Prospect Info: 2022-23 Ducks Prospects

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Hvidston has picked up another assist tonight.

 

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Hvidston ties the game late, now 1+2.

 

[Reveille1984]

There may a slight issue with placing them all next season, or in the very least it'll be an interesting puzzle. If we sign Lacombe and Thrun, there's so many prospects at the pro level.

As kind of a novice at NHL contracts, how does the NCAA situation with those two work exactly?

If they can just elect free agency instead of signing with us, what is the benefit of them staying with Anaheim from their point of view? Can we offer them more term/cash than other clubs?

 

[Static]

As kind of a novice at NHL contracts, how does the NCAA situation with those two work exactly?

If they can just elect free agency instead of signing with us, what is the benefit of them staying with Anaheim from their point of view? Can we offer them more term/cash than other clubs?

Any drafted player is free to sign with another club four years after being drafted. The reason that NCAA players are usually the one ones who use this "loophole" (it isn't a loophole) is because college players cannot sign ELC contracts with their parent club since they will lose eligibility.

So, if a college player decides to stay all four years at school they will be able to sign with any pro team afterwards, but most players do not stay that long.

Every team can only offer the standard ELC contract to a prospect who goes this route, the decision generally comes down to location and positional opportunity.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

As kind of a novice at NHL contracts, how does the NCAA situation with those two work exactly?

If they can just elect free agency instead of signing with us, what is the benefit of them staying with Anaheim from their point of view? Can we offer them more term/cash than other clubs?

They can finish their college season and then sign with the Ducks before the NHL season concludes, and burn a year off their entry level contract this season. Whereas waiting until the summer to sign with another club, would mean starting a full length ELC this fall.

For a player who is banking on becoming an NHL player in the near future, burning through their entry level contract a year earlier can get them to the "real money" that much sooner.

 

[Reveille1984]

Thanks for the info!

Hopefully we can keep at least one of them since we're severely lacking size/offense from the back end, but after reading more about these guys and their contract situations I'm thinking they're pretty much gone if they've already waited this long to start their pro careers.

 

[All Mighty]

I mentioned this awhile ago, but CapFriendly says that Thrun is not a UFA this summer. I think it's because Harvard didn't play any games in the COVID year, so it didn't count toward his eligibility. I have no clue how accurate that is, but CapFriendly is usually right.

 

[Boo Boo]

I mentioned this awhile ago, but CapFriendly says that Thrun is not a UFA this summer. I think it's because Harvard didn't play any games in the COVID year, so it didn't count toward his eligibility.

I really want to believe you but can’t help but feel skeptical about the how official that actually is.

 

[MMC]

I mentioned this awhile ago, but CapFriendly says that Thrun is not a UFA this summer. I think it's because Harvard didn't play any games in the COVID year, so it didn't count toward his eligibility. I have no clue how accurate that is, but CapFriendly is usually right.

I believe he has one more year of eligibility, but he's classified as a senior so I think he's graduating.

 

[Static]

I mentioned this awhile ago, but CapFriendly says that Thrun is not a UFA this summer. I think it's because Harvard didn't play any games in the COVID year, so it didn't count toward his eligibility. I have no clue how accurate that is, but CapFriendly is usually right.

I was under the impression that the elapsed calendar time was the deciding factor rather than if they actually played any games.

 

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[All Mighty]

I was under the impression that the elapsed calendar time was the deciding factor rather than if they actually played any games.

CapFriendly doesn't seem to think that's the case. Another example is Will Francis, who was drafted the same year as Thrun and LaCombe. Francis was drafted in 2019, but didn't start his college career until the 21-22 season, and CapFriendly says he isn't a UFA until the summer of 2025. It seems like a college year doesn't count toward UFA status unless they actually play a game.

 

[Static]

CapFriendly doesn't seem to think that's the case. Another example is Will Francis, who was drafted the same year as Thrun and LaCombe. Francis was drafted in 2019, but didn't start his college career until the 21-22 season, and CapFriendly says he isn't a UFA until the summer of 2025. It seems like a college year doesn't count toward UFA status unless they actually play a game.

