Some players seem to relax a little once they sign a big contract. Ryan Getzlaf only seems to be heating up. Getzlaf had two assists to help the Ducks rebound from a tough loss to Vancouver and smother the Calgary Flames 4-1. One of the plays was of definite highlight-reel caliber, as he undressed Flames D-man Dion Phaneuf and slid a perfect pass to Chris Kunitz for an easy tap-in goal.

Todd Marchant, Corey Perry and Rob Niedermayer also scored for Anaheim. Alex Tanguay had the lone Flames’ goal.

Getzlaf formerly played for the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and didn’t disappoint his family and friends in the crowd.

Roberto Luongo kept the Ducks off the score sheet in the first period and finished the game with 26 saves, posting his second consecutive shutout, to ruin Todd Bertuzzi’s first game back in Vancouver after 17 months. The fans didn’t boo Bert however, but cheered him and paid him the respect due a player who led their organization on the ice a few seasons ago.

Markus Naslund didn’t do his former line mate any favors, opening the scoring and adding an assist. Ryan Kesler showed signs of finally reaching his potential, netting two powerplay goals on the 10 chances Anaheim gave them. An extremely undisciplined Ducks squad had to deal with killing off 4 lengthy 5-on-3 power plays and couldn’t muster much of anything from the middle of the second period onwards. Matt Cooke closed out the scoring.

That last goal chased Giguere as he was replaced by Jonas Hiller for the remainder of the game.

Ryan Getzlaf continued his impressive points streak and extended it to eight games (a career high) in leading Anaheim to a comeback victory over rival Los Angeles Kings.  Getzlaf and Chris Kunitz (playing with Todd Bertuzzi and Andy McDonald) scored in the third for a 3-2 come-from-behind win.

Newly acquired forward Brian Sutherby played on a line with Getzlaf and Perry and didn’t look out of place at all.

Kyle Calder and Dustin Brown got goals past Giguere, who finished with 23 saves.

Radim Vrbata had two goals as well as the shootout clincher to help his new goaltender out, as Phoenix beat Anaheim 4-3. Acquired from the Ducks off waivers, Ilya Bryzgalov has been a rock for the Coyotes thus far, giving their whole team more confidence. Jonas Hiller, in his third start this year and first as the ‘new Ducks’ backup’ made 35 saves in taking the loss.

Bryzgalov, who went 0-5 in shootouts while with the Ducks, stopped Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry to close the game out. Bryzgalov is 3-0 with the Coyotes since the move.

Showing class, Anaheim honored Bryzgalov with a video board montage of acrobatic saves from his seasons with the Ducks. Bryzgalov said that on the ice, you have to be professional and do the best you can even if it’s against a lot of old friends. After the game, however, he believed he would be welcome in hanging out with the guys.

Mike Modano was honored in a pre-game ceremony for being the highest-scoring U.S.-born NHL player and showed why in the third with a game-tying goal. That led to Niklas Hagman scoring 41 seconds later on the same powerplay as the Stars edged the Ducks 2-1.

Corey Perry opened the scoring with his fourth goal in six games, but it wasn’t enough in the tight affair as the game slipped out of reach in the third. Hagman’s goal ended the Ducks’ modest four-game winning streak.

Ducks’ leading scorer and potential future captain Ryan Getzlaf has been locked up for the long-term, signing a five-year, $26.625 million dollar deal. Getzlaf was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

Leading the Ducks thus far in the season with 7 goals and 14 assists, Getzlaf is everything the Ducks want in a player: physical, skilled, fast, aggressive and has a booming shot. Burke was wise to lock him up after losing Dustin Penner to an offer sheet this past summer.

Getzlaf appreciated the chance to get the contract out of the way so he can now purely focus on playing the game. It’s expected Burke’s next task should be to sign Getz’s line mate, Corey Perry, who also is an impending restricted free agent.

Getzlaf also led the Ducks in playoff scoring last season en route to their Cup victory.

Varius’ Note: Wow, I almost called this exactly. I had my prediction at five years,  $27.5 million in a post on this very blog about two and a half weeks ago. Great signing, Getzlaf is the Ducks’ future.

After speculation that something might be brewing on the trade front between Anaheim and Washington, Burke pulled the trigger in acquiring C Brian Sutherby for a 2009 second-round draft pick.

