Injured Giguere making progress
The presence of Jean-Sebastien Giguere on the Honda Center ice meant one small step for him and one potential giant leap for the Ducks.
Giguere skated in his equipment for the first time since injuring his groin 10 days ago. The veteran goalie isn’t practicing yet and so won’t play any time soon, but no pain is a gain.
“Everything was good today,” Giguere said Thursday. “I was able to do everything today. There was no pain.”
Giguere said he was counting on a return well before the All-Star break later this month as long as the groin does not act up once he starts practicing.
“You need to be able to do everything without thinking about it,” he said. “That’s got to come from being able to practice and not worrying about it. It’s a mental thing too. I’ve got to be able to let it go too.”
A week of treatment and exercises has helped. “So far this week, every day has been better than the other,” Giguere said.
The injury report on center Todd Marchant was also encouraging. He skated with the team for the first half of practice, but his work was limited to non-contact drills. Marchant has missed the last four games because of an abdominal strain.
“Those players now have a starting point for us,” Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle said.
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In a matter of hours, Ric Jackman went from not being able to crack the lineup of the lowly Florida Panthers to a spot on the defense of the team with the most points in the NHL.
“It’s a big jump,” he said.
The Ducks, who’ll pay only half of his $800,000 salary, hope that the former first-round pick only needs a change in scenery as they try to fill holes created by injuries to Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin.
“For me to get a chance to come here and earn a spot in the top six ... I want to contribute any way I can in any role I get put into,” Jackman said.
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The Ducks also shook up their lineup by demoting rookie forward Ryan Shannon to Portland (Maine) and calling up center Tim Brent and left wing Bjorn Melin.
TONIGHT
vs. Columbus, 7, FSN Prime Ticket
Site -- Honda Center.
Radio -- 830.
Records -- Ducks 28-8-6; Blue Jackets 15-21-4.
Record vs. Blue Jackets (2005-06) -- 2-1-1.
Update -- Teemu Selanne will be honored in a pregame ceremony for his 500th goal Nov. 22 at Colorado and his 1,000th game Sunday at Minnesota.
Tickets -- (877) 945-3946.
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