IRVINE — Ryan Getzlaf became the Ducks’ all-time leading scorer with 989 points with an assist in their victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday. He added to his franchise records with his 710th assist in his 1,111th career game. He’s also the team’s longest-serving captain, inheriting the job in 2010-11.
In addition, his name is engraved on the Stanley Cup as a member of the 2006-07 team that ran roughshod over the NHL en route to the franchise’s lone championship. He’s won two Olympic gold medals with Canada. His uniform number was retired by his junior team, the Calgary Hitmen.
So, the question is, will Getzlaf skate into retirement some day in the not-too-distant future and head directly into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto?
“I’d be hard-pressed to look and see how many guys have 1,000 points and aren’t (in the Hall of Fame),” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “He’s a Stanley Cup winner. He’s been a captain here forever, a one-organization guy. I’m not sure how he’s not (a Hall of Famer). All his appearances playing for his country.
“You start checking a lot of boxes pretty quickly.”
Getzlaf, 36, signed a one-season contract last summer worth $4.5 million to extend his career to a 17th season, all with the Ducks. He said he came back in part to rid himself of the bitter aftertaste of the pandemic season of 2020-21, but also to chase the franchise scoring record, and the 1,000-point milestone, too.
“It’s definitely something I wanted to accomplish,” he said. “I don’t worry about numbers. I don’t like to talk about them. But it’s something I wanted to accomplish to give me a better sense of clarity going into retirement … along with the fact that last year was just miserable and I didn’t want to end my career that way.”
The Ducks plan to celebrate Getzlaf’s franchise record before Friday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes at Honda Center.
SILFVERBERG UPDATE
When the Ducks announced Sunday that right wing Jakob Silfverberg was placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, they declined to reveal whether he was suffering from symptoms of the coronavirus. Silfverberg, like all of the Ducks players, coaches and staff members, has been vaccinated.
If he was symptomatic after a confirmed positive test, then he must be isolated from the rest of the team for at least 10 days and receive a doctor’s clearance before rejoining his teammates for practices or games, per the protocol. In that case, he would be sidelined for a minimum of five games.
If he was asymptomatic, he would still need to be isolated from the others, but could return after subsequent testing comes back negative for COVID-19 for at least two consecutive tests. He must then await medical clearance before returning to the ice with his teammates, however.
Silfverberg tested positive Saturday and when a follow-up test Sunday also was positive, he was put into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and isolated from the Ducks. As of Monday, no other Ducks players, coaches or staff members had tested positive, according to a spokesman.
PAQUETTE SUSPENDED
The NHL suspended the Canadiens’ Cedric Paquette for two games for boarding Ducks rookie Trevor Zegras in the first period of Sunday’s game at Honda Center. Paquette struck Zegras from behind, slamming his head into the glass. Zegras suffered a cut that required stitches.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Mason McTavish, the Ducks’ top pick (third overall) in the draft in July, had a goal and an assist in two weekend games with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. McTavish, who had a nagging ankle injury, went to San Diego on a conditioning loan. He can remain with the Gulls for up to 14 days. …
The Ducks won a remarkable 35 of 49 faceoffs (71 percent) in their 4-2 victory Sunday over the Canadiens. Getzlaf won a team-leading 21 of 26 (81 percent) faceoffs. Adam Henrique won seven of nine (78 percent). Montreal’s Nick Suzuki won only 4 of 16 (25 percent).