Ducks are happy that their core remains the same after trade deadline passes

The Ducks practiced Tuesday with the same core roster as the one that began the season 1-7-2 and was 16 points behind the Kings on Jan.12.

They were thankful for that.

Ducks General Manager Bob Murray followed through on not making major changes to the NHL’s hottest team at the trade deadline Monday, and players could exhale.

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“We went through some really tough times together and it was miserable, but we were able to come through it on this side and get ourselves back into contention,” Ryan Getzlaf said.

“I thought [Murray] did a great job staying calm [Monday] and just making some subtle moves that hopefully can help our group going forward.”

The Ducks acquired forwards Jamie McGinn and Brandon Pirri and traded winger Patrick Maroon in separate moves. Getzlaf said losing Maroon was “tough” because “he meant a lot to our locker room” but he liked the additions.

McGinn, with 14 goals, becomes the Ducks’ third-leading goal scorer. He can slide in at wing beside Getzlaf or with Rickard Rakell and Corey Perry.

“He’s a big body that plays hard, and that’s what we need,” Perry said. “He moves well. He’s not afraid to go to the net. That fits right into our game plan and what we want to accomplish.”

McGinn and Pirri were in route to Anaheim.

Getzlaf was selected the NHL’s first star of the month after he led all players with six goals and 14 assists in 14 games. This for a player who did not record an even-strength goal this season until Feb. 4.

Coincidentally, Getzlaf was asked how much attention he has paid to the World Cup, which will announce its rosters Wednesday.

“I didn’t have to pay attention for the start of the year, that’s for sure,” he said.

Defenseman Simon Despres did not practice because of illness.

Horcoff returns

Center Shawn Horcoff practiced for the first time since his 20-game suspension for violation of the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

Speaking to the media for the first time, Horcoff said he had treatment outside of team personnel for a hand injury in mid-November and cleared drug tests in October and early December before another test came up positive. He declined to name the treatment.

It was the first such violation for Horcoff, 37, who is eligible to return March 11.

“I should have done my homework,” he said. “That’s where the responsibility for me lies. I should have looked into what was going on. I just kind took it for granted that … the person that I was going to knew it was going to be OK.”

Horcoff stressed that it was for a “legitimate injury” and not to enhance performance.

“People that know me, know who I am, know that I would never intentionally do something like that,” he said.

NEXT UP

DUCKS VS. MONTREAL

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 830

Update: Montreal goaltender Carey Price recently returned to the ice but the Canadiens are 13-24-3 since Price went down with a leg injury in November.

Follow Curtis Zupke on Twitter @CurtisZupke