One defenseman goes, another one takes his place.

The Ducks signed defenseman, Andy Sutton, to a two-year contract worth $4.25 million just three days after signing and immediately trading James Wisniewski to the New York Islanders.    At 35, Sutton is older than Wisniewski, but at his age he is also cheaper than Wisniewski.

Sutton was described by GM Bob Murray as willing "to put himself in front of pucks, block shots and compete. He's an outstanding young man. He probably had the best year of his career last year and he’s a consummate professional. I'm happy. He’s the type of player we’ve been trying to get for a couple of years."

Sutton ranked second in the league in blocked shots last season (204) and brings 585 games of experience along with him to Anaheim.  The blue line, sorely depleted with the loss of Scott Niedemayer to retirement and Wisniewski, will benefit from Sutton's presence.  However, the team still needs at least one more quality, veteran d-man helping out.

One step at a time, but at least it is a step in the right direction for the Ducks.

Defenseman James Wisniewski, who was scheduled for an arbitration hearing on August 3, was finally re-signed by the Anaheim Ducks to a one-year contract worth $3.25 million.  Sounds good, right?

GM Bob Murray, apparently unhappy with Wisniewski's bargaining the past two years, traded him later on in the day to the New York Islanders for a third round draft pick.

There is just one problem - the Ducks were hideously thin on defense prior to this move.  Now are just plain laughable.  With the retirement of Scott Niedermayer earlier, the Ducks have very few top quality defensemen on the roster.

Lubomir Visnovsky is a top two d-man.  Acquired at the trade deadline, he was an immediate fit into the Ducks line-up.  Toni Lydman was signed as a free agent and he should be a solid addition to the blue line.  After that, it drops off precipitously.  Sheldon Brookbank is reliable and signed a new contract, but he is not a top four guy by any stretch of the imagination.  Luca Sbisa has much promise, but is still young at age 20 and needs seasoning.  Brendan Mikkelson and Brett Festerling have spent time between the AHL and NHL and neither are ready or able to fill a top four spot.

Cam Fowler, the Ducks first pick in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft this year, just signed a three year entry level contract earlier this week.  He is still a baby at 18 and if he doesn't make the team after training camp, he'll go back to juniors for another year.  Yes, he is extremely talented.  Yes, he has a bright future ahead of him.  But no, he is not likely to be ready to take on a defensive role with the Ducks proper this year, especially in light of the weak supporting cast around him.

What exactly does Murray plan to do?  It's not like it is July 1 and there are plenty of guys out there.  It's July 31 and the pickings are getting slimmer.  Murray claims that he has "other plans," yet none of that is in evidence.

This move makes it look very punitive on Murray's part.  Last year Wisniewski was not getting the money he wanted and things were headed towards arbitration.  Both sides were able to agree to a one year deal and avert arbitration.  This year it was a case of deja vu.  Murray stated that he offered a four-year contract that was not accepted by Wisniewski.  Once more they were headed to arbitration.  Next thing you know, signed, sealed and delivered - to the Islanders.

Wisniewski, who was always refreshingly honest with the media, commented on the trade.

“I thought it was an eighth-round pick,” Wisniewski joked. “I thought I had been traded for a bag of pucks. Maybe some sticks and a pair of used skates. Not brand new.”

The reality is that the trade came as no surprise to the 26 year old.

“Once they had a deal done, it seemed like I was gone,” Wisniewski commented to the OC Register. “Once I signed the deal, I was out of here. I think that was maybe part of the plan. I was thinking during this whole time that Bob was shopping me around.  Everybody has their own opinion.  If I wasn’t worth that money to them, then hopefully … well, one guy’s junk is another guy’s treasure.”

So now the Ducks are left trying to find some available hidden treasure themselves.  They clearly need better D.  The O (offense) needs to pick up next year as well.  Without it the G (Goaltending) is going to have to be stand on your head stupendous.  What that is left with is a whole lot of fans having to pray to G O D for those missing elements.

The Ducks continue to make minor moves this week.  On Monday, they traded prospect Matt McCue to the New York Rangers in exchange for left wing Tomas Zaborsky.  Zaborsky, 22, was selected by the Rangers in the 5th round of the entry draft in 2006.  The Slovakian born player spent last season in the Finnish Elite League in Europe.

