1993/94: Once thought a failed experiment, Southern California benefiting from the greater fan interest after Wayne Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, landed a second team as the Disney Cooperation was given expansion team to play near Disneyland in Anaheim. However, most hockey purists cringed when they found out they would be named after a hockey-themed kid's movie entitled Mighty Ducks. The NHL Mighty Ducks first took the ice on October 8th losing to the Detroit Red Wings 7-2 before a sold out crowd at the Arrowhead Pond. The expansion Ducks would have a surprisingly strong first season as won an expansion record 19 games on the road while posting a record of 33-46-5. Along the way the Mighty Ducks would sweep 2 games against the eventual Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers, proving how competitive the team could be.

2002/03: With the new additions came a new coach, as Mike Babcock took over behind the bench. The new acquisitions worked as the Mighty Ducks played solid hockey getting off to a 15-10-6-3 start. However, the Ducks felt they still needed to improve so they acquire Sandis Ozolinsh at the All-Star Break from the Florida Panthers. The Ozolinsh trade would vastly improve the Ducks on defense, as they were the strongest team in NHL during the second half. Still the Ducks felt they needed to make more moves and on trade deadline they acquired Steve Thomas and Rob Niedermayer for a playoff run, as the team completed it's best season in franchise history by finishing in 2nd place with a 40-27-9-6 record. Despite their solid record the Mighty Ducks entered the playoffs as heavy underdogs as the 7th seed facing the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings. In Game 1 in Detroit the Red Wings peppered Ducks goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere with 64 shots, however just 1 got by as the Mighty Ducks stole Game 1 in triple overtime on a goal by Paul Kariya. In Game 2 Giguere was solid again, stopping 34 shots as the Ducks overcame a 2-1 deficit entering the 3rd period to grab a 2-0 series lead. As the series shifted to the Pond it was more of the same as Giguere stopped 36 shots as the Ducks held on to win Game 3 by a score of 2-1. With a stunning 3-0 lead the Mighty Ducks completed the sweep with a 3-2 win in overtime on a goal by Steve Rucchin as Giguere stopped another 32 shots. For the entire series Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped an incredible 165 out of 171 shots. After stunning the Detroit Red Wings the Mighty Ducks were matched up against the top seeded Dallas Stars. Once again the Ducks were a heavy underdog as they jumped out to a 3-1 lead in Game 1. However, the Stars would rally and force overtime, there Jean-Sebastien Giguere rose to the occasion again stopping a total of 60 shots as the game stayed tied through 4 overtimes. Finally 48 seconds into the 5th overtime the Ducks would win the game on a dramatic goal be Petr Sykora. Game 2 would also go to overtime as the Ducks took a 2-0 series lead with an overtime goal by Mike LeClerc. However, the Ducks let a golden opportunity for a 3-0 slip away as they dropped Game 3 at home. Game 4 would be a scoreless battle as Giguere stopped 28 shots before Mike LeClerc scored the games only goal with 1:47 left in regulation. After losing Game 5 in Dallas the Mighty Ducks completed the upset at the Pond as Sandis Ozolinsh scored with 1:06 left to give the Ducks a 4-3 win in Game 6. In a Western Conference Final of Cinderella Teams the Mighty Ducks and Minnesota Wild battled into double overtime without either team scoring a goal. Once again overtime would be the Ducks domain as Petr Sykora scored the game winner 8:06 in to 2nd OT. In Game 2 Jean-Sebastien Giguere would continue to confound the Wild stopping 24 shots for a 2-0 win in Game 2. In Game 3 the Pond was in a frenzy as Giguere recorded his 3rd straight shutout as the Ducks grabbed a 3-0 lead with a 4-0 win. Giguere would finally allow a goal in Game 4 but the Ducks completed the sweep with a 2-1 win to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.