The Mighty Ducks are here to stay

People always equate hockey to Canada but the sport is still widely enjoyed among the sunny skies and palm trees of Southern California.

When you talk about California hockey two teams come to mind: the Ducks and the Kings. I don’t count the Sharks because they don’t even have a cup to bring to the party.

“The Mighty Ducks,” the ‘90s cult classic and arguably the best Disney sports movie ever, inspired a loyal following of the Ducks that still carries on today. Kids in the ‘90s were introduced to hockey in the most magical way and the Ducks now have one of the strongest fan bases.

The Ducks were always somewhat mystical to me because the movie turned a stereotypically masculine and violent sport into something fun and even a bit magical.

The Kings on the other hand are this kind of niche team that definitely doesn’t have the same kind of appeal that the Ducks have.

Growing up I was always the weird girl who loved orange and purple because of the Ducks.

When I was little, the Ducks were in their transition from being the team tied to Disney, to a force to be reckoned with. I got the experience of Wild Wing swinging from the rafters before the game and Tinkerbell flying on the tv screen when they scored. For a hair-bow and tutu wearing girl, hockey was intriguing because of the Mighty Ducks and made me a lifelong fan.

On the other hand, up the freeway from Anaheim is a failed attempt at a loyal fan base and success. The Kings have been around since 1967, but the Ducks who started in 1993 have done better in a much shorter amount of time. The Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012, after the Ducks won in 2007. It took 45 years for the Kings to finally win a championship, but the Ducks were the first in California to bring the Stanley Cup into the state.

The Ducks started out as a likeable team because they skidded in on the good image of Disney and captivated not only the awkward girly girl who had a softer side, but also every other fan who chose correctly.

The Kings have a fleet of bandwagoners as their base — the worst type of fans.

So instead of sitting on your throne drinking out of your secondhand cups make that little girl in a hair-bow and hockey jersey proud.

From the cool quilted jerseys to the cartoons and Del Taco sponsorship, the Ducks are a ‘90s baby like me.

Even when they’re aren’t winning every game, they are still the franchise that made me fall in love with the sport, so get yourself a jersey and watch the best team with the most heart.