Dating back several years, and largely fuelled by tube antics of the now departed Chris Pronger, the Canucks and Ducks do not like each other. A festering hate and resentment that is further fuelled by lots of tough youngsters eager to make their respective teams should help incite an aggressive, if not violent, preseason match tonight in Anaheim.

 

Interesting sub-plots to watch tonight:

 

o   Nathan McIver

o   Mikael Samuelsson

o   Mark Parrish

o   Dave Scatchard

o   Fights, fights, fights

 

Anticipated Canucks line-up versus the Ducks....

See Canucks vs Ducks: sub-plots to watch (Bleacher Report) to read about the sub-plots & view tonight's lineup.

While much has yet to be decided given the pre-season, here’s the likely or expected opening day line-up at the start of the 2009-2010 NHL season:

 

FORWARDS:

 

D. Sedin – H. Sedin - Samuelsson

Burrows – Kesler – Bernier

Raymond – Wellwood – Shirokov

Hordichuk – Johnson – Rypien

 

Bench:

Hodgson

Parrish

 

Injured reserve:

Demitra

 

DEFENSE:

Mitchell - Bieksa

Edler – Salo

Erhoff – Schneider

 

Bench:

O’Brien

Lukowich

 

GOAL:

Roberto Luongo

Bench:

Andrew Raycroft

 

* Note: The Canucks are $3 million over the salary cap – an overage that must be eliminated by October 1, 2009. Potential cuts could include Nycholat, Lukowich, Johnson Hordichuk, Parrish & Wellwood. Though some like Wellwood seem an automatic for the team, some players will lose out to simple economics. These economics may make room for a Dave Scatchard or a rookie such as Michael Grabner.