For last-place Ducks, a meeting and ‘a little conditioning’

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There was a little extra skating Wednesday at the end of the Ducks’ first practice since losing to the previously winless Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday -- and it’s easier to say it was ‘a little’ if you weren’t the one doing all those sprints.

‘Just a little conditioning,’ defenseman Ryan Whitney said. ‘That’s what happens when things are going like they are right now. I don’t think that was that much of a punishment, to tell you the truth. If [Coach Randy Carlyle] wants to punish us, we could skate the whole time. We haven’t been winning, and that’s obvious, and there’s things that have to change around here.’

Carlyle said there was ‘no correlation’ between the game and extra conditioning after a day off, but he met with the team for a half hour before taking the ice and again briefly at the end.

‘I like to let them understand that they know how I feel about the situation and how we’re playing and what’s going on,’ Carlyle said. ‘We have to get better.’

The 3-6-1 Ducks are in last place in the Pacific Division and have the second-worst penalty-killing ranking in the NHL, ahead of only Toronto.

The team got an additional message with the signing of veteran forward and former King Kyle Calder, who was assigned to minor-league affiliate Bakersfield.

‘The players were questioning around the room, and I told ‘em we signed Kyle Calder, and he’s a depth player for us, and read into it whatever you want,’ Carlyle said. ‘The more players you have in those positions, the more options you have as a management and coaching staff.’

Notes: Forward Todd Marchant didn’t practice because of soreness after being driven against the boards by Toronto’s Lee Stempniak, and experiencing vertigo and needing stitches behind his left ear after being cut on an earlier goal by Petteri Nokelainen. Marchant is expected to play Friday against Vancouver. ‘I didn’t really see the guy coming, but if I was in the same situation, I’d probably have done the same thing,’ Marchant said. ‘It’s a tough game.’ ... Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere is continuing to rest his sore groin. ... Forward Ryan Carter returned to the ice after missing three games because of a badly bruised foot.

-- Robyn Norwood