Prospect Info: 2022-23 Ducks Prospects

[AngelDuck]

Fantili is an Eichel/Matthews/MacKinnon level prospect ImO. I’d be very surprised if he’s not a quality 1st line center early on in his career

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Fantili is an Eichel/Matthews/MacKinnon level prospect ImO. I’d be very surprised if he’s not a quality 1st line center early on in his career

If we do get fantili.. I could see going to mctavish and fantili down the middle. Put z on his wing. Z needs to learn the 200 game..

 

[DavidBL]

If we do get fantili.. I could see going to mctavish and fantili down the middle. Put z on his wing. Z needs to learn the 200 game..

I still think Z has looked strong in the middle. I feel like center also forces him to learn the 200 ft game more than at wing.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I said in any draft that doesn't have a generational talent, not just the weak 2022 crop. Fantilli would be a number one overall caliber prospect in just about any given draft year. He's on a different tier than Beniers, McTavish etc as a prospect.

Power returning to Michigan was a surprise and was outside the norm for a number one pick. But at least he's a Dman and they take longer to development. Forwards who are on Fantilli's level pretty much always make the league right away.

Also I have no idea where you got the idea that the AHL is a lower competition level than the SHL, but that is absolutely not a statement of fact. The consensus would be that the KHL/AHL are 2A/B and there's a drop off after that.

For someone like Carlsson it comes down to fit. He's already way bigger and stronger and then average SHL player. Get him over to adapt to the NA game/ice and I doubt he needs all of next season before forcing his way into the NHL.

If you think the issue is that we don't have a proper environment in which to develop young players, well then that's something the team needs to address and not just accept. We have other vital young players already on the roster. If our early pick is NHL ready, we sure as heck can't be holding them back under concern that we aren't ready for them. That's just not a smart way to operate.

Fact is, despite all the futility around them, we are still seeing improvement from Zegras and McTavish. That should give some comfort in knowing that Fantilli wouldn't be certain to fail if he were to make the Ducks. I would strongly suspect that he's more NHL ready this fall than Z was when he first appeared. The good ones will figure it out.

You completely ignored my rebuttal where I listed off several forwards that could be #1 overall who didn't come over until their D+2 season: Beniers, McTavish, and Kent Johnson to name a few. Hell, even Zegras didn't come over to the pro side until his D+2 season.

You also completely ignored my rebuttal of all those Michigan players who returned for their D+1 season have transitioned to the NHL much better than going to the NHL after being drafted. Hint, Michigan is a very good development program. Anaheim and San Diego are not great situations.

Zegras is in his third season as a pro and it's his D+4 season. McTavish is in his D+2 season this year and he hit that rookie wall around game 50. You're using them as example to bring Fantilli and Carlsson over in their D+1 season?

From the Hockey Writers, world league rankings published on Jan 3, 2023:

1. NHL
2. KHL
3. SHL
4. Liiga
5. Czechia Extraliga
6. Swiss National League (NLA)
7. German's DEL
8. AHL
9. NCAA
10. OHL

The most games Fantilli has played is 54 games at a high school level and just 36/37 games at the NCAA level. The most SHL games Carlsson has played is 51 SHL games. Are they ready for the big jump in league as well as games played on one season?

I don't get the obsession of bringing both Fantilli and Carlsson over when it's obvious that their development would be significantly served better in their current respective leagues for their D+1 season. When they come over to the NA pro side in their D+2 season, they'll be able to handle more of a shitty situation both physically and mentally.

Again, I'm not opposed to Fantilli coming over to the pro side next year. I feel Anaheim will get a more complete player, both physically and mentally, if he stays at Michigan another season as well as avoid the shitshow we have at both the NHL and AHL levels next season.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

You completely ignored my rebuttal where I listed off several forwards that could be #1 overall who didn't come over until their D+2 season: Beniers, McTavish, and Kent Johnson to name a few. Hell, even Zegras didn't come over to the pro side until his D+2 season.

You also completely ignored my rebuttal of all those Michigan players who returned for their D+1 season have transitioned to the NHL much better than going to the NHL after being drafted. Hint, Michigan is a very good development program. Anaheim and San Diego are not great situations.

