Stanley Cups: 1

2008-'09 record: 42-33-7, 91 points (2nd in Pacific, 8th in West)

2008-'09 playoffs: Defeated San Jose Sharks 4-2; lost to Detroit Red Wings 4-3

General manager: Bob Murray 33-26-6 (2nd NHL year, 1st team)

Coach: Randy Carlyle 180-107-41 (5th NHL year, 1st team)

Captain: Scott Niedermayer

Top returning scorer: C Ryan Getzlaf (25 goals, 66, assists, 91 points)

Top returning goalie: Jonas Hiller (23-15-1, 2.39, .919)

Key additions: D Luca Sbisa; RW Joffrey Lupul; C Saku Koivu; D Nick Boynton; RW Evgeny Artyukhin; G Justin Pogge; D Steve Eminger.

Key subtractions: D Chris Pronger; D Francois Beauchemin; LW Drew Miller; D Bret Hedican; C Rob Niedermayer; LW Josh Green.

Top line: LW Bobby Ryan, C Ryan Getzlaf; RW Corey Perry

Top defensive pairing: Scott Niedermayer, James Wisniewski

Goaltending: Posting a club-record tying seven-game winning streak down the stretch, Hiller supplanted Jean-Sebastien Giguere as No. 1 goalie, then led all playoff netminders with .943 save percentage. Quick goalie with lightning-fast glove and precise technical movements, always seems square to the shooter, using tall body to fill net. Very calm and collected between the pipes.

Player to watch: D Luca Sbisa. Acquired from Philadelphia in the Chris Pronger trade, Italian-born, Swiss-raised blue-liner broke into the Flyers’ lineup at age 18 and played 39 games before being returned to Lethbridge (WHL). Very mobile on skates with smooth, effortless stride. Plays sound defensively and distributes the puck on first-pass plays with poise and accuracy.

Icing: Niedermayer, who flirted with retirement in recent years, seems as strong as ever. He played in all 82 games last season and was third among NHL defensemen with 45 assists and 59 points. The 36-year-old, four-time Stanley Cup champion is the only player to win the Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal, world championship, World Cup, Memorial Cup and world junior title. Ryan should continue to show the promise he presented as a rookie when he topped first-year players last season with 31 goals and 57 points in 64 games. Koivu will wear a different NHL uniform for the first time after 13 seasons with the Canadiens. Koivu was captain for the last 10, tying Jean Beliveau for the longest run in Montreal's century-long history.

Outlook: Murray quickly maneuvered Ducks out of a salary cap mess created by his predecessor Brian Burke. Not as deep defensively as Burke’s 2006-07 Cup winner, but should be one of the NHL’s most potent scoring teams.

Prediction: 97 points (2nd in Pacific, 5th seed in West)

NHL TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEWS Teams listed in predicted order of finish; x-playoff team ATLANTIC x-Penguins x-Flyers x-Devils x-Rangers Islanders Vote: Winner? CENTRAL x-Red Wings x-Blackhawks x-Blue Jackets x-Blues Predators Vote: Winner? NORTHEAST x-Bruins x-Canadiens Sabres Maple Leafs Senators Vote: Winner? NORTHWEST x-Flames x-Canucks Oilers Wild Avalanche Vote: Winner? SOUTHEAST x-Capitals x-Hurricanes Thrashers Panthers Lightning Vote: Winner? PACIFIC x-Sharks x-Ducks Stars Kings Coyotes Vote: Winner?

MORE FROM NHL

NHL Section Front

Breaking down the perfect NHL player   Gaborik's 4 points lead Rangers over Blue Jackets Fisher's goal leads Senators past Capitals in OT   Predators win 6th straight, 3-1 over Red Wings Laraque suspended five games for hit on Kronwall Live odds Matchups/Injuries Vote: Who will win the Stanley Cup? Rotoworld: Latest NHL player news, rumors, more Team-by-team transactions   NHL Section Front   Add NHL headlines to your news reader: