Anaheim Ducks 25th Anniversary: Best player to wear #s 66-98

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SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 16: Andy Welinski #73 of the Anaheim Ducks skates against the San Jose Sharks in Game Three of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images) /

2018 is the 25th anniversary of the Anaheim Ducks first NHL season. We kick off our look at 25 years of excellence by counting down the best Anaheim Ducks player to wear each jersey number.

It’s hard to believe that the Anaheim Ducks have been in business for 25 years. Since their inception in 1993, the team had its struggles, but Anaheim has also been to the top of the NHL mountain. Pucks of a Feather celebrates the Ducks Silver Anniversary along with the team’s fans. We kick off our remembrance of days gone by bringing you the best Anaheim Ducks player to wear each jersey number. We start with numbers 65-98.

Never Worn

No Anaheim Ducks player has ever worn the following jersey numbers: 66, 69, 70, 72, 78, 79, 81, 82, 84, 85, 87, 89, 92, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99

Inconsequential

The following jersey numbers were on the backs of Anaheim Ducks players, but nothing of consequence happened while worn.

68 – Greg Naumenko (2001)

71 – Brandon Montour (2017), and JT Brown (2018)

73 – Mat Clark (2012), Andy Welinski (2018)

74 – Peter Holland (2012-2014), and Joseph Cramerosa (2017)

75 – Jaycob Megna (2017-18)

76 – Dustin Penner (19 games in 2005-06)

80 – Ilya Bryzgalov (eight games in 2015)

83 – Kalle Kossila (2017-2018)

86 – Ondrej Kase (2017)

88 – Jamie McGinn (2016)

90 – Giovanni Fiore (2018)

93 – Anatoli Semenov (12 games in 1996)

2004 Season: Vancouver Canucks at Anaheim Mighty Ducks, March 31, 2004, player Sergei Fedorov. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images) /

About One and Done

This next group had Hall of Fame careers but only spent roughly a season in Anaheim.

91 – Sergei Fedorov (2003-2004)

He was a Hall of Famer before he ever came to SoCal, Sergei Fedorov sported his signature number 91 during his brief stay. After an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Finals, team captain and leader Paul Kariya left the club as a free agent.

Federov was brought to the Mighty Ducks as a replacement for the departed Kariya. Management gave him a five year, $40M contract in the summer of 2003 in an effort to re-stabilize the franchise. He didn’t have a bad year in 2003-04 scoring 65 points (31g, 34a) with 26 coming on the man advantage.

The marriage between Federov and Anaheim didn’t last long. Five games into the 2004 season, the Russian all-star was traded to Columbus for Francois Beauchemin.

The Ducks Adam Oates battles on the boards with Minnesota’s Andrei Zyuzin during the third period of game three of the Western Conference finals Wednesday, May 14, 2003. (Photo by Robert Lachman/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) /

77 – Adam Oates (2003)

Four players have worn jersey number 77 in Anaheim, including Devante Smith-Pelley. None of the four did it better than Adam Oates. By the time Oates made it to Southern California, he was on the final legs of a Hall of Fame career. He was still a master passer and key member of the 2003 Western Conference championship team.

Oates scored 45 points in his only Anaheim season. He played one more season in Edmonton before calling it a career. When he finally hung up his skates for good, Oates retired fourth all-time in NHL assists.

DALLAS, TX – NOVEMBER 26: Emerson Etem #65 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates his goal against the Dallas Stars in the first period at American Airlines Center on November 26, 2013, in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

More Recent

65 – Emerson Etem (2013-2014)

The local hope from Long Beach that never was. Etem was a first round pick (29th overall) by the Anaheim Ducks in 2010. Unfortunately, he never lived up to the expectations set after his fabulous Junior career. Etem sported number 65 in his first two seasons with Anaheim. During that time, he put up 21 points in 67 games.

TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 28: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Amalie Arena. (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images) /

67 – Rickard Rakell (2013-Present)

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The Anaheim Ducks did much better with their number one pick the following year. Rickard Rakell may have been the last pick (30th) in that round, but he is becoming a bonafide star in the NHL. Two seasons ago, Rakell broke the 30 goal barrier for the first time with 33 and added 18 assists. His total of 51 points was good for fourth place in team scoring.

Last year the Ducks lost forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler for long stretches of the season. Ricky Rak stepped up his game. He led the team in both goals (34) and points (69). It wasn’t just about the number of goals he scored, Rakell was clutch all season. A good example of his timeliness was the final goal of his hat trick against Edmonton in late February. Rakell scored with 28 seconds left to tie the game, which guaranteed the Ducks a valuable point in their quest to make the playoffs.

He has been valuable on the ice, but he is proving to be just as important off it for Anaheim. Rakell is becoming the new face of the franchise. He is popular among fans and a good citizen in the community.

Next: Top 5 all-time Anaheim Ducks draft classes

Next up will be jersey numbers 45-64

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