BTB: Is there a difference in style of play between Swiss teams and US teams?

Transcription

1

2 Luca Sbisa fell in love with the game of ice hockey at the age of three, a mere seventeen years later he is a vital part of the Anaheim Ducks organization s young defensive unit. His swift playing style, smooth skating and vision on the ice have gotten him attention around the league. Sbisa s path to professional hockey, however, has been anything but smooth. Growing up in Switzerland, moving to Canada for youth hockey, starting in the NHL at the age of 18 and then being sent back down to Juniors a year later has made his journey extremely tough. Sbisa has seen quite a few ups and downs in his short 18 years that have given him the insight into the love of the game and the importance of sticking with it. BTB: What was it like growing up, playing hockey in Switzerland? Sbisa: It was fun, I started playing when I was three. My parents took me to a hockey game and I fell in love with the game right away. I told my mom I wanted to play, so she put me in skating school with a figure skating coach just to learn how to skate. After skating school, I joined a hockey team, playing for my home town. I played there my whole junior career, until I was 16. I played about eight games pro and then made the decision to come over here to North America and play hockey here. BTB: Is there a difference in style of play between Swiss teams and US teams? Sbisa: Junior hockey wise there is a big difference. Back home you would play in front of maybe 50 people; your parents and a couple of your friends. In the US we had as many as 18,000 in junior hockey. Another big difference is in Europe you play on a larger ice surface, while here you play on a much smaller surface, which makes it quicker and more intense. In the US, you don t have as much time to make decisions. Everything happens a half-second quicker. BTB: At what point did you realize you had the potential to be an NHL player? Sbisa: I realized it really late. Back home in Switzerland we didn t have many players breaking into the NHL maybe a couple of goalies: David Aebischer, Martin Gerber but Mark Streit was the first defenseman to really make it. The NHL seemed untouchable growing up for kids like me. The first time I realized I could actually be a good player in this league was when I came over to North America. I was 17-yearsold playing in the Western Hockey League and saw all of those ranked, big name players, who were supposed to go really high in the draft. I noticed that I could keep up with them. Getting drafted in the first round gave me a lot of confidence and the realization that I could actually play in the NHL. BTB: You played 39 games for Philadelphia back in the season, then played eight games for the Ducks last season before being sent down to Juniors, what was your mind set after being sent down? Sbisa: It wasn t easy, that s for sure. I was really lucky to play in this league at the age of 18, not many guys can do that. But last year was a bit of a roller coaster. If I look back I don t regret anything that happened; going back to juniors just made me a better player. My first year I went to camp in Philly and had no expectations to make the team and did. The next year, I was traded to Anaheim and put much more pressure on myself to make the team. I wanted to be in Anaheim the whole year, but was sent down pretty early. That was a pretty tough situation. It still ended up being a great year. I went back to junior hockey, played a lot of minutes and had a lot of responsibility. I also was able to play in the Olympics; you can t beat that! BTB: What advice do you have for the youth hockey players of Southern California? Sbisa: Just enjoy it! I live down in Newport Beach and always see games going on down by the beach. That shows that there is interest for the sport and that Southern California kids are getting better at hockey. BTB: Any advice for youth hockey players to get to the next level of hockey? Sbisa: Just keep working hard, don t take anything for granted. Go out there and always have a smile on your face and always work hard.

