 16 games. In his six seasons with the Ducks, McDonald has earned 61 goals and 165 points in 276 career games. He was signed by Anaheim as a free agent on Apr. 3, 2000. McDonald played four seasons at Colgate University from 1996-2000, being named a Hobey Baker Finalist (top college player) and Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 1999-2000.

Ducks Acquire Pronger
Mood:  on fire
The Anaheim Ducks announced today they have traded F Joffrey Lupul, D Ladislav Smid, a 2007 1st round draft pick, a 2008 2nd round draft pick, and a conditional draft pick. No fiancial terms of the deal were disclosed.

"We believe having Chris Pronger join Scott Niedermayer on our blueline gives us two of the top defenseman in the NHL today. Players of this kind are available very often, especially when they are still in the prime of their career," said Ducks Executive Vice President / General Manager Brian Burke. "We also wish to thank Joffrey Lupul and Ladislav Smid for what they have done for this organization during their time with us, and wish them the best in the future."

A 6'6", 220 pound defenseman, Pronger led the Edmonton Oilers to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, finishing first in scoring among all NHL blueliners (ranked third among all players) with 5 goals and 16 assists in 24 postseason games. His 21 playoff points were the most scored by a defenseman in the playoffs since 1994, when Brian Leetch had 34 points for the New York Rangers. Pronger collected 12 goals and 56 points with 74 penalty minutes in 80 games with Edmonton during the 2005-06 regular season. The Dryden, Ontario, native was fourth in the NHL in time on ice, averaging 27:59 minutes a game. He also ranked fourth in power play scoring among blueliners and 15th overall. In 2000, Pronger won the Hart and Norris Trophies after collecting 14 goals and 62 points in 79 games with the St. Louis Blues. In addition, he was named to the NHL First All-Star team following that season. He has played in four NHL All-Star games (1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004) and represented Canada in each of the last three Olympic Games, winning Gold in 2002. Pronger led the NHL in plus/minus in 1997-98 (+47) and 1999-2000 (+52). Pronger, 31, has played in 802 career NHL games, collecting 106 goals and 350 assists to total 456 points and 1,172 PIM with a +127 rating. In 109 career NHL playoff games, he has recorded 15 goals and 72 points. Originally drafted by Hartford (2nd overall) in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Pronger played two seasons with the Whalers before being traded to St. Louis for Brendan Shanahan on July 27, 1995. After nine seasons in St. Louis, Pronger was traded to Edmonton for Eric Brewer, Doug Lynch and Jeff Woywitka on August 2, 2005.

Lupul was Anaheim's first choice (7th overall) in the 2002 Entry Draft. He played in 156 games with the Ducks, collecting 41 goals and 46 assists. Smid was selected 9th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by Anaheim, and played in his first season of professional hockey last season with Portland of the American Hockey League (AHL). He recorded 3 goals and 28 points and 48 PIM in 71 games with the AHL Pirates.