Getting to Know the Ducks Draft Class with AGM Martin Madden

The names have been called and the dust has now settled.
The Ducks added eight young players to the club's prospect pool at this week's NHL Draft in Montreal, including two selections in each of the first two rounds.
Get to know each of those eight prospects here with insights from Ducks Assistant General Manager and draft guru Martin Madden.

Round 1, Pick 10 - Pavel Mintyukov, D, Saginaw (OHL)

Mintyukov has all the tools you look for in a young defenseman, offering an exciting blend of skating, puck skills and aggression. He led Saginaw in scoring last season (62 points), ranking third among OHL defensemen in points and fifth in goals (17). Mintyukov cited Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev as his favorite player and NHL model and Verbeek agreed, saying he "can see the similarities".

"He's the best combination of talent, mobility and competitive drive," Madden said. "In that Saginaw system, sometimes you might question his defensive awareness and his desire to be on the defensive side of the puck. In a pro system, I have no doubt he is smart enough to figure it out and play within a pro structure, while still being proactive and having an impact all over the ice."
Round 1, Pick 22 - Nathan Gaucher, C, Quebec (QMJHL)

Gaucher is the big-bodied center NHL teams are always coveting. The Quebec-born forward won the QMJHL's Mike Bossy Award as the league's best professional prospect after scoring 31 goals with a +30 rating in 74 games. Gaucher's combination of size, physicality and puck skills fills a unique role in the Ducks young core and could help fast track his progression to pro hockey.

"As we were trying to figure out scenarios for the first round, [drafting Gaucher at 22] was one of the optimal ones we could see," Madden explained. "We thought it was maybe 50-50 that he was still going to be there. What we like about him is how well he fits for us moving forward. Super smart, extra competive, really strong skater and versatile. Really good on faceoffs. If we decide to use him on the wing, he can bring more offense. He's got a hell of a shot and he can drive the net. That versatility, that competitive and that extra size were what we were looking for in that first round pick."
Round 2, Pick 10 - Noah Warren, D, Gatineau (QMJHL)
Sticking with his well-stated plan of adding more size to the Ducks prospect pool, Verbeek tabbed the towering right-shot defenseman Noah Warren with the 42nd overall selection. Warren is a gifted skater, especially for his size (6-5, 224), who draft evaluators say significantly improved his play with the puck throughout the 2021-22 season. A potentially menacing defensive player, Warren could eventually become an important cog on Anaheim's blue line for years to come.
"Noah is a prototypical defensive defenseman," Madden said. "Huge frame. Greatly mobile. Physical. You can see him in a partnership role with a really strong offensive defenseman. Over the years, historically, you can't wait for them. You need to step up. There are only so many guys who are 6-5 to 6-7 that are that athletic and can play the game at a high level. That was attractive. We don't have anybody like that in our system."

Round 2, Pick 21 - Tristan Luneau, D, Gatineau (QMJHL)

After selecting Warren with the club's initial second-round pick, the Ducks snagged the defenseman's Gatineau teammate, Tristan Luneau, with the #53 overall selection. The former QMJHL Draft #1 overall pick, Luneau is a right-shot defenseman lauded for his mobility and hockey IQ. A top-ranked prospect last year, Luneau fought through a knee injury prior to the season to total 43 points and +9 rating in 63 games. He also led Gatineau defensemen in postseason scoring and assists (0-6=6) in seven playoff games.
"If you went back to last year, he grew up in Quebec as the top prospect all the way up, from the time he was ten up until last season," Madden said. "Then, he hurt his knee and had to go through surgery [last] offseason and missed training for most of the summer. It took him three months to get back to the confidence to use his mobility and his agility the way he had in the past. It affected his play early in the year.
"In the second half, now the strength was back. You could see a jump in his step, and he started to proactively take charge with the puck. He's a really smart defenseman. He can move the puck. He can defend well. That's what he brings."
Round 4, Pick 10 - Ben King, C, Red Deer (WHL)

An overager selection at 20 years old, King lit up the WHL last season to the tune of a league-leading 52 goals and 24 power-play goals while his 105 points trailed only teammate Arshdeep Bains. Listed at 6-2, 205 lbs., King has NHL size and skill, making him an interesting project for the Ducks development staff.
"As the draft gets deeper, I rely on our scouts' passion level for our guys," Madden said. "Glen Cochrane loves this kid. He's seen the progression from the time he was 17 to this season, how he stepped into a leadership role and how he produced and his led his team in different ways. Ben has unbelievable hockey sense, great vision, really good hands and finishing ability. Physically, he's a really big body and he's just starting to get into fitness to make the most of his talent. He was a 19-year-old (last season), yes, but the runway ahead of him is still very long. He's not close to maxed out in that respect. I think our development staff will do a great job with him."
Round 5, Pick 10 - Connor Hvidston, LW/C, Swift Current (WHL)

Hvidston was one of the youngest players eligible for the 2022 draft, sneaking under the birthdate cut off by just four days. Ducks scouts were impressed with his progression throughout the season, as the Saskatoon native finished the regular season with points in eight of his last 12 games en route to being named Swift Current's Rookie of the Year. He also repped Canada at the 2022 U-18 World Junior Championship, notching two points (1-1=2) in four games.
"Super intelligent two-way centerman," Madden said. "He's got really good hockey sense. He's got some skill. He scored in the second half of the year. It took him a while to find his confidence offensively in the second half. As the second half unfolded, you could see him hold onto the puck more and make plays, not just being in a defensive posture. Plus, on the athletic side, you can see the added weight and muscle mass having an impact all over the ice as well as winning a lot more battles. He engages naturally. We're really happy with that pick."
Round 5, Pick 25 - Michael Callow, RW, St. Sebastian's School (USHS-MA)

Callow is a Massachusetts high school product who scored 26 goals in 25 games last season, almost double the amount of the next closest player on his team (14). He'll play for Harvard University in the fall.
"Callow is another linear, big, fast, competitive guy with a long path," Madden said. "He's going to play in the USHL and then go on to Harvard, so lots of years of development in front of him."
Round 6, Pick 17 - Vyacheslav Buteyets, G, Chelmet (Russia-2)

The Ducks elected to restock the goaltending pipeline in the sixth round, tabbing Russian netminder Vyacheslav Buteyets at pick #178. Buteyets split the 2021-22 season between the VHL, Russian's second division and the MHL, the country's top junior league. He posted a 6-2-2 record with a 2.49 goals-against-record (GAA) and .918 save percentage (SV%) in 11 VHL games with Chelmet Chelyabinsk.
"We've gone through a few drafts without a goalie but given where we are with who is going through the system and where they are, we have a really good one coming in Lukas [Dostal], it's important to have someone in the wings ready to take over when those guys get to the NHL," Madden said of electing to take a netminder.