Drafted 26th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft (by Washington), Sutherby has failed to live up to expectations and lost his spot to younger Caps’ prospects. Perhaps a change of scenery will see him continue his development. If nothing else, Sutherby brings defensive responsibility and physical play Burke covets.

Sutherby is expected to be tried out on a line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.

Just eight days after winning a shootout against the Sharks, Anaheim did it once more with Giguere stonewalling the offensive San Jose team. Corey Perry scored the lone shootout goal and Giguere finished the tight, playoff-like game with 28 saves.

Both coaches admitted the game was a hard, intense battle reminiscent of playoff hockey. Torrey Mitchell scored again against the Ducks while Chris Kunitz had the Ducks’ regulation goal.

The Coyotes, coming off major shutout losses, wasted no time in picking up Bryzgalov and starting him against the L.A. Kings. It is expected Bryzgalov will challenge for the starter spot in Phoenix, where the revolving goaltender position has been cause for concern. His main competitors for the spot will be Alex Auld and Mikael Tellqvist; neither has been stellar this season so far.

Ilya was put on waivers by Anaheim as part of GM Brian Burke fulfilling a promise to his player. Burke told Bryzgalov he deserved a shot at being the #1 goaltender on a team and with Jean-Sebastien Giguere locked in for a few more years, that chance wasn’t going to come as a Duck. It is also expected the move was made to allow coveted Swedish ‘tender Jonas Hiller to gain more NHL experience as Giguere’s backup.

“We are very happy for Ilya,” said Ducks GM Brian Burke. ”He’s a great kid who deserves a chance to be a starting NHL goaltender. We thank him for all he has accomplished in a Ducks uniform, and we wish him well with Phoenix.”

With Jonas Hiller being recalled today and no announced injuries to either Jean-Sebastien Giguere or Ilya Bryzgalov, it is heavily being rumored that Ducks’ GM Brian Burke has finally found a deal he likes for backup Bryzgalov.

Toronto and Tampa Bay have been rumored, but unless they can get rid of one of their own overpriced goaltenders simultaneously, picking up Bryzgalov may not be likely. The Kings and Phoenix have also been mentioned assuitors, so perhaps a three-way trade or an eastern coast team flipping Bryzgalov back to the West after acquiring him is in the works.

Then again, perhaps Burke will make the move to a rival if he believes it improves his squad. Time will tell.

The Ducks have sent left-winger Clay Wilson and depth defenseman Aaron Rome today to the Blue Jackets for center Geoff Platt. Platt will play with the Portland Pirates while Rome and Wilson will report to the Syracuse Crunch.

Bruno St-Jacques was also re-acquired for future considerations and will report to Portland. St-Jacques has played one game with Anaheim in the past, scoring a goal.

Goaltender Jonas Hiller who has posted extremely impressive stats thus far in the AHL as a rookie, has been recalled by Anaheim. He was on the Ducks’ roster to begin the season as Ilya Bryzgalov’s backup while starter Jean-Sebastien Giguere was sidelined after surgery.

Portland coach Kevin Dineen doesn’t expect to see Hiller again soon. He likened it to the situation with Getzlaf and Perry in their rookie campaigns.

Forward Ryan Carter was also called up and is expected to play on the 4th line tonight against the Kings.

Mathieu Schneider is now listed as day-to-day with a sore hip. He did not practice yesterday and will not be in the lineup as the Ducks take on the Kings at the Staples Center tonight.

In six games since returning from a pre-season injury, Schneider has sparked the Ducks’ anemic powerplay and scored at a pace of more than a point a game (2 goals, 6 assists).

For the second straight game, Andy McDonald has been the Ducks’ shootout go-to guy. Ryan Getzlaf and Kent Huskins scored on the power play and Todd Marchant had the other goals.

Michael Cammalleri, Tom Preissing and Matt Moulson replied for the Kings, while forward Alexander Frolov collected three assists.

Both teams split 4-1 victories over each other to open the season in London, England as part of the NHL’s “Premiere” initiative.

Acquired in a deal for forward Petr Sykora with the Rangers two seasons ago, Kondratiev began the season with the Ducks but was recently sent down to Portland. He has refused to report, as expected by Ducks’ management.
The Ducks have suspended Kondratiev, who plans to play for St. Petersburg of the Russian Superleague.

Kondratiev will remain property of the Anaheim Ducks.