Roster Will Be Set Today

There are few roster decisions left for the Mighty Duck hierarchy, but they will be difficult ones.

Do they keep veterans with lesser talent and let better younger players learn in the minors? Do they toss those young players into the NHL fire? What do you do with $6-million worth of unwanted veterans?

General Manager Bryan Murray and Coach Mike Babcock will answer those questions today, as they make their final roster cuts.

Injuries will determine some of those decisions.

Defenseman Pavel Trnka (strained groin) skated Saturday for the first time in nine days, but may open the season on injured reserve. Defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski is bothered by a sore knee and is day-to-day, leaving the Ducks with six healthy defensemen. That may open a spot for Josh DeWolf, who was brought back from minor league Cincinnati on Saturday.

Left wing Kevin Sawyer also hurt his knee Saturday, although it was not believed to be serious.

Murray said that veterans Denny Lambert, German Titov and Jason York would be assigned or cut loose today. The three, combined, are still owed $6.6 million. All were passed over in Friday’s NHL waiver draft and their agents have yet to work out a deal.

“I think that shows that everyone is pretty set with their rosters,” Murray said. “They won’t play here.”

One or more could be assigned to minor league Cincinnati. But if Sawyer’s injury proves to be more serious, the Ducks may need to bring in Lambert to fill the enforcer role.

The odd man out would seem to be center Samuel Pahlsson, who was exposed to last Friday’s NHL waiver draft. While that doesn’t necessarily mean he is ticketed to the minor leagues, Pahlsson can read between the lines.

“They want to go with the young guys,” Pahlsson said. “So I’m going to the minors. All I can do is go and work hard.”

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One thing is for certain, the Ducks will have a less-than-traditional third line.

Matt Cullen, the Ducks’ second line center much of the last three seasons, seems destined to anchor the team’s third line this season. The presence of free agent Adam Oates and a healthy Steve Rucchin have made the Ducks stronger at center.

Cullen’s role may seem unsuited to his skills. He is coming off his best season, finishing with career highs with 18 goals and 48 points. The challenge for Cullen is to continue that production on a third line, which is traditionally a checking line.

“I have to be more aware defensively and work on the checking,” Cullen said. “But we could have a third line that will surprise teams because we’ll have more than two lines contributing offensively.”