Zegras is in his third season as a pro and it's his D+4 season. McTavish is in his D+2 season this year and he hit that rookie wall around game 50. You're using them as example to bring Fantilli and Carlsson over in their D+1 season?

From the Hockey Writers, world league rankings published on Jan 3, 2023:

1. NHL
2. KHL
3. SHL
4. Liiga
5. Czechia Extraliga
6. Swiss National League (NLA)
7. German's DEL
8. AHL
9. NCAA
10. OHL

The most games Fantilli has played is 54 games at a high school level and just 36/37 games at the NCAA level. The most SHL games Carlsson has played is 51 SHL games. Are they ready for the big jump in league as well as games played on one season?

I don't get the obsession of bringing both Fantilli and Carlsson over when it's obvious that their development would be significantly served better in their current respective leagues for their D+1 season. When they come over to the NA pro side in their D+2 season, they'll be able to handle more of a shitty situation both physically and mentally.

Again, I'm not opposed to Fantilli coming over to the pro side next year. I feel Anaheim will get a more complete player, both physically and mentally, if he stays at Michigan another season as well as avoid the shitshow we have at both the NHL and AHL levels next season.

That hockey writers article is very much one person's opinion and not a consensus nor a fact.

I didn't ignore your rebuttal, it was very clearly addressed. None of the forwards you are mentioning, are guys that fit the criteria of what I'm saying.

McTavish, Beniers and Johnson are not examples of prospects who would be surefire first overall material in any given year that doesn't have a generational prospect. Hence why none were first overall picks even in their own draft year that didn't have a Bedard. Z wasn't anywhere close to being number one pick material in his draft year. Those guys having been held back one year, does nothing to refute my point about what happens with forward prospects of Fantilli's caliber. He's put himself in a different conversation.

It's worth noting that Fantilli is a late bday, meaning he's only one development and birth year behind someone like McTavish despite being drafted two years later. For a prospect of his caliber whose ability and physical development was obviously in no way hindered by a late birthday, he's essentially getting his D+1 development season in before being drafted. Next year is his age 19 season, last year of WJC eligibility - the same season McTavish is playing through right now. I have zero reason to think Fantilli is any less NHL ready for next season at the same age McT just played this year.

 

[Static]

More junior league playoff openers tonight. Gaucher and Luneau both have assists early.

 

[ADHB]

Luneau with 3 assists now.

 

[Anarchynate]

Luneau with 3 assists now.

Named second star of the game.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Luneau with 3 assists now.

Man getting Mintyukov and Luneau in the same draft is a beautiful thing(not to mention Warren)

 

[Anarchynate]

Man getting Mintyukov and Luneau in the same draft is a beautiful thing(not to mention Warren)

And Connor Hvidston too!

 

[Hockey Duckie]

That hockey writers article is very much one person's opinion and not a consensus nor a fact.

I didn't ignore your rebuttal, it was very clearly addressed. None of the forwards you are mentioning, are guys that fit the criteria of what I'm saying.

McTavish, Beniers and Johnson are not examples of prospects who would be surefire first overall material in any given year that doesn't have a generational prospect. Hence why none were first overall picks even in their own draft year that didn't have a Bedard. Z wasn't anywhere close to being number one pick material in his draft year. Those guys having been held back one year, does nothing to refute my point about what happens with forward prospects of Fantilli's caliber. He's put himself in a different conversation.

It's worth noting that Fantilli is a late bday, meaning he's only one development and birth year behind someone like McTavish despite being drafted two years later. For a prospect of his caliber whose ability and physical development was obviously in no way hindered by a late birthday, he's essentially getting his D+1 development season in before being drafted. Next year is his age 19 season, last year of WJC eligibility - the same season McTavish is playing through right now. I have zero reason to think Fantilli is any less NHL ready for next season at the same age McT just played this year.

THW's article has been updated for this year. The original article and ranking started in 2012, see the comment dates below the article. I've shared this ranking years ago, but can't remember the bottom league rankings. The SHL consists of only 14 teams, there teams have to compete to stay at the SHL level or be demoted to a lower tier, HockeyAllsvenskan. There are 32 AHL teams, which means the talent is diluted where you can have a terrible team like this year's San Diego Gulls.

