| THE “MIGHTY DECADE”: 1993-2003 |
Before June 7, 1993, hockey fans in Southern California choosing to follow a favorite local NHL team had the Los Angeles Kings … or nothing. That day, however, marked the start of genuine Southland hockey competition, as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and their official teal-and-purple logo were born.
At a press conference that day at The Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, team owner Michael Eisner donned the team’s home white jersey, featuring the famed hockey mask shaped like a duck’s head. “We promised our fans that we would deliver an exciting logo,” Eisner told writers representing sports media attending the press conference. “I believe we have done just that.”
Since 1993, Eisner’s front-office personnel have delivered young, dynamic Ducks teams. Left winger and team captain Paul Kariya, the Ducks’ number-one draft pick in their first draft in 1993, has been the talented constant in nine of their first 10 years, leading the team to two playoff appearances in 1997 and 1999 (as well as a third in 2003), appearing in seven All-Star games since 1996, being named to three National Hockey League All-Star “first teams,” and winning two Lady Byng Memorial trophies for good sportsmanship on the ice. Winger Teemu Selanne, an assistant Ducks’ captain and a fan favorite fondly known as “The Finnish Flash,” anchored a potent line with Kariya for several seasons, helping the team to two playoff series in 1997 and 1999. Selanne’s influence is still felt at Ducks’ games; it’s common to see fans wearing teal-and-purple “Selanne 8” jerseys.
As a team, the Ducks faced tough times in the early years – typical of sports teams in their first seasons -- as well as recent “growing pains” of an organization reaching its adolescence. Nevertheless, the Ducks have attained a solid 269-338-88-11 record in their nine-season history, a most respectable 69 games under .500. Throughout those nine seasons, the Ducks have captured a dedicated and passionate fan base in Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Los Angeles County … as well as fans throughout North America and Europe.
Here’s a brief glance through the Ducks’ history book:
1993-94
Final record: 33-46-5
71 points/4th place, Pacific Division/9th place, NHL Western Division
Attendance: 696,560 total/16,989 average per game/98.9% capacity
The maiden season for the Mighty Ducks proved to be a solid foundation for the franchise itself. Under the leadership of coach Ron Wilson, goaltender Guy Hebert opened his eight-season career in Anaheim, and left winger Troy Loney was named the team’s first captain. That year, the Ducks set two NHL records by first-year clubs: total wins (33) and road wins (19). Another notable mark was the 71 points the Ducks amassed that season – the fourth-highest total to date by a first-year NHL team. Anaheim’s new NHL team emerged as a success in the stands as well as on the ice, as there were 27 sellouts that season. Off the ice, the Ducks signed first-round draft pick Paul Kariya, a left winger from the University of Maine, on June 26.
1994-95
Final record: 16-27-5
37 points/6th place, Pacific Division/12th place, NHL Western Division
Attendance: 412,176/17,174 average per game/100% capacity
In the first season of left winger Paul Kariya’s nine-year tenure, the Ducks opened a strike-shortened season with a young roster. Thirteen players were 25 years old or younger, while only three were 30 or older. Including the future All-Star winger Kariya, eleven rookies wore a Ducks jersey that season and accumulated a total of 238 man-games. Despite the youthful look of the club, veteran defenseman Randy Landouceur held down the fort as Ducks captain. In overcoming a slow start, Anaheim stayed competitive through the last week of the season, being eliminated mathematically from the NHL playoffs with only two games left. Notably, every one of the 24 Mighty Ducks games that season was sold out.
1995-96
Final record: 35-39-8
78 points/4th place, Pacific Division/T-8th, Western Division
Attendance: 703,347/17,155 average/99.9% capacity
During the season marking the debut of the now-famous Paul Kariya-Teemu Selanne scoring duo and off-ice friendship, the Mighty Ducks watched their club rebound to a stronger season, setting team records at that point with wins (35) and points (78). With defenseman Randy Landouceur acting as team captain in his final NHL season, the young Ducks began to gel on the ice. That roster included rookie wingers Steve Rucchin and Mike Leclerc and veteran defenseman Frederick Olausson; all three players are members of the Ducks’ 2002-03 roster. 1996 was a noteworthy year for young winger Kariya; he was named Ducks’ alternate captain and selected by fans to his first NHL All-Star game. The Ducks remained a hockey box-office hit, as 38 of the team’s home games were sold out.
1996-97
Final record: 36-33-18
85 points/2nd place, Pacific Division/4th place, Western Division
Attendance: 682,735/16,972 average/98.8% capacity
Conference quarterfinals vs. Phoenix Coyotes: 4-3
Conference semifinals vs. Detroit Red Wings: 0-4
The Mighty Ducks celebrated their first-ever winning season in their history, marked by franchise-high totals in wins (36), total points (85), and home wins (23). Current Ducks defenseman Ruslan Salei made his debut in uniform, appearing in 30 games that season for Anaheim. Kariya and Selanne led the charge that season, averaging a combined 1.41 points per game, second in the NHL that season among two players on the same line. Not coincidentally, they were named to that year’s NHL All-Star first team. In particular, Kariya can point to this season as a landmark one in his career; he earned his second Lady Byng trophy and led the league in game-winning goals (10), shots (340), and ranked third in power-play goals (15) and points (99). Selanne, his linemate and close friend, was second in points (109) and goals (51), and finished fifth in the league with game-winning goals (8). The Kariya-Selanne duo was a main reason for several Ducks’ winning runs, including a club-record 12-game unbeaten streak from February 22 to March 19, as well as losing only three of their final 23 games of the season. Anaheim’s winning ways carried over into the first round of their first-ever playoff appearance; the Ducks prevailed over the Phoenix Coyotes,winning the final game of the series at The Pond with a 3-0 shutout on April 29. The season came to an end on May 8, with a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at home.
