Scouting, drafting and developing talented young hockey players has been the cornerstone of NHL franchises since, oh, the invention of ice, and the Ducks are no exception to the rule. General manager Bob Murray is counting on his many fine prospects to lead his rebuilding team to a brighter future.
The upside of the Ducks’ lackluster play the last few seasons has been a well-stocked talent pool. They have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, matching the longest postseason drought in team history. They have added several top draft picks, though.
The Ducks’ recent results on the ice and in the standings have been dreary, but the future could be bright if all goes as planned. The Ducks have scouted and drafted well, and now comes the hard part: Transforming prospects into productive players capable of leading a franchise.
Here’s a closer look at five young players to watch in 2021-22:
TREVOR ZEGRAS
Center, 6-0, 182
3 goals, 10 assists last season
He could be the Ducks’ top-line center to start the season, after a whirlwind introduction to the pro ranks last season that took him from a World Junior championship with Team USA to San Diego of the AHL, to the Ducks, back to San Diego and then finally back with the Ducks. It was a busy five months of hockey for him.
MAX COMTOIS
Left wing, 6-2, 215
16 goals, 17 assists
He led the Ducks in goals and points in 2020-21 and expectations are for another productive season. The Ducks certainly could use all he can offer, given their lackluster offense. They scored 126 goals in 56 games during the coronavirus-shortened season, the fewest in the NHL. Their historically bad power play clicked at only 8.9 percent.
JAMIE DRYSDALE
Defenseman, 5-11, 175
3 goals, 5 assists
His skating and playmaking ability earned him a steady shift in the closing weeks of last season, but there were some concerns about his defensive play against more established and experienced opponents. Defensemen often take longer than forwards to develop into useful NHL players, and he already has a pretty good head start.
MASON MCTAVISH
Left wing/center, 6-1, 207
9 goals, 2 assists with Olten (Swiss)
He seemed beyond his 18 years during training camp, and maybe that had to do with his experience of playing in Switzerland while the Ontario Hockey League was shut down because of the pandemic last season. The Ducks took him with the third overall pick in July, and he could stick around until the World Junior tournament in December.
LUKAS DOSTAL
Goaltender, 6-2, 174
15-9-0 with San Diego (AHL)
He fared well in his first season in North America after coming over from Europe, and there’s little doubt that he could one day become a No. 1 goalie in the NHL. For now, he’s ticketed for San Diego to be the Gulls’ starter. He has also risen to third on the Ducks’ organizational depth chart behind No. 1 John Gibson and No. 2 Anthony Stolarz.