3 While most 18-year-olds are worried about who they are going to ask to prom, Luca Sbisa was worried about not letting Chris Drury or Scott Gomez score a goal on his watch. To many, Sbisa seemed to be living an 18-year-olds dream life, starting for the Philadelphia Flyers only a few months after being drafted, but at 18 achieving your dreams in the NHL can be exhilirating. Here is Luca Sbisa s inside look at the good and the bad of his first ever NHL game, October 11, 2008 in Philadelphia. BTB: Do you remember who you played against in your first game with the Philadelphia Flyers? Sbisa: Yeah, of course I remember, that was one of the best moments of my life, it was against the New York Rangers. BTB: Which stadium? Sbisa: It was the big home opener in Philly. BTB: What was going through your head before the game started? Sbisa: Usually, I take a nap, but I was just too nervous. I had family and friends in town; my mom, my dad, my host family from Lethbridge and my agent. A homeopener always makes it a little more special with the introductions and stuff. You stand in the tunnel and then they call your name and you hear 20,000 people wearing orange and black just screaming and yelling your name. I had a pretty big shiver going down my back. It s something I will never forget. You skate on the ice with fireworks going off above you, it s just something you dream about for so long. Ever since I started playing hockey and watching all those highlight reel tapes of the NHL I dreamed of this. I am extremely lucky that everything happened so fast for me. I didn t expect at all to make the NHL as an 18-year-old. But it was amazing! BTB: Tell us about your first shift. Sbisa: I was nervous out there on the ice for the first couple of shifts. After a good first pass and check I stopped thinking so much and started playing. BTB: Who was your partner on your first shift? Sbisa: I was playing with Kimmo Timonen for a bit and then Lasse Kukkonen. That was great. BTB: Do you remember any of the players you went against? Sbisa: There were several of the Rangers players that I grew up watching. It was so fun to play against some of my heroes. It s almost hard to believe that you are out there playing against players you ve followed your whole life. BTB: Any shots during the game? Sbisa: I played a lot of minutes during the game and had a few shots as well as some good hits. I have a DVD of the game, but I still haven t watched it! BTB: Any one moment during that game stick out to you? Sbisa: The national anthem, taking your helmet off and just being there as a player, that was pretty special. And then after the game going to see my family; it was really special for them too, they put so much effort into me and they drove me to the rink every day for 15 years straight. They put a lot of money into it and took a lot of their time, so it s a pretty good feeling if you see them happy too, to feel like you succeeded. BTB: After the game how did you feel like you had played? Sbisa: I think I played well. I was minus one or something like that, but I think someone messed up and it wasn t really my fault.just kidding! I played well for a first game. BTB: Did you get any comments or feedback from the coach or fellow teammates after the game? Sbisa: The coaches and players came up to me after the game and shook my hand as well as congratulated me on my first game. BTB: Tell hockey fans out there who will never experience an NHL game, what it is like to play in a game? Sbisa: It s a lot of pain actually, especially as a defenseman, but it is a lot of fun. You put in so much effort that your legs burn quite a bit during the game, but I think it s more tough mentally than it is physically. You have to be ready for every shift. You might not touch the ice for several minutes, when all of a sudden you have a doubleshift, so you have to be ready mentally. It s tough to describe how it is, everything just happens fast, you just can t over think the game you have to react to the situations.

