Anaheim Ducks General Manager Bob Murray (via blog.thescore.com)

On the day after Game 7 against the Detroit Red Wings, the Anaheim Ducks franchise received a bit of a pick-me-up when General Manager Bob Murray was named one of the three finalists for the General Manager of the Year Award. Yeah, it’s not really a pick me up, but hey, I tried.

Well…..the first day of the offseason is almost over. Just means we’re one day closer to opening night! #ThinkPositive

— Pucks of a Feather (@PucksofaFeather) May 14, 2013

Well, Murray is certainly a worthy candidate with some of the moves he made to turn this team around this season. I mean, just look at the list of moves and signings he has made this season:

• Signing and later extending free agent goaltender Viktor Fasth (15-6-2, 2.18 GAA, .921 SV%)
• Signing free agent defenseman Bryan Allen (6 A, 6 P, +1)
• Signing free agent defenseman Sheldon Souray (7 G, 10 A, 17 P, +19)
• Signing free agent center Daniel Winnik (6 G, 13 A, 19 P, +13)
• Re-signing free agent winger Teemu Selanne (12 G, 12 A, 24 P -10)
• Re-signing captain Ryan Getzlaf (15 G, 34 A, 49 P, +14)
• Re-signing Corey Perry (15 G, 21 A, 36 P, +10)
• Trading for defenseman Ben Lovejoy (10 A, 10 P, +4)

There are some important names on that list. However, I really don’t think that Murray has much of a chance with Ray Shero, General Manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, being a finalist. The fact that Shero was able to make the moves he did near the trade deadline is astonishing. Buy, screw the Penguins. I don’t like them. I don’t like any guy on their team. The third finalist for the award is Marc Bergevin of the Montreal Canadiens. So, we can hope for a nice little gift for someone who did a very solid job. Isn’t a little funny? This time last year we all wanted him gone! Oh well, forgive and forget!

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Jan 2, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A general view of a flyover during the playing of the national anthem before the 2012 Winter Classic between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Reported by TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dredger, the NHL will open a SIX game outdoor series next season. One of those games will take place at Dodgers Stadium and be between the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings on January 25th! The other five games will be: Toronto Maple Leafs-Detroit Red Wings from Michigan Stadium (Jan, 1st), New jersey Devils-New York Rangers from Yankee Stadium (Jan. 26th), New York Islanders-Rangers from Yankee Stadium (Jan. 29th), Pittsburgh Penguins-Chicago Blackhawks from Soldier Field (Mar. 1st), and Ottawa Senators-Vancouver Canucks from BC Place (Mar. 2nd). Apparently the paper work still needs to be finished, but this is pretty much finished.

I gotta be honest with you guys, even though the Ducks will be in an outdoor game, I think having SIX outdoor games in one season is a little ridiculous. Part of the reason that makes Winter Classic so special is the uniqueness of the game. All this does is kill the attractiveness of the game. It used to be a must-watch, once-a-year game. Now, there’s six of them…..if you miss one….oh well….there’s FIVE MORE. I really disagree with this. All the NHL is thinking of is the $$$. This is going to rack in some major profits. We’ll see how all of the interest these SIX games get. I’m not really looking forward to them.

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Follow me on twitter @ducks_sean! Follow our Lead Editor on twitter @thekrishill! Follow my fellow Staff Writers on twitter @bauerhockeydude and @CamLanier!