Wow. So you'd pick Fantilli over Owen Power. You'd probably be the only person to do so.

Owen Power, Matty Beniers, and Kent Johnson are all late births (Oct/Nov), just like Fantilli. And just like Fantilli, they were all in college before getting drafted. All three went back to Michigan for another season. I know Power and Beniers are still playing strong. Beniers is trying to lead his team to the playoffs as Seattle's 1C. Power's ATOI is 23:48, and his last outing was 27:39 in his 70th game. Can't say much about Johnson, but he's 4 points behind McTavish and gaining fast with 9 points in the past 11 games. Whereas McTavish has 5 points in the last 11 games. McTavish hit the rookie wall around game 50. I'd say that extra season in the NCAA for Power, Beniers, and Johnson has helped them sustain physically at the NHL level. That's probably why Luke Hughes decided to stay an extra year at Michigan too.

Again, I don't comprehend the impatience, especially in a reset rebuild. Fantilli will have only played 36-37 games against bigger bodies of the NCAA. What's the point of getting an extra couple of wins at the NHL level next season only to see Fantilli burnout around game 50 on a team with a new coaching system without defense?

 

[GunnarStahl]

THW's article has been updated for this year. The original article and ranking started in 2012, see the comment dates below the article. I've shared this ranking years ago, but can't remember the bottom league rankings. The SHL consists of only 14 teams, there teams have to compete to stay at the SHL level or be demoted to a lower tier, HockeyAllsvenskan. There are 32 AHL teams, which means the talent is diluted where you can have a terrible team like this year's San Diego Gulls.

Wow. So you'd pick Fantilli over Owen Power. You'd probably be the only person to do so.

Owen Power, Matty Beniers, and Kent Johnson are all late births (Oct/Nov), just like Fantilli. And just like Fantilli, they were all in college before getting drafted. All three went back to Michigan for another season. I know Power and Beniers are still playing strong. Beniers is trying to lead his team to the playoffs as Seattle's 1C. Power's ATOI is 23:48, and his last outing was 27:39 in his 70th game. Can't say much about Johnson, but he's 4 points behind McTavish and gaining fast with 9 points in the past 11 games. Whereas McTavish has 5 points in the last 11 games. McTavish hit the rookie wall around game 50. I'd say that extra season in the NCAA for Power, Beniers, and Johnson has helped them sustain physically at the NHL level. That's probably why Luke Hughes decided to stay an extra year at Michigan too.

Again, I don't comprehend the impatience, especially in a reset rebuild. Fantilli will have only played 36-37 games against bigger bodies of the NCAA. What's the point of getting an extra couple of wins at the NHL level next season only to see Fantilli burnout around game 50 on a team with a new coaching system without defense?

Chiming in to address a single point of this. I’d be willing to bet half my net worth that 90% of NHL scouting teams would take Fantilli over Owen Power, might even be 100%.

 

[goonsaredumb]

Wow. So you'd pick Fantilli over Owen Power. You'd probably be the only person to do so.

Any day of the week, I wouldn't even take Power 1st from his own draft class in a redo (I'd take him 2nd so not much of a fall from grace but still) but if you put Fantilli into his draft year I'd pick Fantilli 1st 100% of the time.

 

[Static]

Zellweger finished with four assists and was named third star of his game.

 

[Kalv]

Zellweger finished with four assists and was named third star of his game.

The kid is playing WHL on beginner settings

 

[Anaheim4ever]

One thing going for Zellweger in the WHL vs how Steel destroyed the WHL is that Steel isn't super super fast like Zellweger. I'm less worried about Zellweger. Its just about is he gonna be a top pairing guy or a 2nd pairing guy.

Would be nice to have both Zellweger and Mintyukov turn into 1Ds and have two defensivve pairings with a big point producer on them.

 

[Kalv]

One thing going for Zellweger in the WHL vs how Steel destroyed the WHL is that Steel isn't super super fast like Zellweger. I'm less worried about Zellweger. Its just about is he gonna be a top pairing guy or a 2nd pairing guy.

