AC's Top 25 Ducks of All Time: 15-11

#15: Bobby Ryan

Average Rank: 17.33

Born in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Ryan not only holds the shared distinction of being the highest drafted player (second overall in 2005) in franchise history with Oleg Tverdovsky, but also became the first player to wear the number nine after the defection of Paul Kariya.

Ryan's first taste of NHL action came in 2007-08, where he appeared in 23 regular season games and two playoff games, putting up five goals and five assists. The following year he cemented his lineup spot by putting up his first of four consecutive 30-goal seasons, finishing second in Calder Trophy voting behind Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason. Skating with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry to form the RPG Line, Ryan potted 31 goals and dished 26 assists, following it up with a five goal, two assist playoff run that saw him dent the twine four times in the first round upset of President's Trophy winner San Jose.

Perhaps the best postseason memory in Ducks colors for Ryan came in the 10-11 first round against Nashville in the opening moments of game five's third period. In his first game back in the lineup since being suspended a pair of games for a skate-stomping incident in game 2, Ryan pounced on a David Legwand turnover en route to scoring a remarkable goal. Unfortunately the Ducks would lose the game in overtime (Jerred *bleeping* Smithson) and eventually the series.

Despite seasons with 31, 35, 34, and 31 goals to his credit Ryan often found himself subject to trade rumors, and ultimately became the odd man out after Getzlaf and Perry re-upped with long term, big money deals. After 404 regular season and playoff games with Anaheim, Ryan was dealt to the Ottawa Senators before the 13-14 season for Jakob Silfverberg, Stefan Noesen, and the Senators 2014 first round pick (Nick Ritchie).

#14: Francois Beauchemin

Average Rank: 15.67

Drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1998, Beauchemin came to Anaheim as a rookie from Columbus in 2005-06 with Tyler Wright in exchange for Sergei Fedorov. He immediately began earning top four minutes, helping the Mighty Ducks go on an improbable playoff run. With Anaheim facing a do-or-die game six in the opening round against Calgary, Beauchemin dropped the gloves with Jarome Iginla just over a minute into the game and helped set the tone as Anaheim rallied to take the game and ultimately the series, en route to a Western Conference Final appearance.

With his spot in Anaheim secure, Beauchemin became a critical third musketeer on the blue line behind Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger in 06-07, averaging 25:28 a game during the regular season and shouldering a team-high 30:33 per game in the playoffs. He scored the Ducks fourth goal in the Stanley Cup clinching fifth game against Ottawa, a power play rocket off the post and in that gave some added breathing room following the the ultimately decisive goal credited to Travis Moen.

After signing a three-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 09-10 season, Beauchemin would return to the Ducks in 10-11 in a deal that sent Joffrey Lupul, Jake Gardiner, and a conditional fourth round pick in the 2013 draft to the blue and white.

Noted for his toughness, Beauchemin has twice played postseason hockey despite suffering a major knee injury. In 08-09 he suffered a torn ACL, but would play in the first round upset against San Jose. He suffered another torn ACL in the final month of 12-13, but finished the season and played the first round series against Detroit. During that lockout shortened year Beauchemin was named a Second Team All Star and finished fourth in voting for the Norris Trophy.

#13: Samuel Pahlsson

Average Rank: 13.67

Acquired from the Boston Bruins in 2000-01 for Andrei Nazarov and Patrick Traverse, Pahlsson would go on to become one of the best defensive forwards in club history over the course of the next eight years in Anaheim. He, linemate Rob Niedermayer, Andy McDonald and Jean-Sebastien Giguere are the only players to be a member of the 02-03 Stanley Cup Finalists, 05-06 Western Conference Finalists, and 06-07 Stanley Cup Champion teams.

Though never an offensive standout, Pahlsson had four of his five 20-point seasons in an Anaheim sweater, including netting a career-high 11 goals in 05-06 and hitting his career peak of 26 points in 06-07. That season at the apex of his offensive production he narrowly finished second in Selke voting to Rod Brind'Amour, despite garnering the most first place votes (24).

