Top 25 Anaheim Ducks of All-Time
Although the Ducks have only been in existence since 1993, they have developed their own history in the NHL by building two Stanley Cup teams, one that won a championship in 2007 and another that went to game seven in 2003.
Some of the greatest players in NHL history have skated on The Pond. Paul Kariya, Steve Rucchin, and Scott Niedermayer were all Ducks at one time.
Currently there are four potential Hall of Fame players -- Teemu Selanne, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Saku Koivu -- that are trying to turn around the team around after failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the lockout.
Listed in the following slides are the 25 greatest hockey players of all time.
All player statistics courtesy of hockeydb.com. Fight totals courtesy of hockeyfights.com. Video was provided by both YouTube and NHL.com.
25. Todd Ewen
1 of 25Career Statistics (fights, penalty minutes):
149 fights, 1911 PIM
Statistics with Ducks:
59 fights, 647 PIM
Analysis:
Todd Ewen will never be remembered for scoring -- 36 goals and 76 points in 12 seasons -- but his role on the team was as important as any, especially for the chippy Ducks.
In his three years with Anaheim, where he set career highs for penalty minutes (285) and fights (25) during the 1995 season, Ewen was expected to set the physical tone during games.
Ewen went toe to toe with all of the greats -- Mike Peluso, Tony Twist, and Bob Probert to name a few -- and often put up a good fight in front of his fans in The Pond.
In the clip above Ewen endures an epic battle with one of the toughest players ever to play in the NHL, Bob Probert.
24. Saku Koivu
2 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
210g, 483a, 693pt (863 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
19g, 33a, 52pt (one year with Ducks)
Analysis:
After serving as the Montreal Canadiens' team captain for nine of his thirteen seasons with the club, Saku Koivu -- whose brother, Mikko, plays for the Minnesota Wild -- brings leadership and experience to a Ducks team that has gotten increasingly younger over the last few years.
Even though he is on the wrong side of 30, Koivu consistently puts up around 20 goals and 50 points every year.
Koivu, who is almost certainly a Hall of Famer, is signed on for two more years. He will be expected to continue to contribute as the Ducks look to get back into the postseason next year.
23. Jonas Hiller
3 of 25Career Statistics (wins, gaa, save%):
63w, 2.49gaa, .920% (128 games played, all with Ducks)
Analysis:
Fluent in English, German, and French, undrafted Swiss goaltender Jonas Hiller unseated longtime Ducks Jean-Sebastien Giguere after an impressive showing in the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
After spending a year as the backup netminder, Hiller took advantage of Giguere's shortcomings in the 2008 season and dominated the Sharks in the first round of the playoffs, recording a 35-save shutout in his first game.
Last season he played 59 games and recorded 30 wins in a down season for the Ducks. Additionally, he was the starting goaltender for the Swiss national team in the 2010 Olympics.
His play allowed the Ducks to deal Jean-Sebastien Giguere to the Leafs midway through last year.
He recently signed a four year extension to stay with the Ducks through the 2013 season.
22. Niclas Havelid
4 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
34g, 137a, 171pt (391 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
24g, 61a, 85pt (five seasons with Ducks)
Analysis:
Niclas Havelid spent eight years in the Swedish Elite League before being drafted by the Ducks in the third round of the 1999 NHL Draft.
An offensive-defenseman with plenty of upside, Havelid often battled injuries off the ice that kept him from performing on it.
Havelid was most productive during the Ducks Stanley Cup season in 2003. He set career highs with 11 goals, and 33 points, leading the Ducks blueliners in all three scoring categories. He finished the season third among NHL defensemen with five game-winning goals.
Most recently making headlines as part of the deal that sent Ilya Kovalchuk from the Atlanta Thrashers to the New Jersey Devils, but opted not to play for Atlanta in this upcoming season, returning to his native Sweden for the remainder of his career.
21. Stu Grimson
5 of 25Career Statistics (fights, penalty minutes):
217 fights, 2,113 PIM
Statistics with Ducks:
65 fights, 583 PIM
Analysis:
One of very few NHL players to compete in Canadian collegiate hockey, Stu Grimson joined the Ducks to add toughness to an expansion team looking to generate interest in Southern California.
When the joined the Ducks, "The Grim Reaper" had difficulty fighting shorter, more muscular players. However, in Anaheim he improved his balance and became more confident fighting compact players.
In his second stint with the Ducks Grimson was a seasoned fighter, but was starting to hurt after years of battling with the toughest men in the league and was only able to skate during 50 games in the 1999 season.
Never one to back down from a fight, Grimson had epic bouts with some of the toughest men in the league, including Marty McSorely, Darin Kimble, Gino Odjick, Tie Domi, and Bob Probert.
