Anaheim Ducks: Could Ondrej Kase Become a Franchise Cornerstone?

The Anaheim Ducks took a gamble during the 2014 NHL Entry Draft when they chose Ondrej Kase as their seventh-round selection. Looking back, that may have been the best selection they made that year.

Since the day Ondrej Kase stepped onto the ice in an Anaheim Ducks sweater I have been enamored with the way the young Czech plays hockey. He has defied all odds and made it into the NHL despite being a seventh-round draft pick.

In fact, he was six selections away from not being chosen at all. What a huge loss it would have been had the Anaheim Ducks scouting staff never taken a look at him.

He is the only player in the seventh round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft who has even played an NHL game. The 2014 draft wasn’t exactly one of the best drafts in NHL history. There were some fantastic selections made in the first round, such as William Nylander and Leon Draisaitl, but after that, the draft went rather cold. Although, no one could have predicted that.

What I mean by cold is, after the second round, there are hardly any players who have broken into the NHL yet, and the 2014 NHL Entry Draft was four years ago. Out of the 41 players, selected in the second round or later, Ondrej Kase is one of eight selections to play more than 100 NHL games.

After taking a moment to do a little bit of math, only 22% of the selections after the first round have made it into the NHL. A startling 4% have played over 100 NHL games up to this point. Now, I realize that most of these players are still between the ages of 24 and 22, there’s still some time for them to make their appearance and make a significant impact.

However, the fact that Ondrej Kase was a seventh-round selection and has crossed the 100 game threshold before most of his draft class, including players in the first round, says a lot about him and what he has brought to the Anaheim Ducks organization.

Ondrej Kase on Course to have His Best Season Yet

Do you remember during pre-season when Brandon Montour‘s skate hit Ondrej Kase in the head and gave him a concussion? Don’t worry, we forgive you, Brandon! However, this caused Kase to miss the first 18 games of the season.

Despite being out for the first month or so of the regular season, he has come back and posted numbers that are, in my opinion quite impressive for the 23-year-old winger. He’s only in his third season with the Anaheim Ducks, so no one expects him to have a crazy season.

Yet, only six points separate him from Rickard Rakell. Anyone remember his second full season with the Ducks? He posted 43 points in 72 games. Kase had a very similar second season last year with the Ducks, posting remarkably similar numbers, with 38 points in 66 games.

Rickard Rakell then went to produce 51 points in 71 games during his third season with the Ducks. Although Ondrej Kase won’t hit the 71 game mark, he’s already missed too many games this season, but if he stays healthy, he could end up having another very similar season.

Since his return to the lineup, he has lived up to his nickname of being the “Energizer Bunny.” He is intuitive, energetic, and absolutely enjoyable to watch. In 15 games, he’s generated 51 shots on goal, which is just seven shots less than Ryan Getzlaf.

He also scored his first career hat trick on December 12th against the Dallas Stars, sparking a the Anaheim Ducks to make an unbelievable 6-3 comeback. The only thing better than watching him score those three goals was the smile he had on his face when he realized he had scored a hat trick.

He is consistently generating chances for his team and outsmarting his opponent. Kase has also proven that he can be versatile in the lineup. So far this season, he’s been placed on the first, second, and third lines being equally successful on each.

Could Ondrej Kase be a Cornerstone of the Anaheim Ducks Franchise?

Someday, the day’s of Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry will be long gone. They will hang up their skates and enjoy the time when their success isn’t based on point production or Corsi. New leaders will take their place, and the players once considered rookies will become the new veterans.

More from Ducks News

• Who could the Anaheim Ducks consider presenting offer sheets to?
• Is Pierre-Luc Dubois on the cards for the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks?
• Making the case for the Anaheim Ducks to trade with the Edmonton Oilers
• Anaheim Ducks might benefit tremendously by trading John Gibson
• How close are the Anaheim Ducks to becoming contenders again?

Ondrej Kase is definitely what one might consider a “Cinderella Story.” He’s worked hard to prove that he has what it takes to be a part of an NHL team. Not only that, but he’s also proven that he is top-six material. That is something not many seventh-round draft picks have done.

Each season he gets better and better, and we can only thank Bob Murray and the scouting team for taking a chance on a small, yet talented, young man from the Cechz Republic in 2014. While he still may be young, I wholeheartedly believe that he has what it takes to be mentioned among the greats that have graced the ice at Honda Center.

If he keeps playing the way he has been, overcoming all the odds, he could very well be a franchise cornerstone in the years to come.

I look forward to many more years with Ondrej Kase, and I can’t wait to see what he does in the future!