Prospect Info: 2022 Ducks Prospect Rankings #12

[MMC]

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 twelfth poll, I am voting for Brayden Tracey.

As always the list will define prospects as hockeysfuture does: NHL Prospect Criteria - Hockey's Future.

2022 Ducks Prospect Rankings

1. C - Mason McTavish (+2)
2. D - Pavel Mintyukov (2022 draftee)
3. D - Olen Zellweger (+3)
4. G - Lukas Dostal (no change)
5. RW - Jacob Perreault (no change)
6. D - Urho Vaakanainen (2022 acquired)
7. C - Nathan Gaucher (2022 draftee)
8. D - Henry Thrun (-1)
9. RW - Sasha Pastujov (no change)
10. D - Jackson LaCombe (no change)
11. D - Drew Helleson (2022 acquired)

Our graduates and departures are:

Trevor Zegras
Jamie Drysdale
Alexander Volkov
Josh Mahura
Brendan Guhle
Jack Badini
Roman Durny​

Click to read more...

 

[WhatTheDuck]

This far in, and still one first rounder and six second rounders on the board. Two prospects from the recent WJC still to be ranked. Three remaining who have already played NHL games.

Tough pick to make here, but I think Clang's resume as a teenage goalie in a top pro league, trumps anything else on the board. Can easily make a case for a guy who has essentially reached the NHL (Benoit) or really any of the other recent early picks though.

 

[Kalv]

I like Warren a lot, but he's a long-term project, and I do like Luneau's promise as well.

But for me, it's now Benoit and then BOG who at least have shown they can play in the NHL. I believe many of these players will play in the NHL, but going with the safer picks now.

 

[Gliff]

Tracey here.

 

[bsu]

I like Warren a lot, but he's a long-term project, and I do like Luneau's promise as well.

But for me, it's now Benoit and then BOG who at least have shown they can play in the NHL. I believe many of these players will play in the NHL, but going with the safer picks now.

I'm going Benoit then Tracey probably

 

[Arthuros]

I'm going Benoit then Tracey probably

Same.

Then probably Warren > Luneau atm, but Luneau's piqued my interest a bit.

 

[TopShelfWaterBottle]

Benoit than Tracey

Same.

Then probably Warren > Luneau atm, but Luneau's piqued my interest a bit.

If Warren hits, hot dang that’s what we needed for years

 

[TopShelfWaterBottle]

Benoit than Tracey


If Warren hits, hot dang that’s what we needed for years

Although I feel like with him we got the “scraps“ of the big bruising dmen who were available in the first and second round

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Warren ceiling seems like a Taller & Faster skating Josh Manson if everything goes right. The kind of player the team absolutely needs

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Luneau upside is too much to ignore, he’s in my personal top 10 for our prospects.

Clang would also make my top 10, he’d be next pick

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

Going off the board with Groulx. He had basically the same PPG as Tracey last year, but is more responsible defensively while also being a center.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Going off the board with Groulx. He had basically the same PPG as Tracey last year, but is more responsible defensively while also being a center.

I had hype on Groulx last year after he made the NHL to start the year. It didn't go as planned and he was sent back down. And when he was sent back down to the AHL, it felt like he took a step backwards and he got injured later into the season.

Groulx (AHL)

2020-21: 42 games, 29 pts, +14​

2021-22: 40 games, 22 pts, -6​

Tracey (AHL)

2020-21: 12 games, 0 pts, -2​

2021-22: 55 games, 31 pts, -1​

I'm hoping that Groulx can regain that game play in 2020-21 that prompted the team to promote him to the NHL. Tracey surpassed Groulx in development last year and Tracey is a year younger too.

With Groulx starting out in the AHL this season and Lopina joining him, I feel good for our offensive wingers to continue to develop. It's nice having some center depth developing in the AHL.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

I had hype on Groulx last year after he made the NHL to start the year. It didn't go as planned and he was sent back down. And when he was sent back down to the AHL, it felt like he took a step backwards and he got injured later into the season.

