(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, October 07, 2012 ) San Francisco, CA- The first two seasons Corey Perry had with the Anaheim ducks were severely different. In his 2010-2011 bid, he helped the storming offense to a 98 point-playoff seeding that saw them at fourth in the Western Conference. Perry was eventually awarded the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP.
In the 2011-2012 season Perry accumulated 60 points and was outpointed in terms of production by Teemu Selanne (at 41 years of age). Perry was incapable of recreating the seemingly magical push he had the season prior. The ducks missed out on the playoffs due to the lack of a late-season surge. Teammates Ryan Getzlaf and Lubomir Visnovsky also saw drops in production from the 2010-2011 season. In short, the team simply was not the same offensively.
The question is whether or not the team can turn it around in 2012-2013 season. With the chance to have a full offseason under Bruce Boudreau, Perry may have an opportunity to break out of his funk and make his way back to a 90-point season or better.
Bobby Ryan is likely a key to Perry’s success, as has been slated to play on a line with Perry; however had been reported in multiple trade rumors. Depending upon how the lockout situation plays out, it is hard to know who will move where. As of Thursday, there is little to nothing to report in regards to substantive trade talk when it comes to Perry. The consensus among league insiders is that if Corey were to be moved, it would have already occurred.
In addition to the Ryan factor, Getzlaf will also be a determining factor for Perry’s season. His point capabilities at center can impact the way Perry is marked and dealt with by defenses. Having a center capable of keeping the defense’s primary focus off of Perry could prove severely helpful to producing points by both players.
For Ducks fans, two primary questions need to be answered. First is whether or not Getzlaf will be capable of producing a higher level to thus help Perry’s chances of reaching his potential. The second is if Perry himself is going to utilize such an opportunity to produce the 2010-20011 season capability. Of course, both of those considerations depend upon the lockout being resolved in time to salvage the season as a whole.
