Round Table: Grading the Anaheim Ducks 2020 Draft Selections

The 2020 NHL Entry Draft has come to a conclusion, and we’re weighing in on the Anaheim Ducks eight draft picks.

Over the last two days, the Anaheim Ducks have been hard at work. Selecting draft picks for your organization is an articulate and sometimes tricky decision. It’s a race to take the best player on the board before another GM swoops in and takes them out from under your nose.

Nevertheless, the Ducks have walked away with eight new prospects to place neatly in their cupboard. All of whom have worked tirelessly for years to get here. Their hard work has not gone unnoticed, and with stars in their eyes, they are now one step closer to realizing their NHL dreams.

Now that the picks are in (the picks are in, the picks are in) it’s time for us to weigh in on the Anaheim Ducks eight lucky draftee’s. There are a lot of good things to say about them, but do any of them fall short of expectation? Who is our favorite pick?

However, before we jump into the grades, it seems only fitting to introduce you to our draft picks. Congratulations to Jamie Drysdale, Jacob Perreault, Sam Colangelo, Ian Moore, Thimo Nickl, Artyom Galimov, Albin Sundsvik, and Ethan Bowen on being selected by the Anaheim Ducks. Welcome to Orange County. We really think you’re going to like it here.

Be sure to play along and leave your grades for the draft picks down below in the comment section. Without further ado, it’s time for grades!

Jamie Drysdale, Erie Otters, RHD (6th Overall)

Brad Senecal: A

The first thing I did after Jamie Drysdale was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks was send a message to my cousin saying, “I called it!” After every Team Canada game at the last WJC I said that he would be a future Duck.

As time passed on, I felt that maybe he wasn’t the right guy, as the Anaheim Ducks have been hurting for scoring the past few seasons and with players such as Marco Rossi, Cole Perfetti, and Lucas Raymond possibly available, they seemed like players that would be very hard to pass on. To go along with this, if you ask my fellow writers, I have been part of the Owen Power booster club for a while (also, shoutout to Brandt Clarke) so I shifted my thoughts to bolstering forward depth.

However, after the first five picks, I felt that Drysdale was the best player available and still the best defenseman (sorry Ottawa), so when they called his name, I wasn’t surprised. I am looking forward to seeing him become a key cog with the Anaheim Ducks as people want to throw around the Cale Makar comparisons already.

I will not get too ahead of myself, but I understand where the comparisons lie as both players are offensively gifted with the skills to grow into top tier defenders. Like Makar, I hope that the Ducks are patient with Drysdale and give him another year of development (I am unsure what that looks like due to many leagues being on pause), mainly another trip to the World Junior Championship. Boosting the defense is great, however, my grade is definitely boosted on who they were able to get with their next pick, but more of that in a bit.

Garrett Brown: A

The fact that this pick seems to be divisive among the Anaheim Ducks faithful has nothing to do with Drysdale himself. Instead, it goes to show the number of holes that people close to the organization have unanimously agreed need filling.

Admittedly, there were a handful of potential franchise-altering forwards that were made available to the Ducks. Drysdale, however, stands to be a major upgrade on our back end, with the ability to make a large impact offensively and defensively, while making those around him better.

While the Ducks are seemingly years away from competing for a championship, basic team-building strategies stand to reason. With this in mind, success starts from the net out. Gibson is solidly in place. Drysdale will now round out a formidable top four; one that has assuredly increased its offensive upside.

When assessing the team’s draft performances, it’s essential to consider team-fit. In other words, the team’s ability to fill a need or address a concern. In this case, the Ducks are firing on all cylinders with their selection. To play devil’s advocate, they weren’t technically able to address their need for an infusion of offense. However, when taking into account Drysdale’s knack for creating plays and puck distribution, coupled with the Ducks’ following selection, this pick doesn’t present any immediate flaws.

Ben Thomasian: B

From all the commentary out of Madden and Murray these last two days, it appears that they’ve had their heart set on Drysdale for a long while now. They filled that gap in the prospect pool, and now have a right-handed “Cam Fowler-esque” skater to potentially grow into a marquee defensive
quarterback. I like the player just fine, I’m just not certain that he was the best player available to them in their slot, nor that he’ll change the fortunes of the franchise overly much.

