In today’s prospect spotlight, we are going to take a look at Anaheim Ducks 2015 2nd round draft pick, Julius Nattinen. A player known for his flashy goals in Juniors. But also a player who has not found the same consistency in his first professional season.
The 21-year-old was born in Jyväskylä, Finland. Before his selection by the Anaheim Ducks in round two of the 2015 entry draft, he spent time in the Ontario Hockey League with the Barrie Colts and the Windsor Spitfires. Over those two years, regular season and playoffs, he collected 38 goals and 83 assists.
Last season, Nattinen and the Windsor Spitfires won the Mastercard Memorial Cup, the Canadian Hockey League’s biggest prize. He also played in the World Junior Championships (WJC) for Finland twice. In 2016, he was part of Finland’s gold medal-winning team, chipping in with a goal and two assists.
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This season Julius is playing in San Diego. He isn’t lighting up the board, points wise. That sometimes happens when a player is in his first professional season. Nattinen is listed as a center on the Gulls’ website. In 54 games he has four goals and eight assists, a plus/minus of one, with 58 shots on goal.
Prognosis
Julius’ future with the Ducks might take longer than he probably expects. Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, Adam Henrique all under contract for next season. Nattinen’s slow year in San Diego might not earn him a shot with the Anaheim Ducks until he proves to be a more consistent point producer.
For him to make the Anaheim Ducks next season, Nattinen would have to really open the eyes of the coaching staff. More realistically he seems to be a few years away. The potential is there, but he is caught in a logjam at the pivot.
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A better option for his professional career may lie with another organization. Natinnen’s name has come up in trade rumors several times. General Manager Bob Murray could very well include him in a deal this summer.