Ducks’ Pahlsson Is a Star Stopper

Brian Burke, the Mighty Duck general manager, sees Samuel Pahlsson as someone straight out of the Viking tradition.

But for those who define Vikings as “seafaring Scandinavian people who raided the coasts of northern and western Europe from the eighth through the 11th century,” the 28-year-old Duck center hardly looks the part.

Quiet by nature and easygoing in manner, the native of Sweden doesn’t strike fear by his presence alone, although Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic might see it that way.

Pahlsson has made life difficult for the two NHL stars this postseason. In the Ducks’ last four playoff games, the 6-foot veteran has been at the center of an effort on defense that stymied the two superstar centers and kept them off the score sheet.

Iginla had scored five goals in five games for Calgary in the first round and pushed the Flames to within one game of advancing to the Western Conference semifinals. Through the efforts of Pahlsson, he was limited to one shot in each of the final two games and is now watching the playoffs.

Sakic, the relentless captain of the Colorado Avalanche, has managed just four shots in the first two games while the Ducks have held the Avalanche scoreless in the first six periods.

Burke freely admits to underestimating Pahlsson’s abilities. When asked Monday if he knew much about Pahlsson before coming to Anaheim, the first-year general manager said, “Not enough.”

Before signing the restricted free agent to a two-year contract last August, Burke had said, “I want him back, but I’m not jumping off a bridge if he doesn’t come back.” Now he sees Pahlsson in seafaring terms.

“The thing with Sammy is you’ve got to watch him every night to realize he’s a Viking,” he said. “He’s a throwback to a time when Sweden was feared all around the globe. He’s ultra-competitive. An extremely valuable player.”

Teammate Scott Niedermayer also didn’t know much about Pahlsson until he saw him up close in the 2003 Stanley Cup finals, when Niedermayer was with the New Jersey Devils.

“I remember him finishing all his checks,” the Ducks’ captain said with a smile.

Never a big scorer in his five NHL seasons, Pahlsson’s worth is measured more in what the other team doesn’t do. Heading into Game 3 tonight at the Pepsi Center, the Ducks have worked off 23 consecutive penalties, and Pahlsson has been a lead member of the penalty-killing unit.

He is also good at deflecting credit. “It’s not only me,” Pahlsson said. “It’s all the guys out there. The goalie’s back there too. We’re playing good.”

Forward Rob Niedermayer, who plays with Pahlsson and Jeff Friesen on the main checking line, says it’s no coincidence that Iginla and Sakic have struggled. “He’s so strong in the corners and on [faceoffs],” Rob Niedermayer said. “That’s why he’s so difficult to play against. A lot of people don’t really know how valuable he is to the team. Every night, you can count on him to come up with a big effort.”

Pahlsson said he relishes the battles. “That’s why you start playing sports,” he said. “You want that challenge. You want to face that guy against you.”

Prodded by first-year Coach Randy Carlyle to improve on offense, Pahlsson scored a career-high 11 goals in the regular season. In the playoffs, he scored a key goal in Game 2 against Calgary.

Although he said he probably needs to score more for individual honors, Pahlsson may one day get Selke Trophy consideration, given to the league’s top defensive forward.

“I think that’s totally reasonable,” Scott Niedermayer said. “He’s a guy that does a lot of the heavy lifting. The hard work. The stuff he does doesn’t get in the stats.”

Said Pahlsson: “I don’t score a lot of goals, so I don’t get a lot of attention. I just try to do my job every day.”

That mind-set has endeared him to Burke.

“For the things we have to do to be successful, he’s a vital piece of the puzzle,” Burke said. “Part of a successful team is people accepting their jobs. He does, and he does it well.”