Pucks of a Feather
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5 Biggest Draft Busts in Anaheim Ducks History

By Chris Bushell

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 28: The winning combination of lottery balls that gave the Buffalo Sabres the first pick overall during the NHL Draft Lottery at the CBC Studios on April 28, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 28: The winning combination of lottery balls that gave the Buffalo Sabres the first pick overall during the NHL Draft Lottery at the CBC Studios on April 28, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CA – OCTOBER 15: Brendan Mikkelson #60 of the Anaheim Ducks skates against the Atlanta Thrashers at Honda Center on October 15, 2010, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – OCTOBER 15: Brendan Mikkelson #60 of the Anaheim Ducks skates against the Atlanta Thrashers at Honda Center on October 15, 2010, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /

#5 Brendan Mikkelson (D)

Drafted: 2005, 2nd Round 1st selection (31st overall)

Notables Drafted after Mikkelson: James Neal, Paul Stasny, Kris Letang

In a draft where the Ducks were a ping-pong ball bounce away from Sidney Crosby (That’s an article for another day). Also, one in which they had already selected Bobby Ryan, the thought was with the first pick in the second round the Ducks could get another big chip.

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They went with Brendan Mikkelson from the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. Mikkelson finished the Central Scouting rankings that season as the 16th best North American Skater and seventh best defenseman.

The selection looked to be a good solid pickup on the blue line. Mikkelson was a big body that put up almost 30 points in his last Junior season which culminated in a Memorial Cup Championship.

However Mikkelson never really found a foothold in the NHL. He made his Anaheim debut during the 2008-09 season and played parts of three more seasons with the Ducks.

His totals in Anaheim were 67 GP, 0-5-5 and 38 PIM. In 2010 the Ducks put Mikkelson on waivers where he bounced from Calgary to Tampa Bay before signing in Sweden in 2015

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