Anaheim Ducks: Prospect Updates Through AHL, Juniors and Beyond
Anaheim Ducks Prospect Update
The Ducks have seen an influx of youth this season due to several injuries and promotions. Maxime Comtois and Isac Lundestrom have made their debuts despite being eligible to go back to QMJHL and SHL respectively. Josh Mahura, Jack Kopacka, and Sam Steel have all made the jump from junior, with the latter starting the season with the Anaheim Ducks. Max Jones would be among those who have made the jump this year, but a thumb injury has sidelined him for the start of the season.
The Ducks currently have 14 prospects who aren’t playing in the NHL, AHL, or ECHL. We’ll be providing weekly updates on those prospects throughout the year while also throwing in some occasional updates from the San Diego Gulls. Of those 14 players, 7 are forwards, 3 are defensemen, and 4 are goaltenders. If Maxime Comtois or Isac Lundestrom are sent down then they’ll be added to this list.
Antoine Morand – (Center) – (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL)
Morand centers one of the most dangerous lines in the QMJHL. Flanked by Arnaud Durandeau and Raphaël Lavoie, the trio has posted 32 points in the 8 games since Morand has joined their line.
His first goal of the season came on a shorthanded breakaway where he made a nice move to the backhand and slid it past the Moncton Wildcats goaltender.
Morand and fellow Ducks prospect, Bo Groulx, would work a give-and-go to give Morand his second goal of the season in his third game. This was also his second shorthanded goal in back-to-back games. Against Chicoutimi, he had 2 goals and 1 assist, including the OT winner. His assist was the result of a great individual effort to steal the puck in the offensive zone.
His first goal of the game came off a rebound from a Jockton Chainey shot. Morand initially set him up with a drop pass and followed up the play to slam home the rebound. Morand finished the night with the OT winner, a perfect shot to the top corner.
His best game of the young season came against the Charlottetown Islanders. He posted 1 goal and 3 assists and was named 2nd star of the game. Morand started his night early in the second period scoring his 5th goal of the season, putting in a rebound from teammate Raphaël Lavoie.
Morand started the season on a 6-game point streak, posting 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points. He went pointless for the first time this season in Halifax’s 4-0 win over Saint John on October 12th. On the season, Morand has 5 goals and 8 assists for 13 points in 8 games. The center has been average at the face-off dot sitting at 48.8% on the season. He shares the league lead for shorthanded goals with 2.
Benoit-Olivier Groulx- (Center) – (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL)
Groulx completes a 1-2 punch down the middle with Antoine Morand. He’s been centering the 2nd line since joining the team in late September. Groulx was also riding a 6-game point streak to start the season before going pointless against Saint John.
His most impressive assist of the season came against Baie-Comeau, where he attempts to split the defense and then sets up Xavier Parent with one hand. Just like teammate Antoine Morand, Groulx’s best game came against the Charlottetown Islanders. He potted his first goal of the season and provided two assists as well.
His goal demonstrated just how dangerous a player he can be in front of the net. He was able to redirect a Jared McIsaac point shot, that was going wide, into the back of the net. His first assist of the night showed why he is leading the Mooseheads in the category. He played a great area pass into Samuel Asselin who buries it short side.
It was a matter of time before Groulx started to find the back of the net with more regularity. Out of the Mooseheads top 5 forwards, Groulx shoots the puck significantly less. Through his first 7 games, he had only registered 13 shots. Out of that group the next lowest is Antoine Morand with 22.
The seal broke on October 14th against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Groulx struck for two goals on three shots. On the first, he was set up for an easy deflection on a great pass from fellow Ducks prospect Antoine Morand. For his second of the night, he was set up in the slot by teammate Xavier Parent for a nice tap in.
In 8 games, Groulx currently has 3 goals and 8 assists for 11 points. He also has the second-best face-off percentage on the team, sitting at 57.6%. It’s been a good start for the Ducks 2018 2nd round pick and the early offensive production looks promising.
Kyle Olson – (Left Wing) – (Tri-City Americans, WHL)
Despite playing center for the majority of last season, Olson has been shifted to the wing this year with some early signs of success. His play has been rather inconsistent so far, with 9 of his 11 points coming in 3 of the 7 games he’s played. Olson currently sits on 2 goals and 9 assists for 11 points in 7 games.
His first big game of the season came against Spokane where he posted 1 goal and 2 assists. Which included a drop pass to set up Roman Kalinichenko. Olson also converted his 1st goal on the season on a 2-on-1 with Isaac Johnson.
