D Stian Solberg - Vålerenga, Norway (2024, 23rd, ANA)

[Tofveve]

I'm interested in following this guy.

 

[HanSolo]

Was at the draft and had a pretty good of the Ducks table. They went through most of the draft looking catatonic and bored. Then around pick 18 or so they started getting animated and I could see Verbeek making multiple calls. Had a feeling a trade was coming.

I liked Solberg and would've liked the Ducks to have had another pick around 14-20 to grab him. Excited and hopeful he develops well.

 

[AuraSphere]

Super f***ing pissed leafs traded away their pick instead of drafting solberg, he's going to be good - basically exactlly what the leafs needed and almost a surefire top 4d

 

[SirKillalot]

If he's still their at 23 the Leafs likely take him and are very very happy about it.

#23 pick is up,, it's the Toronto Maple Leafs

"So boss, we are up. Solberg is still available we gotta take him right, just what we need!"
"Yes boss, surely that is the waay to go we are so happy he's still available"
"...let's do a trade guys, not much happened during this draft, so let's trade to change things up"
"But boss...he's avail..."
"We are trading...good with some action!"

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

If he's still their at 23 the Leafs likely take him and are very very happy about it.

Ducks really should trade with Toronto every year for picks

 

[Legion34]

He will become the most important player in the draft. Because the leafs traded the pick.

Probably better than celebrini now

 

[Castle8130]

Absolute snag for Anaheim. Solberg and Sennecke were both late risers like Mctavish. If I'm Anaheim, just keep believing in Verbeek. He is wise and his picks have looked good so far

 

[WhatTheDuck]

What is Solberg's currently contract status? If there's a prospect in this draft who is ready and a fit to step right into the AHL to learn the NA game, it's him.

 

[Hockey 4 Life]

Ducks really should trade with Toronto every year for picks

Solbergs a good one, hope he is great for the Ducks.

 

[Dog]

I almost just gave up being a leafs fan over this. The exact guy they need and what they do they trade it away. Then they draft a guy who is about half as good as Solberg. It makes you wonder what these morons were thinking.

 

[Doublechin]

Super f***ing pissed leafs traded away their pick instead of drafting solberg, he's going to be good - basically exactlly what the leafs needed and almost a surefire top 4d

He would have been a perfect fit, a need, everything the Leafs need and yea lol...

 

[GunnarStahl]

If he's still there at 23 the Leafs likely take him and are very very happy about it.

Bump

Not trying to flame, just a bit ironic. Very leafs.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Was at the draft and had a pretty good of the Ducks table. They went through most of the draft looking catatonic and bored. Then around pick 18 or so they started getting animated and I could see Verbeek making multiple calls. Had a feeling a trade was coming.

I liked Solberg and would've liked the Ducks to have had another pick around 14-20 to grab him. Excited and hopeful he develops well.

Super f***ing pissed leafs traded away their pick instead of drafting solberg, he's going to be good - basically exactlly what the leafs needed and almost a surefire top 4d

@HanSolo noted that the Ducks' draft table became animated around pick 18. It's quite possible the tentative trade was in place from pick 18 with a player specific contingent. If the player the Ducks didn't want wasn't there, then the trade dissolves. And since the Ducks technically owned pick 23, the Leafs had no chance of selecting Solberg.

Anaheim did something similar to this in the 2019 draft. They had a deal in place to trade picks 29 and 39 for the 18th OA pick, provided the player they wanted was there. Unfortunately, Peyton Krebs was taken at pick 17 to Vegas and the trade with Dallas dissolved.

 

[Hockey 4 Life]

Bump

Not trying to flame, just a bit ironic. Very leafs.

Was sad about the trade back but I'm no pro scout so we will have to wait and see if that decision turns out terrible or not.

 

[Sticktape]

How far is this guy from the NHL?

 

[GermanRocket7]

How far is this guy from the NHL?

Realistically still a year or two. Physically he seems to be the most ready player in this class, but he'll still need to add a few pounds of muscle first and will play for a Swedish top-tier team next season first. In 2025-26, I imagine he will come over and play in San Diego for the most time to get accustomed to NA ice.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

How far is this guy from the NHL?

It's guesswork at this point but looks like he'll spend his D+1 season in the SHL, which should be a good step up for him. If he handles that well, given his physical stature, I don't see why there would be any hesitance to start his NA pro career the year after.

The Ducks aren't hurting for D depth, so they won't have any reason to rush him along and will let him set his own timeline based on how ready he shows at camp compared to their other prospects. If he comes into this year's camp looking like an NHL D from day one, maybe the SHL plan goes out the window. Definitely an open ended situation, the Ducks have shown they aren't adverse at all to using the 9 game trial to see if a young prospect is ready, or even adding a bit of gamesmanship to make that trial last right up until WJC camps start.

If I had to put my guess on paper, I would predict that Solberg spends 2024-25 in the SHL, then starts 2025-26 in the AHL before making an NHL debut later in the season.