Giguere’s Presence Means Less Worry

There are so many things the Mighty Ducks hope to learn over the next few weeks, beginning in the season opener at St. Louis on Thursday:

* Will the offense be better?

* Will the defense be weaker?

* Will they be good enough this season to finish ahead of every expansion team that followed them into the NHL?

What the Ducks already know, though, is plenty. They will get solid goaltending every night. That was clear midway through last season, when Jean-Sebastien Giguere took over the job and grew into the potential that had made him a first-round draft pick in 1995.

“After the outstanding season he had, we’re expecting the same from him,” defenseman Keith Carney said. “It’s nice to have a top-rated goalie behind us. It allows us to play with confidence.”

Giguere does instill that. His 20-25-1 record last season masked his being one of the top goalies in the NHL.

His 2.13 goals-against average broke Guy Hebert’s team record of 2.42. He ranked fifth in the NHL, ahead of Dominik Hasek and Martin Brodeur. He was tied for fifth with a .920 save mark. .

That the Ducks scored only 175 goals, the second fewest in the NHL, kept Giguere from receiving more recognition.

“You look at his numbers last year, top five in the NHL playing on this team, to me that’s an unbelievable stat,” Coach Mike Babcock said.

Said center Matt Cullen: “We know that he can keep us in every game and that is huge for us.”

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Defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski, who has been bothered by a sore right knee, is expected to play Thursday.... The Ducks sent defenseman Chris O’Sullivan to minor league Cincinnati, trimming their roster to 23.... Defenseman Pavel Trnka will be put on injured reserve until he recovers from a strained groin.

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The Ducks are still negotiating a buyout on the contracts of veterans Denny Lambert and German Titov.

“We have informed their agents,” General Manager Bryan Murray said. “Now we have to follow up on that and make a proposal to them.”

Titov is owed $1.5 million this season. Lambert is owed $550,000 this season and $600,000 next season.

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The Ducks announced their games will be carried on KPLS (830), which will broadcast a minimum of 54 games this season.... The Ducks will open the season with a $39,748,000 payroll, not including money owed to Jason York, Lambert and Titov.