It wasn’t exactly a shock to see the Ducks raise the Stanley Cup in triumph early on the night of June 6, 2007. At least it shouldn’t have been, anyway.
General manager Brian Burke assembled a team that was destined for greatness, one that featured a winning blend of veterans and youngsters. The Ducks were talented, resourceful and deep, and, as Burke might have said, as tough as a night in jail.
Coach Randy Carlyle pushed all the right buttons one season after the Ducks had been defeated by the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference finals. Burke’s shrewd addition of defenseman Chris Pronger, in an offseason trade with the Oilers, pushed the Ducks over the top for 2006-07.
The Ducks began the regular season by going undefeated in their first 16 games (12-0-4) and drawing comparisons to the great Montreal Canadiens teams of the 1970s. A grueling 82-game regular season took its toll, but the Ducks won their first Pacific Division title with a 48-20-14 record.
Their 110 points in the standings were the most by a West Coast team, a sign of things to come.
The Ducks rocketed through the playoffs, trailing only once during a series, eliminating the Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings before taking a comprehensive victory over the overmatched Ottawa Senators, 4-1, in the Stanley Cup Final.
Here are the players and coaches who became the first California Stanley Cup champions:
THE COACHES
Randy Carlyle
Coach
Currently in his second stint as coach of the Ducks, who reached the Western Conference finals in his first season back behind the bench in 2016-17. His 319-205-74 record (2005-11 and 2016-17) is the best of any coach in Ducks history. He’s the only Ducks coach to ever win the Stanley Cup.
Dave Farrish
Assistant coach
Fired last month after two seasons an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche.
Newell Brown
Assistant coach
Fired in April after four years as an assistant coach with the Arizona Coyotes.
THE SKATERS
Ryan Getzlaf
Center
21 playoff games: 7 goals, 10 assists.
Ducks team captain since the 2010-11 season. Two-time Olympic champion with Canada.
Corey Perry
Right wing
21 games: 6 goals, 9 assists
Ducks right wing. Hart Trophy winner as league MVP and a 50-goal scorer in 2010-11.
Teemu Selanne
Right wing
21 games: 5 goals, 10 assists
Retired in 2014. Co-owner of a Laguna Beach restaurant. Expected to be included in the Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2017 when it’s announced later this month. Named as one of the NHL’s 100 greatest players in a ceremony during the All-Star Weekend in January in Los Angeles.
Chris Pronger
Defenseman/Alternate captain
19 games: 3 goals, 12 assists
Has worked for the NHL’s department of player safety since 2014. Elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. Named as one of the NHL’s 100 greatest players in a ceremony during the All-Star Weekend in January in L.A., one of three members of the 2007 Stanley Cup team to be so honored.
Andy McDonald
Center
21 games: 10 goals, 4 assists
Retired after the 2012-13 seasons because of concussions. Lives in the St. Louis area.
Travis Moen
Left wing
21 games: 7 goals, 5 assists
Retired. Lives and works on the family farm in Saskatchewan. Coaches youth hockey.
Samuel Pahlsson
Center
21 games: 3 goals, 9 assists
Completed his career in his native Sweden, where he now resides with his family.
Scott Niedermayer
Defenseman/captain
21 games: 3 goals, 8 assists
Completed his fifth season on the Ducks’ hockey operations staff. Spent last season tutoring the Ducks’ minor league defensemen. Enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. Named as one of the NHL’s 100 greatest players during the NHL’s All-Star Weekend in January in Los Angeles.
Rob Niedermayer
Right wing/alternate captain
21 games: 5 goals, 5 assists
Retired after the 2010-11 season. Lives in Cranbrook, British Columbia, with his family.
Francois Beauchemin
Defenseman
20 games: 4 goals, 4 assists
Defenseman with the Colorado Avalanche. Played in his 836th NHL game this past season.
Dustin Penner
Left wing
21 games: 3 goals, 5 assists
Won a Stanley Cup title with the Kings in 2011-12. Retired and living in Newport Beach
Chris Kunitz
Left wing
13 games: 1 goal, 5 assists
Left wing for the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Todd Marchant
Center
11 games: 0 goals, 3 assists
Ducks assistant coach. Served as their director for player development from 2011-16.
Ric Jackman
Defenseman
7 games: 1 goal, 1 assist
Has played in Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia and Great Britain since 2006-07.
Sean O’Donnell
Defenseman
21 games: 0 goals, 2 assists
Works for Fox Sports West as an analyst during Kings games. Lives in Southern California.
Brad May
Left wing
18 games: 0 goals, 1 assist
Completed his third season with MSG Network as an analyst on Buffalo Sabres games.
Kent Huskins
Defenseman
21 games: 0 goals, 1 assist
Lives with his family in Newport Beach. Part-owner of a pizza company.
Joe DiPenta
Defenseman
16 games: 0 goals, 0 assists
Serves as regional director of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Shawn Thornton
Left wing
15 games: 0 goals, 0 assists
Won a Stanley Cup title with the Boston Bruins in 2010-11. Recently named vice president of business operations for the Florida Panthers.
Ryan Shannon
Right wing
11 games: 0 goals, 0 assists
Played last season in Switzerland. Plans to coach at a Connecticut prep school in 2017-18.
George Parros
Right wing
5 games: 0 goals, 0 assists
Retired in 2014, after playing 356 of his 474 career games with the Ducks. Remains a Ducks fan favorite for his fighting ability. Joined the NHL’s department of player safety last year.
Ryan Carter
Center
4 games: 0 goals, 0 assists
Played 18 games last season with the Iowa Wild, the Minnesota Wild’s AHL team.
Drew Miller
Left wing
3 games: 0 goals, 0 assists
Completed his eighth season with the Detroit Red Wings. Has played 571 games in the NHL.
Joe Motzko
Right wing
3 games: 0 goals, 0 assists
Lives in Minnesota with his wife, Lauren, and their three young children – all boys.
Mark Hartigan
Center
1 game: 0 goals, 0 assists
Works in real estate in Fort McMurray, Alberta, where he lives with his wife and three children.
Aaron Rome
Defenseman
1 game: 0 goals, 0 assists
Works as an assistant coach for the Brandon (Manitoba) Wheat Kings of the junior-level WHL.
THE GOALIES
Jean-Sebastien Giguere
18 games: 13-4, 1.97 goals-against average, .922 save percentage, 1 shutout
Played his final NHL game at Honda Center on April 13, 2014, while with the Colorado Avalanche, and took an emotional victory lap with Teemu Selanne. Lives with his wife and their three children near Montreal. Works part-time as a hockey analyst on French-language broadcasts.
Ilya Bryzgalov
5 games: 3-1, 2.25 goals-against average, .922 save percentage.
Retired. Lives with his family outside of Philadelphia. Coaches his son, a goalie.