It does provide the opportunity to trade one of the big three defencemen (likely Manson) in a season or two, to get Drysdale meaningful NHL minutes, and gives the Anaheim Ducks a succession plan for Fowler. There’s value in that, though I can’t help but wonder if we’ll look back in 5 to 10 years and wish we’d selected Marco Rossi or one of the other high-profile scorers. My grade reflects my FOFO, not necessarily the player himself.

Ciara Durant: B+

Since well before the draft even had a determined date, I have been adamant about the fact that I thought the Anaheim Ducks should shy away from drafting Jamie Drysdale. This has nothing to do with Drysdale as a player, and more to do with the fact that I wholeheartedly believed that the Ducks should focus on adding an elite goal scorer to their cupboard. However, hindsight is 20/20 and I do admit that I wasn’t looking at the bigger picture.

Granted, the Jacob Perreault pick definetly raised Drysdale’s grade (which we will get to later.) I commend Murray for filling a need the Anaheim Ducks were desperate for. Last year, he added Trevor Zegras, an incredible playmaker, and Brayden Tracey, a puck wielding wizard of sorts. This year, his focus was to find a solution to the Ducks lethargic blueline.

There is no doubt that Drysdale is the best defenseman of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. I’ve seen his game compared to that of former Anaheim Duck, Scott Niedermayer (more of a stylistic comparison than anything.) The young offensive-minded defenseman is still a strong two-way defender that helps the Ducks make the jump into the “new age” style of hockey.

He is possibly one of the best and strongest skaters of the draft, which is in large part to his background in figure skating and training with Dawn Braid. Drysdale can quarterback a powerplay, and the Anaheim Ducks don’t really have a player who can fill that role and do it well. Not to mention, he is a natural-born leader, and you can never have too many of those on your team.

All in all, despite my hesitance, Drysdale is a very solid pick for the Anaheim Ducks. If you look at it this way, he’s really a gift for John Gibson, and, in my opinion, better Drysdale than Sanderson (who the Ducks had on their list after Drysdale.)

Overall Grade:

Jacob Perreault, Sarnia Sting, RW (27th Overall)

Brad Senecal: A+

If you read our roundtable predicting the Anaheim Ducks first three picks, you will know that this was the pick that I wanted. What you couldn’t gather from my read was how much I was living and dying by every selection leading up to this pick, wondering if Perreault would make it to 27.

I also foolishly predicted that Tyson Foerster would be available at 36 but when the Flyers picked him up at 23, all my hope went to the fact that Perreault would make it to the next selection, Bob Murray would make the selection. So when Martin Madden (in a very good French accent) selected Perreault, my night was definitely made.

With so much unknown on how players such as Sam Steel, Troy Terry, and Isac Lundestrom are to develop, getting a player who could fill as many needs such as Perreault was a great move. A natural Center with a great shot and knack for getting the puck to the net will greatly help the other young players on this Ducks team.

Many Anaheim Ducks fans right now are thinking about the combination that Perreault and Trevor Zegras could create playing side by side. I prefer to think about how his ability to put the puck in the net could benefit more natural playmakers such as Steel and Terry and help them reach a higher offensive potential than they have been able to achieve thus far.

I was on the fence with the Ducks picking Drysdale, but getting an offensive weapon in Jacob Perreault gave me the reassurance that Bob Murray was potentially able to help two major needs in this draft.

Garrett Brown: A

Everyone needs a little bit of luck to be successful. After the Drysdale selection earlier in the night, the Ducks addressed their most glaring need by plucking Perreault from the Sarnia Sting. The fact that this pure goal-scorer fell into the laps of the Ducks (and the fact that GMBM actually selected him) felt too good to be true.

Perreault has been considered one-dimensional by some. But that particular dimension is something the team, as well as the fan base, sorely need. A common mistake that seems to get made all too often by drafting teams is overlooking a player who may appear to be “too raw”. In other words, there might be tremendous upside to a player, but due to a deficit in a certain area, teams will look another way.

In this case, experts Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman of The Athletic have pegged Perreault as someone who doesn’t exhibit as much effort without the puck on his stick. Another aspect of his game that could use improvement is his skating.

Going against every fiber of his being, GMBM selected an incomplete player; someone who for once, will not be considered a Swiss army knife (not that that’s the worst thing to be considered). In Perreault, the Ducks have only one ask: goals. They’ve selected their fair share of two-way forwards, long-term projects, and otherwise. The time was now for a player of Perreault’s caliber.

