Not many people believed that a Walt Disney film would inspire a professional sports franchise. Still, the National Hockey League was introduced to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in time for the 1993-94 season following the success of the eponymous movie starring Emilio Estevez. The franchise enjoyed periods of brief success that culminated in a Cinderella-style run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2003, though they ultimately fell short.
Under Henry Samueli's ownership, following the acquisition from Disney in 2005, the team dropped “Mighty” from its name and changed its color scheme and logo. In the first season with the new name and look, they'd lift the Stanley Cup for the first time following a five-game series victory over the Ottawa Senators. Years later, the franchise has returned to a modernized version of the classic Mighty Ducks logo, which will debut this fall.
While the Ducks are in the midst of a difficult rebuild, fans can always look back on some of the great players who have graced the ice at The Arrowhead Pond (now known as Honda Center) over the years. But which players make the cut as the 10 best in franchise history?
The late Ruslan Salei
Selected 9th overall in the 1996 NHL Draft, Salei would go on to spend the first several years of his NHL career with the Ducks. He helped them to the 2003 Stanley Cup Final, scoring the overtime game-winner in Game 3 of that series.
Tragically, Salei lost his life along with several other former NHL players in the horrible plane crash that killed every member of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in 2011.
Hall of Fame bruising defenseman Chris Pronger
Already one of the best defensemen in hockey, Chris Pronger had just led the Edmonton Oilers to within a game of the Stanley Cup before a shocking trade request. His wife reportedly had no interest in living in snowy Alberta, and a deal was accommodated to send Pronger to sunny southern California.
In Pronger's first year with the Ducks, he helped them reach the mountaintop by capturing the Stanley Cup. The future Hall of Famer would rack up 150 points in the three years he spent in Anaheim before moving on to the Flyers in 2009.
Steady goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere
Known affectionately as “Giggy,” Jean-Sébastien Giguère always showed promise but had his true breakout in the 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Thanks to his stellar play between the pipes, he led the Ducks to stunning upsets over the favored Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars and held the Minnesota Wild to only one goal in the Western Conference Final.
Though the dream ended with a bitterly disappointing seven-game loss in the Stanley Cup Final against the New Jersey Devils, Giguère was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' most valuable player despite being on the losing side, a rare feat that wouldn't happen again for 21 years. While his career path would eventually take him to Toronto and Colorado, Gigure won 206 games playing in Anaheim and is still beloved by Ducks fans.
Standout goaltender Guy Hebert
The first true No. 1 goaltender for the Mighty Ducks, Hebert would play a major role in the franchise's first-ever postseason series victory in 1997, the same season that he earned a trip to the NHL All-Star game.
Upon his retirement from the game, he still ranks 1st or 2nd in every major goaltending statistic in Ducks history, and currently works as an analyst on Ducks broadcasts.
Reliable contributor Steve Rucchin
Typically centering the team's top line while being flanked by Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne, Rucchin quietly went about his business as one of the team's most reliable and consistent performers. He'll forever be known for scoring the overtime-winning goal in Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarter Finals against the Detroit Red Wings, sweeping them from the postseason.
Creative sniper Paul Kariya
One of the most exciting players in both Ducks and league history, Paul Kariya immediately became the face of the franchise after being selected 4th overall in 1993. He was soon named team captain and consistently one of their top offensive producers.
Kariya led the team to within a game of the Stanley Cup in 2003 and is forever remembered for taking a thunderous hit from New Jersey's Scott Stevens in Game 6 of the Cup Final, only to return shortly afterward and score an electrifying goal. Though he left Anaheim later that summer, he remains one of the all-time greats in team history, with his No. 9 jersey hanging from the rafters at Honda Center.
Finnish Flash Teemu Selanne
One of the all-time great players in NHL history, Teemu Selanne burst onto the scene with an astounding 76 goals as a rookie with the Winnipeg Jets. After being traded to the Mighty Ducks in 1996, he formed immediate chemistry with Paul Kariya and became one of the team's top offensive producers.
Although his career took him away from Anaheim for several seasons, he returned in 2005 and continued to play until 2014. Selanne won his first and only Stanley Cup championship in 2007, and his No. 8 jersey was retired by the team shortly after his playing days ended. He retired as the highest-scoring Finnish-born player in NHL history.
Quiet blue line anchor Scott Niedermayer
Having already established himself as one of the NHL's top defensemen with the New Jersey Devils, Scott Niedermayer had captured two Stanley Cup victories by the time he signed with Anaheim ahead of the 2005-06 season, one of them coming in the 2003 Cup Final against his brother Rob. The chance to play with his brother was too good to pass up, and Niedermayer was soon named team captain, leading the Ducks to the Western Conference Final in his first year with the team.
The following season, Niedermayer helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup, celebrating on the ice with his brother Rob in one of the cooler moments in league history. His No. 27 jersey would eventually be retired by the team.
Feisty forward Corey Perry
A gritty forward known for both his physical play and goal-scoring ability, Corey Perry spent the early years of his career with the Ducks and played a key role in their 2007 Stanley Cup victory. Perry routinely eclipsed the 30-goal mark for the Ducks while consistently getting under the skin of the opposition.
While he's still currently playing, Perry almost certainly will have his number retired by the Ducks when he eventually calls it a career.
Assertive leader Ryan Getzlaf
Like Perry, Ryan Getzlaf's NHL career began immediately after the lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season. His potential and talent were immediately apparent, making him one of the top players on the team—a role he maintained throughout his entire career with Anaheim. Upon his retirement in 2022, Getzlaf was the franchise leader in games played, assists, and points in the regular season. Additionally, he holds Anaheim's franchise records for postseason goals, assists, and points.
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