Anaheim's Drafting Prowess on Display in Game 2 of Conference Finals
by Anaheim Ducks / AnaheimDucks.com
The six defensemen that dressed in Game 2 of the 2017 Western Conference Final vs. Nashville (and each of the last six games leading into it) were all drafted by Anaheim. Those players were Cam Fowler (2010, 1st rd., 12th overall), Hampus Lindholm (2012, 1st rd., 6th overall), Josh Manson (2011, 6th rd., 160th overall), Brandon Montour (2014, 2nd rd., 55th overall), Shea Theodore (2013, 1st rd., 26th overall) and Sami Vatanen (2009, 4th rd., 106th overall).
This marked only the second time since 1991 that an NHL team had played a playoff game with six defensemen all drafted by the club. The only other team to do so since 1991 was Nashville (2015). Anaheim's six defensemen had an average age of 23.6, the youngest among all playoff teams up to that point (based on last game lineups). The Ducks also had 13 total players in their lineup drafted by Anaheim, the most in the NHL all postseason at the time.