Ryan Getzlaf

1.1. Childhood and formative years

Growing up in an athletically inclined family, both Ryan and his brother Chris were actively encouraged to participate in various sports, particularly ice hockey and Canadian football. Chris ultimately focused on football, eventually joining their hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League as a slotback. Ryan initially played tailback in football and represented Saskatchewan as a catcher in a national youth baseball tournament. However, he eventually chose to concentrate on his ice hockey career, starting at the age of five. He attended Robert Usher Collegiate in Regina.

2.1. Junior hockey (2001-2005)

Getzlaf's junior hockey journey began when he was drafted by the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL with the 54th pick in the 2000 WHL Bantam Draft, while he was a member of the Regina Bantam AAA Rangers. At the time of the draft, he stood 5 in, but he grew significantly to 6 in by the time he joined the team at 16 years old.

He made his junior debut in the 2001-02 WHL season, recording 18 points in 63 games. In the 2002-03 WHL season, as a 17-year-old, he quadrupled his offensive output, scoring 29 goals and 68 points. His impressive performance made him a top prospect for the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked him as the fifth-best North American skater, and he was ultimately selected in the first round, 19th overall, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

The Mighty Ducks returned Getzlaf to the Hitmen for the 2003-04 WHL season, where he continued to excel, recording 75 points in just 49 games and earning a spot on the WHL's First All-Star Team. Due to the 2004-05 NHL lock-out, Getzlaf played a fourth season of junior hockey with Calgary. He was named team captain but was briefly stripped of the title by coaches after receiving several misconduct penalties for arguing with officials. The captaincy was restored after a few weeks once Getzlaf moderated his interactions with referees. During this season, he also missed time after suffering a concussion from a hit by Dion Phaneuf of the Red Deer Rebels. He finished the regular season with 54 points in 51 games. After the Hitmen were eliminated from the WHL playoffs, Getzlaf was assigned to the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the AHL for their playoff run, marking his professional debut with one goal and four assists in 10 postseason games.

2.2. Anaheim Ducks (2005-2022)

Ryan Getzlaf played his entire distinguished NHL career with the Anaheim Ducks, becoming a franchise icon and setting numerous team records over 17 seasons.

2.2.1. NHL debut and Stanley Cup championship (2005-2010)

Getzlaf earned a spot on the Mighty Ducks' roster out of training camp for the 2005-06 NHL season, making his NHL debut on October 5, 2005, against the Chicago Blackhawks. He recorded his first NHL point, an assist, on October 14 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and scored his first NHL goal seven days later against Manny Legace of the Detroit Red Wings. Despite collecting seven points in his first 16 games, he was briefly demoted to the AHL's Portland Pirates in mid-November to gain more playing time. In 17 games with the Pirates, he scored 8 goals and added 25 assists, sharing AHL co-rookie of the month honors for December. He was named to the 2006 AHL All-Star game but was recalled to Anaheim in mid-January, completing the season with the Ducks. He finished his rookie NHL season with 14 goals, 25 assists, and 39 points in 57 regular season games, adding three goals and four assists for seven points in 16 postseason contests.

In his sophomore season with the newly renamed Anaheim Ducks, Getzlaf played in all 82 regular season games, accumulating 25 goals, 33 assists, and 58 points. He participated in the YoungStars Game at the 2007 NHL All-Star Game in Dallas. At just 22 years old, Getzlaf, along with Corey Perry (21) and Dustin Penner (24), formed the Ducks' "kid line," which emerged as a top scoring unit during their 2007 playoff run. Getzlaf led the Ducks in postseason scoring with 17 points, a franchise playoff record at the time, as the Ducks defeated the Ottawa Senators in five games to claim the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.

Prior to the 2007-08 NHL season, the "kid line" was dissolved when Penner signed with the Edmonton Oilers. Getzlaf chose to remain in Anaheim, signing a five-year, 26.63 M USD contract extension through the 2012-13 NHL season. He established himself as one of the NHL's rising stars, making his first All-Star Game appearance in 2008 and leading the Ducks with 58 assists and 82 points.

Early in the 2008-09 NHL season, Getzlaf tied a Ducks franchise record by recording five assists in a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on October 29, 2008. As one of the league's top scorers, he once again led the Ducks with a franchise-record 66 assists, and his 91 points ranked sixth overall in the NHL. He was voted by fans into the starting line-up for his second All-Star Game at the 2009 contest. In the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Ducks upset the Presidents' Trophy-winning San Jose Sharks in the opening round but were eliminated by the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the second round. Getzlaf set a franchise playoff record with 14 assists (in 13 games) and finished sixth overall in postseason scoring with 18 points.

An ankle sprain injury limited Getzlaf to 66 games in the 2009-10 NHL season. Despite this, he still led the Ducks with 50 assists and was second in team scoring with 69 points.