The second big game came against the Edmonton Oil Kings on October 9th. Olson exploded for 4 points, with 1 goal and 3 assists. He registered his first two assists of the night with goals 1:38 apart from Isaac Johnson and Nolan Yaremko.
The first was a deft backhand pass to open up space 1-on-1 for Johnson. The second was a 2-on-1 rush where he drew the defender out wide and set up Yaremko with a beautiful cross-crease pass. His only goal of the game came off a rebound which he picked up in front and threw into an open net.
Olson’s shift to the wing has seemed to help his offensive production. He’s been a play driver on the Americans top line and it’ll be interesting to see if he can keep it up. A point-per-game season for Olson would be a huge step forward in his production.
Matthew Berkovitz – (Defense) – (Army, U.S. Military Academy, NCAA)
Berkovitz is the oldest prospect on this list. He’s in his second season in the NCAA with Army. Through the first 3 games of the season, Berkovitz is pointless with a -3 rating. He’s skating on the second pairing for the team and isn’t consider an offensive threat.
Hunter Drew – (Defense) – (Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL)
Hunter Drew was an overage draft selection by the Anaheim Ducks in the 6th round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Drew led the QMJHL in penalty minutes during the 2017-18 season with 159. The trend carried over into the 2018-19 season as Drew was suspended in his first game back from Anaheim Ducks training camp. He was suspended for a hit-to-the-head on Saint John defender Nicholas Deakin-Poot.
Drew was eligible to return on October 11th against the Halifax Mooseheads. He took full advantage, scoring on a seeing-eye point shot late in the 1st period. Drew would continue that effort into the game against Acadie-Bathurst on October 12th. He made a great play at the blue line to keep the puck in and then sets up William Sirman with a great pass into the slot.
Drew followed up that assist with a goal early in the 3rd period. He made a good pinch into the zone and took a pass in the slot from Derek Gentile. Drew buried it blocker side to pot his 2nd goal of the season.
The surprise start continued for Drew in his most recent game against Saint John. It was another two-point night for the Kingston, Ontario native. He started the night scoring the Islanders first goal of the game. He followed that up by setting up Kevin Gursoy, with a nice outlet pass, for the Islanders 3rd goal of the game.
Since coming back from suspension, Drew now has 3 goal and 2 assists for 5 points in 3 games. It might not last, but it’s nice to see him contribute offensively on a regular basis.
Steven Ruggiero – (Defense) – (Lake Superior State, NCAA)
The big 6’3″ stay-at-home defenseman is entering his 2nd year at Lake Superior State University in the NCAA. The Anaheim Ducks drafted Ruggiero in the 6th round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He’s never been much of an offensive threat, posting 1 assist in 17 games last season. He’s been held pointless in the first four games of the 2018-19 season.
Lukas Dostal – (Goaltender) – (SK Horacka Slavia Trebic, Czech2)
Dostal is on loan this season from HC Kometa Brno who plays in the Tipsport Extraliga. He’s played 5 games for SK Horacka Slavia Trebic this season and has a goals-against average of 2.72 and a save percentage of .905. Dostal was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and was ranked the top European goaltender of the class.
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Roman Durny – (Goaltender) – (Des Moines Buccaneers, USHL)
Durny is entering his second season with the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL. Through the first 4 games on the season, he has a 3-1-0-0 record and has posted a goals-against average of 2.20 and a save percentage of .927. His best save of the season came against the Waterloo Blackhawks, in which he extended across the crease to stop the Blackhawks forward in behind.
Olle Eriksson Ek – (Goaltender) – (BIK Karlskoga, Allsvenskan)
Eriksson Ek has split the crease with teammate Henrik Lundberg throughout the first 9 games of the season. That’s pretty impressive considering Lundberg is 8 years older. In 4 games, one was a relief appearance, Eriksson Ek has a 2-1-0-0 record posting a 2.29 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. His most recent start against SSK might have been his best game of the season, despite losing 3-2. He was able to make two highlight reel saves including a spectacular cross-crease larceny to go along with a 33 save effort.
Garrett Metcalf – (Goaltender) – (Mercyhurst University, NCAA)
Metcalf did not play during the 2017-18 season, so his debut for Mercyhurst had to wait until this season. However, it wasn’t the debut he would’ve liked to have. He allowed three goals during the first 8 minutes of the game and was pulled after allowing five goals on 23 shots during the first 2 periods. It wasn’t a great start for the 22-year-old, but he’ll be hoping to get back on track for Mercyhurst’s next game against Ferris State University.
dark. Next. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Week 1 and 2
Keep checking back to Pucks of a Feather for continuing updates on the prospects in the Ducks pipeline.