The incredible story of the Anaheim Ducks in 15 facts

Before becoming a professional training program, the Mighty Ducks of Gordon Bombay were on screen in the form of youth movies, with three installments released in 1992, 1994, and 1996. A series was also created between 2021 and 2022, which was cancelled after two seasons.

Considering the popularity of the first Mighty Ducks movie, Disney decided to turn it into an NHL team through an expansion in 1993. Jack Ferreira was then named the first general manager in the history of the Orange County organization.

With their very first ever draft pick, the Mighty Ducks selected the legendary Paul Kariya, who was chosen fourth overall in 1993, playing 9 seasons with Anaheim and serving as the team’s captain for 7 years.

Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, also known as the Honda Center since 2006, has been the home of the Mighty Ducks since 1993.

The 1993-1994 season was the very first in the history of the California club, led by Ron Wilson as head coach. The Mighty Ducks ultimately compiled a record of 33-46-5, finishing ninth in the West.

In 1995-1996, Anaheim acquired Teemu Selanne from the Winnipeg Jets, bringing significant offensive reinforcement. For nearly six seasons, Selanne and Kariya made waves with the Mighty Ducks. This duo was one of the most dynamic the team has ever seen.

In 2003, Mike Babcock led Anaheim to the first Stanley Cup Final in its history, losing in 7 games against the New Jersey Devils. Goalie Jean-Sebastien still won the Conn Smythe trophy, awarded to the most valuable player of the playoffs.

In 2005, Henry and Susan Samueli became the new owners of the team, coming from the Walt Disney Company for the sum of 75 million dollars (US). They are still the main shareholders to this day.

In 2006, the Samuelis decided to change the name and look of the organization, becoming the Anaheim Ducks and marking a distinction from the Disney era.

Led by the Niedermayer brothers, Chris Pronger, Jean-Sébastien Giguère, and Teemu Selanne, the Ducks won the first and only Stanley Cup in their history in 2007. They defeated the Ottawa Senators in 5 games. Thus, Anaheim became the first team from California to achieve this honor.

The Ducks have had several good goaltenders over the years, but J-S Giguère was undoubtedly the most memorable in their history. The Quebecer was with the American team for 9 seasons, accumulating 206 wins along the way.

From 2013 to 2024, the Ducks opted for a more understated primary logo, representing a D shaped like a duck’s foot.

Between 2005 and 2019, the Ducks were able to rely on this pair of power forwards to lead the group. They were one of the best duos in the entire NHL for several years. Both will eventually have their respective numbers retired in the rafters of Honda Center; it is only a formality.

The last few years for the Ducks have been difficult as they are in a rebuilding phase, but the future promises great things for this organization, given the talented young players they possess. We can think of Zegras, Carlsson, McTavish, Sennecke, and Gauthier, to name just a few.

To kick off the 2024-2025 season, the Ducks have gone back to their roots, bringing the Mighty Ducks logo back to life, but in golden and orange stitching, which have been their colors for many years. A beautiful nod to their roots while looking forward.