It's time for our annual Ducks prospect rankings. Each poll will run for 48 hours except in the case of a clear landslide. I will go to the top 25 and include a final poll where you can pick 5 honorable mentions. Please tell me who you want me to add in the replies. In the eighth poll, I am voting for Nathan Gaucher.
1. C - Leo Carlsson (2023 draftee)
2. D - Pavel Mintyukov (no change)
3. D - Olen Zellweger (no change)
4. G - Lukas Dostal (no change)
5. D - Tristan Luneau (+9)
6. D - Jackson LaCombe (+4)
7. D - Tyson Hinds (+13)
Our graduates and departures are:
Mason McTavish
Urho Vaakanainen
Henry Thrun
Simon Benoit
Axel Andersson
Sean Tschigerl
Hunter Drew
Thimo Nickl
Olle Eriksson Ek
Bryce Kindopp
Max Golod
Ethan Bowen
Went with Perreault. He had a tough year on a miserable team but I still like his upside. I think he has a big season in a more favorable situation next season.
This is where it gets tough for me. Helleson, Gaucher, Pastujov, Myatovic, and Moore are all super close for me, with Nesterenko, Sidorov, Hvidston and Warren closely following suit. Among others.
Gave a long thought to going with Ian Moore here, but it's Gaucher time. Judging from my limited viewings of him at the WJC and the Memorial Cup, he's a guy who may drive this fanbase nuts over an 82-game regular season but shows up when the calendar flips to mid-April, May, and June.
At this point in the rankings, potential is a factor, but it carries less weight because there are other detracting issues. For me, likelihood of becoming an actual NHL player pushes someone like Gaucher over a prospect like Pastujov. If Pastujov fulfills his potential, he'll in theory be a better or more impactful player. However, I see Gaucher becoming a dominant 3rd line center much more likely than Pastujov, Tracey, Perreault, etc... becoming at top 6 scoring winger.
He is really responsible defensively, like all other notable forwards drafted under Pat, but Hvidston is making some really great plays. He has the tools and he has the brain, plus he's on a real steep trajectory now.
Next bunch for me could be Gaucher, Helleson, and Moore. I'm not really high on our offensive-minded forwards right now.
He is really responsible defensively, like all other notable forwards drafted under Pat, but Hvidston is making some really great plays. He has the tools and he has the brain, plus he's on a real steep trajectory now.
Next bunch for me could be Gaucher, Helleson, and Moore. I'm not really high on our offensive-minded forwards right now.
Everything i've read on this forum has convinced me of Hvidston.
Its still really early but what if he becomes Verbeek's Palat/Cirelli like the late pick steals that Yzerman had in Tampa.
I like Gaucher more than most and have been voting for him since #5. Maybe I'm overrating him a bit because he is exactly what this team lacks, as opposed to being the 4th or 5th LHD in the organization. Don't need him to be a top 6 scorer, hoping for a bargain basement Ryan Kesler.
I like Gaucher more than most and have been voting for him since #5. Maybe I'm overrating him a bit because he is exactly what this team lacks, as opposed to being the 4th or 5th LHD in the organization. Don't need him to be a top 6 scorer, hoping for a bargain basement Ryan Kesler.
Kesler was a very powerful skater and had strong hands, although there was significant development in him after the age of 20. don’t see that out of Gaucher
Other than Leo, will any of this years' draft picks even make the top 10? Very surprising, especially given how many picks we had in the first 3 rounds of a historically bad year.
Gaucher and Groulx are eerily similar to me, both bottom-6 centers.