2.2.2. Captaincy and personal milestones (2010-2017)

Following Scott Niedermayer's retirement, Getzlaf was named his successor as team captain prior to the 2010-11 NHL season on October 4, 2010. Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle acknowledged Getzlaf's maturation as an NHL player, stating that at 25 years old and in his sixth season, it was the right time for this transition, a sentiment supported by veteran players. On December 28, 2010, Getzlaf suffered multiple nasal sinus fractures after being struck in the face by a puck during a game against the Phoenix Coyotes, limiting him to 67 games that season. He recorded 19 goals, 57 assists, and 76 points. His 57 assists ranked fourth in the NHL, and he added six points in six postseason contests during a first-round defeat to the Nashville Predators, including his 50th career playoff point.

Getzlaf played his 500th career game on March 12, 2012, in a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. He appeared in all 82 games for the Ducks in the 2011-12 NHL season, leading the team with 46 assists and totaling 57 points.

Another significant milestone occurred late in the 2012-13 NHL season when Getzlaf recorded his 500th career point on March 8, 2013, assisting on a Bobby Ryan goal in a 4-0 victory over the Calgary Flames. On the same day, the Ducks secured Getzlaf with an eight-year contract extension worth 66.00 M USD, extending through the 2021-22 season. He concluded the lock-out-shortened campaign as the team leader in assists (34) and points (49), and tied for the team lead with 15 goals.

In 2013-14, Getzlaf achieved a career-high 31 goals and 56 assists, finishing second in league scoring to Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby with 87 points. Getzlaf was named to the Second All-Star Team and was a first-time finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in the regular season, ultimately finishing as runner-up to Crosby for both the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award. In the final seconds of Anaheim's opening contest in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Dallas Stars, Getzlaf sustained lacerations and bruises after blocking a shot with his face. He returned for the second game of the series but missed the following two games due to an undisclosed "upper body injury." Getzlaf returned for the remainder of the playoffs, as the Ducks defeated the Stars in six games before being eliminated in the second round by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings in seven games, surrendering a 3-2 series lead.

In the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, Getzlaf tied his own previous Ducks record for most assists in a postseason (14), when he provided the primary assist on teammate Simon Després' game-winning goal in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks on May 22, 2015. The Ducks ultimately fell to the Blackhawks in seven games, one win shy of reaching the Stanley Cup Finals after surrendering a 3-2 series lead. Getzlaf was named a finalist for the Mark Messier Leadership Award alongside Jonathan Toews and Andrew Ladd, with Toews eventually receiving the honor.

In 2017, Getzlaf was named a finalist for the Mark Messier Leadership Award for the second time, alongside Calgary Flames defenseman and captain Mark Giordano and Columbus Blue Jackets forward and captain Nick Foligno. In the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers, Getzlaf surpassed former teammate Teemu Selänne's franchise record of 35 playoff goals in Game 4 of the series.

2.2.3. Later career and retirement (2017-2022)

During the Western Conference finals against the Nashville Predators in the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, Ryan Getzlaf was fined 10.00 K USD by the NHL for using a homophobic slur directed at an on-ice official. He later issued an apology, acknowledging his responsibility to be mindful of his language, stating, "That's my responsibility to understand that there are eyes and ears on us all the time. Fortunately enough, nobody heard it. If you can read lips, it's a little bit harder, and I apologize for that. That's a thing that you won't hear from me again. I hope I didn't offend anybody outside the circle that we trust." This incident highlighted the importance of professional conduct and the public scrutiny faced by high-profile athletes.

Early in the 2017-18 NHL season on October 29, 2017, Getzlaf was sidelined with a broken cheekbone, requiring surgery, after being hit in the face by a puck during a game against the Carolina Hurricanes. He returned from his injury 19 games later on December 11, helping the Ducks defeat the Hurricanes 3-2. The Ducks qualified for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs but were swept by the San Jose Sharks in the first round. On April 23, 2018, Getzlaf was nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, an award for a player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and gives back to their community. The award was ultimately presented to Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks.

On November 3, 2019, Getzlaf played his 1,000th NHL game in a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. During the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020-21 NHL season on March 18, 2021, Getzlaf recorded his 700th NHL assist on a goal by Jamie Drysdale in a 3-2 overtime victory against the Arizona Coyotes.

On July 28, 2021, Getzlaf signed a one-year, 3.00 M USD contract, with potential performance bonuses of up to 1.50 M USD, to remain with the Ducks. On October 31, Getzlaf scored his 989th career NHL point, surpassing Teemu Selänne to become the Ducks' all-time leading scorer, in a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. On November 16, Getzlaf achieved his 1,000th career NHL point with an assist on a goal by Cam Fowler in a 3-2 overtime win against the Washington Capitals.

On April 5, 2022, Getzlaf announced his retirement at the end of the 2021-22 NHL season, with his final game scheduled for the Ducks' last home game of the season on April 24, against the St. Louis Blues. Prior to the game, the Ducks honored Getzlaf with a pregame ceremony where he was joined at center ice by his wife and four children, along with Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli. The Ducks presented Getzlaf with a golf vacation and an off-road vehicle in team colors, which was driven onto the ice by retired Ducks star Teemu Selänne. In the game, Getzlaf recorded an assist in a 6-3 loss to the Blues. After the game, Getzlaf was congratulated by his teammates and every member of the Blues, including former teammate David Perron and fellow Regina native Tyler Bozak, in a moment reminiscent of a playoff handshake line. Getzlaf then delivered an emotional address to the crowd before taking a final lap around the Honda Center, concluding his 17-year NHL career.