On Wednesday, Anaheim then signed defenseman Danny Syvret to a one-year, two-way contract.  The 25 year old has played for the Philadelphia Flyers for the past two seasons, most of the time in the AHL.  His contract will pay him $600,000 in the NHL and $150,000 in the AHL.

Both signings continue to add depth to the Ducks.

This past week the Ducks have signed veteran left wing, Josh Green, to a one year contract.  Green, 32, played in Sweden last year, but the prior season he was the property of the Ducks.  Green played 38 games for the Iowa Chops in the 2008-2009 season, the then-Ducks AHL affiliate.  Green was called up to the main club for five games during the 2009 playoffs.

Green has played for eight different NHL teams and he will provide additional depth for the Ducks.  The two-way contract will pay him $150,000 if he plays in the AHL and $575,000 if he plays in the NHL.  Green is likely to start the season with the Syracuse Crunch, the Ducks new AHL affiliate.

Also this week, the Ducks re-signed defenseman Brendan Mikkelson to a one-year contract.  Mikkelson, who had been a restricted free agent, accepted the qualifying offer that the Ducks provided right at the expiration deadline of the offer.  The 23 year old will make $687,500 next season if he plays in the NHL.

Mikkelson has split both of the past two seasons between Anaheim and the AHL.  He will be one of several defensemen fighting for a spot on the Ducks roster in September at training camp.  His contract is also a two-way contract.

In what continues to be a relatively quiet off-season, the Ducks have made a couple moves this week.

First they put center Ryan Carter on waivers.  Carter, 26, was not used frequently by the Ducks last season and played in only 38 games.  While some of that was spent with injuries, often it was as a healthy scratch, with other centers earning a spot on the roster ahead of him.  Carter cleared waivers and remains the property of the Ducks.

The Ducks also traded defenseman Steve Eminger to the New York Rangers in exchange for left wing Aaron Voros and prospect Ryan Hillier.

In June, the Ducks traded away right wing Mike Brown and Voros, 29, will replace Brown's grit.  However, being a left wing, both he and George Parros can play on the same line without forcing one of them to be a healthy scratch, which was often the case last season.  Voros is a survivor of bone cancer.

Hillier, 22, played in the ECHL and AHL last season and was drafted in the third round by the Rangers in 2006.

July 1 has come and gone, and it truly is one of the quietest free agencies compared to recent years.  Usually there will be several days of frenetic signings before things come to a quieter pause.  Not this year.  After the first two days, everything has flowed to a trickle.

The biggest anticipated signing in Ilya Kovalchuk is still on hold.  Kovalchuk wants plenty of money that teams just don't have any more since the institution of the salary cap.  So at this point, Kovalchuk sits in limbo.  The Los Angeles Kings are out of the running, that we know for sure, but does any other team in the NHL even have a chance of signing the seemingly delusional Russian sniper?  $10 million a year is a lot of money and Kovalchuk is good, but not that good.

Lots of defensemen moved quickly, and some to inflated contracts.  The Ducks remained relatively quiet and made two big signings and that was it.

The Ducks acquired Finnish defenseman, Toni Lydman, who has played the past few seasons with Buffalo.  The 32 year old was signed to a three year contract worth $9 million overall.  Lydman preferred the length of contract offered by Anaheim over the offer he received from the Sabres.  Lydman is a solid shut-down defenseman who will help fill the huge hole left by the retirement of Scott Niedermayer.

Lydman will be able to converse in Finnish in the locker room as the Ducks also re-signed center Saku Koivu to a two year contract worth $5 million.  Koivu came to California from Montreal on a one year contract and decided that both on and off the ice it was a good fit.  He had expressed a desire to stay in Anaheim, although it took a while to get a new deal done.  Koivu is a likely candidate to be wearing the Captain's "C" when October rolls around, having done so with the Canadiens for many years.

Now that Koivu is signed, will yet another Finn, Teemu Selanne, return to the Ducks?  Selanne has been working out, "just in case."  But still no contract or sign of interest.  He still appears to be monitoring what the Ducks are doing before committing to another year.  Selanne, who just turned 40 on Saturday, still has plenty left in his tank and would be a huge help to the Ducks.