20. Fredrik Olausson
6 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
147g, 434a, 581pt (1022 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
37g, 90a, 127pt (five years with Ducks)
Analysis:
After playing eight seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, Fredrik Olausson had three stints with the Ducks.
His first visit to Anaheim only lasted 56 games. During his first tenure with the Ducks, which was split between two seasons, he only had four goals and 39 points.
The defenseman returned to Southern California for the 1998 season, this time spending two complete seasons with the Ducks. He had 31 goals over the span of those two years and tallied 90 points.
After the 1999 season he moved overseas to play a year with a Swiss team before returning to play two more years in the NHL. His final season, which he spent with the Ducks, he played 44 games an only had eight points.
He currently is an assistant coach for HV71 of the Swedish Elite League.
19. Petr Sykora
7 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
302g, 375a, 677pt (935 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
64g, 67a, 131pt (three years with Ducks)
Analysis:
Petr Sykora will probably be better remembered as a New Jersey Devil or Pittsburgh Penguin, but the dynamic Czech winger had one of his best seasons, a 34-goal, 59-point debut, with the Ducks.
Sykora's big year in 2002 was a major reason why the Ducks were able to advance to the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals. En route to the Finals Sykora scored a game-winning goal against the Dallas Stars during the fifth overtime in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. The contest is currently the fourth-longest playoff game in NHL history.
Currently a free agent, Sykora was only able to play 14 games last year due to injury and may have played his last season in the NHL.
18. Bobby Ryan
8 of 25Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
71g, 60a, 131pt (168 games played, all with Ducks)
Analysis:
Bobby Ryan, who signed a five-year $25.5 million deal this summer, joins Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry as the leaders of the youth movement in Anaheim.
After four years with the Owen Sound Attack (OHL) Ryan, the 2nd overall pick behind Sidney Crosby in the 2005 NHL Draft, has made an immediate impact with the Ducks.
In his rookie season he tallied five goals in 23 games while splitting time between Anaheim and Portland.
During his sophomore season he spent 14 games in the AHL, but was hyper-productive while wearing a Ducks jersey, scoring 31-goals and tallying 57 points in 64 games with Anaheim.
Last year he continued to improve, netting 35 goals and 64 points in his first complete season with the Ducks.
17. Chris Kunitz
9 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
101g, 141a, 242pt (385 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
81g, 111a, 192pt (five seasons with Ducks)
Analysis:
After four years at Ferris State University, where he was a part of the only Ferris State team to ever make an NCAA Tournament appearance, Chris Kunitz signed with the Ducks as an undrafted free agent and split the season between the AHL and NHL.
A year later he would be waived and picked up by the Atlanta Thrashers, only to be waived after two games and again claimed by Anaheim.
During his second stint with the Ducks he was named alternate captain and led the team to the Stanley Cup with 25 goals in 81 games.
Recently Kunitz was crowned Stanley Cup Champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
16. Matt Cullen
10 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
169g, 292a, 461pt (880 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
65g, 135a, 200pt (six seasons with Ducks)
Analysis:
Before he won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes, Matt Cullen was a member of the Mighty Ducks.
Drafted in the second round of the 1996 NHL Draft out of St. Cloud State after he was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team, Cullen's primary role was setting up the players around him.
His best years came while he was in Carolina, but Cullen still will be remembered as an important member of the Ducks rise to relevance in the NHL.
15. Andy McDonald
11 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
145g, 251a, 396pt (565 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
92g, 167a, 259pt (three seasons with Ducks)
Analysis:
After four years at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, McDonald joined the Ducks as an undrafted free agent.
Their acquisition paid off for them.
McDonald was forced to sit out the Ducks' Stanley Cup run in 2003, but was a major part of the team's championship run in 2007. During Game 4 he was named first star after contributing on all three of the team's goals.
After being traded to St. Louis due to salary cap issues, McDonald has been injury-prone, but had a great season last year when he notched 24 goals in 79 games.
14. George Parros
12 of 25Career Statistics (fights, penalty minutes):
81 fights, 694 PIM
Statistics with Ducks:
63 fights, 586 PIM
Analysis:
Few people realize the George Parros, a scoring forward on his high school and junior hockey teams, graduated with an economics degree from Princeton University.
While he may not be using his Ivy League degree, or his scoring touch, now, Parros is one of the most feared fighters in the NHL.
With his infamous mustache and cold-blooded attitude, Parros has one of the toughest jobs in the league. Being an enforcer on any team is demanding, but the Ducks -- who love physical, defensive hockey -- often call upon Parros to get them out of tough situations.
13. Oleg Tverdovsky
13 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
77g, 240a, 317a (713 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
45g, 125a, 170pt (five years with Ducks)
Analysis:
Oleg Tverdovsky, pictured here in the original Phoenix Coyotes third jersey, had two stints with the Ducks.
