from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

Maybe because it was published on Dec. 23 right before the NHL's holiday break, but Eric Stephens' story in the Orange County-Register on the Anaheim Ducks should have received more attention than it did league-wide.

For starters, it was a hard-hitting take on a preseason Cup contender, which was in last place in the Pacific Division at the time.

But what I really took from it was how general manager Bob Murray, who first criticized himself in the piece for some of his offseason moves, also took a healthy swipe at his core, long-time players for not being in good-enough shape at the start of the season. You don’t see that every day, to be sure.

Whether or not the GM’s comments had an impact in his dressing room, it just so happens that the Ducks since that story was published have earned nine out of a possible 10 points.

They’ve done so by playing more of a stifling, defensive game. It’s not the Ducks’ normal offensive game of the past few seasons, but Anaheim will take it no matter how it comes at this point.

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