Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Fans of the Anaheim Ducks have a lot to look forward to as the 20th anniversary season kicks off with captain Ryan Getzlaf in the spotlight. Getzlaf was named captain in the 2010-11 season after his previous four seasons that included 88 goals. He was previously an alternate captain alongside Chris Pronger to then-captain Scott Niedermayer.
There has been speculation that Getzlaf was not his old self on ice in recent seasons and that he was struggling to adjust as the role of captain amidst the firing of then-coach Randy Carlyle in the 2011-12 season. This was the worst year of Getzlaf’s career as he only tallied 11 goals and a minus-11 rating.
But despite the NHL lockout last season cutting the amount of games, he bounced back to his usual form with 15 goals and 34 assists. Now that there is a group of younger athletes transitioning into bigger roles, Getzlaf has a larger and more crucial role as captain.
Getzlaf’s presence is very apparent. His greatest asset is his contribution to not only in offense, but also in defense. Getzlaf will simultaneously play physically with his tall stature while being able to score points. He is considered to be one of the league’s most dominating forwards along with Corey Perry, who was also signed to the Ducks in 2005, the same year as Getzlaf.
Both recently signed eight-year extensions, and are playing their ninth season with the franchise. From all the speculation of what’s to come for the 20th anniversary season, Getzlaf will certainly making a comeback to when he first began with the Ducks, and fans are excited to see him on ice in a full NHL season.
Ellie Pourang is a sports columnist for Rant Sports. You can follow her on Facebook Twitter @elliepourang.
