Pucks of a Feather
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2018 Anaheim Ducks Prospect Camp Opens with Stacked Roster

By Ed Stein

DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: Isac Lundestrom poses after being selected twenty-third overall by the Anaheim Ducks during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: Isac Lundestrom poses after being selected twenty-third overall by the Anaheim Ducks during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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There is June hockey in Anaheim this year. The Anaheim Ducks opened their prospect development camp today. This year’s attendees read like a who’s who of Anaheim’s recent top draft picks.

Anaheim Ice is hopping today as the Anaheim Ducks opened their four-day prospect development camp. One look at the list of players attending this year shows that the Ducks want to see what their best and brightest young talent can do against each other.

First things First

Headlining this year’s camp are Anaheim’s four most recent first-round picks. Defenseman Jacob Larsson (2015), left wing Max Jones (2016), as well as centers Sam Steel (2016), and Isac Lundestrom (2018) are in uniform. Larsson, Jones, and Steel are all possible candidates to play on the main roster sometime during the 2018-19 season.

Defense

The roster this weekend is a bit thin. Several of the defensemen attending are collegiate and junior invitees. Larson, for obvious reasons, is the main attraction on the back end, but others deserve the fan’s attention.

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2014 second-round draft pick Marcus Petterson played in the final 26 Ducks regular season and playoff games. He’s expected to be on Anaheim’s third defensive pairing to start the 2018-19 season. Additionally, Josh Mahura (2016, third round) is a nifty puck handler and is coming off an impressive run to the Calder Cup finals.

Up Front

Expectations on the former first-round picks are the highest, but there are other attendees with high ceilings. For example, the last three second rounders are in at camp. That includes Calder Cup champion Antoine Morand (2017), highly talented left wing Maxime Comtois (2017), and the most recent Pierre-Olivier Groulx (2018).

That’s not all. The Anaheim Ducks also have some recent college stars attending. Troy Terry (2015, fifth round) is coming off of three strong years at the University of Denver, where he scored 115 points (45g, 70a) in 115 games. He played two games for the Anaheim Ducks at the end of last season and held his own. In addition, Keifer Sherwood, who played 11 games for the Gulls after he was signed as a college free agent in April is participating.

But wait, there’s more. Also invited to camp are some lower round draft picks that are potential impact players. Jack Badini (2017, third round), Lukas Dostal (2018, third round), Brent Gates Jr. (2015, third round), and Jack Kopacka (2016, fourth round), among others, will be looking to make a name for themselves.

Goaltenders

This year the Ducks invited two former fifth-round picks, Olle Eriksson Ek (2017), and Roman Durny (2018). Erikson Ek is an intriguing prospect. According to our Jacob Robles, in a recent article, he has the raw tools to be an NHL goalie. It will be interesting to see how he fares against his fellow prospects.

Prospect camp ends on July 1. The finale is a scrimmage that’s open to the public ($5 donation to the Anaheim Ducks Foundation is suggested). It will be held at Anaheim Ice with a 10 a.m. Start time.

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