Ryan Getzlaf joins NHL’s department of player safety

Ryan Getzlaf is staying active in his post-playing career.

The long-time Anaheim Ducks captain and NHL star is set to join the NHL’s department of player safety, NHL senior vice president of player safety George Parros announced on Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ryan as the newest member of our department,” Parros said. “His accomplishments on the ice speak for themselves: he won at every level and was widely respected for being a hard-nosed and highly-skilled Player and effective leader. From his rookie NHL season in 2005 until his recent retirement, he lived and played through many of the changes our game has seen, which will provide our group with a unique and valuable perspective moving forward.”

Getzlaf, 39, spent all 17 years of his NHL career with the Ducks, winning a Stanley Cup with them in 2007. He set franchise records for games (1,157), assists (737) and points (1,019) and was the longest-serving captain in Ducks history, wearing the “C” for 17 years.

Following his retirement after the 2021-22 season, Getzlaf rejoined the Ducks as a player development coordinator in 2023, working alongside director for player development Jim Johnson to help prospects transition to professional hockey.