Youngsters to Get Chance

Time grows short in the Mighty Ducks’ training camp and decisions are being made. Youth, it seems, will be served.

Left wing Timo Parssinen has all but wrapped a spot on the team. Ilya Bryzgalov, a wide-eyed, 21-year-old rookie, will stick with the team as the backup goalie, should Jean-Sebastien Giguere remain sidelined with a groin injury.

Coach Bryan Murray said he expects to make more cuts today.

“You had to show you could do it, you had to impress during camp,” Murray said. “My comment early to the players was, ‘I’m not going to pick this team. You are going pick this team. You’re going to play yourself on or off the team.”’

The Ducks sent right wing Maxim Balmochnynkh and center Jarrett Smith to minor league Cincinnati. More cuts could come today, but Parssinen will likely be among them.

Parssinen skated on the Ducks’ top line with Paul Kariya and Samuel Pahlsson in the Ducks’ 4-1 loss to the Kings in front of an announced crowd of 10,254 at the Arrowhead Pond Wednesday.

“[Parssinen] would have to play his way off the team,” Murray said. “When camp started, I thought we had two lines that could score us goals. If these young players continue like this, we’ll have three lines.”

Whether they will is still to be seen. But Murray said he intends to be flexible with his lines, choosing to link two players consistently instead of three.

Kariya and Parssinen, Steve Rucchin and Petr Tenkrat and Matt Cullen and Mike Leclerc are possible duos. The third member of lines will be mixed and matched.

“I hope I’ve shown I belong in the NHL,” Parssinen said. “I’ve put in the work, so we’ll see what happens.”

Parssinen is a skilled player, both on the top line and third line. He was a third-round pick in June, but has been so effective that he has been teamed with Kariya.

“When we drafted him, we felt he could be an NHL player, maybe be one of the first guys we called up,” Murray said. “He has stepped up his play.”

Bryzgalov has been impressive as well and, with Giguere sidelined, he may start the season with the Ducks. Giguere skated the last two days, but does not seem close to being ready.

German Titov, who is trying to regain his NHL look after a poor season in 2000-2001, will make the team, Murray said.

The Ducks left defenseman Aris Brimanis, defenseman Brian White, left wing Denny Lambert, defenseman Drew Bannister and defenseman Nikolai Tsulygin on the unprotected list for Friday’s waiver draft.

Lambert’s inclusion on the list seems to indicate that Kevin Sawyer is close to making the team. Lambert, Sawyer and Jim Cummins have been competing for the team’s two enforcer spots. Cummins sat out a second game because of a blister on his foot, which has become infected.

Marty McInnis, who has been slowed by a groin injury, skated for a second consecutive day and said he hopes to be in the lineup Friday, when the Ducks play at Minnesota.