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

[WhatTheDuck]

Biggest thing he needs at his age is quality playing time, and there's more of that available for him overseas for the time being. I could see him coming over in another year, that's the same timeline for starting in the AHL as any CHL drafted prospects of the same age.

 

[Gliff]

wrong thread

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Goalie development are fickle. For example, Dostal got national praise for the month of October this year, but bombed in November. It took a long while for Dostal to find consistency until the end of the season. Next season, we're all hoping Dostal is more consistent from October to April.

Anaheim will lose Clara's rights if he is not signed by Jun 1, 2027, as per CapFriendly's reserve list page. That is four summers away. Clara is only 19 years old.

From the chart above, the AHL and ECHL is oversaturated with goalies going into next season. Why would the Ducks want to limit the number of games played by Clara in the AHL/ECHL when he can play far more games in the SHL, Sweden's top tier league for men? Last year, Clara was playing in HockeyAllsvenskan - which is Sweden's second tier league for men. This is good progression for Clara.

Since Clara doesn't have to be signed until the summer of 2027, then Anaheim can take its time letting Clara develop from afar as they sort through what they have currently in the system in the AHL and ECHL.