Disney and Former Mighty Ducks Fan Says Welcome Back to the NHL

by Chris Lucas

Guest Column

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 1, 2020

Welcome back NHL!

Though I’m not the biggest hockey fan in the world, I’m surrounded by lots of them, so I do appreciate the game. 

My older brother, Eddie, is a diehard New York Rangers fan - as are most of the kids he played street hockey with in Jersey City. My younger brothers, and a lot of my friends, are New Jersey Devils fans. There are a few Islanders fans scattered here and there, too.

As for me, I went with Disney. 

When the Mighty Ducks morphed from kids movie to a real franchise in 1993, I became a hockey fan, wearing all the Mighty Ducks gear. 

I was the only one wearing it, and boy, did I get mocked at Madison Square Garden and the Brendan Byrne Arena. That was the same time that the Rangers and Devils were winning Stanley Cups, so I picked a good time to follow the sport.

In 2003, the Mighty Ducks made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. The game was being played just five miles from my house! I put on my gear and bluffed my way in, landing seats right behind the Ducks bench. I even got to hang out with Wild Wing, their mascot, only to watch them lose to the Devils.

Like almost everyone else in Jersey City, I did get a picture with Lord Stanley’s Cup, since the Devils brought it around to so many bars and events.

My boys have gone to a handful of hockey games, but they haven’t expressed an interest in a team or the game yet. Me? I stopped following the Ducks after Disney sold them in 2005 and they dropped the “Mighty” part. (Though they did win the Cup in 2007.)

Looking forward to seeing the pucks drop! 

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Chris Lucas is the author of Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, from the Man to the Mouse and Beyond.

On the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, enjoy Ray’s recent discussion with Chris Lucas about his career as an actor, author and Disney expert. Tune in right here!