History will be tinged with irony as the Ducks kick off the 2016-17 season. It’s the 10th anniversary of their 2007 Stanley Cup-winning season under Coach Randy Carlyle, who returns in an attempt to guide the franchise back to that pinnacle.
The coach who was fired by the Ducks in 2011 is tabbed with rebooting a team desperate to shed the stigma of four consecutive Game 7 losses at Honda Center under former coach Bruce Boudreau.
The Ducks believe their championship window is open but, unlike 2007, they are not ready-made for a Cup run and have plenty of questions as training camp begins Friday at Anaheim Ice.