Ducks Definitely Will Be Mighty in Size

Coach Ron Wilson walked to a podium Wednesday at Anaheim Arena, said a few “hellos” and “nice to be heres,” then began introducing the Mighty Ducks.

When he was done, he smiled and said:

“It is a big bunch. Next week we’re playing an exhibition against the L.A. Rams.”

If it was imposing size and brute strength the Ducks were after in building their first team, then they have been an unquestioned success.

To Wilson’s left stood Stu Grimson, 6 feet 5, 227 pounds, and Randy Ladouceur, 6-2, 220. Not far from them were Troy Loney, 6-3, 209, and Bobby Dollas, 6-2, 212.

The Ducks certainly looked good while being introduced to the media. Whether they can play remains to be seen, although we’ll find out soon enough. Training camp opens Sept. 10 at the arena, the first exhibition game is Sept. 18 against the Pittsburgh Penguins and the season opener is Oct. 8 against the Detroit Red Wings.

“If you’re big enough physically, you can compete every night,” Wilson said. “To be able to assemble a team of this size is amazing. We wanted as big a team as possible. We have to be physical to survive.

“San Jose, to be honest, struggled this season not because of talent but because of size.”

Grimson, for one, looks as if he got lost on the way to Rams Park. He’s tough to miss, a left wing who compiled 193 penalty minutes last season for the Chicago Blackhawks.

“He made a name for himself as the team’s enforcer,” it says in his bio in the Ducks’ media guide. Certainly it wasn’t his scoring that drew the Ducks’ attention. In 78 games, Grimson had one goal and one assist.

“The toughest thing will be getting guys to break some bad habits,” Wilson said. “They’ve been placed in roles where they haven’t been creative. We want to get the creativity back in their games.

“Some of these guys were fourth-line players, who haven’t gotten much ice time and were only asked to do one specific thing.”

Said Tony Tavares, president of Disney Sports Enterprises, which owns the Ducks: “We drafted players that fit our division, which has a lot of size, speed, toughness. We have size, speed, toughness. One thing we’re lacking, which every expansion team does, is scoring.”

*

On Monday, Ducks were introduced to Ducks over dinner at the Disneyland Hotel. Wednesday, they toured Anaheim Arena for the first time.

Of particular interest was the huge locker-room facility that features among other things:

--Two separate dressing areas: One for changing out of their street clothes and another for changing into their uniforms.

--A training room to be stocked with weight equipment, stationary bicycles, stair-climber machines and whirlpools.

--A video room with VCRs and monitors.

--A waiting room for friends and family members.

“This is one of the nicest dressing rooms I’ve ever been in,” Wilson said. “It’s unbelievable. It’s almost too nice. I’m sure there will be glitches. (But) the locker room and offices are second to none.”

*

The Ducks said they have come to terms with Anatoli Fedotov, a Russian defenseman who last season played with the Moncton Hawks of the American Hockey League.

Fedotov also played six seasons with Dynamo USSR before joining the Hawks last year. He had 10 goals and 37 assists and 99 penalty minutes in 76 games with Moncton. He was the Ducks’ 10th-round pick in the entry draft.

Two other Russians, Valeryi Karpov and Mikhail Shtalenkov, remain unsigned. Karpov is a forward who played for Traktor in Russia last season. Shtalenkov, a goalie, played for Milwaukee of the International Hockey League last season.

If all goes well, the Ducks hope Paul Kariya will return from the Canadian Olympic team in time to play about 20 games beginning March 1. Kariya, the team’s No. 1 draft pick, also could return to Maine, where he won the Hobey Baker Award as the top U.S. college player and led the Black Bears to the NCAA championship. He already has decided to start the school year at Maine.

*

The Ducks and Prime Ticket announced their 25-game schedule, beginning with a home game Oct. 13 against the Edmonton Oilers. The cable network will air 13 home and 12 away games.

The schedule:

OCT. 13--Edmonton, 7:30 p.m.; 15--Boston, 7:30 p.m; 17--Calgary, 7 p.m.; 28--at San Jose, 7:30 p.m. NOV. 11--at Calgary, 6:30 p.m.; 17--Toronto, 7:30 p.m.; 22--at Calgary, 6:30 p.m.; 24--at Winnipeg, 5:30 p.m. DEC. 15--at Toronto, 4:30 p.m.; 19--at Chicago, 5:30 p.m.; 22--Dallas, 7:30 p.m.; 28--at New York Islanders, 4:30 p.m. 30--at Washington, 4:30 p.m. JAN. 6--at Chicago, 5:30 p.m.; 10--Detroit, 7:30 p.m.; 24--St. Louis, 7:30 p.m. FEB. 4--Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.; 23--at Buffalo, 4:30 p.m. MAR. 2--Montreal, 7:30 p.m.; 4--Edmonton, 7:30 p.m.; 11--Chicago, 7:30 p.m.; 22--at Dallas, 5:30 p.m.; 24--at Boston, 4:30 p.m.; 31--Edmonton, 7:30 p.m. APRIL 11--Calgary, 7:30 p.m.