Would be nice to have both Zellweger and Mintyukov turn into 1Ds and have two defensivve pairings with a big point producer on them.

That's a reaaaaaaal stretch tho. They can become good defensemen but I have not seen the 1D upside all that much.

 

[Gliff]

THW's article has been updated for this year. The original article and ranking started in 2012, see the comment dates below the article. I've shared this ranking years ago, but can't remember the bottom league rankings. The SHL consists of only 14 teams, there teams have to compete to stay at the SHL level or be demoted to a lower tier, HockeyAllsvenskan. There are 32 AHL teams, which means the talent is diluted where you can have a terrible team like this year's San Diego Gulls.

Wow. So you'd pick Fantilli over Owen Power. You'd probably be the only person to do so.

Owen Power, Matty Beniers, and Kent Johnson are all late births (Oct/Nov), just like Fantilli. And just like Fantilli, they were all in college before getting drafted. All three went back to Michigan for another season. I know Power and Beniers are still playing strong. Beniers is trying to lead his team to the playoffs as Seattle's 1C. Power's ATOI is 23:48, and his last outing was 27:39 in his 70th game. Can't say much about Johnson, but he's 4 points behind McTavish and gaining fast with 9 points in the past 11 games. Whereas McTavish has 5 points in the last 11 games. McTavish hit the rookie wall around game 50. I'd say that extra season in the NCAA for Power, Beniers, and Johnson has helped them sustain physically at the NHL level. That's probably why Luke Hughes decided to stay an extra year at Michigan too.

Again, I don't comprehend the impatience, especially in a reset rebuild. Fantilli will have only played 36-37 games against bigger bodies of the NCAA. What's the point of getting an extra couple of wins at the NHL level next season only to see Fantilli burnout around game 50 on a team with a new coaching system without defense?

I take Fantilli all day.

I don’t even think Power ends up being the best defensemen in his class.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

THW's article has been updated for this year. The original article and ranking started in 2012, see the comment dates below the article. I've shared this ranking years ago, but can't remember the bottom league rankings. The SHL consists of only 14 teams, there teams have to compete to stay at the SHL level or be demoted to a lower tier, HockeyAllsvenskan. There are 32 AHL teams, which means the talent is diluted where you can have a terrible team like this year's San Diego Gulls.

Wow. So you'd pick Fantilli over Owen Power. You'd probably be the only person to do so.

Owen Power, Matty Beniers, and Kent Johnson are all late births (Oct/Nov), just like Fantilli. And just like Fantilli, they were all in college before getting drafted. All three went back to Michigan for another season. I know Power and Beniers are still playing strong. Beniers is trying to lead his team to the playoffs as Seattle's 1C. Power's ATOI is 23:48, and his last outing was 27:39 in his 70th game. Can't say much about Johnson, but he's 4 points behind McTavish and gaining fast with 9 points in the past 11 games. Whereas McTavish has 5 points in the last 11 games. McTavish hit the rookie wall around game 50. I'd say that extra season in the NCAA for Power, Beniers, and Johnson has helped them sustain physically at the NHL level. That's probably why Luke Hughes decided to stay an extra year at Michigan too.

Again, I don't comprehend the impatience, especially in a reset rebuild. Fantilli will have only played 36-37 games against bigger bodies of the NCAA. What's the point of getting an extra couple of wins at the NHL level next season only to see Fantilli burnout around game 50 on a team with a new coaching system without defense?

It's nothing to do with impatience and everything to do with putting the player in the level they belong at. Fantilli is about as NHL ready as you get in a draft year prospect. You can keep bringing up the same forward prospects like McTavish and Beniers but they simply are not on Fantilli's level at the same age. Fantilli as a freshman in his draft year is succeeding on a level that Beniers and Johnson did not come anywhere close to achieving as drafted sophomores - different tier of prospect.

If you want to better comparisons for Fantilli, you pretty much have to look at recent forwards drafted number one overall - because he's a number overall prospect in almost any other year (McTavish , Beniers and Johnson are not).

