2009–10 Anaheim Ducks season

The 2009–10 Anaheim Ducks season was the team's 17th season of operation (16th season of play) in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Ducks first game of the season was held at home, on October 3, 2009, against the San Jose Sharks. The season began with high hopes, but ended with disappointment for its fans and players as the Ducks failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2003–04.

Off-season The Ducks made a major trade at the 2009 NHL entry draft on June 26, trading Chris Pronger and Ryan Dingle to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa, two first-round draft picks and a conditional third-round pick. The Ducks then traded the Flyers' first-round pick for a later first-round pick and a second-round pick. The trades were the first in a series of 16 trades made by the Ducks in the 2009–10 season. The club signed former Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu as a free agent, while Francois Beauchemin and Rob Niedermayer departed the Ducks for other teams.

Regular season The Ducks started the season poorly, playing under .500 for the first month. The team's top goalie, Jean-Sebastien Giguere struggled, failing to win a game until November 23. The Ducks increasingly played Jonas Hiller and the club reached the .500 mark in January. The team was not able to catch up in the standings despite improved play in the second half. Nearing the NHL trade deadline, general manager Bob Murray traded Giguere to the Toronto Maple Leafs and made several trades at the deadline.

Schedule and results

Preseason

|- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 1 || September 16 || Coyotes || 3–2 || SO || Pielmeier (1–0–0) || LaBarbera (0–1–0) || 13,869 || 1–0–0 || Honda Center || W1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 2 || September 17 || Canucks || 3–0 || || Luongo (1–0–0) || Giguere (0–1–0) || 14,528 || 1–1–0 || Honda Center || L1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 3 || September 18 || @ Coyotes || 4–3 || OT || Pielmeier (2–0–0) || Tordjman (0–1–0) || 6,169* || 2–1–0 || Jobing.com Arena || W1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 4 || September 19 || @ Kings || 4–1 || || Bernier (2–0–0) || Hiller (0–1–0) || 11,995 || 2–2–0 || Staples Center || L1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 5 || September 21 || Sharks || 3–2 || || Giguere (1–1–0) || Nabokov (1–1–0) || 14,300* || 3–2–0 || Honda Center || W1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 || September 24 || @ Canucks || 3–2 || OT || Hiller (1–1–0) || Raycroft (2–1–0) || 18,630 || 4–2–0 || General Motors Place || W2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 7 || September 25 || @ Sharks || 6–0 || || Nabokov (2–2–0) || Pogge (0–1–0) || 16,237 || 4–3–0 || HP Pavilion at San Jose || L1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 8 || September 27 || Kings || 5–4 || || Giguere (2–1–0) || Ersberg (0–3–0) || 15,677* || 5–3–0 || Honda Center || W1 |- | colspan=10 | *Attendance Figure provided by ESPN

| Legend:

Regular season

|- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 1 || October 3 || Sharks || 4–1 || || Nabokov (1–1–0) || Hiller (0–1–0) || 17,281 || 0–1–0 || Honda Center || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 0 |- bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 2 || October 6 || @ Wild || 4–3 || OT || Backstrom (1–1–0) || Giguere (0–0–1) || 18,256 || 0–1–1 || Xcel Energy Center || O1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 3 || October 8 || @ Bruins || 6–1 || || Hiller (1–1–0) || Thomas (1–2–0) || 16,158 || 1–1–1 || TD Garden || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 3 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 4 || October 10 || @ Flyers || 3–2 || SO || Hiller (2–1–0) || Emery (3–1–1) || 19,603 || 2–1–1 || Wachovia Center || W2 || bgcolor="bbcaff" | 5 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 5 || October 11 || @ Rangers || 3–0 || || Valiquette (1–0–0) || Giguere (0–1–1) || 18,200 || 2–2–1 || Madison Square Garden || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 5 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 || October 14 || Wild || 3–2 || || Hiller (3–1–0) || Backstrom (1–3–0) || 15,111 || 3–2–1 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 7 || October 17 || Blues || 5–0 || || Conklin (2–0–0) || Hiller (3–2–0) || 14,902 || 3–3–1 || Honda Center || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 8 || October 21 || Stars || 4–2 || || Turco (2–3–3) || Hiller (3–3–0) || 14,503 || 3–4–1 || Honda Center || L2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 9 || October 24 || Blue Jackets || 6–4 || || Mason (5–2–0) || Giguere (0–2–1) || 14,468 || 3–5–1 || Honda Center || L3 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 10 || October 26 || Maple Leafs || 6–3 || || Gustavsson (1–2–0) || Hiller (3–4–0) || 14,291 || 3–6–1 || Honda Center || L4 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 11 || October 30 || Canucks || 7–2 || || Hiller (4–4–0) || Raycroft (1–3–0) || 14,756 || 4–6–1 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 |- bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 12 || October 31 || @ Coyotes || 3–2 || SO || Bryzgalov (8–3–1) || Hiller (4–4–1) || 6,495 || 4–6–2 || Jobing.com Arena || O1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10

|- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 13 || November 3 || Penguins || 4–3 || || Fleury (10–2–0) || Hiller (4–5–1) || 16,128 || 4–7–2 || Honda Center || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 14 || November 5 || Predators || 4–0 || || Hiller (5–5–1) || Rinne (4–5–0) || 14,298 || 5–7–2 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 15 || November 7 || Coyotes || 4–3 || || Hiller (6–5–1) || Bryzgalov (9–5–1) || 15,269 || 6–7–2 || Honda Center || W2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 16 || November 11 || @ Devils || 3–1 || || Brodeur (10–4–0) || Hiller (6–6–1) || 14,123 || 6–8–2 || Prudential Center || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 |- bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 17 || November 13 || @ Blue Jackets || 3–2 || SO || Garon (4–3–0) || Giguere (0–2–2) || 15,577 || 6–8–3 || Nationwide Arena || O1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 18 || November 14 || @ Red Wings || 7–4 || || Howard (4–3–1) || Hiller (6–7–1) || 20,066 || 6–9–3 || Joe Louis Arena || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 19 || November 16 || @ Penguins || 5–2 || || Fleury (11–6–1) || Giguere (0–3–2) || 17,052 || 6–10–3 || Mellon Arena || L2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 20 || November 19 || Lightning || 4–3 || OT || Hiller (7–7–1) || Smith (3–3–4) || 14,555 || 7–10–3 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 17 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 21 || November 21 || Sharks || 3–2 || || Nabokov (14–4–4) || Hiller (7–8–1) || 15,066 || 7–11–3 || Honda Center || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 17 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 22 || November 23 || Flames || 3–2 || SO || Giguere (1–3–2) || Kiprusoff (12–5–3) || 15,348 || 8–11–3 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 19 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 23 || November 25 || Hurricanes || 3–2 || || Giguere (2–3–2) || Legace (2–3–2) || 14,766 || 9–11–3 || Honda Center || W2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 21 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 || November 27 || Blackhawks || 3–0 || || Giguere (3–3–2) || Huet (13–5–1) || 15,068 || 10–11–3 || Honda Center || W3 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 |- bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 25 || November 29 || Coyotes || 3–2 || OT || Bryzgalov (14–8–1) || Giguere (3–3–3) || 13,023 || 10–11–4 || Honda Center || O1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 24

|- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 26 || December 1 || Kings || 4–3 || || Quick (15–9–2) || Hiller (7–9–1) || 14,231 || 10–12–4 || Honda Center || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 24 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 27 || December 3 || @ Stars || 3–1 || || Turco (9–6–5) || Giguere (3–4–3) || 16,217 || 10–13–4 || American Airlines Center || L2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 24 |- bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 28 || December 4 || @ Wild || 5–4 || SO || Backstrom (11–9–3) || Hiller (7–9–2) || 18,265 || 10–13–5 || Xcel Energy Center || O1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 |- bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 29 || December 6 || Senators || 4–3 || SO || Elliott (6–5–3) || Giguere (3–4–4) || 14,946 || 10–13–6 || Honda Center || O2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 30 || December 8 || Stars || 4–3 || OT || Giguere (4–4–4) || Turco (9–6–7) || 13,861 || 11–13–6 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 28 |- bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 31 || December 11 || @ Red Wings || 3–2 || OT || Howard (9–7–1) || Giguere (4–4–5) || 20,066 || 11–13–7 || Joe Louis Arena || O1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 29 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 32 || December 12 || @ Blue Jackets || 3–1 || || Hiller (8–9–2) || Mason (10–10–5) || 14,461 || 12–13–7 || Nationwide Arena || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 33 || December 16 || @ Canucks || 3–2 || || Hiller (9–9–2) || Luongo (15–12–0) || 18,810 || 13–13–7 || General Motors Place || W2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 34 || December 17 || @ Sharks || 4–1 || || Nabokov (17–6–) || Giguere (4–5–5) || 17,562 || 13–14–7 || HP Pavilion at San Jose || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 35 || December 19 || Coyotes || 4–2 || || Hiller (10–9–2) || Bryzgalov (19–10–2) || 15,107 || 14–14–7 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 35 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 36 || December 22 || @ Avalanche || 4–2 || || Hiller (11–9–2) || Anderson (18–9–6) || 12,171 || 15–14–7 || Pepsi Center || W2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 37 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 37 || December 23 || @ Coyotes || 4–0 || || Bryzgalov (21–10–2) || Hiller (11–10–2) || 10,030 || 15–15–7 || Jobing.com Arena || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 37 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 38 || December 26 || @ Sharks || 5–2 || || Nabokov (20–6–7) || Giguere (4–6–5) || 17,562 || 15–16–7 || HP Pavilion at San Jose || L2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 37 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 39 || December 29 || Wild || 4–2 || || Hiller (12–10–2) || Harding (2–6–0) || 16,960 || 16–16–7 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 40 || December 31 || @ Stars || 5–3 || || Turco (13–8–8) || Hiller (12–11–2) || 18,532 || 16–17–7 || American Airlines Center || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39

|- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 41 || January 2 || @ Predators || 3–1 || || Rinne (17–9–2) || Hiller (12–12–2) || 16,654 || 16–18–7 || Sommet Center || L2 || 39bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 42 || January 3 || @ Blackhawks || 5–2 || || Niemi (10–2–1) || Giguere (4–7–5) || 21,662 || 16–19–7 || United Center || L3 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 43 || January 5 || Red Wings || 4–1 || || Hiller (13–12–2) || Howard (14–9–2) || 15,531 || 17–19–7 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 41 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 44 || January 7 || Blues || 4–2 || || Hiller (14–12–2) || Mason (11–13–6) || 14,248 || 18–19–7 || Honda Center || W2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 43 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 45 || January 9 || @ Predators || 3–2 || || Hiller (15–12–2) || Rinne (18–10–2) || 17,113 || 19–19–7 || Sommet Center || W3 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 45 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 46 || January 10 || @ Blackhawks || 3–1 || || Hiller (16–12–2) || Niemi (11–3–1) || 21,708 || 20–19–7 || United Center || W4 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 47 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 47 || January 13 || Bruins || 4–3 || || Hiller (17–12–2) || Rask (10–7–2) || 14,957 || 21–19–7 || Honda Center || W5 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 48 || January 14 || @ Kings || 4–0 || || Quick (24–15–3) || Hiller (17–13–2) || 18,118 || 21–20–7 || Staples Center || L1 || 49bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 49 || January 17 || Flames || 5–4 || || Hiller (18–13–2) || McElhinney (3–6–0) || 16,153 || 22–20–7 || Honda Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 51 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 50 || January 19 || Sabres || 5–4 || || Hiller (19–13–2) || Miller (28–9–4) || 15,570 || 23–20–7 || Honda Center || W2 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 53 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 51 || January 21 || @ Sharks || 3–1 || || Nabokov (29–8–8) || Hiller (19–14–2) || 17,562 || 23–21–7 || HP Pavilion at San Jose || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 53 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 52 || January 23 || @ Blues || 4–3 || SO || Hiller (20–14–2) || Mason (15–15–7) || 19,150 || 24–21–7 || Scottrade Center || W1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 55 |- bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 53 || January 26 || @ Thrashers || 2–1 || || Hedberg (11–12–4) || Hiller (20–15–2) || 12,984 || 24–22–7 || Philips Arena || L1 || bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 55