Ducks Executive Vice President & General Manager Bob Murray spoke to local media this morning at Honda Center about the trade for goaltender Dan Ellis and other topics:

On Ellis
There was a group of guys who we wanted and were available. It’s late in the year and tough. This is a guy who has experience, so that is why. He’s carried a team throughout times, which was the most important thing for me. We felt we needed that.

On Ellis’ career-best season in 2007-08
He played very well and knocked us off twice that year. He’s a good goalie.

On Ellis’ season thus far in 2010-11
It’s been a struggle. Everybody struggled early there and then they went and got Roloson. It was a great move and it made somebody expendable there.

On the deal coming together
We had talked. The whole Jonas thing keeps you talking and finding out what is available. There was not that much available really. We just felt time is moving by here and we have to get going.

On Ray Emery
He has to play some games. It’s really unfair to put a whole bunch of huge expectations on him at the moment. What we have to do is stick to the gameplan with him. He is here now and getting shots from NHL shooters. He’s with Pete Peeters. He’s going to be here until Jonas comes back and then he’ll go play more games. Hopefully, at the end of all of this, we’ll have three strong goaltenders who are ready to make a run.

On future trades
There hasn’t really been a lot of talk. You talk to the guys that know and ask what is going on. I’m not sure if that is because all of the big ones that have gone down so far, but it’s quiet right now.

You hope your team understands. I appreciate how hard they played last night, considering Getzy and Saku were not there. You hope they realize that we’re trying to do our best here to support them. They have earned that.

On Getzlaf and Koivu’s availability for Friday
I would think Getzy for sure is and we’ll know more about Saku tomorrow morning.

On Jonas Hiller
He’s working with Pete [Peeters] and the trainer. He’s took a few shots out there. We’ll see how he feels after.

On Anaheim’s chances down the stretch
If we play with the passion and structure we played with last night, I think we’ll have a very good chance of making the playoffs. As a group, we lost it for a few days.