Ducks still in shock

The feeling of shock that filled the Ducks’ dressing room after their Game 6 loss to the Dallas Stars in the opening round of the NHL playoffs hasn’t subsided much.

To say that every player, coach and executive in the organization thought the defending Stanley Cup champions would be in Anaheim playing Game 7 on Tuesday instead of preparing for exit meetings isn’t much of a stretch.

Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle compared the feeling of not preparing for another game to the days after their Cup triumph a year ago, with one obvious exception.

“You’re supposed to go into work tomorrow morning and there’s no work,” Carlyle said. “The difference is there’s no celebration. It’s an empty feeling. We were numb. To some degree, we still are.”

The Ducks began to pick up the pieces with the announcement Wednesday that General Manager Brian Burke will serve out the final year of his contract next season while the two sides try to work out an extension.

“Based on some of the stories that came out and the need for us to re-sign some of our key players, or to possibly sign some more players, having the issue of who the GM will be for next year in doubt would hurt our ability [to do so],” Ducks CEO Michael Schulman said. “We want him to stay on as GM and we’ve always wanted him to stay on as GM.”

Now the Ducks will move on to tweaking a roster that fell short of expectations. Or it could be a rebuilding job if some critical personnel do not return.

Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne will have to decide whether they will play hockey in 2008-09 or hang up their skates for good. Burke has hinted strongly that another scenario of the two returning during the season will not occur.

Niedermayer is under contract for next season at $6.75 million. Selanne, who said he would decide by July 1, is a free agent and would sign a one-year contract if he returns.

The Ducks can’t assume they will have either, though they have clearly been a better team with both. They are 121-58-30 with Niedermayer in three seasons and 17-16-4 without; 111-52-25 with Selanne and 27-22-9 without.

Corey Perry’s future is also high on their agenda. Perry, 23, can be a restricted free agent July 1 and he figures to command a salary in excess of $4 million after leading the Ducks with 29 goals this season despite missing time because of a severed tendon in his right leg.

Burke said he’s aware the longer Perry remains unsigned, the more the right wing could be the target of a pricey offer sheet like the one Dustin Penner received from Edmonton last summer, which the Ducks ultimately didn’t match.

“There’s no more pressing issue for this hockey club than to get him re-signed,” Burke said.

Retaining Perry is critical to a team that struggled to score all season. The Ducks finished with 205 goals, tying St. Louis for the third-lowest total in the NHL.

Ryan Getzlaf, who had 24 goals and a team-leading 82 points, will have to continue his ascent to stardom. But the Ducks need more from Todd Bertuzzi, who contributed 14 goals and 40 points and is owed $4 million next season. Chris Kunitz, who has a four-year, $14.9-million extension kicking in, dipped to 21 goals and 50 points after getting 25 and 60 in 2006-07.

Burke said they will need to address the need for a second-line offensive center either through a trade or free agency. Doug Weight couldn’t replace Andy McDonald and won’t be brought back. Veterans Samuel Pahlsson and Todd Marchant are more effective in a checking role.

“We’ve got to find a way to generate more offense and not try to win 2-1 or 3-2 every night,” Burke said.

Most of the defense that gave up 191 goals – only Detroit allowed fewer – is signed for next season, but veterans such as Francois Beauchemin, Mathieu Schneider or Sean O’Donnell could be used in a trade to get more offense if Niedermayer does return.

And there are the few youngsters. Unheralded center Ryan Carter was impressive and is expected to be re-signed, but the jury remains out on former No. 2 overall pick Bobby Ryan, the 21-year-old winger who hasn’t been able to stick for good.

Left wing Drew Miller finished the season in Portland, Maine, the Ducks’ minor league affiliate, where there are few high-ceiling prospects outside of defenseman Brian Salcido, a Hermosa Beach native. The Ducks have Edmonton’s first-round pick, the 12th overall selection in the deep June 20 draft, as a result of the Penner offer sheet, but Burke is actively seeking to move up.

It could be a time of transition for the Ducks or one last peek in the championship window. Burke believes it is the latter and he didn’t hide his disappointment over their early knockout.

“We certainly expected to play deeper into the spring,” he said. “It’s not an acceptable result for us.”

eric.stephens@latimes.com