4 After cutting ties with the Iowa Chops last season, the Anaheim Ducks were the only NHL team without an AHL affiliate for the season. Due to this, the Ducks had to spread their players between three AHL organizations and the ECHL Bakersfield Condors. This season, however, the Ducks are pleased to announce they have joined forces with the Syracuse Crunch. This affiliation will provide a team for the Ducks younger players to have the opportunity to train together, gain experience, play minutes together and encounter strong competition as they faceoff against the other AHL teams. THE PARTNERSHIP The Ducks organization is enthusiastic about the affiliation. General Manager Bob Murray commented, Syracuse is steeped in hockey tradition and we are excited to partner with an ownership and management team that shares the same commitment to winning and player development as we do. Leadership Despite so many rookies, the team is not lacking in leadership or experience. Veteran defenseman Joe DiPenta has joined the Syracuse Crunch as their captain having played 655 professional games, including over 150 NHL games and having been a part of Anaheim s Stanley Cup championship team. My leadership style is leading by example, with work ethic on and off the ice. I am not overly vocal, but try and say the right thing when I think the time is right. I try and support my teamates any way I can with on and off ice issues, by getting to know them individually. Assistant captains are Brett Festerling, who has played over 80 games for the Anaheim Ducks and Josh Green who has appeared in over 300 NHL games. This Season The team is entering its 17th season as an AHL team enjoying a long tenure in Syracuse, loyal fans, a strong organization and great players. This year they look forward to the addition of many players from within the Ducks organization including 13 AHL rookies. Their pre-season games were extremely successful with high scoring and strong defense and the team looks forward to a successful season. This Season Nick Bonino: Pos: C; Ht: 6-1; Wt: 190 Playing center on the top line for the Crunch this preseason, Bonino had 7 points in 3 games. Kyle Palmieri: Pos: RW; Ht: 5-10; Wt: 194 Alongside Bonino on Right Wing, Palmieri compiled 3 goals and 4 assists in 3 games. Brandon McMillan: Pos: LW; Ht: 5-11; Wt: 185 McMillan had 67 points last year in his fourth season in the WHL and played for Team Canada in the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship. Mat Clark: Pos: D; Ht: 6-3, Wt: 211 Clark s size coupled with his skating and puck-handling abilities make him an exciting player to watch develop. Rob Bordson: Pos: C; Ht 6-2; Wt: 190 Bordson posted a goal and an assist in the preseason showcasing his offensive skills. Nicolas Deschamps: Pos: LW; Ht: 6-1; Wt: 182 Having 2 assists in the preseason and helping to set up many plays from the wing position, Deschamps has good vision on the ice. Maxime Macenauer: Pos: C; Ht: 6-0; Wt: 203 Macenauer impressed in training camp this year playing a few preseason games with the Anaheim Ducks and proving that he is going to be a top player in the AHL this year.

5 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9TH ROAD TRIP The Anaheim Ducks started their season on the road with their second game being against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN on 10/9/10. Ducks defenseman Sheldon Brookbank, who is starting his third season with the Ducks, gave us the inside scoop on what a day on the road looks like in the life of a professional ice hockey player. 8:00am Getz is sawing logs, so I put my pillow over my head to try and get some extra sleep. 9:00am Wake up just before my alarm, feeling stiff and sore from the game the night before (against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena). 9:30am Jump in the shower to wake up a bit. 10:00am Go down for breakfast and order some oatmeal. The oatmeal, which I hear all about from Getzlaf and Perry, takes forever apparently I should ve just gotten the buffet. 11:30am Hit the ice for a 20-minute skate. 10:30am Meeting at the Bridgestone Arena; go over some video about what we need to improve on. 11:00am We were told there would be an optional skate at 11:30, so I put a heat pack on my back to warmup some stiff muscles and get ready for the skate. 12:00pm Jump in the cold tub to get the legs going for the game. 12:30pm Time to eat pregame. I usually end up sitting beside Parros which is dangerous because there is usually a lot of shrapnel flying everywhere. 1:00pm At lunch we discuss the Predator team and prepare for the game. Now its time to head up to the rooms. 1:30pm Quick phone call to my wife Lené and it s time for the routine game day nap. 2:30pm Toss and turn. 3:00pm Catch a restless half hour of sleep. 3:30pm Turn on the TV. Usually watch some King of Queens or whatever else is on to kill a few minutes. 4:00pm Have another shower to shake the fog off from my nap. 4:30pm Head down for a light snack. Usually PB and J on toast with a banana. 5:00pm Get to the rink. 5:30pm Tape my sticks and get some drinks ready for the game. Get a leg flush from the best massage therapist in the league, James Partida (Nacho). 6:00pm After a penalty kill video, jump on the bike to get the blood flowing for my warm-up stretches. 6:30pm Hit the ice for warm-up, feeling good. 7:00pm Anthem is over it s game time. Pretty good atmosphere in Nashville. The fans are ready to go and so are we. 7:40pm Back-and-forth first period. The intensity is high. 8:00pm End of first period. Intermission we are feeling good but tied at :30pm During second period, puck takes a backwards bounce. They make a nice shot, take a 1-0 lead and we have to hear Tim McGraw, who has made a version of his song I like it, I love it to be played whenever the Predators score a goal. 9:00pm We can t seem to get the puck to go in. Hit the pipes a couple of times and the Preds have the lead at the end of two periods, :30pm Despite feeling good and playing better, we can t get it done in the third period. Frustration sets in and we take a few penalties at the end of the game. 10:00pm Game ends with the Predators winning 4-1. Tough loss. 10:30pm Do a leg circuit with Chipchura, which was drawn up by our strength coach Sean Skahan. 11:00pm Grab a shake and a slice of pizza to hold me over till the meal on the plane. 11:30pm Get on the plane, grab a meal and play some cards to forget about the game and head to St. Louis.

