Ducks waiting for flock to gel

Hockey Betting Lines

11/10/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Anaheim Ducks' quest to defend their championship is off to a rocky start.

Since hoisting the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history last season, the Ducks haven't quite looked like the same team. Part of that has to do with the fact that they aren't the same team.

There was some hint of irony when the Ducks dropped the "Mighty" portion of their name prior to the 2006-07 season before going on to capture the league championship.

Behind the likes of Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Rob and Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger and Teemu Selanne, the Ducks finished the season with a franchise record 110 points before defeating Ottawa in five games in the NHL finals.

The Ducks then opened up the 2007-08 campaign with loses in five of its first seven games, later added a four-game losing streak to that total, and heading into play on Saturday, are just 7-8-3 on the season and 1-5-1 on the road.

Somehow, that is still good enough for first place in the Pacific Division, partly due to the fact that the Ducks have played a couple of more games than the rest of the division residents.

Still, the slow start can't be that big of a surprise to fans of the NHL.

For starters, Selanne was a free agent this past offseason, and has yet to sign with the Ducks, or any club for that matter. Add that to the absence of Scott Niedermayer, who is under contract with the club but has yet to report because he is still contemplating retirement.

Recent reports say that if Scott does return to the club, it might not be until mid-December if at all.

That is two big pieces the Ducks are missing, espcially considering Niedermayer captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs last year, while Selanne netted 48 goals to go along with 46 assists.

Anaheim tried to replace the two, signing defenseman Mathieu Schneider and forward Todd Bertuzzi in the offseason. However, Schneider missed 13 games from September 29-October 28 due to a left ankle fracture, and Bertuzzi has been out since October 15 due to a concussion.

Factor in that Giguere missed the first six games of the season due to sports hernia surgery, and it is not surprising that the Ducks have started off slow.

However, Giguere (4-4-2, 2.49 goals-against average) and Schneider (2 goals, 5 assists, plus-one) are now healthy and with the possibility of Scott Niedermayer returning, the Ducks simply need to keep their heads above water to make a splash in the Western Conference.

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MySportsbook.com Posts Heisman Trophy Odds

With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.

Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season.  Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money. 

This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy.  A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.

Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:

Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame)
Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma)
Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State)
Michael Bush (RB, Louisville)
Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia)
Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville)
Chris Leak (QB, Florida)
Mike Hart (RB, Michigan)
Ted Ginn (WR, Ohio State)
Darius Walker (RB, Notre Dame)
Drew Tate (QB, Iowa)
Marshawn Lynch (RB, Cal)
Kenny Irons (RB, Auburn)
Chad Henne (QB, Michigan)
Kyle Wright (QB, Miami)
Drew Stanton (QB, Michigan State)
Kenneth Darby (RB, Alabama)
JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU)
Drew Weatherford (QB, Florida State)
Blake Mitchell (QB, South Carolina)
Reggie Ball (QB, Georgia Tech)		 5-2
7-2
7-1
10-1
10-1
12-1
12-1
18-1
18-1
20-1
30-1
35-1
35-1
40-1
50-1
50-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1

For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.