Anaheim Ducks: Addressing Ryan Getzlaf’s Exit Interview

The Anaheim Ducks exit interviews came a little earlier than normal this season, and Ryan Getzlaf had a few interesting things to say.

One of the hardest parts of every season is watching the exit interview. Since the Anaheim Ducks didn’t make the playoffs this year, their exit interviews came a little earlier than Ducks Nation is used to. Captain, Ryan Getzlaf, had a lot of interesting things to say regarding the 2018-19 season.

In his exit interview, he spoke on the future of the team, the losing streaks, his remaining time as a player, and the new head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He mentioned the fact that he had played fewer minutes towards the end of the season which had opened the door for the newer players to develop.

He seems to be okay with it, knowing that it is a part of the game. Getzlaf made it clear that he is open to taking a bigger step back next season and in the future, as long as he is talking to management and knows what the plan is going forward. It sounds like RG15 may be ready to take a step back in terms of his ice time as well as where he plays in the lineup.

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We could very easily see him do something as simple as play fewer minutes, similar to how he did towards the end of the season, or see him play on the second line instead of the usual first line. Keep in mind, however, even in a second line role, he could still produce depending on who his linemates are. This is the mark of a true leader: someone who is willing to step down so his younger teammates can step up and gain that experience.

The Losing Streak

When asked about the losing streak and how hard and stressful it was for him as the captain of the team, Getzlaf wasn’t afraid to express just how hard it was for him to go through an extended losing streak. In his 14 year career, he has never experienced anything quite like that. Nevertheless, rather than dwell on it, he chose to learn from it.

He doesn’t really know where it all went wrong, especially since they were having a really good road trip prior to their 12 game losing streak. However, it sounded as though Getzy was a little unsure of himself in regards to the subject at hand.  To his credit, none of us knew what went wrong. The Anaheim Ducks went from beating Pittsburgh, to losing the next two road games, then going on a nasty losing streak.

A media member asked him about his drive for another Stanely Cup, questioning if he was willing to stick around to see the team become a playoff contender that can make another deep run. You can rest easy knowing that he has the desire to win another Cup. It’s what keeps him going every season, and once that drive is gone, he’ll be gone too.

Coming to Terms With the End of his NHL Career

To finish out his interview, he was asked about the new incoming coach. In his interview, Getzlaf initially said:

"“I don’t think the new coach is being brought in to coach me I’m I’ve been here a long time and obviously my years are numbered at the end.” -Ryan Getzlaf, 2018-19 Exit Interview"

He seems to be keenly aware that it is very important for the new coach to be someone who understands the youth and knows how to push them to be their best. However, his initial statement was probably the most interesting and eye-catching part of the exit interview.

He knows that the next coach won’t be geared towards the 30-year-olds such as himself and Corey Perry. It seems like Dallas Eakins would be his ideal candidate for the next head coach since he already has such a connection with the younger players. Without saying it, he knows it’s time to start winding down and preparing to move on.

The drive for a Cup is still there but he knows that the future is lined up right next to him. Ryan Getzlaf is well aware that his time in the spotlight is almost up and he’s already coming to terms with that.