Disney+ called game on The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. After two seasons of following the 12-year-old Evan following his hockey dreams after being cut from the now-powerhouse Mighty Ducks, the streamer won't be moving forward with another season of the sequel series. It's one of two shows to be axed by Disney+ on Friday along with the John Stamos-led Big Shot.
Following Season 2, the hockey series seemed almost certainly doomed as TVLine notes. Along with Big Shot, Game Changers was approved for a second season despite an underwhelming performance relative to what it cost to make. The move is likely what led to the firing of longtime Disney executive Peter Rice who reportedly drew the ire of the company for his questionable decision-making.
Game Changers did score points, however, for carrying the torch of the classic films. The first season featured the return of Emilio Estevez as Gordon Bombay and saw Evan (Brady Noon) and his mother Alex (Lauren Graham) create a new team of underdogs to challenge an exclusive Mighty Ducks team that had lost its way. The mix of heart and humor was enough to earn a Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an 87% score from critics.
After Evan and company won back the Mighty Ducks name, however, Season 2 immediately took a hit with the shocking exit of Estevez. The series aimed to fill the void by bringing in Josh Duhamel to play Coach Cole, a no-nonsense former hockey player teaching at the prestigious hockey academy Evan and his friends were heading to in an effort to up their game. He'd ultimately fit right in, even getting the chance to direct an episode of the series. With Duhamel's addition, Season 2 also introduced Jace (Naveen Paddock), Coach Cole's son who fought through "the glitch" in order to come through in big moments on the ice. The season ended on a high note as Coach Cole and Alex's teams came together to defeat Team Canada led by Coach T (Dylan Playfair). Alex and Jace both had scouts from major universities eyeing them and Jace patched his relationship with his dad.
Who Else Was a Part of the Quack Pack in The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers?
Game Changers also featured a cast of Maxwell Simkins, Swayam Bhatia, Julee Cerda, Luke Islam, Bella Higginbotham, Taegen Burns, Kiefer O’Reilly, and De’Jon Watts among others. The series was also no stranger to the occasional appearance from other Mighty Ducks movie alums like the Bash Brothers played by Elden Henson and Aaron Lohr as well as Guy Germaine (Garrette Henson), Adam Banks (Vincent A. LaRusso), and Connie Moreau (Marguerite Moreau).
All episodes of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers can be streamed on Disney+. Check out the trailer for Season 2 below.