Review of Anaheim Ducks prospects at the World Junior Championships

The Rest of the Group

While Zegras grabbed the headlines and Drysdale anchored the silver medal Canadians, the Ducks had four other players at this tournament. This included three more Americans in Sam Colangelo, Henry Thrun, and Jackson LaCombe, to go along with Swede Albin Sundsvik. Each of these players made their tournament debut and the results were fairly mixed.

The 19-year old Sundsvik was drafted by the Ducks in the sixth round of the 2020 Entry Draft and entered the tournament in a very promising position as an Alternate Captain. Additionally, Sundsvik started the tournament as the first-line center between 2020 first rounders Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz.

Unfortunately for Sundsvik he was unable to keep that position and moved throughout the lineup the rest of the tournament. In 5 games Sundsvik recorded 1 goal and 3 points but showed his versatility throughout a talented Sweden lineup. If he remains versatile in his development, Sundsvik could one day end up in the Ducks lineup.

Coming off a fantastic freshman season at Harvard University, 2019 fourth-round pick, Thrun, made his WJC debut and continued to show how valuable he looks as a mid-round draft pick. Getting the opportunity with highly regarded prospects such as Jake Sanderson and Cam York, Thrun provided a solid defensive presence for the Americans, playing in all 7 games while registering an assist.

More from Prospects

• Anaheim Ducks: Is the 10th Overall Pick on the Block?
• Anaheim Ducks: BO Groulx Has Elevated His Game at AHL Level
• Anaheim Ducks Prospect Spotlight: Jacob Perreault
• Anaheim Ducks Prospect Spotlight: Jamie Drysdale
• Anaheim Ducks: All Aboard the Ian Moore Hype Train

American teammate Jackson LaCombe did not look as great for the national team as early struggles seem to set the young defenseman back. A second-round pick of the Ducks in 2019, a lot of fans were excited to see LaCombe on the American team as many had yet to really see him play on a bigger stage than the NCAA.

As they say, you only get one opportunity to make a first impression, and in the first game against Russia, LaCombe struggled and finished the night as a -2, receiving camera time for all the wrong reasons. He was scratched the next game against Team Austria, which could have given him an opportunity to regain some confidence as the Americans won the game 11-0.

For the remainder of the tournament, ice time became scarce for the young defensemen. After winning gold I am sure that LaCombe has put performances behind him and is excited about the accomplishment. Another saying goes something like ‘you can only go up from here’, and he did show improvement as the tournament continued in his limited playing time. As a second-rounder, there are many fans that are hoping to see LaCombe develop into at least a top six option in the future.

The last player from the tournament was the Anaheim Ducks 2020 second-round pick, Sam Colangelo. Also making his tournament debut, Colangelo was a very serviceable depth piece for the Americans, playing in a bottom-six role. He put up one goal in the tournament and showed his strength of battling in the corners, a trait that we all know Bob Murray loves. With being a late birthday this will be Colangelo’s lone appearance in the tournament and as he continues to develop in the college ranks, the hope that an experience such as this one will help him elevate his game in the 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.