In his first tenure with the Ducks he showed promise, but after scoring 7 goals in 51 games during his sophomore season he was dealt to the Winnipeg Jets in the Teemu Selanne deal.
After four years with the Jets/Coyotes he was traded back to Anaheim. In his first two years he had 15 and 14 goals, respectively.
After the 2001 season he was dealt to New Jersey. The trade would haunt the Ducks, however, as New Jersey would go on to beat Anaheim in the 2003 Stanley Cup Championship.
12. Vitaly Vishnevski
14 of 25Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
16g, 52a, 68pt (552 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
11g, 37a, 48pt (six years with Ducks)
Analysis:
Drafted fifth overall by the Ducks in 1998, Vitaly Vishnevskiy was a rock in his own end.
With bruising hits and heads up play he is a major reason why the Ducks were able to gain a reputation as a defensive team early in their existence.
After helping the Ducks advance to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2003, Vishnevskiy would spend one more season in Anaheim before splitting his last two among the Atlanta Thrashers, Nashville Predators, and the New Jersey Devils.
Vishnevskiy currently plays for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL.
11. Ruslan Salei
15 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
43g, 151a, 194pt (842 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
26g, 79a, 105pt (nine years with Ducks)
Analysis:
Perhaps a little underrated because he focused primarily on defense, Ruslan Salei locked down in his own end for nine years in Anaheim.
For a team like the Ducks, who emphasize defense and often win one-goal games, Salei's play was vital to the success of the team.
Salei has recently been teamed up with Mike Modano in Detroit. In October of 1999 Salei, who was known for his big hits, Salei bashed Modano face first into the boards from behind and received a ten-year contract.
10. Rob Niedermayer
16 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
181g, 269a, 450pt (1082 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
56g, 68a, 124pt (six seasons with Ducks)
Analysis:
Joined by his brother Rob after the lockout, Scott Niedermayer played six seasons with the Ducks before joining the New Jersey Devils, his brother's original team, last year.
Niedermayer began his career with the Florida Panthers, with whom he went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996. After eight years with the Cats and an additional two with the Flames, Niedermayer was dealt to the Ducks at the 2003 trade deadline.
In Anaheim he had three 10-plus goal seasons and advanced to the Finals two times, winning in 2007 on his third visit.
After a 10-goal season in New Jersey Niedermayer will be joining the Buffalo Sabres next season.
9. Chris Pronger
17 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
152g, 509a, 661pt (1104 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
36g, 114a, 150pt (three seasons with Ducks)
Analysis:
One of two remaining former Hartford Whalers, Chris Pronger is one of the most polarizing players in the game -- making him a perfect fit in Anaheim.
If Pronger is not scoring goals from the blueline -- he has had 10-plus goals in his last six seasons -- the veteran defensemen is rattling bodies with massive hits.
The longtime St. Louis Blue joined the Ducks after a offseason trade with the Edmonton Oilers. A proven winner, Pronger has been involved in the Stanley Cup Finals during three of the last five years and was a major part of the Ducks' championship run in 2007.
8. Ryan Getzlaf
18 of 25Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
107g, 232a, 339pt (363 games played, all with Ducks)
Analysis:
The Ducks hit the jackpot in the 2003 NHL Draft, picking up two franchise players in Ryan Getzlaf (19th overall) and Corey Perry (28th).
After four seasons with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, Getzlaf played 17 games in the AHL and then tallied 14 goals in 57 games.
Getzlaf fell one short of the 20-goal mark last season, which would have marked his fifth straight 20-goal season since entering the league in 2005.
With his physical edge and knack for making players around him better, Getzlaf, who has the team record for most assists in the game and most assists in a season, has a bright future in Anaheim,
7. Corey Perry
19 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
118g, 153a, 271pt (368 games played, all with Ducks)
Analysis:
Corey Perry is the perfect compliment to teammate and fellow 2003 first round pick, Ryan Getzlaf.
Both are physical players that are effective on both ends of the rink. Getzlaf is the set-up man and Perry puts the puck in the back of the net.
After four years of junior hockey with the London Knights and a stint in the AHL Perry joined the Ducks during the 2005 season.
The "Kid Line" which featured current Oiler Dustin Penner, Getzlaf, and Perry helped the Ducks win the 2007 Stanley Cup.
With great chemistry in their top line, Getzlaf and Perry should help the Ducks rebound and become contenders in the near future.
6. Guy Hebert
20 of 25
Career Statistics (wins, gaa, save %):
191w, 2.95gaa, .905% (491 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
178w, 2.81gaa, .909% (eight years with Ducks)
Analysis:
Drafted in the eighth round of the 1999 NHL Draft, Troy, NY native Guy Hebert spent four years at Hamilton College before joining the Blues for the 1991 season.