Ben Thomasian: A

The Anaheim Ducks simply haven’t had a prospect who can rip the puck in a long, long, time. Kyle Palmieri may have been the last prospect they’ve had with genuine goal-scoring upside. Perreault dropped to them, due to a perceived lack of effort and a succinct lack of defensive chops.

It’s these flaws that drop him from an A+ to an A, as his blazing fast skating and weapon of a shot are both sorely needed on a Ducks team without much of either. Boom or bust type who could very easily be another Daniel Sprong and find himself on the outside looking in if his two-way play doesn’t improve dramatically.

Ciara Durant: A-

To be quite honest, I didn’t think Perreault would still be available when the Anaheim Ducks drafted at 27th overall. The fact that so many teams passed on him makes me think that maybe the hockey gods don’t hate us after all. The Ducks need goal scoring in a bad way, and, as mentioned, I thought they should have drafted one of those with their 6th overall pick.

Nevertheless, the Ducks fill two big holes with both Drysdale and Perreault. If Perreault’s skills can translate to the NHL, which I believe they will, the Anaheim Ducks may have one of the more successful first rounds in the 2020 Draft. The young center has a dangerous shot and he can score from almost anywhere.

He definetly has his flaws; his game away from the puck needs work and so does his skating. While his defensive game isn’t his strong suit, his current skill set offers a solution to one of the Anaheim Ducks’ most glaring holes. And, with the right linemates (I’d love to see him play with someone like Max Jones in the future) he is going to be an incredible asset to the Anaheim Ducks.

Overall Grade:

Sam Colangelo, Chicago Steel, RW (36th Overall)

Brad Senecal: C+

Admittedly I feel very good about the way this draft was done on a round-to-round basis so I find myself having a tough time saying anything negative about the picks. However with the Anaheim Ducks issues in the scoring front in recent history, when there’s a potential steal in the draft and game-changer in Noel Gunler still available, it’s tough to see them pass on a player like that.

Even though it was not my preference, I am still excited to see how Sam Colangelo pans out for the Ducks. The right-wing spot on the team is very limited, as only Jakob Silfverberg, Troy Terry, and Kiefer Sherwood are the only players (who commonly play) at the position after this season. Colangelo brings a lot of things that Bob Murray likes in a player; size, aggressiveness, and defensive excellence. He also put up a 28-30-58 slash line in 44 games, so the offensive ability is there, it will be interesting to see if he can continue as he enters the pros.

Garrett Brown: B

Exceptional puck skills; shooting, protection, handling. This player has tools that are coveted by every team in the league. A goal-scorer of his stature and talent feels like a steal, albeit the second round is still relatively early.

Coupled with Perreault and a variety of other prospects, Colangelo will add to the Anaheim Ducks suddenly respectable stable of young forwards. He still needs to develop his all-around game and prove that he can carry a load offensively, but a few years at Northeastern University should do the trick.

Watching his highlight tapes make two things very apparent to me. First and foremost, he is willing and eager to use his frame to his advantage. As a heavy forechecker, it seems extremely difficult to move him off of the puck once he takes it off your stick. He is also willing to stick up for teammates, which is promising to see in a young prospect.

Second, he is extremely effective in tight spaces, which translates to a bevy of chances created by him. It seems, more often than not, that you find yourself wondering how he got out of a precarious situation. Through this, he is able to get shots off at almost any point in the offensive zone, regardless of coverage.

His gameplay matches up stylistically with that of Nikita Kucherov. Both players are high-volume shooters with deceivingly accurate, heavy wristers. And while both prefer to shoot, their known propensity for this creates opportunities for their teammates when defenders or goalies over-commit.

And that is when you see the precision passes through the middle of coverages, through players’ legs, or last-second dishes to the back door. Could definitely be worse. Based on the years needed to polish his game, I’ve graded him below where I believe he will end up.

Ben Thomasian: B

Colangelo was the player remaining with the highest “star power” according to Bryan Bader’s model, left with the Ducks selection. I highlighted in a previous article, the Ducks would likely require a strong defensive forward and a power forward who can play off the cycle and produce a net presence. Colangelo is all of that and has a decent shot to go with it.

