Despite playing a seasoned hockey player in the second installment of Disney+’s “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers,” Josh Duhamel is a rookie to the franchise’s universe. But while he may be newbie onscreen, offscreen the actor is a longtime fan.
“I’ve definitely had a connection to the franchise,” Duhamel told TheWrap. “I grew up watching these movies and I’m from North Dakota — Minnesota is right next door. We’re always cheering for the Minnesota teams, so it felt like home, this show. I played hockey growing up so it was close to me in a lot of ways.”
Duhamel portrays the charismatic Colin, a former NHL player-turned-coach who takes the Mighty Ducks’ time at summer camp incredibly seriously. He steps onto the team following actor Emilio Estevez’s departure from the series. Estevez, who starred in the original film and whose character, Coach Gordon, previously had a budding romantic arc with Alex (Lauren Graham), left at the end of Season 1, citing “a myriad of creative differences” and denying claims that he was ousted due to not being in compliance with the studio’s COVID vaccine mandate.
Season 2 of the family-oriented series sees the Mighty Ducks, fresh off the victory of returning to their glorious name in last season’s finale, head to southern California for what they think will be a summer of fun and occasional hockey training. What they don’t expect is Colin’s rigorous athletic regime. That’s where Alex’s motherly instincts kick in; as she advocates for a looser schedule, often butting heads with Colin, a playful rivalry (and possibly something more?) develops.
“And then all these years later I get a chance to play opposite Lauren after Emilio left, who I adored and I thought was fantastic, and there was some pressure that went with that. But I think this character was different enough,” Duhamel added. “I didn’t have to so much go into their world, they were coming into mine, so it wasn’t as much of me trying to ingratiate myself there as much as just trying to make my own mark in some way. And so I just went for it. I had so much fun and I had the best time with this cast.”
Graham returns as Alex for Season 2 and she’s found her “Mighty Ducks” role different enough from Lorelai Gilmore in “Gilmore Girls,” and Sarah Braverman on “Parenthood” that tackling playing her has been a challenge, despite the character — like the aforementioned ones — being a single mom.
“When you look at it on paper, and I’m like a single mom, ‘Well, it better be really good because I’ve kind of been there,’ and it felt different enough to me, the show felt different, the tone of the show’s more comedic in a way I love and hadn’t gotten to do,” Graham said. “So I look at, yes, her given circumstances, but also where is this person going to go? And I love that I had this relationship with — I don’t often get to have a son — or an only son. The whole package, it was just so appealing to me.”
“Mighty Ducks” Season 2 premieres on Disney+ Sept. 28.
