Game of Thrones Small Council: Anaheim Ducks Edition
Game of Thrones is officially over, Winter has come and gone, the dispute over the Iron Throne has been resolved and fans are divided over the outcome. But what if the Anaheim Ducks were in Westeros? Who would be in power? Who would be their Small Council?
Game of Thrones is a cultural phenomenon and there is no shortage of websites (including on FanSided ) and you can even make your own Small Council with characters from the world of Westeros here. But today I want to take a look at something equally near and dear to my heart as Game of Thrones and build a small council around the Anaheim Ducks.
Inspired by an article by Michael Marzzacco.
Ryan Getzlaf The King
In Westeros, the King rules the 7 Kingdoms, they are the most powerful person in the country and is usually a battle-tested leader who (is supposed to) balance what is right, and what is “right” and what benefits the masses
Ryan Getzlaf is the logical choice, he’s been through battles, he’s waged war against the greatest warriors of other teams for over a decade. There’s no better leader on the Ducks than Getzlaf and he has earned his spot on “The Iron Throne”
Corey Perry Hand of the King
The Hand of the King is the King’s “right-hand man” he’s the person who represents the King any absence of the King, he’s usually a good friend of the King and is relied upon to be the most trusted confidant for the King.
Is there really any other option than Corey Perry? Perry has been referred to as Getzlaf’s “Twin” as they’ve been linked and nigh-inseparable since their draft year back in 2003. Perry is one of Getzlaf’s best friends, he often represents the team as an Alternate Captain and if Getzlaf were leading the 7 Kingdoms, I can’t imagine a world where Corey Perry wasn’t right by his side.
Ryan Kesler Grand Maester
The Grand-Maester is one of the more important members of the Small Council, maesters are assigned to the Citadel where they train for many many years in the art of alchemy, medicine, learning the history of the Seven Kingdoms and recording the events of history for future generations. The Grand-Maester is the most decorated of the maesters, though not necessarily the best.
Ryan Kesler seems like a good fit, he’s been around forever, has learned the ins and outs of the game, and has done everything in his power to adapt to whatever role thrown at him. He’s long in the tooth like most Grand Maesters before him. He might not have been with Getzlaf and Perry from the beginning, but he has turned into one of their more trusted allies by his loyalty to the team and willingness to do whatever is asked of him, just like a good Grand-Maester would.
Josh Manson Lord Commander of the Kings Guard
The Kings Guard is selected by the King, their sole purpose is to protect the King, they’re to give their life for the King if it comes to that, and are some of the finest Knights in the Seven Kingdoms.
There’s no better warrior on the Anaheim Ducks than Josh Manson, consistently putting himself in harm’s way, not afraid to get physical and do what it takes to protect his teammate. There is no better choice to lead the physical charge than Josh Manson.
Bob Murray Master of Coin
The Master of Coin is Westeros’ treasurer. He’s tasked with finding money to make the realm thrive, to find ways to fund projects and keep the 7 Kingdoms in the green, even if through nefarious, sneaky tactics. (Although there’s not many who have succeeded in this task, most accruing massive debts during their time as Master of Coin)
I think the only suitable person for this role is Bob Murray, the GM of the Anaheim Ducks and the person who through many cunning and awe-inducing moves has done a great job at signing players to deals well under what fans expected, keeping stalwarts of the team like Rickard Rakell, Hampus Lindholm, Ondrej Kase, John Gibson and Josh Manson all under contract for deals that are known as some of the best in the entire league. That’s not to say he’s perfect, as he’s made his share of bad investments as well with the likes of Clayton Stoner, Kevin Bieksa, and Bryan Allen among his list of stumbles.
John Gibson Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is instructed to oversee the Laws and Justice System in the Seven Kingdoms, they’re essentially the one whose job it is to keep things running smoothly and fairly in the face of adversity and to do what’s right and fair for the people of Westeros.
I think John Gibson is the best choice here, he’s the best player on the entire team, he establishes the tone of the game and is relied on heavily to bail out the team when things get difficult, he changes the laws of probability, physics, and reality on a near-nightly basis to keep the Ducks in just about any game he’s a part of.
Okay, okay, I know this one is a stretch, but there’s no way I can keep the best player on the team John Gibson off this Small-Council. I was going to put him as the Master of Ships because without him this ship would sink like the Titanic but I figured I’d be a bit more “glass half full” in this one
Hampus Lindholm Master of Whisperers
The Master of Whisperers is tasked with running a network of spies in the Seven Kingdoms, basically to learn about the secrets of any enemies to the King, and report them to the King before things go wrong. The Master of Whisperers is usually one of the smarter people in the Seven Kingdoms and is playing chess while the rest of the realm is playing tic-tac-toe and hasn’t even graduated to checkers yet.
Hampus Lindholm seems like a good choice here, he’s cerebral in just about everything he does, he’s charismatic when he opens up but is a bit of an enigma to outsiders. He operates in the shadows, very rarely getting the credit for the good he does, but he sure does a lot of good. Lindholm is at his best when you don’t notice him, and for a spy, you couldn’t ask for a better trait than that.
Those are my choices for a Game Of Thrones style Small Council with Anaheim Ducks, who would you elect to your small council of Ducks? Would you follow suit with what I’ve proposed or maybe throw in a curveball and bring some of the legends of Ducks past out of retirement to lead?
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