It must be like a contract toll, that would be very good for us if thrun applies. He did play in the USHL that year though, I wonder if that complicates matters.

 

[All Mighty]

It must be like a contract toll, that would be very good for us if thrun applies. He did play in the USHL that year though, I wonder if that complicates matters.

I mean Francis technically did the same thing, he just did it before he started his NCAA career. I have no idea if the timing matters or not.

The question seems to be: do you accrue seasons that count toward your UFA status each season you play in the NCAA, or, like you said, is there a timer that starts the minute you play your first NCAA game?

 

[Static]

I mean Francis technically did the same thing, he just did it before he started his NCAA career. I have no idea if the timing matters or not.

The question seems to be: do you accrue seasons that count toward your UFA status each season you play in the NCAA, or, like you said, is there a timer that starts the minute you play your first NCAA game?

It would be odd if thrun was answering questions about his decision this past offseason if he wasn't in fact eligible to sign with anyone. His agent should have known by then.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I was under the impression that the elapsed calendar time was the deciding factor rather than if they actually played any games.

Here's an NCAA sports page identifying the extra year of eligibility: link. The NCAA didn't recognize a calendar year elapsing since some colleges didn't play at all such as Harvard with Thrun and Moore. I think Will Francis has an extension due to his Leukemia battle.

The CHL and NHL/AHL permitted any CHL players under 20 years old to play in the AHL if their league wasn't playing and were given the option to stay in the AHL the following year. That's what happened with Drysdale, Perreault, and Tracey.

If the CHL and NHL had COVID exceptions, then maybe there's also an exception made between the NHL and NCAA. If CapFriendly is correct, then the extension gives the Ducks more leverage with Thrun. Academically, he's a senior. Hockeywise, he's just a junior and Thrun said he didn't have enough NCAA games to warrant signing b/c he shared that players who didn't play three years in college didn't fare well in the pros.

 

[Gliff]

It would be odd if thrun was answering questions about his decision this past offseason if he wasn't in fact eligible to sign with anyone. His agent should have known by then.

Don’t you mean “family advisor” lol.

I feel like it has to be 4 years, not 4 seasons played in the NCAA. Or else a redshirt or a guy that missed a season to injury has to play another year. Or what if a player never finishes his college career, does he just never hit UFA?

And you woul think someone at the Ducks who have been asked about this would have brought it up.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Don’t you mean “family advisor” lol.

I feel like it has to be 4 years, not 4 seasons played in the NCAA. Or else a redshirt or a guy that missed a season to injury has to play another year. Or what if a player never finishes his college career, does he just never hit UFA?

And you woul think someone at the Ducks who have been asked about this would have brought it up.

The only thing I can find is there's a 4-year window for NCAA guys and that they have to be signed within 30-days after leaving college. (Source) The 4-year window aligns with the time needed to get a degree.

I guess a college player can leave before their senior year and become a FA at any time. The year extension given doesn't really matter.

 

[GunnarStahl]

if I remember correctly CapFriendly put out a tweet saying that Thrun’s signing window on their site is incorrect and that they can’t fix it as it runs a formula that got messed up by his league shifting due to Covid.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

if I remember correctly CapFriendly put out a tweet saying that Thrun’s signing window on their site is incorrect and that they can’t fix it as it runs a formula that got messed up by his league shifting due to Covid.

It isn't just Thrun. Moore and Kukkonen got shifted back a year too. All three are NCAA'ers.

