The Anaheim Ducks will play their home opener Monday evening against the Detroit Red Wings at Honda Center on the 25th anniversary of their first game, a 7-2 loss to Detroit.
All fans in attendance are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:45 p.m. for the opening sequence and player introductions.
Michael Eisner, the former Walt Disney Co. chairman and CEO who was the team’s first representative on the NHL Board of Governors, will participate in the ceremonial faceoff with Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli.
Players will walk a red carpet on Honda Center’s south side beginning at 3:30 p.m.
For the third consecutive year, Ducks players will be joined on the red carpet by the 21st Duck, a Ducks fan who embodies characteristics such as great perseverance, character, courage and inspiration who is making significant contributions to the community.
This season’s 21st Duck, Michael Lu, is, a hockey instructor in the Ducks Learn to Play Program and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year.
The 29-year-old Lu is a member of the Board of Directors of the Parkinson’s Resource Organization, seeking to help raise awareness for Parkinson’s to find a cure. His personal goal is to help inspire those with Parkinson’s and demonstrate that the degenerative disease does not define him.
The home opener is the first of nine Jersey Tribute Nights, on which the Ducks will wear a jersey from their past in chronological order during the pregame warm-up.
In Monday’s pregame warm-up, the Ducks will wear the original home jersey when the team was known as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
Player-worn warm-up jerseys will be sold in the Anaheim Ducks Team Store, with two jerseys to be auctioned online to benefit the Anaheim Ducks Foundation.