<h1>Instructions for the Ducks: Win the Stanley Cup. Repeat.</h1> <div id="wrapper_500"> <div style="border-bottom: 1px solid #cccccc; padding: 0pt 0pt 5px; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; color: #666666; margin-top: 1px"><div style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 9px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-align: right">template_bas</div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px">template_bas</div></div> </div> <div class="storysubhead" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 15px ! important; color: #333333 ! important">Ducks have done the first part, now have to do something that only two teams have achieved in the last 20 years. Repeating.</div> <div class="storybyline" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 15px ! important; color: #999999 ! important">By Eric Stephens, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer September 11, 2007 </div> What can a large, shiny silver chalice better known at the Stanley Cup do for you? If you're the Ducks, it can get you on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," earn you a lavish party and a fireworks display at your owner's palatial home and make you the toast of celebrations in cities and communities across the hockey universe. "Quite a summer," defenseman Sean O'Donnell mused with reflection. It can also put you in the cross-hairs of 29 other NHL teams. "It was obviously a tremendous accomplishment," defenseman Chris Pronger said of the Ducks' first Cup title. "At that point, you feel it's a once-in-a-lifetime event. But now you've got to push yourselves even harder now. "You've got an even bigger target on your back. Everybody's going to be shooting for you, being the Stanley Cup champions." There is one goal left -- one that only two teams have achieved in the last 20 years. Repeating. It's rarefied air, especially in the days of parity and the salary cap. Since the Mario Lemieux-led Pittsburgh Penguins won in 1991 and 1992, only the 1998 Detroit Red Wings have successfully defended the Cup. The closest any team has come to doing it since was in 2001, when the New Jersey Devils, who won in 2000, lost in the seventh game of the next year's finals to the Colorado Avalanche. The most recent example, Carolina, flopped in its bid. Enter Anaheim. Yet, as the Ducks open training camp today at Anaheim Ice, there are doubts that could shadow them into the season. Most of the last few months have centered around the one-two punch leveled by Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer after both men said they would spend the summer thinking about retirement. Selanne's thoughts of leaving were not unexpected, having finally won his first Cup at age 37. Niedermayer's announcement, however, blindsided the Ducks and their fans. The team's stoic captain had just won the Conn Smythe trophy as the playoffs' most valuable player, was coming off a career-best 69-point season and was still one of the very best in the game. Neither man appears close to a decision. Niedermayer, who turned 34 on Aug. 31, isn't at camp and wants to see if his competitive hunger is sharp enough to overcome the bone-wearying grind of the NHL. Selanne showed up at the Ducks' rookie camp on Saturday but has yet to discuss his plans with General Manager Brian Burke.</p>http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-ducks1...t=true#cooliris
