For Mighty Ducks fans, so much has changed in just 12 months.

A year ago, the Mighty Ducks were the defending Western Conference Champions. Expectations were at an all-time high coming off an incredible playoff run that saw the team get within just one game of winning the Stanley Cup. Then, when the team added Sergei Fedorov and Vaclav Prospal, both the leading scorers on teams that won division titles in 2002-2003, it appeared as though the best in the west was even better. Fans were excited, tickets were selling and everyone was counting the days until the season started.

Now, in 2004, there is no excitement. Prospal is already gone, traded back to Tampa Bay for just a second round draft pick after a very disappointing season which saw his point production drop by 25 points. His 55 points were the fewest in any season that he played 75 or more games in since 1998-99. From December 4th – January 20th, a span of 21 games, he had just six points. Prospal never seemed to click with his linemates and was certainly not the playmaker fans and the franchise expected him to be.

A year ago, Paul Kariya was in Colorado getting ready to play for the Avalanche after turning his back on the franchise that made him a star and the fans which supported him for nine years. Kariya took his good friend Teemu Selanne with him and when they signed most people thought the Avalanche were the favorites in the Western Conference. As it turned out, this was the first season since the team played in Quebec that they did NOT win their division. Kariya and Selanne were a disaster. Kariya had just 11 goals in 51 games, by far the fewest of his career. His 36 points were three fewer than the 39 he tallied in just 47 games as a rookie. Selanne was even worse, scoring just 32 points in 78 games. To put that in perspective, Selanne had 36 points in just 28 games with the Mighty Ducks back in 1995-96. Both are no longer welcome in Colorado and have yet to find any team willing to employ them.

Sergei Fedorov was fine as a Mighty Duck, but he wasn’t enough. His 65 points were on par with what he had done in five of his last six seasons in Detroit, and were just three fewer than what Selanne and Kariya had combined. However, Fedorov was rarely able to dominate games the way fans dreamt he would when he signed in Anaheim, and even a season which saw him score 31 goals and dish out 34 assists couldn’t live up to the lofty expectations.
A year ago, Mighty Ducks General Manager Bryan Murray was being applauded by Mighty Ducks fans and NHL pundits for the way he handled the offseason. He held his ground in refusing to pay Kariya $10 million a year, then replaced him with Fedorov and Prospal. He signed J.S. Giguere to a new contract before training camp started and had seemingly done all he could to help the team defend it’s conference championship.

Now, Bryan Murray is the head coach in Ottawa. He left soon after the season ended, one which saw his team miss the playoffs. He left the team with a $54 million payroll and an order to reduce that to $40 million by opening day. Al Coates is now the General Manager, albeit on an interim basis, and he is not receiving praise from anyone. Well, anyone except for Disney’s accountant.

A year ago Mighty Ducks fans couldn’t wait for the season to start. Now, Mighty Ducks fans wonder if the season will start. Instead of anticipating opening day and seeing the new players, the banner raising ceremony, the first goal and the first bone-crushing check…fans read about the labor negotiations and how a lockout seems more and more likely. Instead of looking forward to seeing the new players, fans are left wondering who the new players are. The Mighty Ducks have sent Niclas Havelid, Jason Krog, Cam Severson, Peter Schastlivy, Martin Gerber and Prospal packing. The players they have brought in, Aaron Rome, Tomas Malec and Kurtis Foster, combined to play seven games in the NHL last season. Forget wanting to see the new guys play, fans just want to see what the new guys look like.
A year ago all was well in Mighty Ducks nation. Now, just 12 months later, things are not good at all. If there is a 2004-2005 season, it will be one that sees the Mighty Ducks beginning to rebuild. Instead of bringing in high priced free agents, rookies will be brought it. Ryan Getzlaf figures to make the opening day roster and join fellow prospects Joffrey Lupul, Stanislav Chistov, Foster & Malec in learning on the job. There are no expectations this time. No anticipation, no title to defend and no banner to raise.

What a difference a year makes. Let’s just hope that a year from now we look back on all of this and laugh.