As the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs rages on, the Anaheim Ducks, for the sixth straight season, are one of many teams watching from the couch. While it has become familiar territory at this point for the franchise and its fanbase, a sense of optimism permeates the air in Anaheim as players and management recently expressed excitement about the future of the team.
Related: Ducks Player Milestones Reached in 2023-24
That said, several players are vying for a Stanley Cup championship this postseason that once donned a Ducks uniform. Some were flashes in the proverbial pan, and others were lineup mainstays for years, including one franchise legend. Today, we’ll start a countdown of the top 15 former Ducks competing in this year’s playoffs. But first, let’s start with the eligibility criteria and some honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions: Stefan Noesen (Carolina Hurricanes), Danton Heinen (Boston Bruins) & William Karlsson (Vegas Golden Knights)
The only real criteria for eligibility on this list are a minimum of 50 games in a Ducks uniform. Essentially, if you played more than half a season for the franchise, then you’re eligible. This is why the following names are not, but are worthy honorable mentions.
Up first, Stefan Noesen of the Carolina Hurricanes, who arrived in Anaheim with Jakob Silfverberg in the Bobby Ryan trade. His Ducks career was nothing to write home about as he only played 14 games and scored twice, but he has seemingly found a home with the Hurricanes after posting two straight seasons of at least 78 games played and 36 points scored.
Next, Danton Heinen, who suited up for the Ducks during the COVID-shortened seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21. He was the short-lived return for Nick Ritchie. Neither player lasted with their respective franchises very long, but Heinen has held a steady role in the NHL since his Ducks departure. He played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins and now is back with the Bruins, who originally drafted him in 2014.
William Karlsson, our last honorable mention, played just 18 games for the Ducks in 2014-15 but has blossomed into an absolute stud with the Vegas Golden Knights. In seven seasons with the Golden Knights, he has collected three 20-plus goal seasons, including 30 this past season and a whopping 43 in 2017-18. He was the very definition of an under-the-radar talent who just needed the right situation to demonstrate he could be the all-situations player he currently shows he is on a nightly basis for the dynamic and dangerous Golden Knights.
Now, that’s enough for the honorable mentions. Let’s begin our countdown.
15. Simon Benoit, Toronto Maple Leafs
Simon Benoit comes in at 15 on the list of former Ducks competing in the 2024 postseason. Currently manning the blue line for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Benoit began his career with the Ducks and played parts of three seasons with the club, including an additional two with the San Diego Gulls. He won’t light up the scoresheet, and was part of a horrendous defense group in Anaheim during his tenure, but he is a big body with a physical style of play that has proven effective against the Bruins in Round 1 thus far.
14. Sam Steel, Dallas Stars
Disappointment accurately describes Sam Steel’s tenure with the Ducks, which is why he barely cracks the top-15. The former first-round pick in 2016 played four seasons with the Ducks, but never cracked the 30-point mark or consistently displayed the explosiveness and skill that defined his impressive Western Hockey League career with the Regina Pats. And yet, he finds himself in a depth role with the Central Division-winner Dallas Stars, who currently find themselves in a 0-2 hole against the Golden Knights.
13. Pat Maroon, Boston Bruins
Perhaps the most accomplished of any player in this first five, Pat Maroon seeks rarified air this postseason as he battles for an astonishing fourth championship. He was an effective player in his five seasons with the Ducks, often playing alongside Ryan Kesler, Ryan Getzlaf, or Corey Perry. “The Big Rig” was a dynamic power forward and complement to these players and it resulted in two of the best statistical seasons of his career (29 points in 62 games in 2013-14 and 34 points in 71 games in 2014-15).
His ability to form chemistry and mesh with star players early in his career paved the way for a series of opportunities to play with players like Connor McDavid, Ryan O’Reilly, Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, and others, before finally landing with the Bruins at this season’s trade deadline. He is one of many former Ducks currently playing for the Bruins.
12. Ilya Lyubushkin, Toronto Maple Leafs
Though Ilya Lyubushkin was never going to be more than a rental player for the Ducks, his 55 games in a Ducks uniform were serviceable from the standpoint that he was a physical, veteran blueliner and effective mentor to fellow Russian (and rookie) Pavel Mintyukov. Lyubushkin, Radko Gudas, and Cam Fowler were the elder statesmen on a young Ducks roster in 2023-24, and his services as a no-nonsense, defensive-minded physical player should come in handy as the Maple Leafs’ first-round series with the Bruins goes longer.
11. Kevin Shattenkirk, Boston Bruins
Rounding out the first five in our countdown is Kevin Shattenkirk, whose three-season tenure in Anaheim was underwhelming, at best. The former US Olympian arrived in Anaheim off a championship run with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020. However, he didn’t bring much of a championship pedigree or the offensive skill or instincts that made him one of the more sought-after players in free agency and trade deadlines. He, like Benoit, was part of the worst defense in NHL history during the Ducks’ 2022-23 season, but has rebounded decently with his new team in a different role, which is why he lands at no. 11.
Role Players and Depth Pieces Define the First Five
There we have it – the first five in a countdown of the 15 best former Ducks vying for a Stanley Cup this season. As you can see, they are mostly role players who put their time in but just didn’t quite fit or ran out of steam with the franchise. So, what do you think? Surprised by any picks? Is someone out of place? Sound off in the comments below!