Meet the newest duck

[Raven]

TSN.CA REPORTS THE NEW JERSEY DEVILS TONIGHT TRADED FORWARD PETR SYKORA AND PROSPECTS MIKE COMMODORE AND JF DAMPHOUSSE TO THE ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS IN EXCHANGE FOR DEFENCEMAN OLEG TVERDOVSKY, FORWARD JEFF FRIESEN AND PROSPECT MAXIM BALMOCHNYKH!
Also reported on MSGnetwork.com


Also
THEFOURTHPERIOD.COM: reports Tony Amonte has agreed to a new contract with the New York Rangers, with an announcement to come either tonight or tomorrow (July 7th).

[Raven]

theforthperiod.com says this, less creditable
DUCKS & DEVILS COMPLETE 7-PLAYER TRADE

(Jul. 6th) -- Right-winger Petr Sykora goes from New Jersey to Anaheim in a seven-player trade between the NHL teams.
The Mighty Ducks also get defenceman Mike Commodore, goaltender J.F. Damphousse and right-wing prospect Igor Pohanka in exchange for left-winger Jeff Friesen, defenceman Oleg Tverdovsky, and right-winger Maxim Balmochnykh.

:burnfucker: :fuckoff: :firebounce: :rofl:

[LZMF1]

HOLY FUCK!!!!!!! oh well, sykora is a hell of a player and he will be missed but he seems better suited for western conference play. friesen should fit in quite well in the devils lineup but that is yet to be determined.......

[Gooch]

Ducks, Devils swing seven-player trade
(Jul 6) ANAHEIM, Calif. (CP) - General manager Bryan Murray, intent on ripping the loser label off his Anaheim Mighty Ducks, acquired right-winger Petr Sykora in a seven-player NHL trade with the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

The Mighty Ducks also get defenceman Mike Commodore, goaltender J.F. Damphousse and centre-ice prospect Igor Pohanka.

Going the other way are left-winger Jeff Friesen, defenceman Oleg Tverdovsky, and right-winger Maxim Balmochnykh. Last week, Murray signed veteran free-agent centre Adam Oates. He also recently hired as head coach Mike Babcock, who coached a WHL junior team in Spokane, Wash., for the last six years.

``Our team is at a stage where we have to show the players that we want to make some strides and that we're willing to do whatever it takes to make those strides,'' said Murray. ``We're not satisfied with being considered an also-ran.''

Anaheim has missed qualifying for the playoffs the last three years, and in seven of the nine years it has been in the league.

``This is a big trade for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim,'' said Murray. ``We did it for a real purpose: to change the chemistry on our hockey team and add a couple of new players to the room next fall.

``We have a new slate, a new coach, and hopefully these new people will make a huge difference in our organization. If you just change fourth-line players, it doesn't have a lot of impact on your team.

``Some of the other guys will see this move as a positive thing in that we're trying to make our team better immediately.''

Oates will centre all-star left-winger Paul Kariya. Sykora on the right side would make for a dynamic unit up front, although Murray might recommend playing Sykora on a line with centre Steve Rucchin to spread the offence around. Rucchin missed much of last season with injuries.

``Our first two lines are considerably better than last year,'' said Murray. ``We'll be better at scoring goals, which was a tremendous drawback last year.''

Sykora was a key player for New Jersey in its Stanley Cup triumph two years ago, and the 25-year-old Czech has 350 points including 145 goals in 445 regular-season games in his career.

``He'll bring a lot to the table for our team,'' said Murray. ``He'll have a huge ability to score goals playing on a team now with Adam Oates and Paul Kariya.

``We feel he'll make a huge difference in our power play and special teams. He has the potential to get 70 or 80 points for us.''

Commodore, 22, a six-foot-four defenceman from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., appeared in 57 NHL games during the last two seasons while also skating with the Albany, N.Y., farm club.

``We think he can come in and play an important role, giving us a physical presence,'' said Murray, adding Commodore will be his team's fifth or sixth defenceman. ``I think as we get into the season and he gets comfortable with us, he'll bring more to the table than he has to this point in time.

``We had no toughness. Adding Mike gives us a chance to develop that kind of character on our team.''

A player to replace Tverdovsky on the point on the power play will have to be acquired, Murray said.

Damphousse, 22, of St-Alexis, Que., spent most of last season in Albany, while going 1-3-0 in the first six NHL starts of his career.

``He was a high pick when he came out of junior,'' said Murray. ``Since we moved (Steve) Shields we only had two goaltenders in our organization.''

Jean-Sebastien Giguere is the No. 1 netminder, and Murray suggested Damphousse might stick as the backup.

Pohanka, 19, a Slovakian, appeared in 57 WHL games last season with the Prince Albert Raiders, and the six-foot-three winger had 68 points including 25 goals.

``Talking to the people (in Prince Albert, Sask) and with our scouts, he's a very good prospect,'' said Murray.

Friesen, 25, of Meadow Lake, Sask., had 43 points including 17 goals in 81 games with the Mighty Ducks last season. That was a sub-par season considering that in 608 career games he has 168 goals, 237 assists, and 405 points.

Anaheim acquired Friesen in March 2001 in the trade that sent right-winger Teemu Selanne to San Jose, and Friesen was slow to adapt to his new team.

``A lot of nights, he wasn't very happy,'' Murray said of Friesen.

Tverdovsky, 26, moves to his fifth NHL team. The offence-minded, Soviet-born defenceman has appeared in 565 games and has 69 goals, 208 assists and 277 points.

Balmochnykh, 23, played in six NHL games two years ago