How The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Connects to the Movies

The world of The Mighty Ducks has returned to the screen after 25 years away from the spotlight. The new Disney+ series, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, introduced fans to an entire new generation of hockey-playing misfits, and a villainous new look for the beloved Ducks organization. With all of the new characters becoming the center of the new show, and only a handful of original Ducks confirmed to appear in a single episode later in Season 1, fans might wonder how the new show actually connects to the original movies. Is Game Changers simply part of the Mighty Ducks franchise by name, or is there something deeper connecting the two eras of the franchise?

If you started watching Game Changers because you love the original Mighty Ducks characters, there isn't a lot of connective tissue in the new series, at least not yet. What does tether the two eras together is the coach of the Ducks himself, Gordon Bombay. In the early episodes of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Emilio Estevez's Coach Bombay provides the link to the past.

This version of Bombay is different than the one many remember from the original Mighty Ducks movies. He's older, much grumpier, and it's clear that his relationship with hockey took a dark turn over the last 20 years. He owns the Ice Palace (which he attributes to Jan, another Mighty Ducks callback), but forbids hockey at his rink. Of course, he needs money, and that's what gets him to bend his rule for this new team to practice. That and their mutual hatred of the New Ducks.

Bombay not only connects the two eras of the Mighty Ducks, he also provides the biggest intrigue of the story to this point. The new hockey team in the show essentially takes the place of the original Ducks team, even though they're all new characters. Bombay is the only returning character, but he's part of a brand new story.

The mystery of Bombay's time between D3 and Game Changers will likely provide more context to his falling out with the Ducks. We will probably see a bit more of that story unfold in the sixth episode, when a few of the old Ducks players return for a reunion.

As the show goes on, there will most likely be more connections to the old movies, but right now Bombay is holding down the fort by himself. He's enough go keep old fans interested, but the introduction of the new team allows another generation to get invested in the Ducks franchise.

Have you been enjoying The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers on Disney+? Let us know in the comments!