I haven't seen any tweet about that mistake. Seems odd they can't fix the formula since the formula only affected certain players. Colangelo's signing date is correct and he's an NCAAer.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Prospect Update, part 1, NA: CHL, NCAA, and USHL

• Highlights
  
  • After trading teams, Zellweger's production has skyrocketed along with plus/minus rating. Going in the opposite direction is Mintyukov, the scoring is down and he has a negative plus/minus rating.
  • RHD Luneau is 2nd in team scoring overall.
  • LW Hvidston has a similar ppg rate as Gaucher. Hvidston is 18 years old and Sept baby. Gaucher is 19 years old and born in Nov. Hvidston is follow Zellweger's steps of being almost young enough to be in the 2023 draft. Keep an eye out for Hvidston next year to see if that offense just pops off as his body fills in his 6'2 frame.
  • RW Pastujov is screaming hot with his new team at a 1.60 ppg rate.
  • An NCAA forward making a push for a ppg pace? RW Colangelo is incrementally sneaking up on it.

	Ducks	Prospects	CHL	NCAA	USHL
.	Jan	23rd	2023​
Rd	First Name	Last Name	Pos	League	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	.	Plus/ minus	PPG/ GAA
2​	Olen	Zellweger	LHD	WHL	Everett	23​	10​	18​	28​		-5​	1.22​
				WJC-20	Canada	7​	0​	6​	6​		0​	0.86​
				WHL	Kamloops	5​	4​	5​	9​		6​	1.80​	Current
4​	Ben	King	C	WHL	Red Deer	8​	6​	6​	12​		1​	1.50​	Healthy
3​	Sasha	Pastujov	RW	OHL	Guelph	14​	11​	8​	19​		-6​	1.36​
				OHL	Sarnia	20​	12​	20​	32​		13​	1.60​	Current
3​	Tyson	Hinds	LHD	QMJHL	Sherbrooke	32​	9​	24​	33​		27​	1.03​
				WJC-20	Canada	7​	2​	0​	2​		9​	0.29​
5​	Sean	Tschigerl	LW	WHL	Calgary	35​	13​	18​	31​		10​	0.89​
1​	Pavel	Mintyukov	LHD	OHL	Saginaw	37​	16​	38​	54​		26​	1.46​
				OHL	Ottawa	6​	0​	3​	3​		-2​	0.50​	Current
1​	Nathan	Gaucher	C	QMJHL	Quebec	30​	16​	17​	33​		27​	1.10​
				WJC-20	Canada	7​	1​	3​	4​		1​	0.57​
2​	Noah	Warren	RHD	QMJHL	Gatineau	32​	2​	12​	14​		4​	0.44​
2​	Tristan	Luneau	RHD	QMJHL	Gatineau	43​	13​	34​	47​		19​	1.09​
5​	Connor	Hvidston	LW	WHL	Swift	33​	10​	26​	36​		6​	1.09​
5​	Gage	Alexander	G	WHL	Swift	15​	0​	0​	0​		0.898​	3.47​
				ECHL	Tulsa	5​					0.886​	3.15​	Current
5​	Michael	Callow	C	USHL	Muskegon	33​	8​	7​	15​		-6​	0.45​
7​	Ethan	Bowen	C	BCHL	Chilliwack	0​	0​	0​	0​		0​	#DIV/0!​
2​	Sam	Colangelo	RW	NCAA	Northeastern	24​	7​	13​	20​		-1​	0.83​
4​	Will	Francis	RHD	NCAA	Minn-Duluth	16​	0​	0​	0​		-1​	0.00​
5​	Trevor	Janicke	F	NCAA	Notre Dame	26​	8​	9​	17​		0​	0.65​
3​	Ian	Moore	RHD	NCAA	Harvard	19​	0​	9​	9​		10​	0.47​
4​	Henry	Thrun	LHD	NCAA	Harvard	19​	3​	15​	18​		9​	0.95​
2​	Jackson	LaCombe	LHD	NCAA	Minnesota	26​	6​	19​	25​		8​	0.96​
4​	Jack	Perbix	RW	NCAA	W. Michigan	26​	5​	10​	15​		5​	0.58​
6​	Kyle	Kukkonen	C	NCAA	Michigan Tech	27​	9​	7​	16​		-3​	0.59​

 

[tomd]

