NHL Team Guide: Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks were founded in 1993 by the Walt Disney Company. The team took its name from the Disney film The Mighty Ducks, which had been released the previous year. Anaheim found success quickly setting a record for expansion teams with 33 wins in its first season. The Ducks sold out 27 of their 41 home games and the team’s merchandise was No. 1 in sales in the NHL.
Anaheim fans can watch the Ducks complete NHL schedule on FOX Sports West. The Ducks nationally broadcast games can be viewed on NBC and NBC Sports Network. All Ducks games are available for live streaming on the FOX Sports GO app.
NHL Standings
The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, as they were originally known, joined the NHL for the 1993-94 season. The team was placed in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, which is where the Ducks currently reside.
Championship History
Despite not having a long history in the league, the Ducks have had their fair share of success. Anaheim did not qualify for the postseason until its fourth year in the NHL. In 2002-03, the Ducks won their first of two conference championships and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. Anaheim lost to the New Jersey Devils in seven games.
The Ducks have qualified for the playoffs 14 times and have won six Pacific Division titles: 2006-07, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17). There are the two conference titles and in 2006-07 Anaheim won its first and only Stanley Cup
Home of the Ducks
Anaheim has played in the same arena since joining the NHL in 1993. Formerly known as Anaheim Arena and the Pond of Anaheim, the Honda Center is the home of the Ducks. Located in downtown Anaheim, the Honda Center seats 17,174 for hockey games.
Best of the Ducks
The Anaheim franchise has retired just three numbers in its 27-year history. The Ducks all-time leading scorer is Teemu Selanne who scored an Anaheim best 457 goals and a total of 988 points. Selanne broke into the NHL with Winnipeg in 1992-93 and set an NHL record for rookies scoring 76 goals. He also won the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year that season. Selanne played 15 seasons in Anaheim winning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 1999 after leading the league with 47 goals. He was a crucial part of the Ducks 2006-07 Stanley Cup victory.
Selanne’s teammate, Paul Kariya, played nine seasons in Anaheim after being drafted No. 4 overall in 1993. Kariya is fourth on the Ducks all-time scoring list with 300 goals and 669 points. His 1.10 points per game is tops in Anaheim history. Kariya won back-to-back Lady Byng (sportsmanship) Trophies in 1996 and 1997 and served as team captain for seven seasons. Like Selanne, Kariya was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
Scott Niedermayer played the final five seasons of his brilliant 18-year career in Anaheim. He is recognized as one of the greatest defenseman in NHL history. He is eighth on the Ducks all-time scoring list with 264 points and teamed with Selanne to help Anaheim win the 2006-07 Stanley Cup.
Author: Dan Anderson