Anaheim Ducks History: The Top Five Captains
Chris Pronger
It’s no secret Chris Pronger did his best work during the 2006-07 season, but the following season was turbulent for the Anaheim Ducks. Superstar Teemu Selanne, who had scored 48 goals the previous season, was mulling retirement for most of the season before returning about two-thirds of the way through the campaign. Dustin Penner bought “a whole lotta pancakes” with the money Edmonton threw his way in the process of throwing his career away. Captain Scott Niedermayer was considering a retirement of his own, returning about halfway through the season.
Someone had to step in and right this faltering ship. That, someone, was Chris Pronger. He had to lead the salary cap plagued team into the season. Remember, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry were young and inexperienced at the time. The team had to start on the road against the crosstown rivals the Los Angeles Kings. Unfortunately, the game wasn’t across town at Staples Center. No, they met in London. Not London, Ontario; it was London, England, eight time zones away.
Pronger kept the team focused during a rough start to the season, He remained captain even after Niedermayer and Selanne returned to the team. They finished the season with 102 points. That was the third highest total in the Western Conference that season. before dropping their first-round series to Dallas. Pronger kept the wheels on that bonfire of a team until firemen like Bob Murray could put out the flames. That’s the type of player Chris Pronger was.
Ryan Getzlaf
After the retirement of Scott Niedermayer, Ryan Getzlaf was named team captain by head coach Randy Carlyle. It was a rough season on Getzlaf, who suffered sinus fractures that limited him to 67 games. His right wing, Corey Perry, still scored 50 goals and won the Rocket Richard Trophy (most goals) and the Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player) that season.
Getzlaf seems to have many detractors. During his eight seasons as captain of the Ducks, his team has only missed the playoffs one time. Trust me, that’s a spectacular record. They have played in 12 playoff rounds during that time. Twice in the past four seasons, the Ducks have made the Western Conference Final.
You won’t find too many players who are truly the complete package in the NHL, but Getzlaf has it all. He’s regarded as a terrific leader as well. Getzlaf was a finalist for the Mark Messier Leadership Award just last season. His tenure as captain is nowhere near done; he still has three seasons left on his iron-clad contract. Getzlaf’s history as captain is incomplete; however, it has been excellent so far.
Paul Kariya
Paul Kariya was much more than the third captain of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He was the first face of the team. In just his third season, he took the reigns of this fledgling team. During his first season as captain, the Mighty Ducks made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time.
Behind Kariya’s leadership, the Anaheim Ducks even beat their first postseason opponent, Phoenix, in seven games. The Ducks were down 3-2 in that series before they roared back to take the final two games behind Paul Kariya’s leadership. Fans will remember that, even though they were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champions Detroit. They gave them more of a fight than any other team that season.
The team only made three playoff appearances during Kariya’s seven-year tenure as captain. His leadership kept the Mighty Ducks afloat until they could find real owners and a real plan. Under Disney’s ownership, those years appeared rudderless.
Kariya’s teams eventually lost to Detroit during the Mighty Ducks’ first two postseason runs. During their third run at the Stanley Cup in 2002-03; however, Kariya really showed his leadership against those same Red Wings. He scored the overtime goal in game one, which was the biggest goal in franchise history at that point given the history between the teams. That ragtag collection of misfits finally vanquished Detroit in a first-round sweep. They didn’t stop until they advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final against the New Jersey Devils. The home team won every game of that series, but Paul Kariya’s place in Anaheim’s list of leaders was solidified that season.
Scott Niedermayer
If you thought Anaheim’s other captains, Randy Ladouceur and Teemu Selanne, were going to make this list over Scott Niedermayer, you weren’t paying attention while Niedermayer was captain of the Anaheim Ducks. Their respective captaincies were a blip on the Ducks radar.
The Ducks played in nine playoff rounds during Niedermayer’s four seasons as captain. Before he joined the Ducks, Niedermayer already owned three Stanley Cup rings. Ducks general manager made signing the free agent defenseman a high priority. He started by signing Niedermayer’s brother Rob to a four-year deal. Then he sold Niedermayer on being able to win a Cup with his brother.
Niedermayer was a great leader right off the bat. During his first season in Anaheim, the team made the Western Conference Final. His second season showed his excellent leadership abilities like nothing else did. The team rolled through the first two rounds, then vanquished the rival Detroit Red Wings in the Conference Final. They took the first two tight games at Honda Center in the finals.
The series moved to Ottawa and the Senators rallied to take game three. In game four, late in the second period with the game tied at two, Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson intentionally shot the puck at the Ducks’ captain with time running out. Niedermayer wasn’t pleased. His calm demeanor allowed the tightly wound Ducks to focus on the task at hand.
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They took the lead just over four minutes into the third period and won the game by one goal for the third time in the series. The final game wasn’t that close. But Niedermayer’s leadership gave him the chance to realize his dream of handing the Cup to his brother.