Anaheim Ducks

Team Summary

The Anaheim Ducks are an NHL team playing in the Pacific Division based in Anaheim, California. The team originally started as an expansion into Anaheim thanks to the hit Disney movie “Mighty Ducks,” retaining the title of “The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim” from 1993-2006.

The team initially had the same “Wild Wing” mascot as the films during their first decade of play. But they rebranded during the 2006-2007 season to distance themselves from the Disney production and adopting a color scheme of black, orange, and gold.

While the team won a Stanley Cup in 2007, the Ducks entered a rebuild several years ago with the expectation to continue to build back into a contender slowly.

However, the 2021-2022 season has been a pleasant surprise for the team as they find themselves battling for a top-three spot in the Pacific Division, thanks in no small part to players like Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Ryan Getzlaf, and John Gibson.

Anaheim Ducks Standings

The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The team competes in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the NHL. The Ducks have a passionate fan base and have a history of success, having won the Stanley Cup in 2007.

Team History

Originally owned by the Disney Company, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim entered the league as an expansion team in 1993 alongside the Florida Panthers. Due to Anaheim’s proximity to Disneyland in California, Disney initially thought the team would add to the attraction, especially if they were named after the Mighty Ducks and retained a similar appearance.

Unfortunately, this didn’t end up being the case. The team began to be a financial problem for the Walt Disney Company, forcing them to sell in 2005, just before the infamous lockout. As a result, the team rebranded from “The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim” to the much simpler “Anaheim Ducks” in the 2006-2007 season.

The change benefited the team greatly, as the the Ducks went on to win their first Stanley Cup during the 2007 postseason thanks to key players Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf.

Anaheim would go through a period of regular season domination under head coach Bruce Boudreau, but the team struggled to find the postseason magic they had found in 2007. After several failed playoff series losses, the team officially entered a rebuild during the 2018 season and has yet to make another playoff appearance.

Key Stats

Despite going into the season with the expectations of a rebuild, the Ducks have been a top-three team in the Pacific Division all year long.

Anaheim currently has a record of 23-16-9, tied for second place with the LA Kings at 55 points. There are a few key factors for the resurgence of the Ducks this year, predominantly in the breakout seasons of standout forwards Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras.

Terry leads the Ducks in both goals scored and total points with 25 goals and 16 assists. Terry has been in and out with injury as of late, but the forward has shown that he has an incredibly high ceiling after dominating the offensive zone any time he touches the puck.

Zegras has also been excellent this season with 12 goals and 20 assists in his sophomore year of the NHL- including two Michigan-style goals from behind the net. Zegras brings an extra flair to the game that the NHL hasn’t really ever seen- definitely keep your eye on the young forward as his career continues to grow.

Veteran Ryan Getzlaf is still on the team and taking on a critical leadership role- though he had a very strong start to the season, he has begun to cool off with three goals and 24 assists in 40 games.

John Gibson has been and continues to be one of Anaheim’s most consistent players. The defensive core in front of him still has some growing to do, but the Ducks’ netminder has still shown flashes of brilliance this season with a .922 SV% and a record of 15-11–8.

Championships Won by the Team

The Anaheim Ducks have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals twice in franchise history, with an appearance in 2003 and a win in 2007. During the 2003 run, the team benefitted from a legendary performance in net thanks to Jean-Sebastien Giguere. The goaltender finished with an incredible .943 SV% and a record of 15-6- just one goal away from winning the Cup.

Unfortunately, the playoff hopes were cut short by the New Jersey Devils, losing in seven games. However, despite losing in the finals, Giguere’s legendary performance earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.

The team made it back to the finals four years later under a new core of players. The two core forwards of the new and improved Anaheim Ducks led the team in scoring as Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry finished the playoffs with 17 and 15 points.

Veteran winger Teemu Selanne also had a notable postseason, tying Perry with 15 points. Giguere returned to seal the deal as well, this time posting a .922 SV%.

While it wasn’t as good as his incredible 2003 run, it was more than enough to get the job done as the team defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1 to secure their first-ever Stanley Cup win.

Important Team Events

One of the most memorable moments in both Anaheim Ducks and NHL history was Paul Kariya’s goal against the Devils in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. During the finals, the winger was absolutely leveled by New Jersey Devils defenseman Scott Stevens. Kariya remained motionless on the blueline for several seconds after the hit, requiring some assistance just to get off of the ice.

At first glance, it appeared that Kariya was easily out for the game and potentially out for the rest of the playoffs. Despite the hit, Kariya rejoined the team just 11 minutes later in the period. Kariya would make a big impact on the ice in his return, capitalizing on a turnover and rushing down the other side of the ice, scoring on a huge windup.

The moment was further memorialized into NHL legend with announcer Gary Thorne’s unforgettable call: “Off the floor! On the board! Paul Kariya!” Kariya has stated that he has no recollection of the goal or the rest of the game.

Top Players

Ryan Getzlaf has been with the team since being drafted in 2003, winning the Cup in 2007, and currently serving as the team captain. Getzlaf has set the franchise record of games played with the team at 1141, setting additional franchise records in assists at 727 and points at 1009. However, winger Teemu Selanne holds the franchise records for most goals with the team.

Scoring 457 goals with the Ducks in his 15 seasons with the team, Selanne is one of the most skilled snipers in NHL history. The Finnish forward played with the team from 1995-2001 before moving on to the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche from the end of the 2001 season through 2004; luckily, he would return to the Ducks in 2005 and help secure the Stanley Cup in 2007.

Jean-Sebastien Giguere currently has the franchise record for wins at 206 and shutouts at 32, easily the best goaltender in franchise history and one of only five players in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe despite being on the losing team of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Top Coaches

The Anaheim Ducks have had a total of 10 coaches in franchise history, though only four have been hired since the rebranding of 2006. The team is currently led by Dallas Eakins, who was hired in 2019 after the dismissal of Randy Carlyle. Eakins has only had 71 games with the Ducks, currently sitting with a record of 29-33-9.

The two most prominent coaches in the history of the Ducks are Randy Carlyle and Bruce Boudreau. Carlyle led the team from 2005- to 2011, bringing the team its first and only Stanley Cup win in 2007 and finishing his first stint with a record of 273-182-61 before being replaced by Boudreau.

Boudreau was a strong coach in the regular season, bringing the team four division wins and two conference finals appearances during his tenure in Anaheim. After losing in seven to the Wild Card Predators team in 2017, Boudreau was replaced with the re-hiring of Randy Carlyle. Who would go on to coach another 164 games between 2016-2019.

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