Unlike many of the Ducks’ recent acquisitions, he is not a strong skater, though his acceleration is adequate. Likely this will allow him to be effective during a cycle and not off of the rush which puts him at odds, somewhat, with his Ducks peers. I think he’s worth a shot, though in a second-round teaming with wing prospects, in particular Noel Gunler and Daniel Torgersson, I wonder if he was the right selection. Nonetheless, he has something to his game that is worth exploring, even should he be future trade bait.

Ciara Durant: B+

While I am well aware that Noel Gunler was still on the board when the Anaheim Ducks were on the clock, and Ducks fans were quite high on him, I actually really like the Sam Colangelo selection. He has the potential to be a great asset to the team, and it helps that Trevor Zegras is one of his best friends. He and Henry Thrun have also spent some time together as well, so it’s more than likely he already has some chemistry with his future teammates.

He is a big-bodied “power-forward” who already has NHL strength. Despite his size, however, he is incredibly skilled. While he excelled at being a playmaker, the kid can also score goals and his shot, it’s pretty powerful and probably one of his best assets.

However, his game does not come without its flaws. He isn’t the fastest and his defensive awareness needs a little bit of work to round out his overall game. The Anaheim Ducks already know this and he is willing to work hard to improve in those areas he needs to fix.

His skillset has said to be very similar to Winnipeg Jets captain, Blake Wheeler. His former coach, however, has compared him to superstar Auston Matthews. While that may be a little bit of a reach, I’m not complaining.

Overall Grade:

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:

Thimo Nickl, Drummondville Voltigeurs, RHD (104 Overall)

Brad Senecal: A

Once the draft gets to these later rounds, the grade comes down to the player in the round rather than rating the player itself. For me, it was hard not to be impressed with Bob Murray selecting him in the 4th round based on his skill sets.

Another large body defensemen (6’2”) who can carry the puck and create plays (39 points in 58 games in the QMJHL), Murray has definitely taken notice of how the game has changed. Nickl may be a depth defender down the road, but depending on how his game translates to the pros, there could be an opportunity he shows himself as a steal

Garrett Brown: C-

Hey, what do you know? A tall, right-handed defenseman. It’s almost like the ducks had a type. For the sake of this profile, I will focus on the discernible differences between Moore and Nickl. Both players seem to have better-than-average IQ (Moore’s projects higher at this point), which leads to scoring chances for their teams. Moore plays in a lesser league though; advantage Nickl.

Nickl appears to have more control over his lanky body, whereas Moore seems a little inept at times. He uses his size advantage more effectively by closing off zone entries with ease. Nickl’s offensive upside may be lacking in comparison to others, but they can’t all be Drysdale. Overall, I think the Ducks could’ve gone with two out of the three RHDs and been fine.

Ben Thomasian: C

Another nice skater to fit with the Anaheim Ducks stable of nice skaters. He improved throughout the last season, in particular, began to use his reach a lot more to break up plays. I simply don’t know enough about him to decide whether he’s a dime a dozen player or could be something more, though the profiles I’ve read don’t really see him playing a big part in the Ducks future.

Ciara Durant: B-

The Anaheim Ducks score another RHD midway through the draft. Again, not a name that came up on my radar, but thank goodness for the internet. Touted as another two-way defenseman, Nickl is an intriguing pick to me. Not many players from Austria are selected in the NHL draft, and this will be the first in Anaheim Ducks history.

He has adapted well to North American hockey. Nickl seems incredibly driven and passionate about making it into the NHL. He’s one of those players who could add some depth to the Ducks’ blueline in the future. Some of his strengths include his powerful shot, smooth skating, and special teams. He’s pretty good at reading plays too.

However, there is still work to be done. He needs to be a little more confident in himself. He tends to be a pass-first player, as a two-way player, he was extremely assist heavy last season. While that isn’t a bad thing, he needs to get more confident at shooting because he has a pretty good shot. He also needs to work on his decision making. He tends to over complicate things sometimes which can lead to turnovers.

Again, like Moore, he is a project. But there are a lot of things I like about his game. His flaws are things that can easily be fixed over the next few seasons of development.

Overall Grade:

Artyom Galimov, Ak Bars Kazan, C (129th Overall)

Brad Senecal: B-

I have never been a big fan of drafting players older than the draft year (Galimov is currently 21 years of age when drafted), but Brandon Montour was a player as such and had a nice career with the Ducks before being shipped out so I’m willing to pay attention.

