Next Five Games Could Prove Critical

The Mighty Ducks have five games to play before the All-Star break, five games that may determine whether they rejoin the playoff race or fall hopelessly out of contention. It’s also a stretch that may determine whether the Ducks are buyers or sellers in the days leading to the trading deadline March 9.

General Manager Bryan Murray was meeting with the team’s scouts this week to discuss the state of the Ducks, who were 13th in the Western Conference standings going into Monday’s games, 11 points out of the eighth and final playoff spot.

One of the few certainties during an uncertain season is that the list of overachieving players is a good deal shorter than the list of underachievers, the opposite of the way it was during the Ducks’ run to the Stanley Cup finals last season.

Coach Mike Babcock came up with only two overachievers: third-line center Samuel Pahlsson and backup goaltender Martin Gerber, who will start Wednesday against the Kings.

Babcock declined to offer a list of underachievers, although he praised Pahlsson, who has one goal and 11 points in 50 games and has been among the team’s most reliable two-way players this season.

“I feel a lot better about my play in a lot of ways, in a lot of parts of the game,” said Pahlsson, a Swede playing his fourth NHL season. “I’m doing my role. I’m trying to play hard, kill penalties and win faceoffs -- all of that. But I can do better than one goal, absolutely. I don’t think I can score 40 or 50 goals a year, but I think I can score more than I have this year.”

Babcock also says Pahlsson can produce more offense than he has so far in his career, but he’s not about to demand that Pahlsson pay less attention to the quieter aspects of his game in favor of a riskier style in the attacking zone.

“Sammy has a better skill level than he scores at,” Babcock said. “You’d like him to generate more offensively. You’d like everyone to contribute offensively. I don’t think he’s ever going to be dynamic with the puck, but he’s got a heck of a shot. He’s the best penalty-killer on our team. He’s a solid, skilled player.”