Anaheim Ducks
About the Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks joined the NHL as an expansion franchise for the 1993-94 season alongside the Florida Panthers.
The franchise was founded by The Walt Disney Company as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, a name based on Disney's 1992 film The Mighty Ducks. Henry and Susan Samueli bought the team from Disney in 2005, and the franchise adopted the Anaheim Ducks name in 2006.
The Ducks have won one Stanley Cup, in 2007, and have reached the Stanley Cup Final twice. They became the first team from California to win the championship.
Division History
The Ducks entered the NHL in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in 1993.
Anaheim remained in the Pacific Division through the NHL's 1998 and 2013 realignments and continues to play there today.
The exception was the shortened 2020-21 season, when the NHL temporarily reorganized its divisions and Anaheim competed in the West Division.
Championship History
The Ducks played their first game on October 8, 1993, and won their first game five days later, 4-3 over the Edmonton Oilers. Anaheim selected Paul Kariya fourth overall in the 1993 NHL Draft, and he quickly became the face of the franchise, later joined by Teemu Selanne.
Anaheim reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 1996-97, defeating the Phoenix Coyotes in the opening round before being swept by the Detroit Red Wings.
The Mighty Ducks reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 2003 as a lower seed in the Western Conference. They defeated the Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild before losing to the New Jersey Devils in seven games. Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP despite playing for the losing team.
Anaheim won the Stanley Cup in 2007. The Ducks won the Pacific Division, defeated the Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings, and then beat the Ottawa Senators in five games in the Final. Defenseman Scott Niedermayer received the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Anaheim later won five consecutive Pacific Division championships from 2012-13 through 2016-17. The Ducks reached the Western Conference Final in 2015, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in seven games, and again in 2017, losing to the Nashville Predators in six.
The Ducks were swept by the San Jose Sharks in the first round in 2018 and then missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons.
That drought ended in 2025-26 under head coach Joel Quenneville. Anaheim finished 43-33-6 with 92 points, placed third in the Pacific Division and clinched its first playoff berth since 2018. The Ducks defeated the Edmonton Oilers in six games in the first round before losing a six-game second-round series to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Home of the Ducks
The Ducks have played their home games at Honda Center in Anaheim since the franchise's first season.
The arena opened in 1993 as the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim and became Honda Center in 2006. It is located near Disneyland and Angel Stadium.
Honda Center has a hockey capacity of 17,174. The Ducks' 2007 Stanley Cup banner hangs in the rafters alongside the retired numbers of Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer.
Notable Ducks
Paul Kariya became the first star of the franchise after Anaheim selected him fourth overall in the 1993 NHL Draft.
He teamed with Teemu Selanne to form one of the NHL's most dangerous offensive duos of the late 1990s and helped lead the Mighty Ducks to the 2003 Stanley Cup Final. His No. 9 was retired by the Ducks, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
Teemu Selanne returned to Anaheim in 2005 and became a key part of the 2007 Stanley Cup championship team. The Finnish forward holds the franchise record for goals. His No. 8 was retired by the Ducks, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
Scott Niedermayer signed with Anaheim in 2005 after winning three Stanley Cups and the 2004 Norris Trophy with the New Jersey Devils. He received the Conn Smythe Trophy during the Ducks' 2007 championship run. His No. 27 was retired by the Ducks.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere carried Anaheim to the 2003 Stanley Cup Final, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy, and was the starting goaltender when the Ducks won the Cup in 2007.
Ryan Getzlaf became the leading playmaker of the franchise's modern era and was a central part of the 2007 championship team. Corey Perry won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP in 2011 and also played on the 2007 champions.
A new generation helped end Anaheim's playoff drought in 2026. Cutter Gauthier led the team in scoring in a breakout season, while Leo Carlsson, goaltender Lukas Dostal and longtime forward Troy Terry played key roles.
Other prominent players in Ducks history include Steve Rucchin, Petr Sykora, Chris Pronger, Francois Beauchemin, Cam Fowler, Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish.