Round Table: Grading the Anaheim Ducks 2020 Draft Selections

Ian Moore, St. Marks School, RHD (67th Overall)

Brad Senecal: B+

Big body? Check (6’3”). Right-handed shot? Check. A good skater who can handle the puck? Check. Hockey smarts? He’s a Harvard commit so I’ll just make an assumption. Similar to the right-wingers on the team, the Anaheim Ducks have a need for right shot defense as well, and Moore has the potential to bring depth to that area as well.

Similar to Drysdale, Moore is a solid puck handler and can generate offense from the blue line, the difference with his size making his a lethal shooter as well. The Ducks have options as they can be patient with him, however, with Josh Manson a free agent after the 2022 season, Ian Moore could see his opportunity sooner rather than later.

Garrett Brown: C-

High school selections always seem risky to me. Regardless of the state or the caliber of the league, I don’t feel like there’s a great deal of depth. Due to this, certain players may stick out more than they would in a league closer in comparison to the NHL, whichever it may be.

That being said, there is an obvious draw to Ian Moore, who is a 6’3”, offensively talented, right-handed defenseman. In the New England prep ranks, he was able to dominate the play and the scoresheet. His skating, specifically his stride, is exceptional. And through that, he was able to lead his team offensively and defensively – his high school team…

A quick caveat, I haven’t seen any “highlight tapes” of his, so maybe I just saw a subpar game. But in the game I watched, he didn’t strike me as head and shoulders above his competition; which he should be. This pick is likely to take years to pan out in order for the Anaheim Ducks to see what the payoff might be. He will be playing with the Chicago Steel this year, and then on to Harvard; good places to develop— better places to be evaluated for an NHL Draft selection.

Ben Thomasian: B

In all honesty, I don’t know a great deal about Moore and his game. By all reports, he has a big-time slap shot and has some wheels. The skating speed fits with the new (future) Ducks persona, and that big shot has been missing for a long time.

They’ve needed penetration from the blue line and Moore may be able to provide it if he pans out. It’s worth noting that at 6’3 he has good size compared to many of the Ducks prospects. I wonder if he could potentially turn into a 3rd pairing guy and 2nd unit power-play specialist.

Ciara Durant: B-

The Anaheim Ducks have a big need for right-handed defenseman and in just one draft Murray and co. now have a stockpile. To be completely honest, I don’t know much about Moore or his game. He’s a big guy, who is a pretty good skater, and seems to play a decent game at both ends of the ice. However, he’s a project.

He needs to get stronger in all aspects of his game. He is committed to Harvard though, and I could see college hockey, as well as a season with the Chicago Steel doing wonders in helping him develop his game. The kid likes doing magic tricks though, so maybe he can pull a few out of the hat when he’s on the ice too.

Overall Grade: