"What was once seen as something that would eventually happen became reality Sunday night, and Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf wore proof of that change when he took the ice in the exhibition finale against the Kings.

Getzlaf was selected captain earlier in the day and showed he was comfortable wearing the "C" letter on his sweater as he scored a goal and set up Teemu Selanne's overtime winner that allowed the Ducks to end the exhibition season with a 3-2 victory at Honda Center.

Getzlaf, 25, becomes the eighth captain in franchise history and succeeds Scott Niedermayer, who held that role for four of his five seasons before announcing his retirement in June.

"I'm extremely honored to be that with the room that we have here," Getzlaf said, noting that he's "following in some pretty good footsteps."

"It could have easily been on a few jerseys tonight," he added.

The organization long has groomed him for the captaincy and it took a large step toward that in making him alternate captain last season. But this decision was left to a vote by the players instead of Ducks coach Randy Carlyle, who usually made the final call.

The other leading candidates were Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne, who will hold the alternate roles. Koivu and Selanne referred to the role as being a challenge that Getzlaf is now ready for.

"Sometimes it might kind of bring a bit more pressure but in Getzy's case, it's a good thing," Koivu said. "One thing he has to remember is that he got named and voted as a captain because of who he is and what he's done. And the personality that he has.

"He can't change anything. He has to be himself. And that's going to be enough."

Said Selanne: "I honestly think it's Getzy's time."

There were sure signs of that Sunday as he flashed the kind of ability that put together team-leading campaigns of 82 and 91 points in 2007-08 and 2008-09 before he slipped to 69 points last season in what was an injury-plagued year."