the team from the Iowa Chops, the Ducks' AHL affiliate. Reports indicated Ryan was good enough to make the team out of camp but was sent down only due to salary cap restraints. The Ducks continued to play better, but went only 9–13–2 heading to the All-Star break. Three Anaheim Ducks players, Ryan Getzlaf, Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Scott Niedermayer, were all named starters for the NHL All-Star Game, held in Montreal. However, the Ducks' fortunes, did not change much after the break, as the team lost four out of their next six games. As the NHL trade deadline approached, the Ducks were considered one of the more interesting teams because they were right on the cusp of being a seller. Several high-profile players were said to be on the trading block, including defensemen Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer. In the end, neither was ultimately dealtm but the Ducks did make one move before the deadline; Chris Kunitz, as well as prospect Eric Tangradi, was sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 27 in exchange for defenseman Ryan Whitney. General manager Bob Murray explained the team needed to "re-tool the defense with a good puck moving defenseman". On trade deadline day, the Ducks were busy. The team placed center Brian Morrison on waivers—where he was claimed by Dallas—acquired forward Erik Christensen from Atlanta for prospect Eric O'Dell and they traded Samuel Pahlsson to the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman James Wisniewski and prospect Petri Kontiola. Anaheim also traded Travis Moen and defenseman Kent Huskins to San Jose in exchange for prospect Nick Bonino and goaltending prospect Timo Pielmeier; Steve Montador was also moved, going to Boston in exchange for Finnish forward Petteri Nokelainen. With the core of the team still intact, a re-vamped defense, a new top line consisting of Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry and a whole new bottom-six forward set-up, the Ducks dug-in in an attempt to make the playoffs for the fourth-straight year. On March 18, the Ducks found themselves 13th place in the West, but a strong 10–2–1 finish catapulted the team into the playoffs, all culminating with a 4–3 shootout victory against Dallas. The team finished with a 42–33–7 record with 91 points to place them second in the Pacific and eighth in the West, earning them a matchup with the Presidents' Trophy-winning San Jose Sharks. At the end of the regular season, Getzlaf broke