Anaheim Ducks: 2019 First Round NHL Mock Draft
9th Overall: Anaheim Ducks
Center. Peyton Krebs. player. 105. Scouting Report. Canada -- Kootenay. 9. Pick Analysis
The Anaheim Ducks are similar to the Red Wings in that they could use one of everything (except a goalie, they’re pretty good on that front.) While I could see the Ducks going for a defender with this pick (and it would fit the Bob Murray way of doing things) I have to think that they’ll use this opportunity to get a center.
They don’t have a top end center prospect (unless you count Sam Steel and I’m not personally sold on him) and it’s a lot easier to get a good defenseman in the later stages of the 1st round or 2nd round than it is to get a top line center, which the Anaheim Ducks desperately need. There are three centers I could see picked at this spot if the Anaheim Ducks go this route. Kirby Dach, Peyton Krebs, and Alex Newhook.
On a personal level, out of the three players, I like them in this order: Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, and finally, Peyton Krebs. While I think Bob Murray has Peyton Krebs higher than Newhook on his draft board, the injury to Krebs might muddy the water a bit. Ultimately, I think the Anaheim Ducks will still go with Krebs. Krebs is likely 1 or 2 years away from being on an NHL team regardless, so the injury isn’t a major issue and if Murray feels the injury won’t be detrimental to his future he’s who I think will go here.
Krebs spent the last couple years on a dreadfully bad Kootenay Ice team where he was the only bright spot. Playing on a subpar team leaves scouts with questions about how he would perform on a team where he isn’t the only valuable player. A big question mark surrounds his ceiling with a lot of comparisons to Matthew Barzal. This would be a risky pick but one that I can get behind.
10th Overall: Vancouver Canucks
Left Wing. USA -- USNTDP. player. 104. Pick Analysis. Matthew Boldy. 10.
The Canucks have a couple of options with this pick. They could go center and take a Kirby Dach or the recently injured Peyton Krebs, they could reach on a defenseman like Thomas Harley, Cam York, or Victor Soderstrom, or they could build on team need.
I think they’ll do the last of those options taking Matthew Boldy, a big bodied, yet able skating forward with a great shot. He could be a perfect compliment to Elias Pettersson or Bo Horvat for the future. Boldy has the potential to be the Corey Perry to Elias Pettersson’s Ryan Getzlaf.