Anaheim Ducks 25th Anniversary: Best player to wear numbers 16-20

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2004 Season: Player Steve Rucchin of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images) /

2018 is the 25th anniversary of the Anaheim Ducks first NHL season. We honor 25 years of excellence by counting down the best Anaheim Ducks player to wear each jersey number. Today we cover numbers 16-20.

It is mind-boggling that the Anaheim Ducks are celebrating their silver anniversary. For some fans, it may seem like it was only yesterday when the Ducks took the ice at the Pond for the first time.

Others may not have followed the Ducks as long. No matter how far you go back as a Ducks fan, we can all reminisce about the past. Today we will continue our stroll down memory lane by honoring the best Ducks to wear jersey’s 20-16. This group may not be Hall-of-Famers, but you’ll find that all of them were important in building a solid foundation for this franchise.

20 – Steve Rucchin (1995-2004)

If not for Steve Rucchin, Paul Kariya might not have put as many points on the board during his amazing career. Not in a Gretzky-Kurri way, but Rucchin did hard tasks on the ice, which made Kariya’s job just a little easier. He may go down as the one of the best “wing-men” in Anaheim history, always having Kariya’s back.

He did pretty well on his own, as well. During Rucchin’s 10-year career in Anaheim. He still ranks high in many all-time franchise categories:

Fourth Place

Games Played – 626

Fifth Place

Points – 432

Goals – 153

Power play goals – 58

Game-winning goals – 23

Shots – 1050

Assists – 279

Shooting Percentage – 13.3%

Total goals on ice for – 684

Tenth Place

Points per game – 0.71

Point Shares (hockey’s version of WAR) – 42

He was a clutch player as well. That may be best demonstrated by his overtime goal in the opening round of the 2003 playoffs in Detroit. At 13:30 into extra time, he scored the game-winner to eliminate the defending Stanley Cup champions

Although Rucchin didn’t make our list as one of the Anaheim Ducks/Mighty Ducks top five captains, he did have an almost impossible task. He wore the “C” the season after Kariya jumped ship and had the responsibility of keeping a dis-spirited locker room together.

ANAHEIM, CA: Andy McDonald #19 of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim brings the puck up the ice in the first period against the Colorado Avalanche in game two of the Western Conference Semifinals on May 7, 2006. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) /

19 – Andy McDonald (2001-2007)

Andy Mac is one of the franchise’s all-time players. Quite an accomplishment for a guy the Mighty Ducks signed as an undrafted free-agent. Through hard work, he became a Stanley Cup champion.

McDonald first put on the #19 jersey in 2001. After bouncing between Anaheim and the AHL, the previous season, it was a sign that full-time NHL duty was on his horizon. He started off a little slow but exploded to score 163 points combined during the 2005-06, and 2006-07 seasons.

He is one of only five Ducks players to score over 80 points in a season (85 in 2005-06) joining current Hall-of-Famers Kariya, and Teemu Selanne as well as future candidates Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. MacDonald is also among the top 10 franchise leaders in several offensive categories: Goals (9th-92), Assists (8th-167), Points (8th-259), Goals Created (7th-93.9), and Power Play Goals (8th-26).

5 Nov 1995: Leftwinger Garry Valk of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks celebrates after scoring against the New Jersey Devils during a game at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. Mandatory Credit: Glenn Cratty /Allsport /

18 – Garry Valk (1993-97)

Honorable Mention Drew Miller (2007-2009) – The younger brother of current Anaheim Ducks goalie Ryan Miller was drafted by the organization in the 2003 Entry Draft’s sixth round. He played the first two of a 10-year career in Anaheim, proving to be a reliable defensive forward.

Garry Valk was an original Mighty Duck. After being claimed on waivers from Vancouver, prior to the start of the 2003-04 season, he played in 246 games for the club through February of 2007. By far his best season was his first. That year he had 45 points (18g, 27a) in 78 games.

Since his retirement in 2003, Valk has kept himself quite busy. Aside from coaching his son’s junior hockey team, and doing some broadcasting, he runs a real estate business in North Vancouver. He was even featured in Canadian Business Magazine as an athlete that has gone on to be successful after their career had ended.

ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 1: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates his third-period goal during the game against the Colorado Avalanche. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images) /

17 – Ryan Kesler (2014-2018)

Ryan Kesler is entering his fifth season with the Anaheim Ducks. Before last year’s hip debacle, RK 17 scored 158 points in 204 regular season games with Anaheim. Those are good numbers for anyone, but he plays on a defense-oriented line. He had a miserable 2017-18 as rehabilitation kept him out half the year and after he came back, Kesler was about 80ish percent, sometimes even less.

RK17 has done it all for Anaheim since his arrival from Vancouver. As previously mentioned, he centers the checking line, often matching up against the opponents best scorers. but he plays in all situations. Kesler is a force on the penalty kill, has 48 power play points, and maybe most importantly has won 57% of the almost 5800 faceoffs he’s taken.

Among his many talents is as an instigator. Opponents hate to play against him. One of the most hated men in hockey, his intensity and determination have made him a beloved member of the Anaheim Ducks community. That goes to show that opposing fans may hate him, but they would want him on their team.

Honorable Mention Dustin Penner (2005-2007, 2015-2016) – Penner was another undrafted free agent the organization had success with. He wore #17 for two of his three seasons in Anaheim. His best was the title season of 2006-07 when he scored 45 points (29g, 18a) in 82 games.

Note: Hall-of-Fame forward Jari Kurri wore #17 in his only season with Anaheim (1996-97)

NEWARK, NJ – FEBRUARY 17: Eric Boulton #22 of the New Jersey Devils and George Parros #16 of the Anaheim Ducks prepare to battle at the Prudential Center on February 17, 2012. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

16 – George Parros (2007-2012)

One of the great brawlers in Anaheim Ducks history, Parros came to the team a month into the 2006-07 season. It was his second season in the NHL and he played in 33 games and was in an incredible 18 fights.

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According to fan voting on hockeyfights.com, his fight record that year was 5-7-6. As time went on he eventually won more fights than he lost.

The Ivy League-educated (Princeton) right wing played 356 of his total 474 NHL games in Anaheim. He is second all-time in Anaheim Ducks history with 812 penalty minutes, trailing only Corey Perry. Parros went mano-y-mano 122 times for Anaheim from 2007-12. Parros actual scored some points in his career, posting 28 with the Ducks out of 36 total.

The Stache was the subject of our first “Where are they now” articles in March. If you missed it, he is now head of the NHL’s Department of Player safety. Now when an NHL player gets a suspension, he runs the department that hands out suspensions. It is one of the games ultimate ironies. Parros pops up from time to time on Ducks and Kings broadcasts as an analyst.