This pick brings in a player with a bit more experience and maturity as Galimov has played parts of the previous two seasons in the KHL, getting off to a good start this season as well (7 points in 12 games as of writing this article), showing that he has extended experience playing against men already.

Garrett Brown: B

Overager alert! I haven’t done much homework on him, but he appears to be one of the better-kept secrets of the KHL. And sometimes, prospects just take longer to develop or show their talent.

Galimov owns the front of the net. He continually finds his way there, plants himself, and shows outstanding skill in deciding what to do when the puck arrives in his vicinity. He reminds me of a combination of Perry’s dynamics and a general idea of being a nuisance to goalies and Ondrej Kase’s motor. Generally, fan bases don’t get as excited about 5th-rounders, but this may be an exception.

Ben Thomasian: B

I love this selection. He’s a little older than the average prospect (21 years), and is under contract for another year and a bit, however, he could potentially come in at a mature age when the Ducks fleet of youngsters are entering the scene and provide a steadying presence. Galimov is a smaller
forward but one who sees the ice well and can create offensively, yet defend to a very reasonable degree.

Quite frankly he led the third line he was placed upon and that speaks volumes in a grown men’s league. Likely won’t be a 20 goal scorer in the NHL, but could easily carve out a 3rd line role as a 30-point, “two-way” threat. This was his fourth and final year of eligibility for the draft and I
think that he can make the Anaheim Ducks happy they took him. I’m already happy they took him. Low risk, “high” reward. Excellent selection.

Ciara Durant: B+

This is the first time the Anaheim Ducks has drafted a Russian in… forever. That alone already makes me like Artyom Galimov. Granted, he is an overager (21-years-old) but I commend him for not giving up on his dreams of the NHL, and it was Bob Murray of all the GM’s who is giving him that opportunity (although, I suspect Madden had a big hand in this pick.)

The biggest knock against him is his size, standing at just 5’11” and 176 lbs. Nevertheless, in his first season in the KHL, he posted 13 goals and 23 points in 55 games. That’s pretty impressive for his freshman season playing on the third line for a team in the second-best men’s league. The KHL’s 2020-21 season is already underway as well, and his 7 points in 12 games seems pretty good to me.

He could be a very steady bottom-six guy for the Anaheim Ducks and seeing as how he’s already 21 and has experience playing in a men’s league, this could see him break into the NHL sooner than expected.

Overall Grade:

Albin Sundsvik, Skellefteå AIK J20, C (160th Overall)

Brad Senecal: C

Similar to Galimov, Albin Sundsvik has played much of the previous seasons in the elite leagues against men. Another big body (6’2”), he has shown his ability to score goals and get to the net. I am not as familiar with his defensive prowess, so I am unsure how he would fit as a bottom-six forward in the NHL.

Garrett Brown: D

This actually might be Isac Lundestrom reincarnated. And it feels like just as much of a question mark as it did in 2018. At least this year it occurred in the 6th round. Sundsvik played in the SHL during his draft year and put up underwhelming statistics, akin to his new teammate Lundestrom.

Without being able to watch video on him, I can’t begin to understand why the Ducks felt the need for another Swiss (Swedish) army knife. Based on nothing but a hunch, I don’t see Sundsvik playing in the NHL soon, if ever.

Ben Thomasian: B-

Let’s not beat around the bush, Sundsvik is very likely a future bottom-6 option. However, we’re also discussing a 19-year-old in his third year of SHL hockey. Last year may not have gone to plan for him in the big leagues, however, he did manage 38 games (and 54 total to date) in the fourth-best men’s league in the world.

Defensively he worked hard, and there may be a hint of offensive upside given his point per game pace in J20 SuperElit over the past two seasons. Worth noting that he’s another player of the Ducks who is currently playing and furthering his development. Given the uncertainty of play in North America, this is a notable draft strategy for the Ducks. He’s well worth a selection this far back in the draft.

Ciara Durant: C

I’m kind of bored by this draft pick. Another Swede for Murray. Long live Swedenheim? Anyways, back on track, while the kid did post almost a point per game it’s really hard for me to adequately give my opinion on some of the later rounds picks because there isn’t much known about them.

The only thing I can really take away from the research is that his defensive skills are there, but he could improve offensively. He seems like he works hard and engages physically. Still bored though. But, I can’t really make any accurate assumptions about the kid until I see him in action.

Overall Grade: