Anaheim Ducks: The Top 5 Centers in Franchise History
As we continue to celebrate the Anaheim Ducks 25th Anniversary season we bring our next installment. Today its the men up the middle’s turn.
The Anaheim Ducks have had franchise cornerstones, playoff heroes, and Hall of Famers in their short history. Teams need to be deep down the middle to win huge games and the Ducks have won their share of them thanks in part to the players listed below. Here are the Top 5 Centers in Ducks History.
Honorable Mention: Adam Oates and Sergei Fedorov
Adam Oates and Sergei Fedorov would both be on this list had their Ducks tenure been longer. Oates only season in SoCal was the Cinderella run of 2002-03. He provided a boost, no doubt, with 45 points in the regular season along with 13 more in the historic playoff run. However, Oates was already in his 21st NHL season when he suited up in the eggplant and jade. Too many big names centers ahead of him for this list.
Federov slots into a similar situation. Brought over from Detriot to start the 2003-04 season, Fedorov was meant to cushion the blow of losing “The Mighty Duck” Paul Kariya. Federov was a former 100 point scorer along with winning multiple Stanley Cups.
It showed the Ducks could still attract high-end talent and put fans in the seats after almost capturing the Cup the year prior. Playing only 85 total games for the Ducks Federov scored 31-35-66. His 31 goals all came in the full season he played for the Ducks as he was traded just 5 games into the following one.
Fedorov’s legacy ultimately helped the Ducks capture the Cup in 2007, though. The trade that sent him from Anaheim to Columbus brought the Ducks back defenseman Francois Beauchemin who was a pivotal player on the Cup winning team.
5 – Saku Koivu (2009-20,14)
Like the two players mentioned above, Saku Koivu joined the Ducks well into his career. After 13 years in Montreal, Koivu saw the perfect storm brewing. With the Habs looking to get younger and the chance to play with fellow countryman and friend Teemu Selanne, this was a no-brainer. The Ducks also needed a 2/3C and Koivu fit that bill.
Koivu played five seasons with the Ducks compiling 64-127-191. These 191 points have Koivu ranked 15th All-Time in points for the Ducks and fifth all-time among Ducks centers. If there was one down-side to Koivu it was his post-seaosn numbers.
The playoffs seemed too quick for Koivu late in his career and it showed on the stat sheet. He played 26 total games scoring 11 points but a -9 rating was his Achilles Heel. Koivu was used less and less in the post-season but his presence was felt elsewhere.
The veteran pivot still had plenty of game left when he signed out West, but his guidance cannot be overlooked. Players such as new captain Ryan Getzlaf and young, up and comer Nick Bonino looked up to him. Koivu helped guide the young leader Getzlaf in his formative captain years. And allowed Bonino time to grow and flourish to the point he was traded for the next player on my list. The ability to see Selanne and Koivu finally get some years together in the NHL made many a Duck and NHL fan happy.
4 – Ryan Kesler (2014-Present)
Ryan Kesler, the hopeful 2C for the 2018-19 Anaheim Ducks, and hopefully the vintage RK17. Kesler has been a beast since the moment he arrived in SoCal. A jack of all trades, he scores, makes plays, can be used on the PP and PK, wins face-offs, and shuts down the opposing teams best players.
RK17 gives you everything night in and night out. Which is why it was hard to see him as a shell of himself last season dealing with his lingering hip issues. The jury remains out on if Kesler will be back and if he is, which Kesler are the Ducks getting? The ghost of last year or the beast of years previous? If its the latter the Ducks are Cup contenders in my book.
Kesler has been wearing the “Webbed D” since 2014 and in that time has gone 71-101-172. Currently, his 172 points sit him 17th all-time with the Ducks. Should he be ready to go come October and be back to himself it is not out of the question for him to eclipse the top ten. His playoff stats read 12-15-27 in 44 games. Kesler brings so much to the table night in and night out. He plays in all high-pressure situations and you could even make the case he has the toughest job of anyone on the ice.
Asked to score as well as being the leader of the Ducks ‘shut-down” line. That is no small task and Kesler not only handles it he relishes it. He loves the opportunity to bring Honda to its feet and silence other arenas. RK17 feeds off the hate of opposing fans and players alike. He is the consummate professional and it’s very very easy to root for this guy.