Groulx (AHL)

2020-21: 42 games, 29 pts, +14​

2021-22: 40 games, 22 pts, -6​

Tracey (AHL)

2020-21: 12 games, 0 pts, -2​

2021-22: 55 games, 31 pts, -1​

I'm hoping that Groulx can regain that game play in 2020-21 that prompted the team to promote him to the NHL. Tracey surpassed Groulx in development last year and Tracey is a year younger too.

With Groulx starting out in the AHL this season and Lopina joining him, I feel good for our offensive wingers to continue to develop. It's nice having some center depth developing in the AHL.

He'll eventually be competing for a NHL spot with Lopina and Gaucher.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

He'll eventually be competing for a NHL spot with Lopina and Gaucher.

I think Groulx is ahead of both with respect to development. Groulx fell into that sophomore slump last year.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

I think Groulx is ahead of both with respect to development. Groulx fell into that sophomore slump last year.

Well in competing to take the spot away from him.
If Gaucher doesn't turn into a top9 forward he could be a superior 4C over Groulx.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Well in competing to take the spot away from him.
If Gaucher doesn't turn into a top9 forward he could be a superior 4C over Groulx.

The one thing Gaucher has over Groulx as prospects is skating. Aside from that, they're both similar players such as they're shutdown players with offense. If Groulx has been improving his speed, then it's great for us. I don't see Gaucher as a center, though. He's got great straight line speed, but turns like an ocean liner.

 

[Duck Off]

Luneau upside is too much to ignore, he’s in my personal top 10 for our prospects.

Clang would also make my top 10, he’d be next pick

Don’t understand the Tracey love at all, but hard to argue with any pick at this point. I take Luneau, Warren, and Clang all over him. I debated between those 3 here but picked Luneau because of the upside you mentioned.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Don’t understand the Tracey love at all, but hard to argue with any pick at this point. I take Luneau, Warren, and Clang all over him. I debated between those 3 here but picked Luneau because of the upside you mentioned.

If I’m going on upside, I think luneau is 5 or 6 in the pool

 

[MMC]

Don’t understand the Tracey love at all, but hard to argue with any pick at this point. I take Luneau, Warren, and Clang all over him. I debated between those 3 here but picked Luneau because of the upside you mentioned.

Why? 21 year old former first round pick who at the very least can produce at the AHL level and we're out of the top 10

 

[Duck Off]

Why? 21 year old former first round pick who at the very least can produce at the AHL level and we're out of the top 10

When I watch him, I don’t see an nhl player personally. He’s still young and I hope I’m wrong but I think he’s a bust myself.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Don’t understand the Tracey love at all, but hard to argue with any pick at this point. I take Luneau, Warren, and Clang all over him. I debated between those 3 here but picked Luneau because of the upside you mentioned.

When I watch him, I don’t see an nhl player personally. He’s still young and I hope I’m wrong but I think he’s a bust myself.

I get why people don't see Tracey as anything, but the bust moniker was two seasons ago when almost everyone piled up on him for scoring 0 points in 12 AHL games. There's really nothing elite about Tracey and he's a late bloomer physically. And without context, his scoring just doesn't pop off.

The only common trait to Tracey is that he can score at his appropriate level and has done so with teams lacking in offensive talent. He went from 32nd (worst on team) in Gulls scoring two seasons ago to 7th best last year while playing a bottom-6 role. His path was more difficult than Steel's path to the AHL, which should give him a better chance at sticking at the NHL level. Physically, though, he might still be a year and half away.

I think Tracey could be Rico-lite. Be that offensive glue that gets on the board, but you just don't know how in the hell he does it consistently.

 

[Gliff]

If I’m going on upside, I think luneau is 5 or 6 in the pool

Upside he has the highest of all the defensemen outside of Zell and Minty. If it wasn't for his injury he probably would have been a mid to late 1st.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Upside he has the highest of all the defensemen outside of Zell and Minty. If it wasn't for his injury he probably would have been a mid to late 1st.

Or higher. He was ranked 10th in Central Scouting's NA mid-term rankings. He had surgery that summer and didn't look good, but was ranked 10th still? That's how much clout he developed the previous season to still be ranked that high despite not skating well.

I can't give Luneau that upside b/c that upside doesn't exist today. Similar to Pastujov, his skating is still bad. If Pasta did show massive improvement in skating, then Pasta would actually rank much higher in our own ranking.