Hebert was claimed in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft by Anaheim. He already had a relationship with then-coach Ron Wilson -- who currently coaches the Maple Leafs -- and started for the team immediately.
The netminder remained with Anaheim until midway through the 2000 season, when he was waived and acquired by the Rangers for the remainder of the season.
Hebert was the last of the original Ducks when he left the team and still holds many of the franchise's goaltending records.
5. Jean-Sebastien Giguere
21 of 25
Career Statistics (wins, goals against average, save %):
220w, 2.52gaa, .913%
Statistics with Ducks:
206w, 2.81gaa, .913%
Analysis:
Along with his former Duck teammate, Chris Pronger, Jean-Sebastien Giguere is one of two players currently in the NHL who has played for the Hartford Whalers.
The bar was set high for Giguere, who joined the Ducks in 2000 after stints with Hartford and Calgary, after Guy Hebert had dominated the net for the Ducks since the franchise's inception in 1993.
Giguere was up to the task, however, and was a major reason why the Ducks were able to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2003 and win it all in 2007.
After a rough 2009 season, when he lost his starting job to Jonas Hiller after the latter's outstanding performance in the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Giguere was dealt to the Maple Leafs.
The former Duck is expected to be the opening night starter for the Leafs this season.
4. Steve Rucchin
22 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
171g, 318a, 489pt (735 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
153g, 279a, 432pt (10 seasons with Ducks)
Analysis:
Hailing from Thunder Bay, Ontario -- the same hometown as the Staal brothers -- Steve Rucchin was the third component of the Selanne, Kariya line.
Before joining the Ducks, Rucchin was a member of the short-lived San Diego Gulls, meaning he played most of his professional hockey career in California.
Rucchin was served as the team's alternate captain from 2000 to 2003 before being named team captain the year before the lockout.
During the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals Rucchin would make a name for himself by netting the game-winning, series-clinching overtime goal in Game 4 of the quarterfinals.
3. Scott Niedermayer
23 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
172g, 568a, 740pt (1263 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
60g, 204a, 264pt (five seasons with Ducks)
Analysis:
A year after beating the Ducks as a member of the New Jersey Devils, where he played for 13 seasons, Scott Niedermayer joined Anaheim following the lockout.
As one of the greatest offensive-defenseman in the history of the NHL, Niedermayer was able to both score -- he had 10-plus goals in four of his five seasons in Anaheim -- and set up the players around him.
With Chris Pronger and Niedermayer patrolling the blueline the defensive-minded Ducks were able to win the Stanley Cup in 2007 and become known as a dominant defensive force in the NHL.
This summer Niedermayer announced his retirement after 18 NHL seasons.
2. Paul Kariya
24 of 25
Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
402g, 587a, 989pt (989 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
300g, 369a, 669pt (nine seasons with Ducks)
Analysis:
Paul Kariya, a point-per-game player throughout his career, is entering the 2010 season as a free agent.
Before his stints with Colorado, Nashville, and St. Louis, Kariya was the face of the Ducks franchise.
Drafted 4th overall in 1993, the Ducks' inaugural season, Kariya was the first freshman to receive the Hobey Baker Award when he had 124 points in 51 games for the University of Maine.
After receiving Teemu Selanne in a trade from the Winnipeg Jets the two forwards became one of the best one-two punches in the NHL.
During the Ducks 2003 Stanley Cup run Kariya was third on the team in playoff scoring. He is most remembered for his recovery after a check from the Devils' Scott Stevens.
After being hit by one of the most physical players in the history of the league, Kariya returned to score a goal to give the Ducks a 4-1 lead.
1. Teemu Selanne
25 of 25Career Statistics (goals, assists, points):
606g, 654a, 1260pt (1186 games played)
Statistics with Ducks:
379g, 412a, 791pt (1995-2001, 2005-present)
Analysis:
After three seasons in Manitoba, Teemu Selanne was traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at the trade deadline during the 1995 season.
The Finnish Flash, as Selanne has been called, is one of the greatest players to skate on NHL ice. His ability to skate aggressively around defensemen and unleash a heavy shot past goaltenders has allowed him to become one of the greatest forwards in NHL history.
Selanne had a breakout season in his first complete year with the Ducks, notching 51 goals and 109 points -- both career highs -- in 1996. During the 1998 and 1999 season he had more goals than any other player in the league.
However, in 2001 Selanne was dealt to the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline. After two years in San Jose and one year in Colorado, Selanne joined the Ducks for a second stint. Despite his defection to the rival Sharks, he was warmly welcomed back by the Anaheim faithful.
Although his production has slumped recently, Selanne has been able to tally 27 goals in his last two seasons. At age 40 he still remains an important part of the Ducks offense.
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