The Anaheim Ducks Top Five Left Wings in Franchise History
We continue our celebration of the Anaheim Ducks upcoming 25th season. Everyone needs a good wingman. This is our top five left wings of all-time.
When ranking the top left wings in franchise history you really get a glimpse at just how young this franchise is. It’s a position that has been the subject of debate in Anaheim for the last decade. Fans have been waiting for a top line left winger to join the team year-after-year.
The Anaheim Ducks have had many players line up on the left side, and making this list was harder then I expected. However, no matter how much you disagree with the other four on this list I think we can all agree on #1!
5 – Chris Kunitz (2004-2009)
Chris Kunitz may be better known for what he’s down as a Pittsburgh Penguin, but he still has an impressive resume with the Anaheim Ducks.
The Anaheim Ducks signed Kunitz as an undrafted free agent out of Ferris State University. He split the 2003-04 season between the AHL and NHL, playing 21 games with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
His first full season in Anaheim was a unique one, to say the least. He was waived by the team and picked up by the Atlanta Thrashers. They in-turn waived him after two games. Completing the cycle, the Ducks claimed him again of waivers and stuck him back in the line-up.
The 2006-07 season was Kunitz’s best season in Anaheim. He was named an alternate captain and finished with career high’s in goals (25) and points (60). Those have since been broken. To top it all off he helped lead the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
He may be remembered for what he did in Pittsburgh, but he got his start in Anaheim and left a pretty significant mark in his time here.
4 – Rob Niedermayer (2003-2009)
Rob Niedermayer spent six seasons with the Anaheim Ducks and was one of the few Ducks players who advanced to the Stanley Cup finals in both 2002-03 and 2006-07.
Rob was a serviceable player for Anaheim. His best days were clearly behind him but he still managed to post three 10-plus goal seasons and was a veteran presence in the locker room for the Stanley Cup win in 2006-07.
I’d love to say he made this list solely based on his contributions on the ice. However, we all know one of his best contributions to this team was luring his brother Scott over after the lockout.
Scotty is still the franchise leader in points by a defenseman, and his presence on the blue-line was priceless to the 2006-07 Stanley Cup winning team. As was seen by his Conn Smythe win during the 2007 playoffs.
3 – Andrew Cogliano (2012-Present)
The man we affectionately know as “Iron Man” has a special place in the hearts of many, if not all, Anaheim Ducks fans. He’s been a warrior and an exceptional professional in his seven seasons with the team.
He’s probably best known for his iron man streak. A streak that controversially ended this season, at 830 games, with a two-game suspension for hitting Kings forward Adrian Kempe. The Ducks’ winger had the 4th-longest consecutive games streak in NHL history.
“Cogs” has been a part of the Ducks most consistent line in recent memory, “The Shutdown Line”. The way he was able to gel with teammates Ryan Kesler and Jakob Silfverberg gave the Ducks a go-to option to send out against the opponents best players.
His speed has always made him a threat on the penalty kill, and he currently sits tied for the franchise lead in shorthanded goals (16) with Paul Kariya.
Whether you believe the streak is still alive or not, Andrew Cogliano will remain one of the best ever left wings to play for the Anaheim Ducks. Not for his offense, but for everything else he has done and still does for this team on a nightly basis.
2- Rickard Rakell (2013-Present)
You may be surprised to see Rakell here, but the fact of the matter is he’s played on the left side of Ryan Getzlaf for the better part of two seasons now.
Not only that, he’s led the team in goal scoring the past two seasons posting back-to-back 30-plus goal seasons. He’s the answer Anaheim Ducks fans have been looking for on top-line left wing and looks set to be the teams top goalscorer for years to come.
Rakell has done exactly what an organization asks of a young player, improve season after season. His play-making ability has always been the strong point of his game, but the goal-scoring has been an exciting surprise and he has the ability to break out highlight reel skill on a regular basis. We all remember this OT winner against the Edmonton Oilers.
Rickard Rakell is the future of this organization and any hope of getting back to the Stanley Cup Finals has the Swedish forward at the center of it. He also happens to have one of the best contracts in the NHL, making only $3.8 million over the next four seasons.
1 – Paul Kariya (1995-2003)
Let’s be honest, who else could this have been.
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
One of the most dynamic players to ever pull on a Ducks uniform, Paul Kariya is the greatest left-wing in franchise history.
He’s an over a point-per-game player in his career for the Ducks, posting 669 points in 606 games. He also has over 400 points more then the next highest player considered a left-wing, Andrew Cogliano.
There are a multitude of moments that could justify why Paul Kariya is the greatest left-winger in franchise history. However, none is more memorable than the infamous “Off The Floor, On The Board” play from the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals.
The fact that he is also now a Hall of Famer and will become the second player to have his jersey retired in franchise history only solidifies the claim that Paul Kariya is the greatest left-wing in franchise history.
Honorable Mentions:
Andy McDonald (on the center’s list)