Confirmed with Link: Ducks sign Konnor Smith to ELC (3 years, $855k AAV; begins 2025-26)

[MMC]

 

[tomd]

Good signing...cautiously optimistic that he can be an NHL player in 2-3 years.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

Don't know if he'll ever become anything but I think he'll be good to have in the AHL, worst case.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Good signing...cautiously optimistic that he can be an NHL player in 2-3 years.

Yeah it may even take slightly longer if it happens, though cautiously optimistic is a good way of putting it. He has physical and mental traits that simply cannot be taught, but he's also still quite raw and just will never be the smoothest operator by any means. The ECHL may be the right starting point for him next year. If they get a year or two into his pro career and he's just not appearing to be moving pucks or processing well enough to play D at the highest level - he's the type of guy you move to the wing like Des and try to get him there as an enforcer.

 

[tomd]

Yeah it may even take slightly longer if it happens, though cautiously optimistic is a good way of putting it. He has physical and mental traits that simply cannot be taught, but he's also still quite raw and just will never be the smoothest operator by any means. The ECHL may be the right starting point for him next year. If they get a year or two into his pro career and he's just not appearing to be moving pucks or processing well enough to play D at the highest level - he's the type of guy you move to the wing like Des and try to get him there as an enforcer.

I agree...I said 2-3 years only b/c he is already an overager and will go into the AHL/ECHL next year as a 21 year-old. By the third year his path should be pretty clear (for better or worse).

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Very excited for him and Warren. Hopefully they can continue their positive trajectory

 

[GreatBear]

Right now it looks like we have solid depth in our young D and he looks unnecessary. However, we don't know how things are going to pan out over the next three years, and it is good to have developing players in the system in case we need them. I would be surprised if he actually develops into an NHL player, but you just never know with young players, so best of luck to him.

 

[Static]

This surprises me a bit. I thought he was an AHL deal guy.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Right now it looks like we have solid depth in our young D and he looks unnecessary. However, we don't know how things are going to pan out over the next three years, and it is good to have developing players in the system in case we need them. I would be surprised if he actually develops into an NHL player, but you just never know with young players, so best of luck to him.

I'm surprised we signed him. Like you said, though, we may not know how things develop over the next few years to where we might package a young defenseman to acquire an actual NHL top-6F.

Verbeek needs to start drafting Euros or NCAA guys to get four years of rights instead of the two years for CHL players. That way we're not paying for development seasons.

 

[MMC]

This surprises me a bit. I thought he was an AHL deal guy.

I was thinking that might be all that our particular team, with the depth we have might be willing to offer him, however I could also definitely see another team giving him an ELC if we decided to pass

 

[Your Boy Troy]

I got to see him play in person as a Steelhead. He's obviously a big lanky body. There were a few times where his poor lateral movement got him in trouble, and it led to him getting beat to the outside. That being said, his puck-moving ability for a guy his size was actually pretty good. He does an adequate job at getting pucks through traffic as well.

He's still very raw as a prospect. I think the right guidance could help alleviate some of his weaknesses. I do like his aggression and fighting ability. He's one of the toughest players in the OHL (maybe even in the CHL, for that matter). The very optimistic player projection would be Adam McQuaid or Logan Stanley. I don't see him being any more than an AHL/ECHL tweener, but I'm hoping that he can make it.