Prospect Info: 2023 Ducks Prospect Rankings #4

[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 first poll, I am voting for Lukas Dostal.

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

2023 Ducks Prospect Rankings:

1. C - Leo Carlsson (2023 draftee)
2. D - Pavel Mintyukov (no change)
3. D - Olen Zellweger (no change)

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​

Click to read more...

 

[TopShelfWaterBottle]

Dostal

 

[Arthuros]

Gotta go Dostal here.

 

[Gliff]

Dostal. Under rated around the league. I think he is the best goalie prospect outside of the top tier of 4 guys. What he did at 20 in Liiga is more impressive then what Levi did in the NCAA.

 

[Mr Rogers]

Close for me between Dostal and Luneau but Dostal

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

We are flying through these.

 

[Arthuros]

We are flying through these.

It's gonna get way more interesting when we get to the forwards.

 

[Static]

Luneau here, for the reasons laid out in the last poll. If Luneau becomes a 20 minute dman who plays on the PP and PK regularly, would you trade him for a starting goaltender?

I think that's luneau's potential that has been pretty legitimate for all but the one year he was hurt (luckily for us, his draft year).

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

It's gonna get way more interesting when we get to the forwards.

Ironically because our forwards are way less interesting as prospects.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I like luneau a lot here… but I have dostal as #3 on my list so got to go dostal.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

While understanding the urge to pick Luneau, I have to go with Dostal. We are passed the 100% can't miss section, and he's already looking like a quality NHL goalie.

 

[c4rcy]

Luneau took major strides this year but Dostal is 100% ready for prime time and perhaps to split more duties with Gibson (until Gibson gets traded perhaps).

Definitely a luxury of riches when it comes to our defensive prospects, but the subjective gap between the two is pretty small IMO.

 

[McDonald19]

Dostal time. He already showed he can compete at the NHL level (with an awful defense in front of him too).

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I went with Luneau. If people loved Minty and Zell above Dostal, then I'm lost as to why Luneau isn't loved similarly? Although Luneau was drafted 53rd overall, he fell from a first round rating by CSB prelim due to knee surgery. The org gambled on his recovery and I think Luneau is 90% there from regaining his explosive start. I'm surprised Luneau isn't getting similarly hyped like Minty and Zell.

I'll repost a guess who from the last poll thread to this one b/c I was late to the party.

Ducks	Prospect	D-men
Defenseman	Games	G	A	Pts	PPG		Playoffs	G	A	Pts	PPG
A	55​	32​	48​	80​	1.45​		14​	11​	18​	29​	2.07​
B	65​	20​	63​	83​	1.28​		13​	2​	15​	17​	1.31​
C	69​	24​	64​	88​	1.28​		11​	0​	9​	9​	0.82​

Spoiler: Answer to Players A, B, and C

Answer:
A = Zellweger
B = Luneau
C = Minty

We have the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL d-men of the season in the same season! Could have sworn Luneau won one of them this past season.

 

[GunnarStahl]

I went with Luneau, although Dostal is an elite prospect imo. I would have been shocked if you told me a year ago Dostal would be 5th on my list. Luneau and him are basically tied for me but I really like how well rounded Luneau is, he will be an incredibly important member of the top 4 and has better defensive awareness and skill than the defenseman listed ahead of him. So far being the only one to truly show substantial two way play. I could see him being similar to

 

[TheGoodShepard1]

I went with Luneau as well just based off of personal preference. Love Dostal though, think he's got the potential to be a really good #1.

I went with Luneau, although Dostal is an elite prospect imo. I would have been shocked if you told me a year ago Dostal would be 5th on my list. Luneau and him are basically tied for me but I really like how well rounded Luneau is, he will be an incredibly important member of the top 4 and has better defensive awareness and skill than the defenseman listed ahead of him. So far being the only one to truly show substantial two way play. I could see him being similar to

To WHOM? You can't leave the people on a cliffhanger like that.

 

[DavidBL]

These are always interesting as we move down the line. Some people base their opinions on which prospects have the highest upside and some base it on who is closest to NHL ready.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

I went with Luneau, although Dostal is an elite prospect imo. I would have been shocked if you told me a year ago Dostal would be 5th on my list. Luneau and him are basically tied for me but I really like how well rounded Luneau is, he will be an incredibly important member of the top 4 and has better defensive awareness and skill than the defenseman listed ahead of him. So far being the only one to truly show substantial two way play. I could see him being similar to

Mike Rathje? Dave Karpa?? Uwe Krupp??!!

 

[GunnarStahl]

Mike Rathje? Dave Karpa?? Uwe Krupp??!!

To WHOM? You can't leave the people on a cliffhanger like that.

Devon Toews

 

[AngelDuck]

I went with Hinds. I have a strong feeling he could be a poor man’s Lindholm on the 2nd pairing for years

 

[Kalv]

I'm quite high on both but going with Dostal just because he's proven it in better leagues (since he's older) and he has been always underrated, ha.

 

[Arthuros]

I went with Hinds. I have a strong feeling he could be a poor man’s Lindholm on the 2nd pairing for years

The last poor man's Lindholm we had busted hard, so hopefully better than that!

Maybe we gotta aim higher. Like, poor man's Lidstrom.

 

[FiveHoleTickler]

The last poor man's Lindholm we had busted hard, so hopefully better than that!

Maybe we gotta aim higher. Like, poor man's Lidstrom.

In other words, Lindholm.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I went with Hinds. I have a strong feeling he could be a poor man’s Lindholm on the 2nd pairing for years

Hinds is def an interesting one.... curious to see how he performs at camps/preseason.

I think he is a guy that could def fight for a Roster spot at the start of the season.

I know a lot of people have written lacombe into the line up, but i think Mintyukov and Hinds have better chances of impressing the team... and prob fill the role were looking for better.

Idk that id put him before dostal yet.... and Luneau prob brings a lot more to the table than hinds, while still being a solid defender... if both meet their ceilings Luneau > Hinds... i think they both have strong floors.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

I went with Hinds. I have a strong feeling he could be a poor man’s Lindholm on the 2nd pairing for years

He can have a long, steady career like Ducks Stanley Cup champion Sean O'Donnell