Blue Line Help Needed

So, today begins the 30 teams in 30 days for the Pucks and Rocks edition of the 2010-2011 NHL season preview.  In addition to the usual stuff, there will also be a song of the day attached to each team.  So, without further ado, here we go:

ANAHEIM DUCKS


2009-2010 record: 39-32-11 (89 points)
Did not qualify for the playoffs
Captain: none
Alternate Captains: Ryan Getzlaf, Saku Koivu

Three players to watch: Everything in the front begins with Ryan Getzlaf.  This power forward is central to the Ducks' chances of making the playoffs this year and beyond, particularly with Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu nearing the end of their careers.  Defenseman Brendan Mikkelson needs to step up and be a dependable defender.  He did fairly well in his first season, but with Scott Niedermayer retired and Lubomir Visnovsky getting long in the tooth, it is up to Mikkelson to show that the Ducks have some good talent on the blue line in the coming years.  Speaking of blue line, the guy that could be a difference maker this year is Luca Sbisa.  Acquired in the Chris Pronger trade last year, he had a brief stint with the Ducks before getting sent to his junior league team.  He had a good performance in the Olympic Games and is clearly the team's future at defense.  He won't be asked to be the number one defenseman right away, which should bode well for his development.

Things to watch for: With Neidermayer retired, the number one defenseman by default is Visnovsky, who put up 48 points between Edmonton and Anaheim.  Right now, there isn't much behind him, as the other D-men are either unproven (Mikkelson and Sbisa) or just role players.  Anaheim would love to make the playoffs this year, if only to give the Finnish duo of Selanne and Koivu a nice sendoff should either decide to retire.  With Jean-Sebastien Giguere in Toronto, the goalie position is in the hands of Jonas Hiller, whose play forced that trade.  In the Olympics, he was clearly Switzerland's best player and he gives the Ducks a chance to win every night he plays.  Curtis McIlhenny is still an unknown, so it remains to be seen if the Ducks will fall off should Hiller be out for any extended period of time.  Penalty killing has long been an Achilles heel of the Ducks, even dating back to the Stanley Cup year of 2007.  Now, without Niedermayer, the need for the defensemen to be at the top of their games is even more urgent.

Prediction: 11th in the West

Song: Visions of Atlantis-Lost

The potential for the Ducks is quite limited, as their blue line is a mess, and there isn't much depth past the first two lines.  This could be a lost season for the Ducks as they try to find their way.