Anaheim Ducks 2009 Season Preview, Picks & Odds

With the NHL Hockey season just around the corner, we are providing season previews for all 30 teams to give you the betting edge. Follow the best NHL Hockey Handicappers as they analyze their teams in this 2009 season preview. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the NHL in our recommend sportsbooks. View the rest of our 2009 NHL Season Previews here.

Anaheim Ducks 2008-’09 record:
42-33-7, 91 points (2nd in Pacific, 8th in West)

Anaheim Ducks 2008-’09 playoffs:
Defeated San Jose Sharks4-2; lost to Detroit Red Wings 4-3

Last season was a mixed bag. The Ducks struggled at times in the early going and snuck into the playoffs as the West’s final seed with a 42-33-7 record. That left Anaheim with a matchup against the President’s Trophy winners, the San Jose Sharks. Shockingly, the Ducks upset San Jose despite finishing the regular season with 26 less points and moved on to the second round. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get past the eventual Western Conference Champions and Detroit eliminated the Ducks in a hard fought six game series.

Anaheim Ducks 2009 Preview

Anaheim Ducks General manager: Bob Murray 33-26-6 (2nd NHL year, 1st team)

Anaheim Ducks Coach: Randy Carlyle 180-107-41 (5th NHL year, 1st team)

Anaheim Ducks Captain: Scott Niedermayer

Anaheim Ducks Top Returning Scorer: C Ryan Getzlaf (25 goals, 66, assists, 91 points)

Anaheim Ducks Top Returning Goalie: Jonas Hiller (23-15-1, 2.39, .919)

Anaheim Ducks Key Additions: D Luca Sbisa; RW Joffrey Lupul; C Saku Koivu; D Nick Boynton; RW Evgeny Artyukhin; G Justin Pogge; D Steve Eminger.

Anaheim Ducks Key Subtractions: D Chris Pronger; D Francois Beauchemin; LW Drew Miller; D Bret Hedican; C Rob Niedermayer; LW Josh Green.

Anaheim Ducks Top Line: LW Bobby Ryan, C Ryan Getzlaf; RW Corey Perry

Anaheim Ducks Top Defensive Pairing: Scott Niedermayer, James Wisniewski

The Ducks are going to score a lot of goals this season. Up front, they have a wealth of talent, led by young stars Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan and Lupul. Don’t forget about aging sniper Teemu Selanne either, he’s still a dangerous player. There is definitely enough skill for three scoring lines on hand and the Ducks will be one of the toughest teams to defend in the entire league.

The Ducks will also have a great powerplay, considering that captain Scott Niedermayer is only one of the greatest offensive defensemen ever to play the game. Ryan Whitney also no slouch in the other team’s end and should allow the Ducks to rotate two dangerous power play units. However, this team will sorely miss Beauchemin and Pronger, both of whom were extremely capable defending and starting the rush. Furthermore, Pronger’s absence can’t truly be quantified because he is perhaps the most intimidating player in hockey and truly impacted every game that he played. The Ducks are not going to be nearly as intimidating this season on the blue line.

Finally, the goaltending situation is rock solid, as starter Jonas Hiller played very well last season and throughout the playoffs. On top of that, the Ducks’ backup is former Conn Smythe winner Jean-Sebastian Giguere! Anaheim should have two strong goaltenders but I think both of their statistics will suffer with a weaker defensive corps.

2009 Anaheim Ducks Goaltending:

Posting a club-record tying seven-game winning streak down the stretch, Hiller supplanted Jean-Sebastien Giguere as No. 1 goalie, then led all playoff netminders with .943 save percentage. Quick goalie with lightning-fast glove and precise technical movements, always seems square to the shooter, using tall body to fill net. Very calm and collected between the pipes.

2009 Anaheim Ducks Player To Watch:

D Luca Sbisa. Acquired from Philadelphia in the Chris Pronger trade, Italian-born, Swiss-raised blue-liner broke into the Flyers’ lineup at age 18 and played 39 games before being returned to Lethbridge (WHL). Very mobile on skates with smooth, effortless stride. Plays sound defensively and distributes the puck on first-pass plays with poise and accuracy.

2009 Anaheim Ducks Offense:

Niedermayer, who flirted with retirement in recent years, seems as strong as ever. He played in all 82 games last season and was third among NHL defensemen with 45 assists and 59 points. The 36-year-old, four-time Stanley Cup champion is the only player to win the Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal, world championship, World Cup, Memorial Cup and world junior title. Ryan should continue to show the promise he presented as a rookie when he topped first-year players last season with 31 goals and 57 points in 64 games. Koivu will wear a different NHL uniform for the first time after 13 seasons with the Canadiens. Koivu was captain for the last 10, tying Jean Beliveau for the longest run in Montreal’s century-long history.

Anaheim Ducks 2009 Season Predictions

Murray quickly maneuvered Ducks out of a salary cap mess created by his predecessor Brian Burke. Not as deep defensively as Burke’s 2006-07 Cup winner, but should be one of the NHL’s most potent scoring teams.

We predict that the Anaheim Ducks will finish 2nd in the NHL Pacific, 5th seed in West: 97 points.

Anaheim Ducks Betting

Anaheim Ducks Stanley Cup Odds: +1800
Anaheim Ducks Western Conference Odds: +800
Anaheim Ducks Pacific Odds: +250

Will the Anaheim Ducks will go all the way to the Stanley Cup? Or, will their season be lackluster? Either way, you can still enjoy Anaheim Ducks betting at our feature sportsbooks. Anaheim Ducks Betting is serious business; where you can make a ton of money placing informed, smart Anaheim Ducks bets. Check out these highly reliable, trustworthy, online sportsbooks.

Join Sportsbook.com Today and Bet on the Anaheim Ducks and receive a 50% Sportsbook Bonus!