6 RINK TOUR SPEAKING SERIES The Anaheim Ducks kicked off their Rink Tour Speaking Series on October 16 at 949 Roller Hockey Center in Irvine. To begin the second year of The Rink Tour, the Anaheim Ducks scheduled the event to coincide with the 4th Annual Give Blood Play Hockey Charity Tournament at 949. The day was a huge success bringing out large numbers of players, families and fans for both the tournament and the Speaking Series. This first series featured Bobby Ryan and Kyle Chipchura, along with radio announcer, Steve Carroll addressing the crowd of youth players and fans. Both Bobby and Kyle, having had experience playing roller hockey, spoke about the key differences between roller and ice hockey and their experience with both. Commenting that roller hockey teaches and reinforces many of the key skills that are needed in ice hockey, the two encouraged young players in their endeavors. After discussing roller and ice with Carroll, the players were candid with fans in a Q and A session: answering questions ranging from who gave you your hardest check to the weight of the equipment. The event ended with the players interacting with fans and signing autographs for all in attendance. This event was just the first in the five-part Rink Tour Speaking Series. Four more dates are scheduled in the Southern California area that will feature different players and different topics for youth hockey players, parents and fans alike. The topics will range from goaltending advice to what it s like being a rookie. Each event will provide fans an opportunity to interact with the Ducks organization and get some first-hand advice on various hockey matters. The Rink Tour Speaking Series is part of the G.O.A.L. (Growth Outreach and Awareness Locally) Hockey Program, the Anaheim Ducks Organization s grass-roots initiative. Striving to promote and educate local youth about the sport of hockey and the Anaheim Ducks, the G.O.A.L. program feels that the Speaking Series is an exciting initiative to get kids excited about the sport. For more information on other G.O.A.L. initiatives, the Speaking Series and for photos and videos from this past event please visit anaheimducks.com/goal or facebook.com/ducksgoal. The complete list of future Speaking Series dates and locations are listed below: Saturday, November 20 San Diego Ice Arena Ice Skate Place San Diego, CA :30 p.m. Saturday, December 11 THE RINKS - Corona Inline 4325 Prado Rd #101 Corona, CA :30 3 p.m. Thursday, January 6 Aliso Viejo Ice Palace 9 Journey Aliso Viejo, CA :30 p.m. Tuesday, February 15 THE RINKS - Anaheim Ice 300 W Lincoln Ave Anaheim, CA :30 p.m.

