Ducks forward Bobby Ryan’s summer was one that was a bit distracted by contract negotiations and discussion over whether or not he might be traded because of said negotiations. Now that he’s signed on for the next five years and ready to go, the Ducks and GM Bob Murray have a new challenge in store for him: They’re going to try him out at center during training camp.
Murray said the rationale for the Ryan experiment at center is to have three strong lines. “Bobby played a few games at center at the end of last year, and Randy (Carlyle, Ducks coach) and I both liked what we saw,” Murray said Friday at Honda Center, while players were undergoing their annual pre-camp physicals and fitness tests. “It gives us more options.”
Murray didn’t say which players would fill out the lines if Getzlaf, Ryan and Koivu center the top three lines, respectively, but he and Carlyle obviously want to look at different combinations.
“Like in baseball, you have to be strong up the middle,” Murray said.
The team does have enough at center to fill out four lines, but after that, the depth gets a bit scary. Getzlaf, Koivu, Todd Marchant and Kyle Chipchura make up the current center roster and adding Ryan into the mix relieves one of Marchant or Chipchura from their duties and likely to the wing.
Then again, maybe this is just a comfort move for Teemu Selanne. After all, with Paul Kariya sitting out this season due to concussion issues, maybe Teemu just wanted to have anyone wearing #9 riding shotgun with him this season. If Bobby Ryan keeps getting called “Paul” I hope he’ll understand why.