Five of the Anaheim Ducks Biggest Team Rivalries

In every sport, there are always big rivalries. The NHL is no different, and over their 25-year history, the Anaheim Ducks have certainly made a few enemies.

Enemy, foe, rival, opposition, opponent, competition; these are all adjectives that can be used to describe how we see certain teams in this league. English lessons aside let’s dive into the 5 of the Anaheim Ducks Most Hated Opponents.

5. The Detroit Red Wings

Now before you roast me just hear me out. The Red Wings used to be a major rival for the then-Mighty Ducks and the current Anaheim Ducks. They were often a thorn in our side, especially come playoff time. Against the Ducks, the Red Wings have an all-time record of 52-24-7-4. It’s pretty easy to develop a strong dislike for a team who has historically gotten the better of you.

Then again, looking back at the 90’s Red Wings teams, they were definitely stacked. We first faced them in the 1997 Western Conference Quarter Finals where they swept us in 4 games. We faced them again in the 1999 postseason and we once again were swept.

Since both the 2003 and 2007 series, we’ve seen them in 2009 where the Ducks lost to them in 7 games and then again in the 2013 playoffs where the Red Wings once again beat the Ducks in the dreaded Game 7.

Fortunately, they didn’t always get the drop on us. In 2003, we faced them once again in the WCQF. This time around the Mighty Ducks swept the Red Wings and, in the process, became the first team in 50 years to sweep the defending Stanley Cup champions. Four years later, we faced them in the Western Conference Finals and the Ducks would beat them in 6 games and then go on to win the Stanley Cup. The reason why they aren’t higher on this list is that they moved to the Atlantic division in 2013 and because of that we only see them twice a year instead of three.

4. San Jose Sharks

The Sharks aren’t our top rival in the state but we have a long history of hatred against them. They boast a 72-54-4-9 all-time record vs. the Ducks and we’ve seen them face the Ducks twice in the playoffs: 2009 and 2018. Over the years they’ve proven to be a very tough divisional foe and it’s honestly incredible that the Ducks have only seen them twice in the playoffs. Back in 2009, we beat the President Trophy winning Sharks in 6 games. Who could forget that epic fight between Ryan Getzlaf and Joe Thornton at the beginning of Game 6?

Last year, in the postseason, they got the better of Anaheim by sweeping them in 4 games. We were coming in off a crazy rush to playoffs that saw us shoot up from wild card to second in the division, only behind the Vegas Golden Knights. We won the home ice advantage over the Sharks in the playoff race but that quickly dissipated after Game 2.

They took a 2-0 series lead and none of us were prepared what happened next at the SAP Center in Game 3. The Sharks would drop 8 goals on the Ducks in what was arguably their worst playoff loss in franchise history.  The Sharks would end the series in a 2-1 victory in Game 4. I compare them to the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. They believe themselves to be the best in the state yet have no title to back their claim.

3. Los Angeles Kings

There’s a reason they aren’t higher on our list. The rivalry isn’t really there anymore. It was at an absolute fever pitch in 2014. That year the Ducks and Kings had a Stadium Series game and a playoff series. Since then, the rivalry honestly hasn’t been the same. The Kings aren’t as good as they used to be and nobody likes watching a one-sided rivalry.

The Kings have an all-time record of 62-51-11-15.  The Ducks currently lead by 5 wins. Back in the 2013-14 season, the Ducks faced the Kings at Dodger Stadium for a Stadium Series game. The Ducks shutout the Kings 3-0 in that game.

Later that same season, they faced off in the second round of the playoffs. The Kings would win in 7 games. Similar to the Sharks, the Kings have always been a tough divisional foe but we’ve only seen them in the playoffs once. As a result of Anaheim losing that series, the Kings went on to win their second Stanley Cup.  Now, every time the Ducks have a road game at Staples Center, they have to remind us that two cups are better than one. I think the fan bases beef more than the actual teams.

2. Calgary Flames

Whenever I think of the Calgary Flames two things come to mind: 1. The Streak and 2. “You Can’t Win Here.” For a very, very long time, the Honda Center was a literal house of horrors for the Flames. The Flames have an all-time record of 41-51-7 vs the Anaheim Ducks and are 9-31-6 in the Honda Center. They finally got a win at Honda Center during the 2017-18 season. It only took a super depleted Ducks team to do it, but hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

In the postseason we’ve met the Flames 3 times: 2006, 2015, 2017, winning all three meetings. The first meeting saw the Ducks defeat the Flames in 7 games. We can’t forget that legendary scrap between Francois Beauchemin and Jarome Iginla. 2015 saw the Ducks hand the Flames a gentleman’s sweep. (A gentleman’s sweep is when the losing team wins one game instead of none.) Anaheim absolutely dominated that series from start to finish. It would’ve been a sweep if not for a late delay of game penalty by Sami Vatanen.

The last meeting in 2017 was also a sweep. In that series, Calgary put up more of a fight but it ended the same. In Game 2, Calgary experienced more Honda Center horrors. During a powerplay chance in the 3rd period, Getzlaf went to pass the puck (like always) and it ricocheted off of a Calgary player and over the reach of Brian Elliot and into the net. In Game 3 at Calgary, the Flames had a 3 goal lead and they blew that, eventually losing in OT. The Ducks would complete the sweep in Game 4 by a final score of 3-1 after both Brian Elliot and Chad Johnson give up quick goals in the 1st period. We’ve proven to be the kryponite to Calgary in the playoffs over the years.

Honorable Mentions: Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers

Chicago Blackhawks: Outside of that 2015 WCF series, there isn’t much of a rivalry between the two teams. They see each other three times a year and every game is always competitive and fun to watch. I still believe we could’ve won that series. We were a goal away. Every game Chicago won except for Game 7 went to OT. That could’ve been our Cup had we got one in OT.

Edmonton Oilers: We’ve played against them twice in the playoffs: 2006 and 2017. The teams are 1-1 in that aspect. If they ever get it together we could see that rubber match series. Thanks to the Oilers the Ducks finally got that Game 7 monkey off their backs. Also, Kesler did not hold Talbot’s pad and even if he did there’s still no excuse for blowing a 3-0 lead with 3 minutes to go.