Flip-flops, T-shirt and shorts is the season-long regular practice-day attire for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

After four years in much colder Michigan, and two seasons in the just-as-cold minors, Vernon’s Andrew Ebbett soaked up the sun in 48 games with Anaheim last year. Even got a regular shift in 13 playoff games.

Now, he wants a steady diet of Southern California hockey.

“I have a year left on my contract so hopefully we can get a long-term deal done in October and November,” said Ebbett, after draining a couple of 25-footers at the Brent Gilchrist Charity Golf Classic in mid-July.

“It’s a nice set-up and I feel good where I’m at, and I’m happy. The organization is great there. They do some good things, not only on the rink, but community-wise. The owners are some of the best in the league so it’s a good place to be.”

Ebbett attended a Michigan State alumni weekend and spent some time training at the Wolverines’ facility in late July before heading back to Anaheim, where he has been working out with teammate Bobby Ryan and skating with several Ducks like linemate Teemu Selanne, a year-round California resident.

The 5-foot-9 roadrunner, who scored his first NHL goal on his 26th birthday last Jan. 2 against the Flyers, proved he belonged by compiling eight goals and 32 points in the regular season. He began the year with the AHL Iowa Chops, earning 29 points in 28 games.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Ebbett of the Ducks’ stellar post-season run which saw them knock out the Sharks and scare the Red Wings. “It was just another level playing up in the playoffs. You don’t take a shift off come playoff time. Pushing a team like Detroit to Game 7 and losing with two minutes left was tough, but I think it will pay off for us in the long run.”

The Ducks rolled up a 10-2-1 record down the stretch before stopping San Jose. Ebbett figures the Ducks will have a little more drive this season.

“I’ve talked to a few guys and we’re excited to get back already. Coming from at the deadline to where we weren’t even in the playoffs, to how strong we finished, I know the guys are excited. We got some good pick-ups in the off-season and the guys are really looking forward to next year.”

He talked about d-man Nick Boynton, forward Joffrey Lupul and 19-year-old Italian d-man Luca Sbisa (obtained in the Chris Pronger trade) as a strong group of newcomers. Toss in veteran Saku Koivu, who signed later in the summer, and Ebbett likes the Anaheim mix.

“We’ve got a lot of good young, energy type guys that work with the veteran players. We’ve got guys like Teemu and Scotty (Nidermayer) back and with those two guys in the room, it makes a big difference.”

He is amazed at how the likes of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are, at 24, already established leaders, something the Ducks certainly don’t lack.

He’s also high on 36-year-old Todd Marchant, who centres the checking line, sacrifices his body on the penalty kill and of course beat Chris Osgood in triple overtime in Game 2 of last year’s second-round playoff series.

“It’s nice to look up to guys like Niedermayer and Marchant. Marchant, I don’t think he gets enough credit for what he does. He plays third-, fourth-line minutes but he is usually one of the top-two or -three leaders on the team. The young guys really look up to him, and he plays that role really well.”

Ebbett, a former Sicamous junior B Eagle who scored 45 goals for the Salmon Arm SilverBacks before racking up 143 points in four years at Michigan, felt pretty comfy with the high-flying Ducks.

“I think it helped playing in those three games the year before. I knew what to expect. You get thrown into a role playing on a line with Teemu Selanne and it definitely eases the tension playing with a guy like him. He plays an easy game and you get him the puck, and you just kind of watch him do the rest.”

Come spring in Anaheim, and Ebbett and his teammates relax at ball games at gorgeous Angels Stadium, “one of the best ballparks in the league.”

On the general hockey lifestyle, where even movie stars blend in with regular folk: “It’s nice. It’s low-key. You don’t get noticed like you would in a Vancouver, Calgary or Toronto. You’re kind of a regular guy out there and you enjoy it. Everyone lives close to the beach. Once you get around the rink, it’s hockey time, but after that, it’s 85-degree weather everyday and everyone enjoys it.”