Mighty good: talented, balanced and poised, Anaheim has it together heading into the Western Conference finals.(NHL)

By sweeping the Avalanche, the Mighty Ducks became the first team--and the least likely--to qualify for the conference finals. The Ducks, a No. 6 seed, made the 2003 Stanley Cup finals but weren't deemed anything close to contenders entering this season. But then these are the new Ducks.

Management: New general manager Brian Burke molded a fast, strong, talented team. He picked coach Randy Carlyle from the Canucks organization and gave him players to fit his scheme.

Coach: Carlyle, a Norris Trophy winner 25 years ago, knows a thing or two about mobile defensemen. He also constructed deep forward lines that can score, hit and be responsible in all zones.

Acquisitions: Teemu Selanne spent a miserable 2003-04 season in Colorado, but he regained his speed after knee surgery and used the lockout season to rehab. He returned this season as a free-agent gamble and came up aces.

Burke's big-money move was signing Scott Niedermayer to anchor the defense and make the Ducks better in all phases. Niedermayer skipped the Olympics to have arthroscopic knee surgery and never missed a game.

Burke peddled Sergei Fedorov to the Blue Jackets in a move that looked like a salary dump. Defenseman Francois Beauchemin, at first considered a throw-in in the deal, became Niedermayer's partner and a solid contributor. Burke also claimed center Todd Marchant off waivers. Marchant's speed, defensive prowess and leadership skills make him a perfect fit.

Ducklings: Beauchemin is part of a surprisingly strong young nucleus. Second-year center Joffrey Lupul is a playoff phenomenon, and Carlyle also integrated second-year winger Chris Kunitz and rookies Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Dustin Penner into his rotations.