If you ever wondered whether a kid from a hockey movie could grow up and still love the game, Kenan Thompson just gave you the answer.

On Sunday, Feb. 1, the comedian proved that once you are part of the Mighty Ducks family, you never really leave. Thompson spent the day cheering on the Anaheim Ducks as they celebrated forward Alex Killorn’s 1,000th NHL game. It was a big milestone for Killorn and a fun throwback moment for fans who grew up watching Thompson in D2: The Mighty Ducks and D3: The Mighty Ducks.

Back in the Pond

Thompson showed up ready for the occasion. He wore a “Tyler” jersey, a nod to his character, Russ Tyler, the knuckle puck legend himself. At one point, he even held up a Mighty Ducks 4 script to the camera, instantly getting fans excited about what could be.

And because no Ducks event would be complete without it, Thompson led the entire stadium in a loud and proud “quack.” He later shared the moment on Instagram, writing, “It’s good to be home. 🏒🥅 That game sure was MIGHTY!!!! GO DUCKS!!!!👏🏾🙌🏾”

For fans in the arena and online, it felt like the 1990s all over again.

From Movie Magic to Real Hockey

Thompson has often talked about how filming the Mighty Ducks movies changed his life. In fact, those films did more than create a cult classic franchise. They inspired real hockey passion across the country. After the first movie became a hit, Disney actually founded the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks in the 1990s.

In a 2022 interview with ESPN, Thompson explained how much those movies still mean to hockey fans today.

“It’s always been super-duper love. Hockey fans can get a little rowdy after the game and stuff, but they just want to shout out The Mighty Ducks and tell me how much they meant to them, how it kept them motivated on their hockey paths,” Thompson told the outlet at the time. “It’s always been a lot of love.”

For many players and fans, the movies were not just entertainment. They were motivation. Kids who watched Coach Bombay and the Ducks learned about teamwork, second chances, and believing in yourself. Some of them even grew up to play in the NHL.

The Mighty Ducks 4 That Almost Was

Of course, seeing Thompson hold up that script got people talking. Is Mighty Ducks 4 actually happening?

According to Emilio Estevez, there was a real plan. In April 2025, while appearing on the Happy Sad Confused, Estevez shared that he had written a script for a fourth film. However, Disney decided not to move forward with it.

“I also wrote Mighty Ducks 4. I wanted to make up for all of the disasters that happened on the Game Changers series,” Estevez said.

Estevez famously played Coach Gordon Bombay in the original trilogy. He returned to the role in the 2021 Disney+ series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. However, he did not appear in the second and final season after clashing with production over the vaccine requirement on set.

Still, his vision for a fourth movie sounded exciting and modern.

“[It’s] a feature script that had coach Bombay coming back, being pulled back in by Joshua Jackson’s character and Kenan Thompson’s character and to coach a new team, an expansion team, for the professional women’s hockey league.”

The idea would have focused on an all-girl professional team, bringing a fresh perspective to the franchise.

“So, it would be an all-girl team. Now, when we discover Bombay, he’s coaching roller derby and so he says, ‘My girls are going with me. They have to have a shot,’ ” he continued, adding, “It was charming and contemporary and cool and organically of the moment. It’s where we’re at… Disney was like, ‘We don’t want to pursue that.’ “

Even though Disney passed on the project, fans clearly have not lost interest.

Once a Duck, Always a Duck

Thompson’s appearance at the Ducks game was more than just a celebrity cameo. It was a reminder of how powerful stories can be. A kids’ sports movie from the 1990s helped inspire a real NHL team and motivated a generation of hockey players.

Now, decades later, one of its stars is still proudly repping his character and leading stadiums in a quack.

Whether Mighty Ducks 4 ever hits the big screen or not, one thing is clear. The spirit of teamwork, fun, and believing in the underdog still lives on.

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She’s made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it.

She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel.

A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community.

She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.