ANAHEIM - Randy Carlyle has a sense that being the Ducks' everyday top-line right wing is too much, too soon for Bobby Ryan.

The 21-year-old Ryan does not share this sentiment.

But since Carlyle is the head coach, Ryan found himself benched midway through the Ducks' 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday - the result, Carlyle said, of Ryan standing still and turning the puck over.

"I think at times we put too much pressure on Bobby because he's out playing with our top six forwards," Carlyle said after practice Friday. "(Ryan) Getzlaf and (Corey) Perry didn't have to play with our top groupings; they played with our fourth line their whole first year. They got second-unit power play time. We're fast-tracking Bobby Ryan in a lot of ways, but those other two guys didn't have to."

Carlyle often cited the example of Perry and Getzlaf last year during Ryan's first three NHL call-ups, a span of 25 games including the playoffs. Ryan was sometimes used as a top-six forward but appeared more often on the Ducks' energy line, getting fewer minutes in those games.

Ryan skated on the energy line in practice Friday, but that didn't reflect Carlyle's immediate solution.

"I think he's still going to be (on) a scoring line," the coach said. "I think we have to find ways to find him offensive minutes. If we're not going to play him in our top-six grouping, we have to find ways to get him minutes in other situations - be it 4-on-4, be

it power-play time. Maybe move him up once a period on another line, do some of that to get him playing. It doesn't do him any good not playing."

The second overall choice in the 2005 draft doesn't feel like he's been rushed into the role. In nine games since being recalled from the American Hockey League, Ryan has two goals, six points and a plus-6 rating.

"I'm confident with (Perry) and Getzlaf out there," Ryan said, "but sometimes you feel like you make one bad play it's going to escalate from there. When you start to lose confidence right off the bat, you're in trouble. Maybe that's the case of what happened on Wednesday."

NOTABLE

The Ducks confirmed that senior advisor David Nonis has been offered the Toronto Maple Leafs' Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations position by general manager Brian Burke. As of Friday afternoon, Nonis was still considering the offer. ... Carlyle said that injured forward Brad Larsen is contemplating hip surgery. The condition of his hip hasn't improved since undergoing sports hernia surgery at the outset of the season, and Larsen didn't participate in practice Friday. ... Chris Pronger (maintenance) and Brian Sutherby (groin) also did not practice.