Sunday, July 4, 2010

FEELING DUCKY

Marco Cousineau begins his professional hockey journey tomorrow as the Anaheim Ducks begin their annual prospect summer conditioning camp. A total of 31 prospects will participate in both on-ice and off-ice workouts at THE RINKS - Anaheim ICE, according to a team press release.

Cousineau, selected by Anaheim 83rd overall in the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft, was traded to Saint John from the PEI Rocket during the holiday trading period.

In 20 games in with Saint John in the second half, Cousineau went 15-5 with a 2.36 goals against average and a 0.914 save percentage. In the post-season, the Les Cedres, Quebec native went 14-7 while playing in at least a part of every playoff game.

In his four year career in the circuit with Baie-Comeau, Drummondville, PEI, and Saint John, he has a combined regular season/playoff record of 112-93.

The seven-day camp focuses on both the on- and off-ice development of the organization’s top young prospects. In addition to on-ice scrimmage sessions, each player will participate in strength and conditioning drills that allow coaches and management to closely evaluate the progress of each athlete. Along with daily weight and aerobic training, each player will also receive a personally tailored nutritional recommendation and be tested for strength thresholds, range of movement and aerobic capacity.

Playing as an overager with the Sea Dogs last year means that he cannot return to the Quebec Major Junior League this season. It is unlikely “Couzy” makes the Ducks this season, meaning he will play in the American Hockey League or East Coast Hockey League.

Anaheim’s AHL affiliate is the Syracuse Crunch, who, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard, are in need of some solid goaltending.


The most important position in the sport is also the biggest test Anaheim faces in proving that it knows how to put a winner in Syracuse.

Right now, the organization lacks a true No. 3 goalie, which in turn means Syracuse has no No. 1.

Ferguson is encouraged by the promise of two young goalies, Timo Pielmeier and Marco Cousineau. Pielmeier went 27-22-5, 3.29, .883 for Bakersfield of the ECHL as a rookie last season. Cousineau, who will be a rookie this year, was 15-5, 2.36, .914 for Saint John of the QMJHL.

Anaheim has also signed another young netminder, J.P. Levasseur, who has bounced around the AHL, ECHL and CHL the past three seasons. All of these may be candidates for the Nos. 4 and 5 spots in the organization, but none would be a confidence-building bet to rely upon as an AHL stopper right now.

“One of our goaltenders who is in Syracuse will be there for the purpose of developing and being ready to go to the NHL,” Ferguson said of adding an experienced depth goalie. “The last thing you want to do is have two good prospects in the same place because that cuts down on their playing.”

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