Power is the only recent example of a first overall pick who returned to his previous level rather starting straight in the NHL. That was a his choice and a pretty big surprise overall, because every other first pick has signed and played right away.

That's the part you're not really wrapping your head around. It's not really impatient or rushing a player when his closest comparables all start in the NHL as well. You can go back a decade or further, any forward prospect who is actually on his level (not the ones you've mentioned), goes straight to the league from the draft.

Fantilli is a better prospect and far more NHL ready than the two from the 2022 draft who started in the NHL. He's a better prospect than anyone from the 2021 draft and would 100% have gone first overall over Power (I'm very much not alone in that opinion and not sure why you'd think otherwise).

2020 draft, again Fantilli goes first overall over Lafreniere (who started in the NHL right away)

2019 Hughes went first overall and was straight to the NHL as a little shrimp out of the NTDP. These two would have been in a two horse race for first overall but I ultimately believe Fantilli would have won out.

2018 Fantilli would have been in that close race with Dahlin and Svechnikov, both of whom were straight to the NHL at 18. There's a real argument that he could have went first overall in this draft as well

2017 Fantilli easily goes first overall over Hischier and Patrick (who both made the NHL right away at 18)

2016 Fantilli would have been considered right up there with Matthews and Laine, both of whom were in the NHL at 18.

2015 Fantilli would have been battling Eichel for second behind McDavid (both started straight in the NHL)

2014 Fantilli would have been first overall over Ekblad, who was straight to the NHL even as an 18 year old Dman.

2013 Fantilli would have been neck and neck with MacKinnon and ahead of Barkov, both of whom again were right to the NHL.

Those are the best comparables for Fantilli going back ten years. You bringing up guys who went 3rd - 9th overall isn't relevant to this discussion - they simply are not on the same level of prospect. Each year there are maybe one or two prospects of Fantilli's quality, and the forwards in that group make the NHL right away 100% of the time. Mostly because they are just too good to justify placing anywhere but the best league in the world.

But you should be definitely thinking more along the lines of a Hughes/MacKinnon/Matthews level prospect and not a McTavish/Johnson. You simply aren't giving Fantilli his due, he wouldn't just be a first overall pick in most draft years but a really damn good one at that.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Fantilli over Owen Power? for this team? I’ve seen it all lol.

would take Power over Fantilli, sorry. Our defense could use someone like Power. He is only getting better

 

[Kalv]

Fantilli over Owen Power? for this team? I’ve seen it all lol.

would take Power over Fantilli, sorry. Our defense could use someone like Power. He is only getting better

There's a decent chance that Fantilli as well

Fantilli has far better pre-draft production in Michigan for what it's worth. Power has size advantage but what else? I'd take Fantilli between the two at comparable ages, seems that he has a better upside. Fantilli also has a mean streak, Power is Fowler in a bigger body.

 

[Gliff]

lol some of you are either seriously overating Power in his draft year or seriously underrating Fantilli. Fantilli just had a historic year along with his amazing skillset.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I’d pick fantilli michkov carlsson and bedard over power tbh

I think power is in the smith/benson range of prospect

 

[GunnarStahl]

Power’s draft pedigree was generated almost entirely by the idea of what he could be not what he had done to show his dominance. 16 points in 26 games in the NCAA as an 18 year old is good. But nothing jaw dropping, it was his frame and potential to develop him into a Hedman type that got him picked 1st. He was by no means a Dahlin who had shown massive skill and dominance to that point of career, he was just very good and big. Meanwhile, while being a good two way player and being well rounded Fantilli has put up 2 points per game in the NCAA as an 18 year old. Which puts him in a group solely with Kariya and Eichel. There is much less speculation of greatness with Fantilli, he has already proved he is great through his actions.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

There's a decent chance that Fantilli as well

Fantilli has far better pre-draft production in Michigan for what it's worth. Power has size advantage but what else? I'd take Fantilli between the two at comparable ages, seems that he has a better upside. Fantilli also has a mean streak, Power is Fowler in a bigger body.

Everyone has their own perspective.

Power is coming into his own. Maybe it’s because I see more of skilled forwards on this team over skilled defenseman that can play NOW. Power would arguably be our number 1 for years