McDonald Making the Most of It Now

This postseason for the Mighty Ducks has a special meaning for Andy McDonald.

McDonald was a bystander for the Ducks’ run to the Stanley Cup finals three years ago. The young center missed the playoffs because of post-concussion symptoms after taking a hard hit from Adam Foote, then of the Colorado Avalanche.

“It was a tough part of my life,” McDonald said. “You’re kind of looking in from the outside and seeing the ride those guys were on and how well they played. You’re not really part of it. That’s the bottom line. It’s not like I was practicing. I wasn’t doing anything.”

McDonald says he talks often with former Ducks enforcer Kevin Sawyer, who was also out that year because of similar problems. Sawyer retired because of the lingering symptoms.

“I was just telling him what a difference it is to be in it,” McDonald said. “This postseason sort of flashed back to what we were going through.”

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As a looming unrestricted free agent with the trade deadline approaching and the Bruins heading nowhere, Sergei Samsonov figured his days in Boston were numbered.

“You could kind of see it coming,” Samsonov said. “It was a matter of time. I wasn’t surprised. I guess it was a question of when.”

Samsonov landed with the Oilers, where he has found a spot on the second line with Jarret Stoll and Fernando Pisani. The left wing contributed 16 points in 19 games during the regular season and has scored three goals and seven assists in 13 playoff games.

While he may be in an Oilers jersey for a short time, Samsonov is enjoying the change of scenery.

“It’s definitely for me coming here,” he said. “Playing in Boston all year long, you were kind of chasing after the playoffs and they were getting farther and farther away from you. All of a sudden you go to a team that’s competing for a Stanley Cup.”

In the Western Conference semifinals, Samsonov renewed acquaintances with former Boston teammate Joe Thornton. The Bruins traded Thornton to San Jose in November and the center is a favorite to win the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.

Samsonov said playing in Boston was difficult after the blockbuster move.

“It’s hard when somebody gets traded, but when it’s your ... best player, then you start wondering,” he said.

“At the time, it was a tough situation.”

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The Mighty Ducks’ Joffrey Lupul meant it as a compliment -- maybe -- referring to his days as a kid in Edmonton as an Oilers fan, said, “it was during the Todd Marchant era.”

Lupul was 10 when Marchant began his NHL career with the Oilers in 1993.

Reporters couldn’t move fast enough to run that by Marchant, now Lupul’s teammate.

“The Todd Marchant era?” said the 32-year old Marchant, who spent 10 seasons with the Oilers. “What do I say to that? Yeah, I don’t know what to say. I was there I guess.”

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The Ducks seemed to hardly fear heading to Edmonton, which 20 years ago meant facing the best team in the NHL. Still, Rexall Place has been painted as a tough place for opposing teams and those questions were brought into the Ducks dressing room Sunday morning.

“We played a Game 7 in Calgary, it was the same there,” Lupul said. “You hear the noise and see the home team players getting excited, it gets you more focused on preparation.”

A bigger problem may be the Ducks’ history. They have lost 12 consecutive games in Edmonton, with their last victory on Feb. 24, 1999.