Prospect Info: 2023-24 Ducks Prospects
- Thread starter MMC
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Rasp
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- Apr 9, 2019
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MMC
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Hockey Duckie
Registered User
Interesting. I thought we would have kept Smith around just for medical purposes. We have held other prospect before as we addressed their medical issues such as Warren and Tracey.
If a player is cut, can they still remain with the team for medical purposes? It would make sense that any player/prospect that is team "property" still should have access, it's not like he can play if he goes back.
Smirnov2Chistov
Fire Greg Cronin!
Not really high on Hvidston like many are on here. Already being one of the first cuts says a lot honestly.
MMC
Global Moderator
The Midnight Burrito
True Fan
Yeah Hvidston is a long-term project. HD has done him a disservice by raising expectations in pumping his tires so much.
Smirnov2Chistov
Fire Greg Cronin!
to each their own, I certainly think it does
I don't have doubts that he is a long-term project, but I just don't see what others are seeing in his game.
MMC
Global Moderator
What it means is that Junior season is underway, and he had no shot of making the NHL club, so as with all the other junior players optioned, best to let them start their season ASAP
GunnarStahl
Let’s go shake their hands
- Oct 13, 2020
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Should be noted as well that he has seemingly been injured or sitting out to recover, considering he never played a game between pre-season and rookie tournament.
Hockey Duckie
Registered User
The Midnight Burrito
True Fan
There's lots to like about his game, he's a big kid, a center, and a good skater with a good shot, good defensive instincts and a willingness to play physically. He seems to have some playmaking ability. That's a useful player if he pops.
Yeah somebody (probably our hero Derek Lee) also mentioned that he was skating doing some drills alone and was held out from the tournament for "precautionary reasons."
Hockey Duckie
Registered User
Hvidston is a late birthday like Zellweger, meaning Hvidston cannot qualify to go to the AHL this year due to his age. Conflate that with being a 5th round pick, then that points to a project prospect. One can raise expectations and still know the prospect is a long term project.
Missing camp due to injury doesn't dissuade that expectation, but it did prevent Hvidston's case to potentially warrant an ELC like Hinds earned his ELC last pre-season due to a very strong showing at the rookie tourney and training camp.
=== Guess Who? ===
Guess | Who? | | | | | | | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prospect | Age | Season | League | Games | G | A | Pts | PPG | | Plus/Minus |
A | 17 | D + ? | WHL | 58 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 0.55 | | -5 |
| 18 | D + ? | WHL | 59 | 21 | 44 | 65 | 1.10 | | 15 |
| | | | | | | | | | |
B | 17 | D + ? | WHL | 67 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 0.42 | | 11 |
| 18 | D + ? | WHL | 68 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 0.88 | | 43 |
One prospect was drafted with the first pick in the 2nd round (33rd overall) and the other a 5th round pick (139th overall). One prospect was on an elite, playoff team for two consecutive seasons and the other missing the playoffs for two consecutive seasons. Both players are shutdown defenders whose offense took off as 18 year old players in the WHL.
In disguising the draft year reference, one would believe both prospects would be drafted relatively close to one another; not a three round difference.
Player A is Hvidston, a 2022 5th rd pick from the non-playoff team Swift Current Broncos. He missed the 2023 draft cutoff by being born a week earlier.
Player B is Myatovic, as 2023 2nd rd pick (33rd overall) from the 2023 WHL Champions Seattle Thunderbirds. He is only 3 months younger than Hvidston.
Player B is Myatovic, as 2023 2nd rd pick (33rd overall) from the 2023 WHL Champions Seattle Thunderbirds. He is only 3 months younger than Hvidston.
What makes Hvidston more intriguing was his play in the AHL last year after his WHL season was completed. He's played in more pro AHL games than any of the prospects at Dev camp as well as rookie tourney, and didn't look overwhelmed as an 18 year old in the AHL.
From Defend the Nest 2023 Player Season Grades:
Connor Hvidston
7 Games – 1 Goal, 0 Assists – 1 Point
As the lone CHL prospect to join the Gull as a black ace after his Swift Current Broncos failed to make the postseason, Hvidston was a much needed breath of fresh air and as noted above – instantly helped to turn around the fortunes of the likes of Josh Lopina. He was eased into action at first but quickly gained rapport with his line-mates Lopina and Slavin on a line that became an easy go-to choice to shift momentum or keep things going in the offensive zone.
Hvidston looked great in his first tease of the AHL as an 18 year old and even had me lamenting that he would likely be able to handle the minutes were he somehow able to play for the Gulls before legally allowed to by the CHL-NHL transfer agreement. His lanky frame smoothly flowed around the ice and allowed him to be in all the right places at all the right times – most memorably scoring his first professional goal when he chased down a dump in and pounced on a turn-over to fire it by the surprised Oscar Dansk of the Calgary Wranglers. Sadly we won’t see him again until the end of next season as a Black Ace once again – depending on how his Swift Current Broncos do next season.
The Midnight Burrito
True Fan
I'm aware of all these things, DefendtheNest's review, and your arguments, you haven't been shy with cut and pasting them. And I watched a few of his games last year and I agree he looked interesting. Fact remains he's a skinny 5th rounder whose "big jump" in production made him a PPG player and that isn't that interesting. Implying that he could have gone in the high 2nd round is exactly what I'm talking about.
I'm hyped about Hvidston, but he is still a longterm project. Both can be true at the same time.
Terry was a longterm project with hype. He didn't become a legit top 6 player until his D+7.
I expect the same out of Hvidston. He is really young and needs to add a lot of meat on his bones.
Terry was a longterm project with hype. He didn't become a legit top 6 player until his D+7.
I expect the same out of Hvidston. He is really young and needs to add a lot of meat on his bones.
He turned 19(!!) this month.
I'm in the wagon as well
At this point I am skeptical of the future success of any forward the Ducks draft...and the Ducks have earned that skepticism.
MMC
Global Moderator
Well, that's pretty stupid as well. You can have the best development staff on the planet but if you draft the wrong players it won't make much of a difference.
MMC
Global Moderator
Right. If there’s anything we can say with certainty it’s that Zegras, Terry, McTavish, Carlsson, Hvidston, Terrance, Pitre, Sidorov, Myatovic and many other proven busts were the “wrong players” to draft
Provide me a list of players picked outside of the top 3 since 2015 who are contributing to the team in a top six role. It's a short list. The top nine list isn't much longer. You sound like Kings fans who are blaming the development staff for picking guys like Turcotte and Byfield.
Deuce22
Registered User
After your failed anti-Eichel campaign, I am skeptical of any of your takes.
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