Ryan Getzlaf takes on a new role alongside Gary Bettman in the NHL

This marks Ryan Getzlaf's first full time return to hockey since his retirement in 2022. The longtime Anaheim Ducks captain has been active in the Ducks community, but will now join the NHL wide initiative of the Department of Player Safety.

The NHL department of player safety is the authority that decides fines and suspensions for players guilty of infractions during games, and Ryan Getzlaf's long and storied NHL career, playing alongside notable infraction-taker Corey Perry, will make him a great fit for the job.

The two time Olympic gold medalist and Stanley Cup champion will join George Parros, the head of the division, in order to guarantee that Gary Bettman's league is as fair as possible.

As Ryan Getzlaf heads into this next section of his career, his longtime teammate and fellow 2003 first-round draft pick Corey Perry is entering a new season with the Edmonton Oilers. Considering their close friendship, and Corey Perry's familiarity with suspensions and fines, the two could one day reunite in this NHL department, as joked about by many today.

The Anaheim Ducks also made sure to get in on the action of their former captain's new job.

Beloved by many in and out of Anaheim, Ryan Getzlaf is sure to bring a much more likeable voice to one of Gary Bettman's NHL's most controversial divisions. We are excited to see what Ryan Getzlaf does next with this new and exciting opportunity.

Source: NHL Public Relations