Prospect Update, part 1, NA: CHL, NCAA, and USHL

• Highlights
  • After trading teams, Zellweger's production has skyrocketed along with plus/minus rating. Going in the opposite direction is Mintyukov, the scoring is down and he has a negative plus/minus rating.
  • RHD Luneau is 2nd in team scoring overall.
  • LW Hvidston has a similar ppg rate as Gaucher. Hvidston is 18 years old and Sept baby. Gaucher is 19 years old and born in Nov. Hvidston is follow Zellweger's steps of being almost young enough to be in the 2023 draft. Keep an eye out for Hvidston next year to see if that offense just pops off as his body fills in his 6'2 frame.
  • RW Pastujov is screaming hot with his new team at a 1.60 ppg rate.
  • An NCAA forward making a push for a ppg pace? RW Colangelo is incrementally sneaking up on it.

	Ducks	Prospects	CHL	NCAA	USHL
.	Jan	23rd	2023​
Rd	First Name	Last Name	Pos	League	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	.	Plus/ minus	PPG/ GAA
2​	Olen	Zellweger	LHD	WHL	Everett	23​	10​	18​	28​		-5​	1.22​
				WJC-20	Canada	7​	0​	6​	6​		0​	0.86​
				WHL	Kamloops	5​	4​	5​	9​		6​	1.80​	Current
4​	Ben	King	C	WHL	Red Deer	8​	6​	6​	12​		1​	1.50​	Healthy
3​	Sasha	Pastujov	RW	OHL	Guelph	14​	11​	8​	19​		-6​	1.36​
				OHL	Sarnia	20​	12​	20​	32​		13​	1.60​	Current
3​	Tyson	Hinds	LHD	QMJHL	Sherbrooke	32​	9​	24​	33​		27​	1.03​
				WJC-20	Canada	7​	2​	0​	2​		9​	0.29​
5​	Sean	Tschigerl	LW	WHL	Calgary	35​	13​	18​	31​		10​	0.89​
1​	Pavel	Mintyukov	LHD	OHL	Saginaw	37​	16​	38​	54​		26​	1.46​
				OHL	Ottawa	6​	0​	3​	3​		-2​	0.50​	Current
1​	Nathan	Gaucher	C	QMJHL	Quebec	30​	16​	17​	33​		27​	1.10​
				WJC-20	Canada	7​	1​	3​	4​		1​	0.57​
2​	Noah	Warren	RHD	QMJHL	Gatineau	32​	2​	12​	14​		4​	0.44​
2​	Tristan	Luneau	RHD	QMJHL	Gatineau	43​	13​	34​	47​		19​	1.09​
5​	Connor	Hvidston	LW	WHL	Swift	33​	10​	26​	36​		6​	1.09​
5​	Gage	Alexander	G	WHL	Swift	15​	0​	0​	0​		0.898​	3.47​
				ECHL	Tulsa	5​					0.886​	3.15​	Current
5​	Michael	Callow	C	USHL	Muskegon	33​	8​	7​	15​		-6​	0.45​
7​	Ethan	Bowen	C	BCHL	Chilliwack	0​	0​	0​	0​		0​	#DIV/0!​
2​	Sam	Colangelo	RW	NCAA	Northeastern	24​	7​	13​	20​		-1​	0.83​
4​	Will	Francis	RHD	NCAA	Minn-Duluth	16​	0​	0​	0​		-1​	0.00​
5​	Trevor	Janicke	F	NCAA	Notre Dame	26​	8​	9​	17​		0​	0.65​
3​	Ian	Moore	RHD	NCAA	Harvard	19​	0​	9​	9​		10​	0.47​
4​	Henry	Thrun	LHD	NCAA	Harvard	19​	3​	15​	18​		9​	0.95​
2​	Jackson	LaCombe	LHD	NCAA	Minnesota	26​	6​	19​	25​		8​	0.96​
4​	Jack	Perbix	RW	NCAA	W. Michigan	26​	5​	10​	15​		5​	0.58​
6​	Kyle	Kukkonen	C	NCAA	Michigan Tech	27​	9​	7​	16​		-3​	0.59​

Might be one of the weakest forward pools in the league. No help coming any time soon from any of them.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Prospect Update, Part 2 Pros: NHL, AHL, Europe

• Highlights
  
  • G Vuteyets continues his stellar performance upon his return to this VHL team.
  • The San Diego club has fallen hard recently, going 1-6. In the 6 losses, the goal differential is -21 (GF = 7, GA = 28)
  • LW McLaughlin has 3 points in the ECHL and one goal! Congrats to McLaughlin finding his scoring touch again.

