Prospect Info: With the 60th overall pick in the 2023 draft, the Ducks select Damian Clara

[Ducks DVM]

Damian Clara!

Welcome to Anaheim!

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[MMC]

Welcome to Anaheim Damian Clara!

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

6’6?! Holy moly

 

[Leonardo87]

Went with a Goalie, no surprise here, given the Gibby situation.

 

[Goose of Reason]

Well there's our goalie pick

 

[The Mighty Duck]

Welcome to Anaheim!

 

[Leonardo87]

Well, we got our Italian. ha ha.

 

[cheesymc]

I definitely expected a high pick with a goalie this year. I was hoping for either Gajan and Clara. I still think we liked Gajan more with his athleticism... seemed like a sure-er bet to make it. He is like Hiller and an overager like Andersen blend. Clara is huge. We haven't really hit on those types of goalies but it gives us a nice mix in goal. I wish we picked him up later though... alot of talent still on board.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

I never get excited about goalies.

 

[GreatBear]

Well, I guess that the Ducks needed to draft a goalie to keep the pipeline going. You just never know how a goalie is going to turn out. He's apparently off to Sweden to play next year so that is positive. I guess we may see him in the AHL in three or four years. After that, who knows. I think that we could have done better with our #60 pick.

 

[Gliff]

Goalies are so hard to get hyped for in the draft, but it's nice that they took a monster.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Confused about this one.. much like the whole direction of the draft. thats what I get for being over excited on Carlsson

 

[Mr Rogers]

Apparently he played for one of Salzburg’a junior teams? Wonder if Mcilvane knows him and weighed in on this

 

[MMC]

On Damian Clara (2nd Round, 60th Overall)

There were four goalies that we were interested in selecting this year and we did want to select one. The way that goalies started to come off the board early in the second round, we didn't want to take a chance that he would not be available later than we picked him. [Ducks goaltending coach Sudarshan Maharaj] is very passionate about him. He's really young in his development scale, an Italian kid who moved to Red Bull Salzburg and then on to Farejstad. He's going to be playing pro next year in Brynas. He's just starting on his development curve and is unbelievably athletic for a 6-foot-5 guy. He's so coordinated. We love him.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I never get excited about goalies.

he is from italy...that should get you excited

 

[Eye of Ra]

Well, I guess that the Ducks needed to draft a goalie to keep the pipeline going. You just never know how a goalie is going to turn out. He's apparently off to Sweden to play next year so that is positive. I guess we may see him in the AHL in three or four years. After that, who knows. I think that we could have done better with our #60 pick.

He will learn from NHL veteran Anders Lindbäck. He will share the goal with him this upcoming season.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

This was the goalie I wanted most in the draft…

Continue to build a strong system at goalie

 

[GunnarStahl]

This was the goalie I wanted most in the draft…

Continue to build a strong system at goalie

same, he only popped up on my radar recently but when i looked at his profile a few days ago i was intrigued.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

same, he only popped up on my radar recently but when i looked at his profile a few days ago i was intrigued.

Bit of a project, but that’s fine…. A lot of potential with him and a lot to like.

 

[Unholy]

Def don’t mind a goalie pick. Need to keep the cupboard full of opportunities.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

His size is like the opposite of Cogliano lol. Massive sized Italian. Roman Praetorian Guard in Goal. I like it.

 

[tomd]

Clara was a guy I was hoping the Ducks would take. Really good pick.

 

[cheesymc]

Clara was a guy I was hoping the Ducks would take. Really good pick.

I like him too but it was early. Madden said he had 4 on his list and it sounds like the other 3 went early so they felt they had to make the pick earlier.

 

[tomd]

I like him too but it was early. Madden said he had 4 on his list and it sounds like the other 3 went early so they felt they had to make the pick earlier.

That is what it sounds like. I think a potential #1G at that point in the draft was the best value. I don't think there was anyone taken after him who has the same potential at any position.

 

[mightyquack]

It's only an early pick if you're focused on pre-draft rankings and not on the context of the draft. Pretty much all the top rated goaltenders according to scouts were going off the board, if you wanted one you had to take on in the second round.

On an unrelated note, interesting that only one of the top five international goalies according to central scouting actually got drafted .