Feterling has qualified for Group 3 Free Agency (age 27 or older or with at least seven accrued seasons) and is now considered an UFA. Think of the best of Group 3 free agents (Selanne or Jagr) as “lotto picks” and well worth a late round gamble. However, Feterling, who played in Germany last season, is more like last week’s discarded church bingo card.
Festerling will take his game overseas in 2012-2013, playing in Germany for the DEL’s Nurnberg’s Ice Tigers. He played five NHL games last year, but posted 18 points in 54 AHL games with St. John's.
Festerling started 2009-10 with San Antonio but was moved to Toronto in order to get more playing time. He was summoned to the Ducks on Dec. 2 to take the place of Brendan Mikkelson and stayed with the Ducks the remainder of the season. In 42 games, he scored three points with a plus-1 rating and had a TOI of 12:30. With Mikkelson, Cam Flower, Mark Mitera, and Danny Syvret as options on the blue line, Festerling has a lot to fight for in 2010-11. He does have good puck handling skills, and doesn't embarrass himself in his own end, but there are a lot of other guys that can edge him out.
Festerling played 40 games with Anaheim as a rookie, posting five assists and 18 penalty minutes. The Ducks have a lot of depth among their defensemen, so Festerling will be in a battle for the fifth or sixth spot on the Ducks blueline.
Festerling will open the season at Vancouver (WHL).
Festerling, who split the 2004-05 season between Tri-City and Vancouver of the Western Hockey League (WHL), could turn out to be a decent blueline prospect for the Ducks in the near future. While Festerling will probably not make the squad this year, it's only a matter of time before he gets a serious look.