In the 06-07 postseason Pahlsson suited up with Niedermayer and Moen to form a checking line that played a critical role in the squad claiming California's first Stanley Cup. He finished the postseason level with Chris Pronger at team-high plus-10, and averaged more time on ice at 19:25 than any forward other than Ryan Getzlaf. Pahlsson scored the game winner in the Ducks Western Conference clinching game six triumph over Detroit, and had the only goal late in the third period of the Stanley Cup Final game two victory.

With his contract coming due in the 08-09 season, the Ducks dealt him to Chicago at the trade deadline with Logan Stephenson to Chicago for James Wisniewski and Petri Kontiola. After the 11-12 season he returned to his native Sweden, where he currently captains his original club Modo Hockey in the SHL.

#12: Ruslan Salei

Average Rank: 12.89

With 594 regular season and 62 playoff appearances in nine years with Anaheim, no defenseman has worn the colors of the (Mighty) Ducks more than Salei, the team's first round selection, ninth overall in the 1996 draft. The Belarusian was a part of the first four teams to reach the postseason in franchise history, appearing in three playoff runs by the Mighty Ducks. A physical, stay-at-home defender, Salei notched 100+ penalty minutes two of the three times in his career with Anaheim.

Though never a noted goal scorer, he did put the puck in the net at a couple critical moments. After scoring only four times during the 2002-03 regular season, Salei scored a go-ahead goal in game six of the second round against Dallas, as well as winning the first Stanley Cup Final game in Anaheim history in overtime of game three. His final goal scored in Anaheim kept the Mighty Ducks alive in the 05-06 Western Conference Final, and ultimately wound up the game-winner in a 6-3 win at Edmonton in game four.

With Salei at the back end, the Ducks transitioned from an upstart expansion team to a playoff contender. Unfortunately he would sign a four-year deal with Florida before the 06-07 season, but would have the most successful offensive year of his career in South Beach. Salei concluded his NHL career after the 10-11 season, signing with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL.

September 7, 2011 Salei was one of 44 who perished in the crash of the Yakovlev Yak-42 plane carrying the Yaroslavl club. The Ducks honored Salei by wearing his #24 on a patch on their uniforms, and his then 4 year old son Aleksandro would take part in a pregame national anthem ceremony later that season as part of the Aliso Viejo Junior Orange County Hockey Club Program.

#11: Rob Niedermayer

Average Rank: 12

When the Mighty Ducks traded for Niedermayer at the trade deadline of the 2002-03 season, it marked the unofficial entry of Anaheim into the strata of Stanley Cup contention. The first ever draft pick by the Florida Panthers, fifth overall in 1993, Niedermayer was part of an unlikely Stanley Cup Final run in 95-96 before doing it again with the fellow 1993 expansion mate Anaheim in 02-03. The first final to feature opposing brothers since Ken and Terry Reardon in 1946 went in favor of Scott's Devils, but two seasons later he would join Rob in Anaheim.

While he never reached the expectations of offensive impact that his draft position suggested, he was a perpetually solid two-way player that found a home on the third line in Anaheim. Three of his six seasons with the Ducks saw him score more than 10 goals, but it was his play with Samuel Pahlsson and Travis Moen that formed a key backbone for Anaheim to claim the Stanley Cup in 06-07. One of the most memorable plays was his unofficial "assist" on Scott's series-clinching double overtime goal in game five against Vancouver, obliterating Jannik Hansen along the wall drawing the ire of Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, whose momentary lapse in focus allowed the shot from the point to slip through and send the Ducks to the Conference Final.

Niedermayer matched his five goal regular season total in the playoffs of the Cup run, matching his postseason career high set with Florida in 95-96. He scored the winning goal in game three of the first round against Minnesota, as well as finding the net in both the Western Conference-clinching game six against Detroit and Stanley Cup-claiming game five over Ottawa. The images of him celebrating the title with his brother, as well as the two with their mother are amongst the most enduring of a magical evening.

Rob remained with the Ducks through the 08-09 season, before spending his final two NHL seasons in New Jersey and Buffalo. He is part of one of eleven brother duos to win the Stanley Cup together, and was the first to do so since Duane and Brent Sutter won titles with the Islanders in 81-82 and 82-83.