Ducks name Getzlaf player development coordinator

Ryan Getzlaf was named player development coordinator for the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old will assist director of player development Jim Johnson prepare and educate Anaheim's prospects for a career in professional hockey. He played his entire 17-season NHL career with the Ducks, who selected him in the first round (No. 19) of the 2003 NHL Draft.

"I am so excited to be back in a role where I feel I can help our young players, who are the focal point of both the future and present of our hockey club," Getzlaf said. "This opportunity will give me the chance to help them in the critical years of their development and share the many years of experiences that I have had. I would also like to thank (Ducks general manager) Pat (Verbeek) and his staff for giving me the chance to come in and learn, as well as help where I can."

Getzlaf retired after the 2021-22 season and leads Anaheim in points (1,019), assists (737) and games played (1,157), and he's fourth in goals (282). He helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2007, leading them with 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 21 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He leads them in goals (37), assists (83) and points (120) in the postseason.

"We are thrilled to have a player of Ryan's stature stay with the club into his post-playing career," Verbeek said. "His experience and knowledge from his NHL and international career will be invaluable for our young prospects. He can help prospects reach their full potential on and off the ice based on his 17 years as an NHL player and valuable insight of the necessary steps from junior or college hockey to the NHL."

Anaheim has missed the playoffs five straight seasons but has started to rebuild around a core of younger players that includes forwards Trevor Zegras, 22, and Mason McTavish, 20, and defenseman Jamie Drysdale, 21. Among their top prospects were the best defensemen in the Ontario Hockey League (Pavel Mintyukov), Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (Tristan Luneau) and the Western Hockey League (Olen Zellweger).

The Ducks also have the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and six picks in the first three rounds.