Ducks preview: Playoff contenders need to develop

Luring Teemu Selanne back lifts the Ducks into the ranks of playoff contenders in the West, thanks to an exceptional No. 1 line and solid goaltending, provided Jonas Hiller stays healthy. On paper, the Ducks lack a strong physical presence on defense, and the continued development of Cam Fowler (40 points as an NHL rookie, but a mediocre minus-25 rating) is critical to a strong finish.

Projected lines

First line

10, Corey Perry, left wing

15, Ryan Getzlaf, center

9, Bobby Ryan, right wing

Getzlaf’s playmaking skills combined with Perry’s and Ryan’s finishing abilities means they have a chance to be the most productive line in the league.

Second line

33, Jason Blake, left wing

11, Saku Koivu, center

8, Teemu Selanne, right wing

The ageless Selanne wowed them as a 40-year-old last season, scoring 80 points, while Finnish countryman Koivu was a productive even-strength producer behind Getzlaf.

Third line

77, Devante Smith-Pelly, left wing

7, Andrew Cogliano, center

41, Andrew Gordon, right wing

Smith-Pelly won a spot out of training camp because of his competitiveness and size. Cogliano shifted between center and the wing, but he will start as Todd Marchant’s replacement as checking-line center.

Fourth line

64, Brandon McMillan, left wing

49, Maxime Macenauer, center

16, George Parros, right wing

Two years removed from ECHL Bakersfield, Macenauer starts the season on the fourth line, flanked by tough guy Parros and McMillan, who played 60 NHL games last year and showed enough upside that he could move up the depth chart.

Projected defense pairs

First pair

5, Luca Sbisa

17, Lubomir Visnovsky

Visnovsky led defensemen in scoring last year and is a proven power-play quarterback. Sbisa joined the Ducks in the Chris Pronger trade and is expected to see his minutes rise considerably from last year (16:27 per night) until Toni Lydman (shoulder surgery) recovers.

Second pair

23, Francois Beauchemin

4, Cam Fowler

A reliable two-way player and Scott Niedermayer’s former partner, Beauchemin will help mentor Fowler, the player drafted to ultimately replace Niedermayer.

Third pair

21, Sheldon Brookbank

34, Nate Guenin

Guenin plays only if Kurtis Foster (leg surgery) is unable. He was acquired from Columbus in January but spent all his time in Syracuse.

Goaltending

1, Jonas Hiller

(2.56 goals-against average, .924 save percentage) Was in the midst of an all-star season until vertigo issues knocked him out for the final two months.

38, Dan Ellis (2.39, .917) In 13 appearances, provided solid work in Hiller’s absence.

Also worth noting

Spares: Lydman (torn labrum in shoulder) challenged Zdeno Chara for the NHL’s plus-minus lead last year (plus-32), so his absence will be keenly felt. Defenseman Matt Smaby joins him on injured reserve with a torn ligament in his thumb, which required surgery. Matt Beleskey (shoulder surgery) is close to playing, as is Foster.

Special teams: Anaheim was No. 3 on the power play last year, with a sparkling 23.5% success rate, and placed three players (Selanne, Visnovsky and Perry) in the top 10 in power-play points. The penalty killing, at 19th overall, was just so-so and will have to make do without Marchant, a defensive tour de force.

Who’s new: Center/left wing Andrew Cogliano, left wing Devante Smith-Pelly, right wings Andrew Gordon and Brian McGrattan, Center Maxime Macenauer, defensmen Nate Guenin and Kurtis Foster.

Who’s gone: Center Todd Marchant, defensemen Andy Sutton and Andreas Lilja, left wings Jarkko Ruutu and Brad Winchester.