One of the other question marks remaining is what about Bobby Ryan?  A little bit of negotiations between GM Bob Murray and Ryan's agent have trickled into the media and it isn't pretty.  Ryan has turned down five year and four year offers.  Unknown is exactly what Ryan is looking for.  Could it be a three year deal, which would allow him to be an unrestricted free agent at age 27?  If so, is he wanting the same money he would get with a longer deal?  Not being psychic, I can't tell you the answer to that.

Ryan, thus far, has not received any offer sheets from other teams.  Or if he has, none that he is interested in signing.  Now that the Kings have lost out on Kovalchuk, will they look closer to home and present something to Ryan?  As if the rivalry between the two teams isn't nasty enough already. As training camp gets closer, there might be more desire by both parties to come to an agreement.  For now, it is wait and see.

With the lack of exciting moves by any team, one hopes we will still be awake to see how it all ends up.

Free agency is looming for the NHL and like any other year, no one has any idea what to expect.  Sure, there aren't that many great unrestricted free agents available, but there are still players out there. Will there be a feeding frenzy when the clock strikes midnight?  Will there be offer sheets to restricted free agents?  Will the whole day be a dud?  OK, the last thought is highly unlikely.

The Anaheim Ducks have several looming issues that need to be addressed, some of them sooner than free agency.

1)  Bobby Ryan is a restricted free agent starting July 1.  GM Bob Murray has made him a qualifying offer to retain negotiating rights, but the two have been unable to come to terms thus far.  Is it term of contract?  Dollar amount?  An agent who wants more and is making things difficult?  Whatever the reason, both sides seem to be saying they are close.  Murray has also mentioned he will match any offer sheet presented to Ryan.

Really?  ANY offer sheet?  That seems highly unlikely if a team wants to pay more money than Ryan is currently being offered by Anaheim.  Or if the deal is longer.  Or has the right incentives.

With a lack of high quality UFA's, the RFA pool might look a bit more tempting to teams this year.  Murray could be taking a very risky stance by waiting until after July 1 to deal with the Ryan situation.  If it does not come out successfully, it could be Murray's downfall.

2)  Defense.  Scott Niedermayer retired and Chris Pronger was traded last year.  Lubomir Visnovsky came in at the trade deadline and fit in well with the team and the system in place.  After that it drops off precipitously.  Steve Eminger is signed.  Sheldon Brookbank got a new contract.  Brett Festerling is on board.  Brendan Mikkelson is RFA and received a qualifying offer.  Luca Sbisa is in the wings and now eligible to play in the AHL.  James Wisniewski is the other RFA and his situation is not as good as Ryan's, which leads to...

3) Wisniewski.  He appears to want more than the Ducks are willing to give and is eligible for arbitration.  The Ducks could be headed there and it usually doesn't end well for either party.  Wisniewski will try to prove his value to the team and the team will try to argue why he is worth much less than that.  Not pretty at all.  The Ducks could use Wisniewski on their blue line, with his toughness and skill and their lack of depth in that department.  Which is why we go back to #2 and the need for the Ducks to bolster their defense through free agency.

4)  Forwards.  Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.  Check.  Second line?  Not so clear.  Joffrey Lupul is still rehabbing from back surgery in December.  He should be ready to go by training camp, but there is a huge question mark next to his name.  Jason Blake is signed and taking up a lot of cap room for someone his age.

Bobby Ryan is definitely needed as a top six guy.  Teemu Selanne, who is unrestricted, would still have a lot to give if re-signed for another year.  Selanne, as well as Saku Koivu, both seem to be in a wait and see mode.

Selanne's possibility of one more year has produced interesting rumors about Paul Kariya, also unrestricted on July 1.  Would the Ducks bring him back to play alongside Selanne?

Todd Marchant will remain solid on the third line.  Kyle Chipchura, George Parros, Ryan Carter, Matt Beleskey and Troy Bodie will round out the bottom six.

That top six could be a little thin without some key personnel, however.  So that brings us to....

July 1.  Tomorrow.   As usual, no one knows what will happen, but whatever happens, it certainly won't be a dull and boring day.