	Ducks	Prospects	NHL	Europe	AHL
.	Jan	23​	2023​
	Prospect	Ducks	Pros	or Euro
Rd	First Name	Last Name	Pos	League	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	.	Plus/ minus	PPG/ GAA
1​	Mason	Mctavish	LW	NHL	Ducks	46​	9​	18​	27​		-13​	0.587​
FA	Pavol	Regenda	LW	NHL	Ducks	14​	1​	2​	3​		-3​	0.214​
				AHL	Gulls	22​	9​	6​	15​		1​	0.682​	current
4​	Thimo	Nickl	RHD	H. Allsvenskan	AIK	32​	0​	6​	6​		-8​	0.19​
5​	Artyom	Galimov	C	KHL	Bars Kazan	51​	6​	6​	12​		7​	0.24​
6​	Albin	Sundsvik	C	SHL	Skelleftea	36​	1​	5​	6​		1​	0.17​
6​	Vyacheslav	Buteyets	G	VHL	Chelmet	25​	0​	0​	0​		0.926​	2.29​	5 games
				KHL	HK Sochi	0​
3​	Calle	Clang	G	SHL	Rogle	18​	0​	0​	0​		0.896​	2.70​	3 games
1​	Jacob	Perreault	RW	AHL	San Diego	35​	6​	8​	14​		-12​	0.40​
1​	Brayden	Tracey	LW	AHL	San Diego	35​	8​	11​	19​		-10​	0.54​
6​	Hunter	Drew	F	AHL	San Diego	36​	4​	5​	9​		-12​	0.25​
2​	BO	Groulx	C	AHL	San Diego	40​	9​	14​	23​		-21​	0.58​
3​	Blake	McLaughlin	LW	AHL	San Diego	24​	0​	0​	0​		-10​	0.00​
				ECHL	Tulsa	8​	1​	2​	3​		-1​	0.38​	Current
2​	Drew	Helleson	RHD	AHL	San Diego	36​	3​	9​	12​		-14​	0.33​
4​	Josh	Lopina	C/RW	AHL	San Diego	29​	1​	2​	3​		-4​	0.10​
2​	Axel	Andersson	RD	AHL	San Diego	20​	1​	3​	4​		3​	0.20​	ret. Inj.
5​	Olle	Eriksson Ek	G	AHL	San Diego	12​	0​	0​	0​		0.858​	4.55​	current
					Anaheim	0​
3​	Lukas	Dostal	G	AHL	San Diego	27​	0​	0​	0​		0.917​	2.85​	current
					Anaheim	7​	0​	0​	0​		0.909​	3.53​

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Might be one of the weakest forward pools in the league. No help coming any time soon from any of them.

That's why I wanted to take a chance on F Snuggerud or C Kulich at 22nd overall. Both have top-6 scoring potential over Gaucher, but we went safe. Looking back, it does make one cringe to miss on Snuggerud or Kulich.

OTOH, we're going to end up with a top-4 pick, where it's all about the forwards. Bedard goes to the NHL next season. Fantilli and Carlsson will probably do a one-and-done with their respective leagues. Michkov will be four years away.

Our forward corps is further established in the NHL than our defensive prospects. Pronman's U23 top prospects has Zegras 7th overall and McTavish 12th overall. Anaheim is the only team who has two "forward" prospects in the top-15. Our center position looks like it can be set for more than a decade.

Forwards at NHL: C Zegras, RW Terry, C McTavish, and C Lundy (LW/RW Regenda did play in the NHL.)

Defense at the NHL: Benoit and Drysdale