Editing Anaheim Ducks (section)

===Paul Kariya era (1996–2003)===
During the 1995–96 season, Kariya was chosen to play for the Western Conference in the [[1996 NHL All-Star Game]] as the lone Ducks representative. At the time of his selection (January 1996) Kariya was ranked 14th in league scoring with 51 [[Point (ice hockey)|points]] (23 [[Goal (ice hockey)|goals]] and 28 [[Assist (ice hockey)|assists]]) over 42 games, although the Ducks were overall a low-scoring team. Then a mid-season blockbuster deal with the [[Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)|Winnipeg Jets]] improved the franchise. The Ducks sent [[Chad Kilger]], [[Oleg Tverdovsky]] and a third-round pick to the Jets in return for forward [[Marc Chouinard]], a fourth-round draft pick and right winger [[Teemu Selänne|Teemu Selanne]]. Following the trade, Ducks center [[Steve Rucchin]] commented, "Paul [Kariya] had a lot of pressure on him... He single-handedly won some games for us this year... Now that we have Teemu, there's no way everybody can just key on Paul."<ref name="teemu trade">{{cite news|title=For Ducks, There's No I in Teemu|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/1996-02-12/sports/17992529_1_kariya-and-selanne-steve-rucchin-teemu-and-paul|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531081402/http://articles.nydailynews.com/1996-02-12/sports/17992529_1_kariya-and-selanne-steve-rucchin-teemu-and-paul|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 31, 2012|accessdate=July 8, 2011|date=February 12, 1996|work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|last=Brown |first=Frank}}</ref> These three players formed one of the most potent lines of their time.<ref name="stuck duck">{{cite magazine|title=Stuck Duck|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1024457/index.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130120043830/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1024457/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 20, 2013|access-date=July 28, 2011|date=December 3, 2001|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|last=Farber |first=Michael}}</ref> Although the trade proved to be an important effort in the team, they still finished short of the playoffs, losing the eighth spot in the Western Conference to the Winnipeg Jets based on the number of wins.<ref>{{cite web|title=1995–1996 Regular Season|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=19951996&type=con|accessdate=July 9, 2011|publisher=[[National Hockey League]]}}</ref>

During the [[1996–97 NHL season|1996–97 season]], Kariya became team captain following [[Randy Ladouceur]]'s retirement in the off-season,<ref>{{cite web|title=Ducks History – Captains and Coaches|url=http://ducks.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=44141|accessdate=September 1, 2011|publisher=Anaheim Ducks}}</ref> and led the Ducks to their first postseason appearance after recording the franchise's first winning record of 36–33–13, good enough for home ice in the first round as the fourth seed against the [[Arizona Coyotes|Phoenix Coyotes]].<ref name="unfamiliar waters">{{cite news|title=Ducks entering unfamiliar waters|url=https://news.google.ca/newspapers?id=IdkgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HWsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2087,2571967&dq=paul+kariya&hl=en|access-date=July 13, 2011|date=April 16, 1997|work=[[Sun Journal (Lewiston)|Sun Journal]]|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The Ducks trailed 3–2 going into Phoenix for Game 6. Kariya scored in overtime to force the franchise's first Game 7, which they won. However, in the second round, they lost to the eventual [[Stanley Cup]] champions, the [[Detroit Red Wings]], in a four-game sweep. After the season, Ron Wilson was fired after saying he would like to coach the [[Washington Capitals]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canoe.ca/HockeyAnaheimArchive/may20_wil.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616003041/http://www.canoe.ca/HockeyAnaheimArchive/may20_wil.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 16, 2013 |title=Mighty Ducks fire Ron Wilson as coach |website=Canoe.ca |date=May 20, 1997 |access-date=September 27, 2016}}</ref> [[Pierre Pagé|Pierre Page]] succeeded him. The Ducks started out slowly in 1997–98, in part because Kariya missed the first 32 games of the season in a contract dispute. He came back in December, but on February 1, he suffered a season-ending [[concussion]] when [[Gary Suter]] of the [[Chicago Blackhawks]] has [[Cross-checking|cross-checked]] him in the face. With Kariya playing only a total of 22 games that season, the Ducks missed the playoffs and fired Page.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jack |last=Thompson |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/06/16/mighty-ducks-change-again-fire-coach-page-after-1-season/ |title=Mighty Ducks Change Again, Fire Coach Page After 1 Season |website=Chicago Tribune |date=June 16, 1998 |access-date=September 27, 2016}}</ref> The Ducks followed that season up by finishing sixth in the Western Conference in [[1998–99 NHL season|1998–99]] with new head coach [[Craig Hartsburg]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.deseret.com/1998/7/22/19392459/hartsburg-hired-as-ducks-coach/ |title=Hartsburg hired as Ducks coach |work=Deseret News |date=July 22, 1998 |access-date=November 20, 2024}}</ref> However, they were swept by Detroit again, this time in the first round.<ref name="ducksredwings">{{cite web |url=https://thehockeynews.com/news/all-three-previous-anaheim-detroit-playoff-meetings-were-sweeps |title=All three previous Anaheim-Detroit playoff meetings were sweeps |agency=The Canadian Press |work=The Hockey News |date=May 9, 2007 |access-date=November 20, 2024}}</ref>

