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Anaheim Ducks: When Will the 2021 NHL Draft Matter?

By Jordan German

SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - JULY 23: With the third pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the Anaheim Ducks select Mason McTavish during the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft at the NHL Network studios on July 23, 2021 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY - JULY 23: With the third pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the Anaheim Ducks select Mason McTavish during the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft at the NHL Network studios on July 23, 2021 in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Anaheim Ducks
PLYMOUTH, MI – JULY 27 Carl Lindbom #35 of Sweden follows the play as teammate Lucas Ölvestad #7 battles in front of the net with Sasha Pastujov #29 of USA-White during the World Junior Summer Showcase game one at USA Hockey Arena on July 27, 2021 in Plymouth, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

The Anaheim Ducks had three picks over the span of rounds 3 and 4, two of those coming in the 3rd. They selected 18-year-old left-winger Sasha Pastujov and 18-year-old defenseman Tyson Hinds in the 3rd round, and 20-year-old center Josh Lopina in the 4th.

Sasha Pastujov is a very interesting pick for a 4th rounder if you consider how impressive he has looked on offense. He scored 30 goals with 35 assists in 41 games for 65 points in the U.S. Development Program, and then right after scored 10 goals with 16 assists in 18 games for 26 points in the U.S. Hockey League.

He’ll be playing for the University of Notre Dame this season, but it will be worth it to really keep an eye on his development with his offensive production currently booming. He is most likely not even close to scratching the AHL, but it would be very interesting to see what he can do in higher levels of play.

Tyson Hinds is another solid defenseman that won’t be ready for NHL play within the next year or two, but he still shows a lot of promise. It is a wonderful sight to see how deep the defensive pool of prospects for the Ducks is getting, and Hinds is another solid d-man that stays out of the penalty box and makes life difficult for the opposing offense.

Last season, Hinds finished with 6 goals and 9 assists in 23 games, and that was his best offensive production in that short of a span of time in his career. 15 points in 23 games was a great sample size of the improvement he has made to his game, and although it isn’t certain where he plays next season, it will be important to see if he can keep adding on more offense to his already great defensive game. He would make a big difference for the Anaheim Ducks if he can play a very productive two-way game.

Josh Lopina is the oldest player of the selected bunch, and his last season in the NCAA was impressive. 9 goals and 14 assists in 29 games for a total of 23 points isn’t bad at all, and he has had some great products in the past before that. In the year before, he finished with 35 points in 44 games in the U.S. Hockey League, so the promise is there.

He is up there in age, and could potentially be ready for a test stint in the AHL. It would be a surprise to see Murray actually take that chance on a player he just drafted, but considering that Lopina isn’t yet slated to play anywhere this upcoming season, it is a possibility.

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