Ducks Senior VP of Hockey Operations McNab Announces Retirement

Anaheim Ducks Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations David McNab today announced his retirement from the National Hockey League (NHL). An original member of the Ducks and a 2007 Stanley Cup champion, McNab completed his 43rd consecutive year in the NHL and 28th with Anaheim in 2020-21. In his 43 years, McNab worked 3,532 regular season and playoff contests with Anaheim, the New York Rangers, Hartford Whalers and Washington Capitals. McNab retires as one of the longest-serving hockey executives with a single franchise.

"It is our honor to celebrate David and his incredible career as a lifelong Anaheim Duck. He has been key to this organization's success as an executive for 28 years," said Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli. "David was instrumental in our 2007 Stanley Cup championship and has dedicated his career to sustained development and success on the ice. After 43 consecutive years in the NHL, we wish David all the best in his well-deserved retirement."
McNab was instrumental in helping the Ducks become the first team from California to win the Stanley Cup in 2007 and the first West Coast team to win the Stanley Cup since the 1925 Victoria Cougars (first U.S. team to win it since the 1917 Seattle Metropolitans).
His impact on the Ducks was significant, helping the club to two Stanley Cup Finals (2003 and 2007), three Western Conference Final appearances (2006, 2015 and 2017) and the Conference Semifinals in 2009 and 2014. During his tenure, McNab has scouted and signed numerous collegiate free agents who have made major contributions to the success of the club, including Stanley Cup champions Chris Kunitz, Andy McDonald and Dustin Penner.
"It's hard for me to put into words what a tremendous honor it is to have worked in the National Hockey League for the past 43 years, the last 28 of which have been with the Anaheim Ducks," said McNab. "From its conception until now, I have been proud to call myself a member of this franchise. I have lived the Ducks history, hoisted the Stanley Cup above my head and enjoyed every step of the journey. I leave with so many great memories and friendships both in Anaheim and around the NHL. I want to thank my father who lived his life with such integrity and who has inspired me every day to work hard and to do my best. I would also like to acknowledge my wife, Kari, and two daughters, Ali and Erica, who have always been in my corner and have given my life a purpose."

McNab began his career with the organization prior to the inaugural 1993-94 season, having since worked 2,111 regular season and 162 playoff games with Anaheim. Promoted to Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations in 2008, McNab oversaw all aspects of player development, had an expertise on the Collective Bargaining Agreement and its relationship to the salary cap in the NHL, contract and arbitration negotiation, player evaluation and scouting. He served as Anaheim's Assistant General Manager for 14 seasons from 1994-2008.
Prior to being named the Ducks' Assistant General Manager in December 1995, McNab served as the club's first Director of Player Personnel and was largely responsible for the team's selections in the 1994-96 NHL Entry and Supplemental Drafts. McNab has also served as General Manager of Anaheim's primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League for seven seasons (the Baltimore Bandits during in 1996-97, Cincinnati Mighty Ducks from 1997-02 and Iowa Chops in 2008-09). He also worked on the AHL's competition committee for many of those years.
McNab began his professional scouting career in 1978 with the Washington Capitals, where he spent four seasons (1978-82). McNab joined the Hartford Whalers from 1982-89, spending seven seasons as a scout and the last two as Director of Player Recruitment. He joined the New York Rangers in 1989, where he worked for four seasons before he joined the Disney-owned Ducks in 1993. His work with the Rangers helped the club to the 1994 Stanley Cup championship.
McNab was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, but grew up in San Diego is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Communication Arts in 1978. He was also a goaltender on one of the greatest college hockey teams of all time, the 1977 Wisconsin Badgers NCAA championship team. McNab is the only Badgers goaltender to win an NCAA title and a Stanley Cup.
Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the ninth round (151st overall) of the 1975 NHL Entry Draft, McNab has worked on numerous occasions for USA Hockey, both as an Assistant General Manager for Team USA in the World Championships on three different occasions, as well as serving as a consultant for the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Teams. He has also been a three-time member of the Hobey Baker Award selection committee, college hockey's version of the Heisman Trophy. In addition, he has been on the selection committee for the Mike Richter Award since its inception in 2014, given to the outstanding college goalie in the U.S.
A member of one of the most respected families in the NHL, McNab is the son of the late Max McNab and brother of Peter McNab. Max played on the 1950 Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings and was a former general manager with the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils. He was also a recipient of the 1998 Lester Patrick Award given annually for "outstanding service to hockey in the United States." Peter played in 954 NHL games, scoring 363 goals and 813 points in a 14-year career. Peter is currently a broadcaster with the Colorado Avalanche.