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Prospect Info: 2022-23 Ducks Prospects

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Roy’s been a really effective juniors coach. For a smaller Canadian league and supposed lower overall talent, the Q has really been dominating the CHL. That was a spanking on a team with a lot of NHL talent.
 
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TheGoodShepard1 said:
The QMJHL is supposedly the weakest of the Big 3, but that's 7 of the last 11 Memorial Cups.

Anyway, the most encouraging thing about Gaucher is that he seems to bring his best in the biggest of games. Gonna need that attitude going forward
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Still, Québec is about the size of Sweden, Switzerland or Czech Republic. Big enough for producing a lot of quality.
 
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Gliff said:
Have we ever had a prospect as polarizing as Gaucher? lol

2 pages ago people were saying how he has no chance of living up to his draft position and now he is getting all the love.
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I'm still sceptic of how his production/offence will live up tp his draft position. But certainly happy for him succeeding and getting real valuable experience.
 
Gliff said:
Have we ever had a prospect as polarizing as Gaucher? lol

2 pages ago people were saying how he has no chance of living up to his draft position and now he is getting all the love.
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I think it's a matter of expectation. Some think a low first rounder should be a top 6 scorer. Gaucher isn't that. I believe has was drafted to be what he is. A shutdown, physical center that can win faceoffs, kill penalities, and play against scoring lines. The Ducks are lacking a player like Gaucher. They have skill guys and are getting another one this year in the draft. They are soft and poor defensively. Areas that guys like Gaucher will address.
 
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Gliff said:
Have we ever had a prospect as polarizing as Gaucher? lol

2 pages ago people were saying how he has no chance of living up to his draft position and now he is getting all the love.
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I was in that camp. I thought the pick was a reach for him with his limited upside, but he's like Mason last 2 years of Junior, just wins everywhere he goes and does the little things to win.
 
The conversation around Gaucher really comes down to how much people value defensive forwards. I think maybe that role has fallen out of favor in recent years, but a lot of teams still value those players a lot. Personally, I think if you can draft someone in the 15-30 range that projects as an elite 3rd C, someone who can match against top lines, play the PK and get Selke nods, it's a strong pick.
 
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The 'problem' that people have with Gaucher is that they are caught up with different prospects that don't fit our vision. Where will the defense responsibilities come from?

Lambert, Snuggard or others are not as valuable as a Gaucher IMO. What other player do we have in our system resembles Gaucher? Nobody
 
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If you believe Gaucher has the tools at the NHL level to be a middle six forward then you love the pick. If you believe his skillset will limit him to a 4th line role at the NHL level then you don't love the pick at all. He'll play in the NHL though.
 
Ducks said:
The conversation around Gaucher really comes down to how much people value defensive forwards.
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I guess most people figure you find your defensive forwards rather easily in round 3 or later, but if it were that simple everyone would have a great checking line. Prime Sami Pahlsson was very important for our team, and I probably would not have traded him to a rival playoff team for their 1st rounder.

I don't know what Gaucher will be, but is it any less likely that he becomes a really excellent defensive forward, than it is a typical skill player draftee from the late 1st becomes an impact scorer? If anything the former is probably something that is easier to scout.

Winning the Guy Carbonneau award isn't a guarantee, of course. But I feel like a lot of people forget how good a player Carbonneau was ... 3 Selkes (and could easily have been 5 or 6), and a big contributor to 3 Cups.
 
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Smirnov2Chistov said:
The 'problem' that people have with Gaucher is that they are caught up with different prospects that don't fit our vision. Where will the defense responsibilities come from?

Lambert, Snuggard or others are not as valuable as a Gaucher IMO. What other player do we have in our system resembles Gaucher? Nobody
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Speaking for myself, but: yes and no.

When I saw Gaucher in WJC and some Q games, he was playing only defense because... he didn't know what to do with the puck once he got it and the play soon went back the other way so he again had to defend. It also goes with the comments from our new coach, he wants players who lays a huge hit, to know what to do with the puck once they got it even if they did take it from the opposition. In my viewings (which were limited and I'm not really a professional, ofc), he did not know what to do with the puck so my eye test showed high chance of him topping as a 4th liner who fans hate because they are getting hemmed in constantly.

Again, I'm not a professional and I was also too pessimistic of McTavish at times. I am super stoked to see Gaucher succeed and I certainly want him to. I'm just cautious about his potential. And it's not purely that he's not a potential top6 player.
 
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Nathan Gaucher seems like he could become a Ryan Kesler clone..I would welcome that with open arms
 
Gaucher has one more year in juniors? OR is he AHL bound next year?

Zell and Minty are AHL bound.

Does anyone have a list of who will be eligible to go pro next season our of our prospects?
 
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