If the Ducks were WWE Superstars, who would they be? (Part One)

In a slow news week, I figured I’d come up with something original to write about on a rainy (down in Costa Rica) Sunday afternoon. As I’m a longtime wrestling fan (everything from small indy feds up to the big guys like the WWE and TNA), I thought it might be fun to compare our players to which WWE wrestler (current) they most closely resemble, based on character, attitude, playing style, etc… Hope you enjoy it!

Teemu Selanne

Shawn Michaels

This was an easy one. HBK is the comeback kid of the WWE, making a return from serious injury that kept him out for four years (broken back). He came back as good as ever and went on to headline major events once again. He is currently contemplating retirement, much like one Finnish Flash. Selanne also seemed like his career was coming to an end after an injury-plagued time in Colorado; but Burke took a chance on Teemu and his rebuilt knee and it paid major dividends; Selanne went on to score 40 and 48 goals and win his first ever Stanley Cup. He is now considering retiring, to go out while he’s still on top.

Scott Niedermayer

Ric Flair

Another one that didn’t take much thought. Ric Flair has seen and done it all in his storied career and will be remembered as one of the best ever. You can match those exact same words up against the hockey of Scott Niedermayer; there is practically nothing left he hasn’t done. Let’s hope that Scott opts to follow Ric’s example and put off retirement simply for no other reason than love of the game (Triple H pun intended for you smart marks who get it).

Chris Pronger

Triple H

Triple H is one of the best at what he does, but what he does isn’t always pretty. He is a workhorse and will do whatever necessary to win, even if it’s not always ‘clean’. The same goes for Chris Pronger. He is a tactician, with strength and a long reach on the ice, who will make the hits he has to if it means his team will claim victory. He doesn’t mind being called a ‘bda guy’ by fans or opposing teams. He’s a guy you want with you, not against you.

J.S. Giguere

John Cena

Competitive, tenacious, resilient. These are just some of the traits these men share. Both men seem to thrive on adversity and are at their best when face to face with it. Nothing flashy, they just get things done. A hard work ethic and the drive to be the best seems to be their common goal, also.

Ryan Getzlaf

Bobby Lashley

Both are young, hungry guys who are taking their potential and turning it into reality. Both are becoming dominant in all aspects of their profession and can do it all. Getzlaf started showing his skill and physical presence last season, much like Lashley has been showing his since being moved to ECW and then Monday Night RAW. They are the stars of tomorrow and tomorrow doesn’t seem far away at all.

Dustin Penner

Batista

Big, strong bulls, these men seem to take major strides forward while taking the occasional step back. They play the power game, but don’t bring the consistency needed from night to night to be an upper-tier star. If they can bring themselves to bring their ‘A’ game every night, then watch out!

Andy McDonald

Jeff Hardy

Quick as lightning, but sometimes enigmatic, these two stars seem to be on similar paths. Both have raw talent but are only now putting it all together on a consistent basis, proving why they deserve to be where they are. Both have been underrated before but have worked hard to prove doubters wrong. They both seem to shine brightest when matched with others of the right chemistry.

Francois Beauchemin

Randy Orton

This was a hard one. While my first instincts were to go with King Booker, due to Francois’ nickname of King Beauchemin (stemming from his fight against Jarome Iginla in 2006), in the end I decided on Randy Orton. Both men are still young and haven’t truly proven themselves to be at the top of their craft yet. They are on the upswing though and definitely have the tools needed. This upcoming year looks to be their break-out chance to reach elite status and stay there.

Ilya Bryzgalov

Mr. Kennedy

Another tough one. I wanted to go with Super Crazy, based on the language barrier, but opted for Ken Kennedy instead. Mr. Kennedy is young and brash and wants the spotlight. It seems Ilya Bryzgalov thinks the same way. Both are money when it comes to interviews. The question exists on both account: will they get their shot and what will they do with it?

Chris Kunitz

Matt Hardy

Chris and Matt have a lot in common. They were both under the shadow of others and both got second chances. They both really made the most of those second chances, too. Kunitz was waived and finally returned to land himself a spot on the Ducks top line; his play let him stay there. Matt has hit his bumps in the road, being released from the WWE only to be re-hired and given a new push. He is on his way up and rising fast, much like Chris Kunitz.

Corey Perry

Johnny Nitro

When I think Corey Perry, I think young, somewhat arrogant and flashy moves. Nitro fits that description to a Tee. Both have the raw talent to be great, but the question remains if they can put it all together. Some nights, Perry is on fire agitating opponents while owning the puck. Then again, some nights he’s barely noticeable. Nitro is always at his best on PPVs but can sometimes ‘phone it on’ when it’s a television match he’s not motivated for.

There you have it. I hope you enjoy, don’t forget to leave your comments with who you’d choose! Look for Part Two to come later this week.