Gaucher
v
Groulx
Player
Season
League
Games
G
A
Pts
PPG
Column1
Plus/Minus
Gaucher
D+0
QMJHL
66
31
26
57
0.86
30
Playoffs
12
3
6
9
0.75
1
D+1
QMJHL
44
22
24
46
1.05
35
Playoffs
16
7
9
16
1.00
8
Groulx
D+0
WHL
68
28
27
55
0.81
9
Playoffs
9
2
6
8
0.89
2
D+1
WHL
65
31
49
80
1.23
37
Playoffs
10
4
8
12
1.20
3
D+2
WHL
55
29
49
78
1.42
20
Regenda spent most of last year adapting to NA ice with San Diego at behest of former coach Eakins. Regenda finished 8th in scoring with 25 points in only 50 games. To put into perspective of scoring, when Gulls captain De Leo returned from injury, his final tally was 23 points in 22 games. At 6'3 and 211 lbs, Regenda could be tough to play against in a bottom-6 role.
6th best scorer on playoff team, 12th best scorer on team in playoffs
Hvidston
vs
Myatovic
Player
Age
Season
League
Games
G
A
Pts
PPG
Plus/Minus
Hvidston
16
D-1
SMAAHL
7
6
6
12
1.71
n/a
17
D+0
WHL
58
13
19
32
0.55
-5
18
D+1
WHL
59
21
44
65
1.10
15
Myatovic
17
D-1
WHL
67
4
24
28
0.42
11
18
D+0
WHL
68
30
30
60
0.88
43
=== Mid-bottom pairing D ===
RD Moore
Sophomore in college last year
6'3 and 185 lbs
Skates like the wind
2nd highest scoring D on team
1st (tied) highest +/- D on team (with Thrun)
36 blocked shots each season (Fr, So). Fourth on team each season. (Max 50 Fr, Max 40 So)
Will be top pairing D next year as a junior
Moore's defense seems to be coming along great. He might have been playing top-4D with Harvard last year, sometimes being paired with Thrun. This coming season, it appears Moore will be a top-pairing D.
Warren was oft injured, which does affect his development. Unfortunately, IMO, other D prospects have passed him up this past season.
=== Top-6 Scoring Wingers ===
Tracey (2019), Perreault (2020), and Pastujov (2021) were all prolific scorers in their draft year in the CHL.
Perreault has a bad season last year, full of injuries and not playing top-line. Often, he and Tracey will be seen cycling on the third line.
San Diego Season 1: 0.63 ppg
San Diego Season 2: 0.67 ppg
San Diego Season 3: 0.40 ppg (Last year)
Tracey also had a bad season last year with injuries. Still finished 7th in points on the team.
San Diego Season 1: 0.00 ppg
San Diego Season 2: 0.56 ppg
San Diego Season 3: 0.45 ppg (Last year)
Pastujov had continued his high end scoring last year, topping off at 1.72 ppg with his new team!
All three are complementary top-6 wingers. Tracey and Perreault are making me a bit gun shy on how Pastujov will perform at the AHL level. Plus side is that the AHL will be filled with a lot of top end talents. That's a boon for all the complementary top-6 scoring forwards
============================
I think it's a toss up between Hvidston, Myatovic, and Moore if based upon their NHL potential. Think I'll go with Hvidston.
Kesler was a very powerful skater and had strong hands, although there was significant development in him after the age of 20. don’t see that out of Gaucher
I chose Gaucher as well.
I do believe he’s a reach, but there I believe there is work ethic and and responsible game that will go with his size to be a solid NHLer for a lot of yesrs
Other than Leo, will any of this years' draft picks even make the top 10? Very surprising, especially given how many picks we had in the first 3 rounds of a historically bad year.
Might be a combination of Ducks going off the board with a lot of the picks (not getting the players that people wanted) along with so many previous picks having amazing years (3 D-men of the year, defensive D of the year, Hvidson breaking out, etc.) and Ducks traditionally doing better with D. I really like the scouting reports on a lot of the guys we picked up and there will probably be more love for those players next year when more people follow them and (hopefully) some of them explode in production.
Other than Leo, will any of this years' draft picks even make the top 10? Very surprising, especially given how many picks we had in the first 3 rounds of a historically bad year.
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