John Gove: Ducks Reduce Roster to 44

Ok no surprises here - lets see what the next round brings - that's where there may be a shocker or two - I'm still of the mind that Sam and Max have nothing left to prove in Jr. and I wish the AHL would get with the times and not have guys like that not be able to go down to San Diego just ridiculous -

This is always a weird time for teams and the players, but it's the way it is. As Dozer said, it'll be interesting to see who makes it past the next round. Minus Kesler there are still 24 forwards at camp. I think most fans have their eye on either Jones or Steel. Of course, all fans want to see their team's high draft picks turn into stars. Nevertheless, players are ready when they're ready, and Carlyle isn't going to rush it.

A little story ... Last year Ryan Garbutt played for the Anaheim Ducks for about a third of the season. At first he did a reasonable job of being a pest/energy guy. However, there was a diminishing returns in his effectiveness. He was on the wrong side of the ledger for penalties drawn versus penalties taken, and the execution for breakouts and dump-ins wasn't where it needed to be. Then, in a surprising move, he was waived and was never recalled. I tell this story, because a few guys are fighting it out for a third or fourth line role, and what will get you cut faster than anything is if Carlyle perceives you as a liability. For the record, Carlyle's definition of a liability is anyone who can't be counted on for breakouts and dump-ins, nor can they be hurting the team with unnecessary trips to the penalty box. And to end this story, Carlyle's patience threshold isn't much.