Ducks Select Defenseman Mintyukov with 10th Overall Pick

The Ducks selected defenseman Pavel Mintyukov with the tenth overall selection in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft Thursday night at Bell Centre in Montreal.

Mintyukov, 18, Mintyukov, 18 (11/25/03), led the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in scoring with 17-45=62 points and 28 penalty minutes (PIM) in 67 games during the 2021-22 season, ranking third among OHL defensemen in points, fifth in goals and sixth in assists. He was named to the OHL Third All-Star Team in 2021-22 and finished as the fifth-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting.

"The talent is undeniable," Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek said following the pick. "We're looking for the best hockey players. We're looking to get our franchise going in the right direction towards winning a Stanley Cup and we think this player is going to really help us get there."
The 6-1, 197-pound defenseman helped Russia to a gold medal at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring 0-5=5 points in six tournament games, leading Russian blueliners and finishing third among all defensemen in tournament scoring.

A native of Moscow, Russia, Mintyukov did not play during the 2020-21 season due to the cancellation of the OHL's return to play plan. He appeared in 33 games in 2019-20 with Dynamo Moscow 2 of the Russian junior league.
The draft resumes Friday, July 8 at 8 a.m. PT on NHL Network and ESPN+.