Anaheim Ducks

Anytime a team gets off to a horrific start, an influx of rumors involving players, coaches and general managers are quickly brought about.

The 2011-12 season is, so far, not one to remember for the Anaheim Ducks. 

Since their storied 2007 Stanley Cup run, Anaheim has followed a familiar pattern of, at best, an average performance during the first half of the season followed by an elite level of play during the second half, which barely squeezes them into a playoff spot.

Even for relatively young franchises, such as the Anaheim Ducks, it is important to reminisce, and retrospectively analyze the progress the franchise made.

One key element in a franchise’s development is strategic draft picks during the entry drafts each year.

It’s always interesting to see how some late-round draft picks can really flourish and have impressive careers.

The Stanley Cup. The Holy Grail.

With winning this iconic and easily recognizable trophy comes a great piece of hardware: the ring.

Each team creates a new one for their own champions. The rings are huge, and bring back the great memories that come with winning the Cup.

The following slideshow ranks the post-lockout Stanley Cup rings. 

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Teemu Selanne has played in 1,259 games in his NHL career. He has 637 goals and 703 assists for 1,340 points. Not so long ago, those totals would have been deemed impossible.

For a few years, Anaheim Ducks fans have always got to this time of the year with a question in mind: was this year the last for the "Finnish Flash"?

Hopes were high until the free agency signing period started, after a very good season from Selanne, where he played a crucial role in getting the Ducks to the playoffs and in their special teams.

Saying good-bye to amazing players is never an easy task, but when it comes to franchise players like Teemu Selanne, it’s something that is almost unfathomable to Anaheim fans.

As difficult as watching Scott Neidermayer hang up the skates was last summer, losing No. 8 would be news that would shake the franchise to its core.

Almost immediately after the puck drop, it was apparent that one team wanted the win in this Game 6 more than the other, and it definitely wasn't the team that was looking elimination square in the eye.

A hard-fought game finally put the Nashville Predators over the top and into the second round for the first time in franchise history, winning game 6 by a score of 4-2.

They won the series by that same score.

Earlier tonight the Anaheim Ducks were eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs.  This is not considered too big a shock considering the seeds of the two teams competing—The Predators are almost always underrated.

The Anaheim Ducks were so close to nabbing a 3-2 lead in their series against Nashville last Friday. So, so close.