Mason McTavish signed his entry-level deal with the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. It capped off a day where all three of the Ducks’ top selections from 2021 put pen to paper.
Our top three draftees are signed and sealed! 📝 https://t.co/mssXGc3PmF
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) August 13, 2021
Ducks Sign Mason McTavish
Anaheim has been putting their unfortunate record of late to good use, filling up their prospect bin. They had a solid draft this year, getting three top prospects – we’ve got McTavish, Pastujov, and Zellweger at third, sixth, and eighth respectively. And now they’re all signed to standard three-year, entry-level deals.
Mason McTavish is the star of the show. Not a hard thing to say, as he was the top-three pick. He brings a heavy, physical game to go with very good skating and a wicked shot – the breakdown’s here for further reading. With the OHL shut down due to COVID-19, McTavish found a home in Switzerland for the season. In 13 regular-season games with Olten, McTavish scored nine times with two assists. In the playoffs, he was even better, with two goals and seven points in just four games.
Last season, McTavish tore up the OHL as a rookie with 19 goals and 42 points in just 57 games with Peterborough. He was also on Canada’s national team for the U-18s, scoring five goals and 11 points in seven games as they claimed gold.
Sasha Pastujov
Pastujov – we have him ranked as the Ducks’ sixth-best prospect – put his time in on an absolutely loaded US National Team Development Program squad. Team USA only played five games at the U-18s, but Pastujov scored five goals and eight points during them. During this year’s truncated season, he put up 30 goals and 65 points in just 41 games.
In a surprise move, Pastujov pulled out of his previous commitment to Notre Dame to go to OHL Guelph instead. It could be that he will likely get more ice time in the junior league. He will undoubtedly be on the Storm’s top line for 2021-22, as compared to competing with seniors in the college ranks.
And Olen Zellwiger
Completing the set is WHL defenceman Olen Zellweger. The WHL had a short season, like every other league – the ones that managed any games at all, that is. But Zellweger still stood out, scoring twice and getting 13 total points in 11 games. That was a big jump for him, as he beat the previous season’s scoring by one assist in 47 fewer games. He was also on Canada’s gold-winning U-18 team, with one goal and eight points in their seven games.
Zellweger is a smaller, skilled defender who seems a good bet to reach his potential. You can read more about him here.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