In the [[1999–2000 NHL season|1999–2000 season]], the Ducks finished with the same number of points as the previous season, but a much more competitive Western Conference had them miss the playoffs by four points behind rival San Jose Sharks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-apr-10-sp-17958-story.html |title=Ducks' Failure to Pick Up the Pace Led to a Stumble |website=Los Angeles Times |date=April 10, 2000 |access-date=September 27, 2016}}</ref> Despite this, the Mighty Ducks scored more goals than the conference champion [[Dallas Stars]]. In the following season, [[2000–01 NHL season|2000–01]], the Ducks ended up performing worse, as Kariya and Selanne's point production significantly declined from the previous season – Kariya went from 86 points to 67 points and Selanne went from 85 points to 57 points. Selanne was subsequently dealt to San Jose at the trade deadline for [[Jeff Friesen]], [[Steve Shields (ice hockey)|Steve Shields]] and a second-round draft pick,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/sharks-snap-up-selanne/article759958/ |title=Sharks snap up Selanne |last=Shoalts |first=David |work=The Globe and Mail |date=March 6, 2001 |access-date=November 20, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> while head coach Craig Hartsburg was fired during the season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/not-so-mighty-ducks-fire-coach/ |title=Not-So-Mighty Ducks Fire Coach |work=CBS Sports |date=December 14, 2000 |access-date=November 20, 2024}}</ref> The team ended up with a losing record and last place in the Western Conference that season. Without Selanne, Kariya's numbers continued to drop in the [[2001–02 NHL season|2001–02 season]] with new coach [[Bryan Murray (ice hockey)|Bryan Murray]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/26/sports/nhl-roundup-mighty-ducks-hire-murray-as-coach.html |title=N.H.L.: Roundup; Mighty Ducks Hire Murray as Coach |work=The New York Times |agency=Bloomberg News |date=May 26, 2001 |access-date=November 20, 2024 |url-access=registration}}</ref> The Mighty Ducks finished in 13th place in the Western Conference.

====Western Conference champions (2002–2003)====
The Mighty Ducks did not reach the postseason again until the [[2002–03 NHL season|2002–03 season]] with head coach [[Mike Babcock]]. They entered the playoffs in seventh place with a 40–27–9–6 record, good enough for 95 points. In the first round, the Ducks were once again matched up with the Detroit Red Wings, the defending Stanley Cup champions. They shocked the hockey world by sweeping the Red Wings in four games.<ref name="ducksredwings"/> Steve Rucchin scored the series-winning goal in overtime in Game 4.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/giguere-mighty-ducks-dethrone-red-wings-1.365697 |title=Giguere, Mighty Ducks dethrone Red Wings |work=CBC Sports |date=April 17, 2003 |access-date=November 20, 2024}}</ref> In the second round, the Ducks faced the Dallas Stars. Game 1 turned out to be the fourth-longest game in NHL history, with [[Petr Sýkora|Petr Sykora]] scoring in the fifth overtime to give the Mighty Ducks the series lead.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/04/25/sykora-lifts-ducks-over-stars-in-5th-overtime/ |title=Sykora lifts Ducks over Stars in 5th overtime |work=Chicago Tribune |orig-date=April 25, 2003 |date=August 21, 2021 |access-date=November 20, 2024}}</ref> The Ducks would finish off the Stars in Game 6 at home. In the team's first trip to the Western Conference finals, they were matched up against another [[Cinderella (sports)|Cinderella team]], the sixth-seeded, three-year-old [[Minnesota Wild]]. [[Jean-Sébastien Giguère|Jean-Sebastien Giguere]] strung together three consecutive shutouts and allowed only one total goal in the series in an eventual sweep.

The [[2003 Stanley Cup Finals]], to be played against the [[New Jersey Devils]], had multiple interesting story lines. Anaheim forward [[Rob Niedermayer]] was playing against his brother [[Scott Niedermayer|Scott]], while Giguere faced off against fellow French-Canadian goaltender [[Martin Brodeur]]. The series began with the home team winning the first five games. In Game 6 at home, Kariya was knocked unconscious from a hit by Devils captain [[Scott Stevens]]. However, Kariya would return in the second period and score the fourth goal of the game. In an exciting third period, the Mighty Ducks defeated the Devils 5–2 to send the series back to New Jersey for Game 7.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anaheim Ducks - New Jersey Devils - Jun 7, 2003 |url=https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/ana-vs-njd/2003/06/07/2002030416 |access-date=February 5, 2025 |website=NHL.com |date=June 7, 2003}}</ref> Anaheim, however, could not complete their winning streak, as they lost a hard-fought Game 7 to the Devils 3–0.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anaheim Ducks - New Jersey Devils - Jun 9, 2003 |url=https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/ana-vs-njd/2003/06/09/2002030417 |access-date=February 5, 2025 |website=NHL.com |date=June 9, 2003}}</ref> For his brilliant play during the postseason, Giguere was awarded the [[Conn Smythe Trophy]] as the [[most valuable player]] (MVP) of the playoffs. He became only the fifth player in NHL history to have won the trophy as a member of the losing team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NHL Conn Smythe Trophy Winners |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-conn-smythe-trophy-winners-complete-list-287709808 |access-date=February 5, 2025 |website=NHL.com |date=June 25, 2024}}</ref> Giguere posted a 15–6 record, 7–0 in overtime, with a 1.62 [[goals against average]], a .945 [[save percentage]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jean-Sebastien Giguere Stats and News |url=https://www.nhl.com/player/jean-sebastien-giguere-8462044 |access-date=February 5, 2025 |website=NHL.com}}</ref> and a record 168-minute, 27-second shutout streak in overtime.