Getzlaf concluded his career with 282 goals, 737 assists, and a total of 1,019 points in 1,175 games played. As of his retirement date, he holds the Ducks' records for games played, assists, points, and assists per game, and also holds the record for most assists in a single season. He is notably the 35th player since 1980 to play his entire career with one NHL franchise (minimum of 10 seasons) and only the 11th to play at least 17 seasons with the same team. He is tied for 33rd overall in most games played by a single player for a single franchise.

3.1. Junior international tournaments

Getzlaf made his international debut as a member of the Canada-West entry at the 2002 World U-17 Hockey Challenge in Manitoba, where the team finished seventh. The following year, he joined the Canadian under-18 team at the 2003 IIHF World U18 Championships. In seven tournament games, Getzlaf recorded two goals and two assists, contributing to Canada's first gold medal at the U18 level in its second appearance at the event.

Moving up to the national junior team, Getzlaf made his first of two appearances at the World Junior Hockey Championship in 2004. He tallied six points in six games for a Canadian squad that scored 25 goals in its four round-robin games and conceded only four, en route to a gold medal showdown with the United States. With Canada leading 3-1 early in the third period of the final, both Getzlaf and Sidney Crosby failed to capitalize on opportunities to score, which might have sealed a victory. Instead, Canada surrendered the lead, and Getzlaf and his teammates settled for the silver medal after goaltender Marc-André Fleury accidentally sent a clearing pass off a teammate and into his own net for the game-winning goal.

The 2004-05 NHL lock-out meant that several NHL-caliber players, including Getzlaf, were available to return to the national team for the 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. As one of 12 players with prior tournament experience for Canada, Getzlaf was a leading player for what many observers have called the greatest team in the tournament's history. With 12 points in 6 games, Getzlaf finished second in overall scoring to teammate Patrice Bergeron's 13 points. He scored one goal and added two assists in the championship game against Russia as the Canadians secured the gold medal with a 6-1 victory, marking the nation's first title in eight years at the event.

3.2. Senior international tournaments

Getzlaf made his first appearance with the senior team at the 2008 IIHF World Championship. He led the tournament with 11 assists, and his 14 points ranked second overall to teammate Dany Heatley's 20. Canada reached the championship game but had to settle for the silver medal after Russia overcame a two-goal third-period deficit to win the championship 5-4 in overtime.

Getzlaf was named to the Canadian roster for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. An ankle sprain suffered during the NHL season cast doubt on his participation until just before Canada was required to confirm its roster. He recovered sufficiently to play, recording seven points in seven games, including the game-winning goal in Canada's 3-2 semi-final victory over Slovakia. Canada ultimately won the gold medal with a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over the United States.

Two years later, Getzlaf served as Canada's captain at the 2012 IIHF World Championship. He tied for second in team scoring with nine points in eight games. However, Canada was eliminated in the quarterfinal against Slovakia by a score of 4-3. Getzlaf was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct late in the game for kneeing Juraj Mikúš. A dejected Getzlaf lamented the result and his penalty after the game, stating, "It hurts like hell right now. I feel like I let the guys down. To be in a hard-fought game like that and play the tournament we did and lose in that fashion, it's not easy to swallow as a group."

Returning to the Canadian roster for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Getzlaf's play, along with that of fellow centers Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews, was highlighted as a key factor in Canada's successful defense of their Olympic title. Canada defeated Sweden by a 3-0 score to win the gold medal and repeat as Olympic champions. He also participated in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, where Canada secured another gold medal.

6.1. Overall Assessment

Ryan Getzlaf is widely considered one of the most significant players in the history of the Anaheim Ducks, culminating in his status as the franchise's all-time leading scorer. His consistent offensive production, exceptional playmaking ability, and physical presence made him a formidable opponent and a vital asset to his team for nearly two decades. His leadership was particularly evident during his lengthy tenure as team captain, guiding the Ducks through successful periods, including their 2007 Stanley Cup victory and multiple deep playoff runs. Getzlaf's contributions to Canadian hockey, highlighted by two Olympic gold medals, further solidified his legacy as a national icon. He is generally well-regarded by fans and peers for his dedication and on-ice impact, earning respect as a competitive and influential player.

6.2. Controversies

While Getzlaf's career was largely celebrated, it was not without controversy. During the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, he was fined 10.00 K USD by the NHL for using a homophobic slur directed at an on-ice official. This incident, caught on camera, drew criticism and led to a public apology from Getzlaf, who acknowledged the importance of his role model status and the need for appropriate language. The league's disciplinary action and Getzlaf's public statement underscored the increasing scrutiny on professional athletes' conduct, emphasizing that such language is unacceptable and can have negative implications beyond the immediate context of a game, especially when heard by a wider public. This event served as a reminder of the responsibility athletes hold as public figures.

7.1. International