3 – Andy McDonald (2000-2008)
The little engine that could, Andy McDonald. I’ll be honest on this selection, McDonald is here for one reason and one reason only. He is a huge reason the Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007. Had he not, I’m not even sure he would be an honorable mention on this list. That is nothing against McDonald because I liked him as a player.
Up until the 2005 season, McDonald was average at best. People forget he was on the Ducks roster during their run to the Cup Finals in 2003 but didn’t play at all in the playoffs that year. McDonald hovered between 20-30 points each year since 2000 until 2005 rolled around.
Call it catching lightning in a bottle, call it the “Teemu Selanne Effect” but 2005-06 came and McDonald found his game. That year Andy Mac set career highs in goals (34) and assists (51) on top of 9 more points in the playoffs. He was a guy that was struggling to put up 30 points a season and then jumped to 30 goals.
The following year he remained hot with a 27-51-78 line along with 14 points including 10 goals en route to a Stanley Cup. That huge push of points has McDonald sitting at eighth all-time in points for the Ducks just five behind Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer.
Unfortunately due to cap reasons McDonald was sent to St. Louis midway through the 2007-08 season. He was serviceable during his tenure with the Blues but due to older age and concussion issues, he was never the player he was for two big seasons in sunny SoCal.
2 – Steve Rucchin (1994-2004)
Steve Rucchin was a Ducks draft pick in 1994 and spent every season but his last two as a member of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Rucchin was a steady and consistent player for all his years on Katella Ave. He crossed the 50+ point plateau five times in his ten years with the organization and this was during a time when the Ducks didn’t have many All-Star caliber players.
Rucchin was here in the teams formative years and did plenty without a ton of help. He had the likes of Paul Kariya, Selanne, and Petr Sykora for a bit but he was a huge cog for the Ducks machine. His final Ducks stat line reads, 153-279-432. Those 432 points have the big center from Thunder Bay, ON fifth all-time in Ducks points.
With the current rankings, Rucchin looks to remain there unless Cam Fowler or Rickard Rakell can pass him down the road. Rucchin also has a total of 16 total playoff points for the Ducks and 8 of them being goals. None bigger than this gem.
In the 2003 playoffs, the Ducks drew the defending Cup champion Detriot Red Wings in round 1. With no one giving the Ducks any chance to win they went into Joe Louis Arena and took both games. Coming home they also took Game 3 and then Game 4. Rucchin busted down the right wing and got a shot on that was swept away to the corner. But Keith Carney collected it behind the net and hit Rucchin out front, a mere second later to put the dagger in the Red Wings heart for a sweep.
The Ducks first series sweep was the start of an incredible 2003 run. Rucchin was one of the franchises first All-Stars and responsible for one of the best goals in Ducks history.
1 – Ryan Getzlaf (2005-Present)
Ryan Getzlaf I believe is far and away the best center the Ducks have ever had. People in the past have questioned his leadership capability and his willingness to pass the puck as opposed to shooting it. The latter of which you have an argument while the former I believe is foolish.
More from All-Time Lists
- Anaheim Ducks: The Franchise All-Time Bracket Matchup
- Anaheim Ducks: Top 5 Goals in the Stanley Cup Finals
- Anaheim Ducks: Five of the Greatest Goals in Franchise History
- Anaheim Ducks: 25th Anniversary All-Decade Teams, The 2010’s
- Anaheim Ducks: The All-Time Top 5 Defencemen in Franchise History
Getzlaf is one of the best captains in Anaheim Ducks history as well but that’s a different article. Number 15 has been a stud since he was selected in the often referenced 2003 draft. This was a guy the Ducks were using on the point during the West Finals and Stanley Cup Finals at times when he was an early 20-year-old kid.
He is still going strong and he is capable of not only changing the complexion of a game but taking it over. Getzlaf is only behind Teemu Selanne in Ducks history for points and depending upon the year he can have this year and next there is a chance he passes the Finnish Flash. The captain currently sits at 247-628-875. He will reach 900 points with ease this season and I don’t believe it’s out of the realm of possibility for him to reach 1000 NHL points.
Getzlaf like Kesler mentioned above is a centerman who plays in all situations. He is asked to score, play the PP and PK, win face-offs, and play in all high leverage situations. As he goes the Anaheim Ducks go and there’s no doubt he wants to be the one responsible for bringing a second Cup back to Anaheim.
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He knows what it takes to win and takes great pride in leading the Ducks in every game. There is no doubt that #15 will hang in the rafters one day, hopefully along with another Stanley Cup banner.