Sheldon Souray will miss the entire 2013-14 Anaheim Ducks campaign after undergoing successful surgery on his injured wrist, but Luca Sbisa has returned – what changes should Ducks fans expect to see on the ice?
On January 17th, the Anaheim Ducks announced that Sheldon Souray had a season-ending surgery to relieve damage to a ligament in his wrist (via the team’s official website). The Ducks were hoping that he would return to the blueline and bring his combination of size, physicality, and his blistering slap shot from the point that has been absent from the powerplay this season.
The Ducks have been getting along just fine with the current core of defenders in Cam Fowler, Ben Lovejoy, Francois Beauchemin, Hampus Lindholm, Bryan Allen, Sami Vatanen, and Mark Fistric. Vatanen brings a strong point shot but lacks the size to outmuscle opposing forwards on a consistent basis regardless of how hard he tries to do so. Allen brings the physicality and size lacking in Vatanen’s game, but doesn’t bring Vatanen’s speed or offensive ability.The two compliment each other quite well when they are paired up together. They make for a decent replacement for Souray. Add that pair with the chemistry between Lovejoy and Fowler, and Beauchemin and Lindholm.
Anaheim’s blueline can’t be called the best in the league, but they are among the best boasting the 10th lowest goals against average in the league (2.40 GAA). However Vancouver and Tampa are tied for the next lowest with 2.39 GAA and Anaheim is tied with Tampa Bay and Vancouver. The Ducks are also tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 5th lowest shots allowed per game with 27.7 as of the 21st of January. The Ducks defense, if anything is one of the most underrated in the league. They haven’t missed Souray MUCH, of course there is always room for improvement.
On the 21st, the Ducks made two roster moves that may, for the moment, disrupt the current dynamic that has been so successful. Vatanen was sent down to Norfolk in the AHL and Luca Sbisa was recalled from a conditioning stint in Norfolk as he has gotten over his injury. Unfortunately for the Ducks, and Vatanen, Sbisa’s play has been in decline for about a year now. His questionable positioning, poorly timed pinches along the boards and missed checks in the neutral zone result in many chances for the other team. Sbisa has benefit of the doubt from the Ducks’ coaching staff and management team but even that has been carrying him so far.
When he was with the team and healthy, Sbisa found himself being a healthy scratch from time to time. He began the season needing to prove himself with Vatanen, Lindholm, Fistric, and Allen proving themselves as useful to the Ducks blueline. Sbisa has already found himself in this situation. He was a healthy scratch in the 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. This was likely to give Sbisa a little more time to get healthy. However, it’s clear to most Ducks fans that the player sent to Norfolk is currently the stronger performer than the one who came back up.
There has been no indication as to whether or not Sbisa will in fact be traded this season, but there’s no way the Ducks can bring Vatanen back up without moving Fistric or Sbisa. Word among the rumor wire is that Anaheim is looking for a top 4 shutdown defender (Dan Girardi of the New York Rangers in particular).
Dan Wood, Anaheim’s radio color man, even speculated on Twitter that the Ducks would possibly make a move to add a defender.
If the Ducks want to bring back Vatanen, they’ll have no choice but to move Sbisa or Fistric, and Sbisa has very little time to prove himself before the March 5th trade deadline. Believe it or not, the Ducks will play 8 games before the deadline and a home game against Montreal on deadline day. And 30 games total to prove he deserves a spot in the playoffs.
Regardless of Sbisa’s personal challenge ahead, the Ducks need to figure out what to do with him quickly. If his disappointing play continues the team faces the risk of a massive disruption in defensive dynamics. Something the Ducks simply cannot afford.
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