The Anaheim Ducks have signed the 27th overall selection of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Jacob Perreault, to a 3-year Entry-Level Contract.
Over the past two years, the Anaheim Ducks have added vital players to their arsenal via the NHL Entry Draft. With four selections in the first round between 2019-2020, many important needs have been filled. As reported yesterday, the team has taken another big step in securing a key piece for their future. Quebec native, Jacob Perreault, has signed on the dotted line, inking his ELC with the organization.
https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1324517102951276544
Selected 27th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, with the pick they acquired in the Ondrej Kase trade with the Boston Bruins, a lot of fans have been excited about the prospect of Perreault playing with the big club in the future. The young forward has a lot of potential to make an impact at the NHL level, especially as a goal scorer.
Currently, the Anaheim Ducks are one of the few teams that don’t have a lethal goal scorer in their lineup. In fact, last season, the Ducks scored well below the league average (208 GF), with only 180 GF credited to the club. Only two other teams in the league scored 180 GF or below.
Enter 18-year-old Jacob Perreault, a pure sniper with the ability to score from almost anywhere on the ice. Last season, with the Sarina Sting, he scored 39 goals in 57 games. Unfortunately, the OHL season was cut short due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Had they continued, Perreault could have easily scored close to 50 goals in his sophomore year with his OHL club.
Granted, Perreault has a few deficits to his game, especially when he is off the puck. He is an incomplete player who needs to add a little more dimension to his game. However, his upside seems to significantly outweigh his flaws. Plus, the fact that he practically fell into Bob Murray‘s lap is a blessing from the proverbial hockey gods.
"“Jacob is a pro-level sniper. He’s physically ready. He’s powerful. He can shoot and score from anywhere in the offensive zone. He also fills a need in our prospect pool. We’ve got nobody that plays like him, looks like him, or scores like him.” –Martin Madden, Anaheim Ducks Assistant GM"
What is so important about the Perreault selection in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft is that, as Madden mentioned, he is unlike any other player that the Ducks currently have in their system. Over the past few drafts, Murray has added one wizard of a playmaker in Trevor Zegras, a passionate and fierce competitor in Brayden Tracey, and a dynamic offensively-minded defenseman in Jamie Drysdale. The missing piece to the puzzle, a goal-scoring machine.
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?
In my opinion, aside from maybe Trevor Zegras, the Anaheim Ducks have drafted relatively safe over the past few years. They haven’t really taken a chance on a boom or bust player. The Perreault selection seems to go against Bob Murray’s very nature, and after the way the past few seasons have gone for the Anaheim Ducks, this is why I love their decision to draft him.
As he continues to develop over the next few seasons, we will be keeping a close eye on this star on the rise. He will more than likely join the Sarina Sting for the 2020-21 season, which is scheduled to begin at the beginning of February. But, we are anxious for his Anaheim Ducks debut.
It may be a while before we see him donning the “webbed D” but this is a big step in making him a permanent fixture in the Anaheim Ducks lineup. Congratulations, Jacob Perreault on singing your ELC! We’re excited to lock you down for the foreseeable future.
Are you a passionate Anaheim Ducks fan that loves reading Pucks of a Feather? If so, we would love to have you on board as a contributor! Just follow the link above for more information on how to join the crew.