Sports Frog

The NHL hasn't witnessed back to back cup champions since the 1997 / 1998 Detroit Red Wings.

In fact, not only have there been few teams that have repeated in recent history, the more usual result that has followed up a championship season has been one that has seen that team miss the playoffs.

So the fact that the 2008 Anaheim Ducks are competing for the Pacific Division title right now is commendable. But as real cup contenders this season, there are definite cracks in their armor.

Anaheim, especially leading up to the trade deadline, has been a common pick by pro hockey 'analysts' to repeat as champs this season. But a lot of their reasons for that pick seems to be just centered around a pure lack of imagination.

The first issue I have with this Anaheim team is the same issue any team in search of a repeat has: motivation. There were a lot of reasons last year's team was a hungrier unit than this years. And in a Stanley Cup playoff series, that extra edge is what can get a team through a tough period or game. Without it this season, the Ducks will struggle in the playoffs.

The second issue that this year's Ducks team has is that they simply take too many penalties. Last year, on their way to the title, they were the same bullies on the ice they are this year, but last regular season they ended ranked 16th in total times short handed (410). Their penalty kill last season was at the top as well, ranking 5th overall at 85.1%.

This season, the Ducks are getting killed by their own mistakes. They currently rank tops in the league in times short handed, a top ranking that is not a good thing. The Ducks have played with a man disadvantage 359 times this season, over 30 times more than the #2 ranked team Chicago (326). And while they are taking way too many penalties, they aren't killing them off as well as they did last season. The Ducks PK ranks 14th currently, at 82.7%.

So when you look at how the Ducks have played this season against a team with a strong power play, like Dallas, you'll see exactly how vulnerable they are. The Ducks are 1-5-0 this season against the Stars. In those 6 games, the Ducks PK has killed off just 17 of their 26 times shorthanded, good for a paltry 65.3%,

Factor all that into the Ducks recent loss of Corey Perry, a name that doesn't always get the recognition amongst a team of Pronger and Selanne or Niedermeyer or Giguere, and you've got just one more reason to be bearish on the 2008 Ducks. Perry was their leading goal scorer this season, and he's also the grit on the Ryan Getzlaf line that time and time again this season has made a number of big plays to impact games.

Perry is gone for approximately 6 weeks now, and by then the NHL will likely be into the second round of the playoffs. I wonder if Anaheim will be alive by then. Depending on who they draw in the first round, an upset is more than likely. If the playoffs ended today, the Ducks would face the Sharks.

Anaheim next plays Sunday night, at home against the top power play unit in the NHL, the Montreal Canadiens.