The first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft is done and as usual, there were a few surprises.  The Ducks had the #12 and #29 pick in the first round, #29 courtesy of Philadelphia from the Chris Pronger trade.  Using both picks, Anaheim was able to get two quality players who had dropped a bit from their pre-draft rankings.

At #12, the Ducks chose defenseman Cam Fowler.  Fowler was ranked in the top 5, but teams ahead of Anaheim seemed to prefer forwards to defensemen and Fowler was still available when the Ducks were ready to select.   Fowler, who scored 8 goals and 55 points for the Windsor Spitfires, won a gold medal with Team USA in the World Junior Championships and 2009 Under-18 World Championships, where he was named the tournament's top defenseman.

After being chosen by the Ducks,  Fowler stated that the Ducks were "going to get 100% out of me."  It was especially meaningful for Fowler to be handed his jersey by newly retired defenseman, Scott Niedermayer.  Niedermayer has remained with the Ducks as a consultant.  An interesting note is that the jersey handed to Fowler did not have his name on the back, indicating that the Ducks did not believe he was going to be available by the time they picked.

With their 29th pick, that could have been as high as #10 if Philadelphia had not gone all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Ducks chose right wing Emerson Etem.  Etem did have his name on the back of his jersey, and there has been some early speculation that he might have been chosen at 12th were it not for the availability of Fowler.

Etem grew up locally in Long Beach, California, and was one of the fastest skaters available in the draft.  It was clearly meaningful for the former roller blader to be picked by the Ducks while at the Staples Center, home of the Los Angeles Kings, the team he grew up idolizing.  He'll just have to learn to see them as the "enemy" now.

Rounds 2 through 7 will be held tomorrow with less pomp and circumstance than round one.  The Ducks pick at #42 in the second round and then have some time to kill before round 5 and pick #132.  They pick twice in round 6 at 161 and 177 and finish off with a final pick at #192.

Based on who they have selected in round one, so far, so good!

Three days until the NHL Draft.  Nine days until free agency begins on July 1.   More than two months have passed since the Ducks played their final game of the regular season and headed to the off-season.  Plenty of time to get restricted free agent, Bobby Ryan, signed to a new contract, right?  Wrong!

The Ducks did re-sign center Kyle Chipchura to a one year contract extension worth $625,000 last week.  Chipchura was acquired from Montreal on December 2, 2009, and fit in well with the Ducks.  Chipchura is not afraid of physical play and he settled in nicely between the third and fourth line for the remainder of the season.  He chipped in a career high of six goals and six assists and was solid in the face off circle.

While it is nice to know the Ducks are not dormant, it is alarming that there is no news on the Ryan front.  Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register has reported there is no news to even discuss.  No talks with Ryan's agent.  Stephens describes Ryan as being "concerned," as well he should be.

Ryan continues to affirm his desire to remain in Anaheim.  Other reports are that he is not asking for money equal to or greater than that which Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are receiving.  If that is the case, what is the matter?

There are more than a few Ducks fans who would take pitchforks and burning oil to the Honda Center and aim it at GM Bob Murray if he 1) doesn't re-sign Ryan, 2) allows Ryan to be snapped up by a nice offer sheet on July 1, and/or 3) trades Ryan away for nothing less than a spectacular player or players in return.

With Scott Niedermayer's retirement announcement coming later today, perhaps now Murray knows he has the money to sign Ryan to a contract.  One can only hope that is the case and not that Murray is dragging his feet.  Patience is not known amongst Ducks fans and right now, they are losing patience.

The Ducks AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, continues to add personnel with a view towards next season.  Mike Stapleton was named the assistant coach and will join Mark Holick, who was named head coach on May 21.

The Ducks have been without a minor league affiliate since ending their partnership with the Iowa Chops in 2008.  Having to spread minor league players throughout the AHL proved difficult and the Ducks were relieved when they entered an agreement with Syracuse on March 21 this year.

Holick has 16 years of coaching experience, most recently with Kootenay of the WHL.  Stapleton brings four years of assistant coaching experience in the OHL.

Ducks players will benefit from having one consistent system next season, which will make the transition from the minors to the Anaheim club much easier on all involved.