AC's Top 25 Ducks of All Time: 20-16

I definitely forgot to mention this at the outset of the last post but for all of you who are asking to see everybody's votes: fret not. The final post of this series will release everybody's voting ballots so you can feel free to laugh at/ridicule us for our selections at will.

#20: Petr Sykora

Average Rank: 21.44

After developing a reputation as an offensive juggernaut with the New Jersey Devils, Petr Sykora preceded Scott Neidermayer by joining the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in a deal that sent Jeff Friesen and Oleg Tverdovsky East.

Sykora was an instrumental part of the squad that battled its way to the 2003 Stanley Cup Final, scoring one of the most memorable goals in franchise and NHL history in the process. (Sidenote: that Darien Hatcher mega-holding though...)

However, after two and a half seasons, the Ducks dealt Sykora to the New York Rangers.

All in all, Sykora scored 131 points for Anaheim over those two-plus years, and gave us many memories of a Cup run that fell just one game short.

#19: Todd Marchant

Average Rank: 20.44

Todd Marchant was not a guy who frequently punched faces. Nor was he a guy who scored a lot (or at least not with Anaheim).

For his first nine seasons in the NHL, Todd Marchant donned the copper and blue of the Edmonton Oilers, scoring an average of around 35-40 points per season. His highest point total of his career came in 2002-03 when he notched 60.

But Marchant never earned more than 23 in a season for Anaheim. So why was he so memorable?

For one, the guy was much like George Parros in that you'd have one hell of a time trying to find someone with something bad to say about him.

Second, his ace-reporter son Timmy Marchant always gave the most insightful interviews in the locker room. And speaking of interviews Marchant was never shy of giving a no-frills answer to a microphone.

And third, he was no stranger to big moments. Marchant was an instrumental penalty killer during the Ducks 2007 Stanley Cup win and also scored a triple-OT winner in 2009 against the Detroit Red Wings. Also, that playoff beard, man.

Or perhaps it's that even today, in retirement, Marchant continues to function within the Ducks organization as part of the player development department.

#18: Vitaly Vishnevsky

Average Rank: 20

For six seasons Vishnevski patrolled the blue line for Anaheim, the solid and menacing physical force that kept opposing skaters on their toes and brought fans to their feet with his punishing bodychecks.

Drafted fifth overall in the 1998 draft, Vishnevski made his Mighty Ducks debut in the 1999-00 season and would go on to become a near every night player the following season. He and Ruslan Salei became the rocks on which defensive corps were built for Anaheim teams that made the Stanley Cup final in 02-03 and Western Conference Final in 05-06.

Though never much of an offensive threat, he finished second amongst defensemen on the disappointing 03-04 team with six goals and 10 assists, trailing only Niclas Havelid.

With 416 games played in the eggplant and jade, only Salei had more appearances in those colors as a defenseman than Vishnevski with Anaheim. He's the perfect example of a defenseman who isn't statistically flashy, but is a physical and solid player who was instrumental in the Ducks evolution from a fledgling playoff team in the late 90's to being a key part of the base to consistent competition from the mid 00's on.

#17: Oleg Tverdovsky

Average Rank: 19.67

The second ever first round draft pick by the Ducks, Tverdovsky shares the distinction with Bobby Ryan of being the player drafted highest in franchise history, each going second overall.

Given the moniker of 'Double O' (for Oleg Orr) in homage to his projected offensive upside when drafted by the Mighty Ducks, after only 86 games with the team he would be packaged with Chad Kilger and a third round draft pick to acquire Teemu Selanne from the Jets.

Tverdovsky would move south with the franchise and ironically face the Mighty Ducks in the franchise's first ever playoff series, which saw Anaheim knock out the Coyotes thanks to road overtime heroics from Paul Kariya in game six and a Guy Hebert shutout at the Pond in game seven.

After three seasons in the desert he would be traded back to the Mighty Ducks before the 99-00 season. For the next three years he was a reliable offensive defensemen, putting up 50-point seasons in 99-00 and 00-01. Unfortunately he would never see the postseason in a Mighty Ducks sweater, and ended up traded to New Jersey before the 02-03 season to bring in Sykora.

Tverdovsky retired following the 06-07 season, with the majority of his career having been spent in Anaheim. Though never the Orr-esque player he was projected, his 170 points in 324 games over five seasons with the Mighty Ducks are a solid showing, and being key part of bringing Selanne to Anaheim will always give him a fond remembrance.

#16: Jonas Hiller

Average Rank: 18.56

While the wound of Hiller's departure is still fresh, we have to remember he played an important role over the course of seven seasons with the Ducks.

It's never easy to replace a legendary and beloved figure, but someone had to come after Jean-Sebastien Giguere and it was Hiller's play that forced the transition. By wresting the reins in 08-09, he would go on to have a sparkling postseason that saw the no. 8 seeded Ducks eliminate the President's Trophy winning Sharks, and take the defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings to the final moments of game seven.

Looking back at his numbers in that playoff your jaw drops: .943 SV%, 2.23 GAA, and two shutouts in 13 games, of which Hiller had seven games with 35+ saves and four with 40+ stops. His 59-save triple overtime winning performance in game two at Detroit was Giguere-esque, then turning around to stop 45 of 46 in a 2-1 game three win was equally special.

One has to wonder what could've been had it not been for the bout of vertigo Hiller suffered during his All-Star appearance earning 10-11 season, as his performance never reached that same level afterwards.

Still, he was part of four Ducks teams that made the playoffs, appearing in three, and continued the franchise's proud trend of capable European netminding began by Mikhail Shtalenkov, continued to this day by Frederik Andersen.