Ducks shower Getzlaf with gifts, honor captain before final NHL game

ANAHEIM -- Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf was honored in a pre-game ceremony on Sunday at Honda Center before appearing in his final NHL game against the St. Louis Blues.

Getzlaf is retiring after 17 seasons with the Ducks, the past 13 as captain. He won't play in Anaheim's final two games next week, both on the road.
"This means the world to me to be at home and be able to do this here in this building," Getzlaf told Bally Sports West during warmups. "I'm going to try and enjoy it."
Following the National Anthem, the Ducks played a video montage of highlights from Getzlaf's career, as well as comments from his parents, Steve and Susan Getzlaf, his wife, Paige, former teammates, including Corey Perry and Scott Niedermayer and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Getzlaf then went to center ice with his wife and four children, Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli, and team president Aaron Teats.
Defenseman Cam Fowler presented Getzlaf with a luxury golf trip on behalf of Ducks players and the Samueli's gave him a custom-painted Honda Talon ATV that was driven onto the ice by Hockey Hall of Fame forward Teemu Selanne, who played 15 seasons for the Ducks.

Getzlaf entered Sunday with 1,018 points (282 goals, 736 assists) in 1,156 NHL games, and another 120 points (37 goals, 83 assists) in 125 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He's the only Anaheim player to record at least 1,000 points and play in at least 1,000 NHL games.
Getzlaf picked up his 989th NHL point on Oct. 31 in a 4-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens, passing Selanne as Anaheim's all-time leading scorer.
He scored his 1,000th point on Nov. 16 in a 3-2 overtime win against the Washington Capitals, becoming seventh active NHL player to reach the milestone. Joe Thornton, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Patrick Kane and Anze Kopitar are the others.
Getzlaf was greeted when he arrived at Honda Center on Sunday by a hallway lined with fans, employees and coach Dallas Eakins.
Before the sold-out crowd filled the arena, the empty seats spelled out 'Thanks Getz' on the side facing the benches. Towels imprinted with his No. 15 jersey were draped across the backs of the seats.
After the game was over, fans gave him a lengthy ovation.

"Thank you so much to everyone in the building tonight," Getzlaf said to the crowd following the game. "This has been the most special night of my life. Thanks to the St. Louis Blues. I appreciate you staying out like this. My teammates, I love you guys. Thank you so much for everything today. This has been the best journey of my life. I got to live out a dream here in Anaheim, and I've been so fortunate and blessed to know everyone in this building, so I appreciate all of you. Thank you so much."