Anaheim Ducks Top 20 prospects show the benefits of good scouting

[HF Article]

Photo: Anaheim’s top prospect Shea Theodore is being developed with patience but his offensive skills definitely have a place in the NHL (courtesy of Jose Quiroz/Icon Sportswire)


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If the Anaheim Ducks management and scouts have done one thing right in their recent history, it is that they have made the top end picks count. While every team has its missed opportunities, flops, and top picks that do not live up to expectations, the Ducks have had an enviable success rate. The mid-season Top 20 features 13 players from rounds one through three, while the top ten features eight players from the first and second rounds.… read more

The post Anaheim Ducks Top 20 prospects show the benefits of good scouting appeared first on Hockey's Future.



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[Vipers31]

Interesting. Cool to see Theodore with an 8.0B. That's a pretty rare grade here (at least it used to be).

 

[Giguere27]

Really suprised, that Kase and Cooper didn't found a way into the top-20

 

[camshaft]

I had given up on the idea of Welinski signing a contract with us and go the way of Justin Schultz. But after reading about Welinski's playing style, he may have a future in Anaheim. If Welinski plays a two way physical game with an edge to it, he may be the perfect replacement for Bieska after his contract runs out. If Welinski is willing to spend a year or two in San Diego, he would have a future in SD, since only Despres and Manson have a physical edge to them, and it also helps that Welinski is RH shot.

 

[duxfan1101]

I had given up on the idea of Welinski signing a contract with us and go the way of Justin Schultz. But after reading about Welinski's playing style, he may have a future in Anaheim. If Welinski plays a two way physical game with an edge to it, he may be the perfect replacement for Bieska after his contract runs out. If Welinski is willing to spend a year or two in San Diego, he would have a future in SD, since only Despres and Manson have a physical edge to them, and it also helps that Welinski is RH shot.

I've never understood why everyone is so pessimistic about Welinski signing with us. Yes, he is staying at college for his senior year, but plenty of players do that, and he's also their captain. Has he (or Roy, for that matter) indicated in any way that they aren't interested AT ALL in signing with us?

 

[Vipers31]

I've never understood why everyone is so pessimistic about Welinski signing with us.

German saying goes: "A burnt kid is shy of the fire." We just know how it ended for us the last time a guy went back for senior year. Well, and we're one of the two toughest organizations to be in when it comes to making it through the ranks as a defensive prospect, maybe the toughest (given that Philly's roster isn't as filled with young guys, yet). It would actually be understandable for Welinski.

 

[Jason Lewis]

Really suprised, that Kase and Cooper didn't found a way into the top-20

Kase actually got bumped when Wagner came back into the fold.

I think the injuries and adjustment to his first year pro have weighed on him. Next year is going to be much more indicative of what kind of player he is. I really like Kase but I couldn't see him fitting in on this top 20 since this was a big question mark year, and hasn't done a whole lot with it for various reasons.

 

[Ducks Nation*]

I would put Kase in top 15 personally. I like what I have seen other than the injuries.

Nattinen will be our best forward prospect IMO.

 

[Boo Boo]

German saying goes: "A burnt kid is shy of the fire." We just know how it ended for us the last time a guy went back for senior year. Well, and we're one of the two toughest organizations to be in when it comes to making it through the ranks as a defensive prospect, maybe the toughest (given that Philly's roster isn't as filled with young guys, yet). It would actually be understandable for Welinski.

I agree that Welinski would have an easier route to the NHL with a team that has a weaker/ older blueline BUT the ducks can point to schultz going to a team with worse coaching and a worse culture and and offer this. We cant guarantee a spot on our roster but we can get you to your potential here. One thing about our organization is we get young defensemen playing to their potential and raising their stock. Lindholm, Vatanen, Manson.. really all of our young dmen have improved leaps and bounds playing for us. Even Despres came from another organization and almost instantly improved his play (before he got injured). That is what we offer as an organization. I hope I dont sound too optimistic here and Im far from confident in signing welinski but I think we could eventually reach a point he may ask himself if he can afford to not sign here

 

[Vipers31]

I agree that Welinski would have an easier route to the NHL with a team that has a weaker/ older blueline BUT the ducks can point to schultz going to a team with worse coaching and a worse culture and and offer this. We cant guarantee a spot on our roster but we can get you to your potential here. One thing about our organization is we get young defensemen playing to their potential and raising their stock. Lindholm, Vatanen, Manson.. really all of our young dmen have improved leaps and bounds playing for us. Even Despres came from another organization and almost instantly improved his play (before he got injured). That is what we offer as an organization. I hope I dont sound too optimistic here and Im far from confident in signing welinski but I think we could eventually reach a point he may ask himself if he can afford to not sign here

Yeah, they can (and if it comes to that most certainly will) and should point to that case, but at the end of the day, even with all the things that went wrong, Schultz got his quick $3.9M dollar / year contract, and Welinski would probably think he only needs to make a better choice than Edmonton. We'll see. It's neat that we get to look at this situation a lot more relaxed than back then, and hopefully Welinski respects the Ducks' ability to work with young defensemen enough to end up signing once he is done with his senior year.

 

[KaseMeOutside]

talent wise kase is top 10 probably
but he has the same problem as sorenson
can't stay healthy

 

[liquiduck]

Intersting to see that Sorenson actually got a slight bump in his score despite the injury issues. Hopefully he can stay healthy next year. He has talent.


Sideroff is a real sleeper IMO. I like Terry and Kase a lot too.

 

[liquiduck]

Interesting. Cool to see Theodore with an 8.0B. That's a pretty rare grade here (at least it used to be).

I think that's the highest grade we've had for a prospect since Bobby Ryan?

 

[Jason Lewis]

Interesting. Cool to see Theodore with an 8.0B. That's a pretty rare grade here (at least it used to be).

Watched enough of him with the Gulls this year to be super impressed. He just manages and controls the ice so well.

 

[Vipers31]

Watched enough of him with the Gulls this year to be super impressed. He just manages and controls the ice so well.

Really glad to hear it, the reports that made it our way haven't been too large in numbers, and somewhat mixed. He certainly left me incredibly impressed over his NHL-stint as well, but it's a small sample, so hearing that he is delivering on a more regular and consistent basis definitely reinforces the confidence I have in him becoming an impact player for us really soon.