With the NHL Draft now just around the corner, it's about to be decision time for Ducks GM Pat Verbeek and his management staff. Anaheim is stocked with eight picks this week in Montreal, including two selections in each of the first two rounds.
The Ducks will look to continue their history of success at the draft table and add to a developing young core that includes several recent draftees. Anaheim leads the NHL with five first round picks since 2019 to already make their NHL debut.
So what should Ducks fans expect heading into the big day(s)? Assistant GM and amateur scouting guru Martin Madden answers that and more in our Q&A:
Catching Up with Ducks Assistant GM Martin Madden Before the NHL Draft
After two years of COVID-affected scouting, how "back to normal" was this draft process?
It felt and looked as normal as it could have been under the circumstances. We had enough matchups between different conferences, different leagues and different international tournaments. We went from pretty limited viewing conditions (last year) to pretty normal stuff now.
Now that we are just a week away from the draft, how soon will you finalize the draft board?
I think it's wise to take all the time necessary to finalize it. Historically, we've always done our season-ending meetings around the combine. We've taken the time since then to gather more info, medical, fitness and otherwise, as well as making sure everyone is healthy. We're getting last talks with coaches and general managers that have those kids all year long. It's not set in stone. We're prepared, but there will be adjustments and there will be adjustments made until Thursday morning. That's just the nature of the beast [laughs]. As you get closer, that sense of urgency puts things in perspective.
There's usually one or two last-minute changes, usually not at the top, obviously. But there is usually some info that, by comparison, can change some things down our list, and we adjust for that.
How wide of a range of players will you consider at #10? And does that pool expand as the draft progresses to later rounds?
I think the reason we've done reasonably well as a staff is we have a really good handle on our process, our list and how it relates to the draft. Your statement (about considering a wider range of players as the draft progresses to later rounds) is probably accurate, but I wouldn't give away much more than that. When you're looking at #10, you're looking at a smaller sample in terms of who you think might end up available at our pick. It does increase a little bit then. Other times, we know there is a player that we know we have valued higher than most teams so it might reduce it for a first-round pick. All of those are possibilities for I'd say the top-50 picks. When you go down to the later rounds, the third round and lower, then obviously the field is wilder and narrowing down who will be available is much harder.
Every draft is, of course, different. So how soon could we see some surprises this year?
Number one [laughs]. So people will say it's not that great of a draft, but I think every year there are good players that come out of the draft and we have to make sure we end up with the best at our pick. It's pretty equal down to the first half of the first round. You could end up with a really good player at 12 versus 3. It's a very interesting class.
How has it been working with new Ducks GM Pat Verbeek in your first draft cycle together?
Pat has let us do our thing while being present, both as a way to get to know us as a staff and individually better, but also because he scouted quite a few junior players down the stretch. It was good to go back-and-forth about how he views his team, how he wants to build it, how we've drafted and what we're looking for before, and then how we can adjust it accordingly so we're all on the same page. It's been a meaningful and positive process so far.
When will trade talks around the league start to pick up?
It's different every year. There's always chatter around the combine because GMs get together and see each other, so some rumors start flying around together at that point. It never gets very serious until everyone is in town, the week before the draft. This weekend, teams will start to get more serious. A few of those trades will get done before the draft, but as you've seen before and the urgency of the moment, who's available at what pick also drives some of these trades, so you'll see some done on the draft floor.
Generally speaking, what characteristics are the Ducks looking for in potential draft picks?
It goes back to what Pat has been saying about his vision of the Ducks going forward. I think it's pretty universal in terms of the players and teams that succeed. We want smart players and competitive players. And of course we want athletic players. That's where it starts. Then the nuances of that and how all these characteristics, plus many others, along with where they are in their personal development, that's what makes a scouting staff successful or not. You have to be able to project how these kids are going to be five years from now, when they're no longer kids and fully mature adults.
Now onto some of the 2021 draftees. What did you see from Mason McTavish this year?
What a difficult and challenging season it's been for Mason. It will help him immensely when he's ready to be a leader for the Ducks. I don't mean it was challenging because it went poorly. He's played for seven teams, I think, since the start of the year. He's dealt with a few injuries. He's dealt with being a leader on many of those teams and being supporting cast on a few others. He's had to travel. He's had to recoup really quickly and adapt to different levels of play. He's had to dig deep after a relatively easy first two or three rounds for Hamilton, they had to dig deep in the [Ontario Hockey League] Final and won in seven. Then, after losing two, they found themselves in the [Memorial Cup] Final. All of these things will help Mason down the line. He's continued to progress very nicely, and we're very happy with how he's handled this challenging season.
Olen Zellweger was named the WHL Defenseman of the Year. What impressed you most about his growth this season?
I think Olen just goes out and plays his best every shift. He was a year older, so he was even more successful than the year before. He's completely dedicated to the game. He's super passionate and competitive. He deserved every award he got this year. We're very happy with his development.
Sasha Pastujov got off to a great start in the OHL and finished with solid offensive numbers. Where does his development stand?
Sasha had a really nice training camp. He was excellent at the rookie tournament and surprisingly good at main camp. He had a great start to his OHL season, up until probably two weeks before the World Junior camp with the U.S. team. Then I think the season started to catch up with him in terms of fatigue and energy level. He went through some ups anddowns after that, which is not a bad thing. He was challenged and figured out the OHL is not an easy league. Players keep improving throughout the season, and he has to raise his own level to be as impactful. That was a really good and important lesson for him to learn. He's dedicated himself to his off-ice training this summer, which is what he needs to get to another level of development. This is a big summer for Sasha.
