5 Biggest Draft Busts in Anaheim Ducks History
#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
#3 Mark Mitera
Drafted: 2006, 1st Round 19th Selection (19th Overall)
Notables Drafted After Mitera: Claude Giroux, Patrick Berglund, Brad Marchand
Mark Mitera was drafted straight from college hockey at the conclusion of his freshman year with the Michigan Wolverines. This was a curious pick taking a defenseman that only compiled 10 points in 39 collegiate games with the 19th overall selection.
Never the less, the Anaheim Ducks thought they saw something in Mitera and knew he would have three more years to grow and mature at the collegiate level. Mitera improved his point totals to 18 and 23 before an ACL injury derailed his senior season. After his college eligibility was up, the Ducks signed Mitera with hopes to have him ready for the 2009-10 season.
That plan didn’t go as expected. He played a handful of games between the AHL and ECHL and never cracked the NHL roster. In 2011, the Ducks traded Mitera to Montreal for Mathieu Carle. Even in the trade, the Ducks didn’t get great value for a mid-first round pick. Mitera would go on to continue to bounce back and forth between AHL and ECHL before his playing career finished in the 2012-13 season.
#2 Emerson Etem
Drafted 2010, 1st Round 29th Selection (29th Overall)
Notables Drafted After Etem: Justin Faulk, Tyler Toffoli
The Anaheim Ducks came into this draft year with two picks in the first 30. They had some great luck when Cam Fowler fell to them at 12; he has been a stalwart on the Ducks blue-line ever since.
Anaheim sought to work the same magic with the 29th pick. They selected a hometown player, Long Beach native Emerson Etem. He was coming off a 65 point season with Medicine Hat in his first junior season. Etem stuck around for two more seasons with Medicine Hat, collecting 80 and 107 points respectively.
As his production increased in juniors, the Ducks front office, as well as the fan base, were hopeful his progress would continue to the NHL level. Unfortunately, it didn’t. Etem was called up during the 2012-13 season played parts of three additional seasons with the Ducks, never spending a full one in Anaheim.
His final totals with the Ducks were 112 GP, 31 points (15g,16a) and an additional eight more points in 23 career playoff games. His production never rose to the level he had in juniors, though he did have decent numbers in the AHL. He was ultimately sent to the NY Rangers in the 2015 off-season.
The 6’1″ left wing, never found success in New York or Vancouver after that. He now plays in the Swiss National League. Etem was a low first round pick, but after seeing his speed, skill set, and point production; it was disappointing that he didn’t make a bigger impact. Had he been drafted at number12, where Cam Fowler was selected, he’d top this list for sure.
#1 Stanislav Chistov
Drafted 2001, 1st round 5th Selection (5th Overall)
Notables Drafted After Chistov: Mikko Koivu, Ales Hemsky, Michael Cammalleri
Oh, what could have been with Stanislav Chistov. Drafted 5th overall in 2001, Chistov actually was ranked higher than that of Mikko Koivu in the final rankings. The Ducks looked like geniuses when Chistov went on to have a sensational rookie year in the Russian Super League.
He was finally able to start his NHL career for the 2002-03 season. Chistov, like so many European players, struggled to adjust to North American rinks. He scored 30 points (12g, 18a) in his Ducks debut season in 79 regular season games. Over 21 post-season games that led to the Ducks first Western Conference Championship he chipped in an additional six points. Unfortunately, that was the pinnacle for Chistov’s career with the Anaheim Ducks.
Chistov would only play another 56 games for Anaheim, collecting 18 points, before his demotion to the AHL. He had another 60 game NHL stint during the 2006-07 season with Boston. Chistov moved on to the KHL, never able to capture the magic of his rookie season. The Ducks looked as though they could have struck gold with the speedy Russian but got Pyrite instead.
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