10 greatest Cincinnati Mighty Ducks players

The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks were an AHL franchise for eight seasons, serving as the last pro hockey tenant of the historic Cincinnati Gardens.

Overall, Cincinnati was a sub-.500 team, but did have two impressive seasons in 2000-01 and 2004-05, with 95 and 93 points, respectively.

The team was affiliated with Anaheim during its entire run, and also spent three seasons as a Detroit partner. A number of noteworthy players spent time with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, including a few future Stanley Cup champions.

For the purposes of this list, only a player’s performance while playing for the Cincinnati was considered. On that note, here are the 10 greatest players in Cincinnati Mighty Ducks history.

10. Mike Crowley

Crowley played parts of two seasons with the AHL Ducks and proved his offensive prowess in their uniform. He scored 66 points in 120 games with the squad, including a team-high among defensemen of 38 as a rookie in 1997-98.

9. Mike LeClerc

After bouncing around with three major-junior teams, LeClerc found a home in the Anaheim organization. He played two seasons with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, dressing 113 games and tallying 93 points.

LeClerc ranked third on the team in points in 1997-98, trailing the players ranked fourth and first on this list.

8. Kurtis Foster 

Foster played one season in Cincinnati, but it was a good one. The defender scored 17 goals and added 25 helpers for 42 points in 78 games. This total ranked fourth on the team that season and first among defenders.

On the defensive front, Foster’s plus-16 rating tied him for the team lead, and he added five points in nine playoff games.

7. Andy McDonald 

After graduating from Colgate University, McDonald split time between Anaheim and Cincinnati during his first two pro seasons. He played a total of 67 AHL games in that span, tallying 72 points.

McDonald’s mark of 1.09 points per game is the highest among anyone on this list. That would be the extent of his AHL career, as he was called up during the 2001-02 season, and never returned.

6. Jason Williams

Williams played parts of two seasons with the Mighty Ducks, scoring 69 points in his first year. Upon adding 50 the next year, he finished his Cincinnati with 119 points in 128 games, good for third on the all-time list.

Williams had a particularly noteworthy season in 2001-02, his second with the team. He played 52 regular-season games for Cincinnati, scoring an impressive 50 points and earning a spot in the AHL All-Star Classic. In addition, he logged 25 appearances with the Red Wings, whom he later joined on their run to the Stanley Cup.

5. Frederic Cassivi

Cassivi’s single season with the Ducks was arguably the best by a goalie in team history. He went 25-18-2 with a 2.07 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in 2004-05. Each of those numbers were the best for a single season by any Cincinnati Mighty Ducks netminder.

4. Craig Reichert 

Reichert spent five seasons in the Ducks’ farm system, including two in Cincinnati. Following the team from Baltimore, he produced his best professional season in 1997-98, with 87 points in 78 games. He followed that with 69 in 1998-99, giving him 156 points in 150 career games.

Reichert ranked second on the team in points both seasons, and his career point total also ranks second. He was bested by the player ranked first on this list in these categories.

3. Ilya Bryzgalov

Bryzgalov played parts of four seasons with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, two of which were briefly interrupted by NHL call-ups. He had his best season in 2003-04, going 27-25-10 with a 2.32 GAA and .919 save percentage.

Overall, Bryzgalov played 199 games, which ranks third all-time and the most among AHL Ducks goalies. His 76 wins and 19 shutouts are likewise the most in the team’s eight-year run.

When Anaheim moved its farm base out of Cincinnati in 2005, Bryzgalov moved up as a full-time backup to Jean-Sebastien Giguere. In that role, he won the 2007 Stanley Cup with the Ducks.

2. Chris O’Sullivan

O’Sullivan impressed during parts of two seasons on the blueline. He played in 87 games, and demonstrated an impressive playmaking ability throughout. He had 53 assists and also had 11 goals for 64 points.

In 2000-01, O’Sullivan appeared in 60 of 80 games, but still ranked third on the team with 49 points. He was also selected for the AHL All-Star Classic.

1. Bob Wren

Wren is the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks’ all-time leading scorer. He had 113 goals and 186 assists for 299 points in 277 games for the team. This was highlighted by an incredible first season in 1997-98.

In that inaugural campaign, Wren scored 42 goals and added 58 assists for 100 points in 77 games. The three games he missed were due to Anaheim call-ups, which was the most he would ever play in an NHL season.

Wren led the Mighty Ducks in scoring two more times in his four seasons. Only Williams, who edged him out by a 69-67 margin in 2000-01, prevented him from leading them a fourth time.