1997-98
Final record: 26-43-13
65 points/6th place, Pacific Division/12th place, Western Division
Attendance: 682,735/17,068 average/99.4% capacity
Although the Ducks suffered a drop-off the following season following their first appearance in the playoffs, they learned to master the perennially challenging Atlantic Division with a 7-4-3 mark that year. Recent Ducks Matt Cullen and Pavel Trnka joined the club as rookies that season. Kariya was named to the hockey team representing his native Canada for the 1998 Winter Olympics but could not play, due to a concussion prior to Olympic competition. Selanne paced his Finnish team to a bronze medal in the hockey competition. The Finnish Flash was a dynamo on the ice for the Ducks as well, recording at least 25% of his club’s goals that season – only the fourth player in NHL history to accomplish that feat. He also put together an 11-game goal scoring streak, three hat tricks, 10 game-winning goals, and a club-record 13 goals in the a month (November).
1998-99
Final record: 34-34-13
83 points/3rd place, Pacific Division/6th place, Western Division
Attendance: 647,973/15,804 average/92% capacity
Conference quarterfinals vs. Detroit Red Wings: 0-4
In a stunning comeback season, the Ducks bettered their point total by 18, the third-largest improvement in the NHL, and ended their season on a high note by losing only 12 of their final 34 games. The club also included a seven-game winning streak from February 20 to March 7, a franchise high. Once the Ducks had a lead by the second period, they were a good bet to hold onto it, putting together a 28-3-7 record. Winger Teemu Selanne enjoyed another potent season, scoring 47 goals and winning the coveted Maurice “The Rocket” Richard Trophy – the award for the NHL player scoring the greatest number of goals in a season. He and fellow All-Star winger Kariya appeared in all 82 regular-season games that season, helping pace the Ducks to their second playoff appearance in as many years. The team’s season came to a close on April 27 at The Pond, with a 3-0 whitewashing by the Red Wings.
1999-2000
Final record: 34-33-12-3
83 points/5th place, Pacific Division/9th place, Western Division
Attendance: 592,874/14,460 average/84.2% capacity
Narrowly missing a playoff appearance that season, the Ducks enjoyed another productive season. All-Star winger Kariya was fourth in the NHL’s scoring department with 86 points, while Selanne ranked just beneath him in fifth place, with 85 points. Long-time goaltender Guy Hebert played his 400th game that season, while defenseman Oleg Tverdosky played in all of the Ducks’ 82 games. In a trade that remains controversial among fans to this day, the Ducks traded winger Teemu Selanne to the San Jose Sharks for winger Jeff Friesen and goaltender Steve Shields (now respectively with the New Jersey Devils and the Boston Bruins) on March 5, 2001.
2000-01
Final record: 25-41-11-5
66 points/5th place, Pacific Division/15th place, Western Division
Attendance: 553,990/13,512 average/78.7% capacity
In a season marked by transition, the Ducks featured several noteworthy rookies: goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, centers Andy McDonald and Samuel Pahlsson, and defensemen Marc Chouinard, Niclas Havelid, and Vitaly Vishnevski. Center Keith Carney, left winger Kevin Sawyer, and right winger Dan Bylsma also joined Anaheim’s team that season. Giguere proved to be a durable and capable netminder, starting 23 consecutive games for the Ducks from February 11 to April 4, earning back-to-back shutouts on March 11 and March 13 – the second time in club history. Left winger Kariya enjoyed his fifth season of scoring at least 30 goals, pacing the team in individual points with 67. Young defender Vishnevski ranked fifth in the NHL that season in hits (284).
2001-02
Final record: 29-42-8-3
69 points/5th place, Pacific Division/13th place, Western Division
Attendance: 492,089/12,002 average/69.9% capacity
Finishing their season
on a strong note, the Ducks compiled a 15-13-2-0 record in their final 30
games. Current right winger Patric Kjellberg wore the teal and purple this
year, adding crucial experience from his 15 seasons in the Swedish Elite League.
Giguere continued his upward trend as one of the NHL’s top young goaltenders,
earning a sparkling goals-against average of 2.13 (fifth in the NHL) and a
.920 save percentage (tied for fifth in the league). Equally notable: he was
unbeaten in 13 of his last 22 games that season. Overall, the Ducks’
GAA was a solid 2.39, ninth in the league. Three Ducks players represented
their native countries in the 2002 Winter Olympics: Paul Kariya, Canada; Ruslan
Salei, Belarus, and Oleg Tverdosky, Russia. Salei’s crew earned a bronze
medal, while Kariya’s Canadian team won the coveted gold. Kariya was
gold for his Ducks team as well; in his 82 games he played that year, he led
the team in goals (32), points (57), power-play goals (11), game-winning goals
(8), and shots (289). This marked his sixth year he scored at least 30 goals.
The future Hall of Fame winger also ended the 2001-02 season with more career
points – 588 – than any player 27 years old or younger. (In a
noteworthy post-season signing that would pay immediate dividends in the following
season, the Ducks signed goaltender Martin Gerber, a star veteran from the
Swiss Hockey League and the Swedish Elite Hockey League.)
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