Carney’s Rating, Star Power Go Up

Players are suddenly in demand for television appearances and there are unfamiliar reporters and camera crews in their locker room, so apparently the Mighty Ducks are starting to command respect.

And with every point they earn, an underrated player such as defenseman Keith Carney gets the type of exposure he has been lacking playing for the Ducks, who play St. Louis tonight at Arrowhead Pond.

“Having more success helps,” said Carney, who has 14 points in what has been an All-Star season for him. “When you’re playing well, you seem to always get fortunate bounces.”

What’s surprising about Carney is that he’s regarded as a stay-at-home defenseman but he still generates offense. In his 91 games with the Ducks, Carney has a plus-23 rating even though he doesn’t get many power-play minutes.

“Keith Carney is the leader back there,” Coach Mike Babcock said. “He plays the minutes, he plays the key situations, he plays against the No. 1 units. He has 14 points and he plays totally in defensive situations.... He’s an All-Star back there for sure.”

Carney an All-Star? That would be a first because despite having a plus-69 rating over his last 357 games since 1999, Carney has never been selected for the All-Star game.

“For that type of honor, you look at offensive guys and players who can put up numbers,” Carney said.

Carney certainly has helped his cause this season, being the top scoring defenseman on the Ducks.

“I’m not doing anything different out there,” said Carney, who’s closing in on his career-high of 24 points set in 1999-2000 with Phoenix. “Bounces are just going my way more than before and your numbers are going to go up when a team is winning.”

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Defenseman Ruslan Salei, who has sat out seven of the last eight games because of a back strain, will not play tonight but could return for Thursday’s game against the Kings at Staples Center.

“Team is playing so well, they don’t want me out there yet,” Salei joked after Tuesday’s practice. “They told me that I should take my time.”

Salei has been working out with his teammates this week, but the Ducks are giving him more time to heal, considering that he tried to return a week ago at Detroit, only to be sidelined again.

“I’m almost ready but not quite there yet,” Salei said. “When I came back before, there was a little pain and I just figured that everyone plays with pain. But with my injury, I couldn’t do that because I can aggravate it trying to play through the pain. We’re waiting until I’m almost 100%.”

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Left wing Mike Brown, who has played in six games with the Ducks this season, cleared waivers and was assigned to Cincinnati of the American Hockey League.

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TONIGHT

vs. St. Louis, 7:30

Fox Sports Net 2

Site -- Arrowhead Pond.

Radio -- KPLS (830).

Records -- Ducks 13-9-6-3, Blues 16-9-4-2.

Record vs. Blues -- 1-0-0-0.

Update -- Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere has not allowed a goal in 200 minutes and 15 seconds, which is the longest shutout streak in the NHL since John Vanbeisbrouck went 218:42 from Jan. 3, 1999, to Jan. 16, 1999, with Philadelphia.