7 the breakdown Each year the Anaheim Ducks send their players out to face the best that ice hockey has to offer in the NHL. Ever wonder why certain players play with other players, how much ice time each line gets or how match-ups are created against the other teams? Well, here is the Anaheim Ducks Breakdown for the start of the Season. Forwards This season, the Ducks have recognized their strong firepower and have created a system where they can either play three scoring lines and an energy line or two scoring lines, an energy line and a checking line. Each line fulfills a specific role in the system: Scoring Lines: The role of the scoring lines is to provide the offense for the team. They play a high number of minutes and work down below the hash marks to wear down the other team s defense and create offensive opportunities by moving in on the net. Checking Line: These forwards will face off against some of the best players on the other team and try to keep them from scoring. Energy Line: The energy line is built with the grittier players. This line is sent out there to keep the energy of the team flowing, to develop excitement and to work on gaining puck possession. defense Each game the Ducks carry six defensemen. These six players are divided into three pairings and are paired by both skill level and playing style (offensive or defensive). match-ups One of the most important aspects of hockey is match-ups. Coaches spend a lot of time trying to get the right players matched up with the opposing team. When on home ice, the Ducks get the last change, meaning that the Duck s coaching staff gets to watch which players the other coach sends out on the ice before selecting which players he will play for that shift. This gives him the opportunity to match up which players he wants to face-off against the other team s players. SPECIAL TEAMS Power Play: With a one man advantage, the power play is the Ducks best opportunity to gain a competitive advantage. In order to increase their scoring opportunities, the Ducks send out their best offensive players setting up with two players on the point and three cycling down low. Penalty Kill: When a man down, the Ducks send out their best defensive players (those who can effectively check and pick off the puck). The set up of the penalty killing unit is like a square that moves in unison to keep the other team from getting quality scoring chances especially in the middle of the zone or the front of the net. 3 on 5: When caught in a 3-on-5, the Ducks work to get their three on ice players cycling low in front of the goal and keeping the opposing team from crashing in on the net. Scoring Line #1: Belesky Getzlaf Perry Scoring Line #2: Selanne, Koivu, Blake Scoring Line #3: Ryan, Carter, Sexton Checking: Bodie, Marchant, Sexton Energy: Parros Chipchura Bodie Lydman and Visnovsky Fowler and Mara Pairing #1 Pairing #2 Lilja and Brookbank Pairing #3 1st Scoring Line vs. 1st Scoring Line: This line usually works to gain puck possession and creates offensive opportunities by cycling the puck and working it below the hash marks. 2nd Scoring Line vs. Energy Line: The Ducks have been trying to get their 2nd scoring line out against the visitor s energy line to increase their scoring opportunities. Often, however, the other team adjusts after face-off so that the Duck s 2nd scoring line is left facing their checking line. Checking Line (3rd Scoring) vs. 2nd Scoring Line: The checking line is sent out against the 2nd scoring line of the visiting team in order to shut down that line and prevent them from capitalizing on scoring opportunities. Energy Line vs. Energy Line: When these two lines head out against each other prepare for sparks to fly and the audience and teammates to get fired up. Ryan and Visnovsky on point, Perry, Getzlaf, Teemu down low Square set up with Koivu and Marchant on forwards, Lydman and Brookbank on Defense Koivu Marchant Brookbank Lydman Triangle: Marchant, Lydman, Brookbank Marchant Brookbank Lydman Perry Getzlaf Selanne Visnovsky Ryan

8 How many Points did Corey Perry have last year to lead the Ducks? m 76 m 100 m 80 m 73 Against which team did Lubomir Visnovsky score his first goal as a Duck? m Los Angeles m Montreal m Pittsburgh m Phoenix In what city did Bobby Ryan score his first NHL goal? m Anaheim, California m Toronto, Canada m Detroit, Michigan m London, England Before playing professional hockey, this Ducks player was a kindergarten teacher for three years. m Todd Marchant m George Parros m Teemu Selanne Curtis McElhinney: What is your favorite TV show? (asked by Vanesaa, Orange) CSI - Vegas Do you have any pets? (asked by Leigh, Tustin) Two dogs Cock-a-Poos What is your favorite color? (asked by Derek, Newport Beach) Green Teemu Selanne: Do you have any siblings? (asked by Peter, Anaheim) Yes a twin brother, Paavo and another brother, Panu Where did you spend your summer? (asked by Lisa, Irvine) Near Helsinki, Finland Toni Lydman: What is your favorite TV show? (asked by Ben, Anaheim) The Office To view the answers, ask a player a question or leave a comment for Beyond the Boards, visit us online at: