Jun 30, 2013; Newark, NJ, USA; A general view of the stage between picks during the 2013 NHL Draft at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
As a whole, the Anaheim Ducks went for some offensive skill in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. They went for offensive defenseman Shea Theodore from the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) in the first round (26th). Their next pick was in the second round (45) and they went with winger Nick Sorensen from the Quebec Ramparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Sorensen has dual citizenship with Sweden and his native Denmark and projects as a role player with some offensive upside. Their third pick was in the third round (87) and went with defenseman Keaton Thompson from the USNTDP. Thompson is a native of Edina, Minnesota and is scheduled to attend the University of North Dakota starting this fall. Their next pick was in the fifth round (147) and they went with winger Grant Besse from Benilde-St. Margaret’s Catholic Prep in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Besse is a diminutive offensive winger who was named as Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey and will join fellow Ducks draft pick Nicolas Kerdiles at the University of Wisconsin next fall. Their fifth and final pick was in the sixth round and they went with forward Miro Aaltonen from the Espoo Blues of the Finnish Elite League (SM-liiga). He is another diminutive forward with some offensive upside.
What I particularly enjoy about this draft from the Ducks is the connection to the franchise’s roots. Back in the film series that helped launch this franchise, the fictional hockey team was comprised of many kids from the state of Minnesota, including some characters who made their homes in Edina, MN. The Ducks selected two kids with roots in the Edina area. Also, they selected Keaton Thompson, which is very close to Kenan Thompson, who was one of the stars of the old film series. They also drafted Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey, a similar title to “The Minnesota Miracle Man,” which was held by the legendary Gordon Bombay. Finally, the Ducks also debuted their 20th anniversary logo at the draft, which I will make a separate post about, also bringing back memories of its franchises roots. Anyway, they went offensively in this draft, even at the defensive position. Personally, I thought they should have gone more towards defensive defenseman in this draft, and I’m not the only one as some others have noticed how the need for offensive defenseman seemed rather full. Like I stated in my previous post, though, only time will tell how these picks will turn out for both the franchise and the players.
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