Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. As we go through the summer of 2024, each day our LWOS Prospects Writers will bring you a look at one NHL team’s top prospects or other topical articles. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow Ben Kerr and Frederik Frandson on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! You can find all the articles here as well as our extensive NHL Draft preview. Today, we look at the 2024 Anaheim Ducks Top Prospects.
For those wondering, the cut-off for what is or isn’t a prospect is typically about 50 NHL games played (including playoff games) or is 25 years old. These are not hard or fast rules though, and we may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances.
2024 Anaheim Ducks Top Prospects
1.) Cutter Gauthier
When looking to find the top spot for a team’s prospect, it’s often a team’s own draft pick taking the spot. And so it would have been if Leo Carlsson had played five fewer games. However, with the Swedish second overall pick from 2023 being ineligible, we have to go back to January to find the Anaheim Ducks’ top prospect. On the 8th of January 2024, the Ducks made a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, where they acquired Cutter Gauthier in exchange for Jamie Drysdale. Since then Gauthier continued to dominate in the NCAA, where he had a total of 65 points in 41 games. 38 of which were goals. This came after an impressive World Junior Championship where he had 12 points in 7 games and was a vital part of Team USA’s gold medal run.
What makes Cutter Gauthier is a unique blend of strength and incredible speed, not just for his 6-foot-2 frame, but also for anyone in the NHL. He is nimble, lightning quick and can throw the body. Adding to this quickness and strength is his understanding of the game and brilliant shot. The release is excellent and instant, and it catches goalies on the backfoot. A former area that needed improvements was his passing, however, he showed in the World Juniors with ten assists, that it’s also an area of NHL calibre. All in all, there is a lot to dislike with Gauthier who looks to be a first-line and linemate with Carlsson in the future.
2.) Beckett Sennecke
The third-overall draft pick in 2024 was one that blew the draft wide up. Not many, including Beckett Sennecke himself, seemed ready to be selected as early as he did. However, as a player, he is a phenomenal talent. While skating does need some improvements, it’s been trending the right way. The same goes for his strength and size, which allows him to be a rare blend of power and incredible skill. He just has an unbelievable talent for finding the net. Both as an amazing shooter, but also as a gritty net-front presence. Allowing him to score from anywhere. His understanding of the game and overall vision also helps him and all he really need is to make everything click consistently.
It will take time, and it might be a few years before he is ready for the NHL, but with better skating and defensive work, he could be a goalscoring power forward on any first line in the future.
3.) Olen Zellweger
The top defensive prospect for the Anaheim Ducks is Olen Zellweger. The 34th overall pick in 2021 finally made his NHL debut last season, after dominating at the junior level. While he didn’t quite solidify himself in the NHL lineup, he did have an amazing AHL campaign with 37 points in 44 games. During the season he was also part of the AHL All-Star Game. At the end of the season, Zellweger also got to go to the IIHF Worlds with Team Canada, where he had five assists in ten games.
This season the puck-moving defenceman will try to make sure he is a constant feature in the NHL. His undersized frame has always been one of the major drawbacks, but with his elite skating, he counteracts it. Having a defenceman who can take part in the offence is a lethal weapon in the modern game and thats what Zellweger offers every time he hits the ice. Watch for Zellwegger to have a breakout and potential Calder contending season in 2024-2025.
4.) Stian Solberg
As contrast to Olen Zellweger, the fourth name on this list is Stian Solberg. The Norwegian 23rd overall selection in 2024 is a unicorn in the NHL for many reasons. Firstly he is the second Norwegian ever taken in the first round, only nine picks away from being the first. And secondly, he played last season in the Norwegian league. An obscure league in the world of hockey.
However, when you watch him play, you are almost instantly drawn to him. His size and heavy-hitting playstyle are incredible and he has a maturity far above his years. Defensively he was among the best of the 2024 NHL class as he has an unbelievable amount of awareness and good skating overall. There are areas that needs to improve. For one he needs to move the puck quicker when in the offensive zone. It can be very safe and stagnant. His floor is high, but to really reach his potential he needs to be better with the puck, and a few seasons in the SHL should help him develop that area of his game.
5.) Tristan Luneau
Another defensive prospect from the Ducks is Tristan Luneau. Similar to Olen Zellwegger he also got his debut in the NHL last season, however apart from that, it was a season to forget for the 20-year-old. In total, he only played 13 games of hockey due to a knee infection. A major blow for Luneau, who prior to last year had proven to be a great puck-moving and modern defenceman. He plays a fast and offensive style, where he moves with great edges to create lanes when having the puck. Defensively he looked better and has been adding some much-needed muscle which helps him win more battles in his own zone.
The big question this next season will be how the injury heals. If he is the same as before, there is a chance he could become a regular on the NHL roster, but if his speed has taken a hit, it could be a worrisome sign for the future. For now, he is still a very good prospect for the Ducks and in the NHL overall.
6.) Nathan Gaucher
Back on the forward part of the Ducks pipeline, Nathan Gaucher is one of their top center prospects. Taken in the first round of 2022, Gaucher brings a few things to the table. The first is a winning pedigree, as he has won almost everything at the junior level. The second is an NHL body, standing at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds. A body Gaucher happily uses to win puck battles and be a net-front presence.
However while the frame gave him a major edge in the juniors, he has been faced with more challenges in the AHL. He suddenly didn’t feel like a monster any longer and felt at times extremely ordinary. He wasn’t bad by any means but it wasn’t quite as much of a step as people had hoped. Gaucher is still young and having a full season in the AHL should help his development, but he might need a longer development cycle to get used to the physicality of the pro game. When that time comes he will be a versatile two-way center on any NHL team.
7.) Sam Colangelo
Sam Colangelo is another prospect who is hoping to get into the opening night lineup with a strong training camp. The 22-year-old had a monster year in the NCAA last season with 43 points in 38 games. 24 of which were goals. This earned him a contract straight out of college with the Ducks where he even had three NHL games with a goal included.
A great first showing, but he will need to prove that it wasn’t a flash in the pan. Especially since Colangelo’s sudden offensive production in the NCAA came a bit out of nowhere. He had been decent in his past two seasons, but a change from Northeastern University to Western Michigan University nearly doubled his production. The question is if he can keep it up, or will revert to being a good defensively-minded forward who can be a good fit on the the bottom six in the NHL. If he can sustain the offensive production, Colangelo might end up being a surprising steal in the second round for the Ducks
8.) Drew Helleson
Another player acquired in a trade for the Ducks is Drew Helleson. The Ducks gave up Josh Manson for Helleson, and unfortunately, it’s yet to truly pay off for the Ducks. While Helleson has been playing a lot more games in both the AHL, he has never really been able to crack the NHL. The same goes with his production which hasn’t been the same as it was in the NCAA. He is still a decent player, who has a lot of good skating and defensive awareness to his game. He still plays a smart game, but it’s become inconsistent. The confidence and swagger he had at Boston Collage is something he needs to find this upcoming season or he might be gliding out of the Duck’s vision for the future. The 2024-2025 season is a make-or-break season for Helleson.
9.) Lucas Petterson
Lucas Petterson was the second-round pick of the Ducks back in June. An incredibly gifted center, who can do almost everything on the ice. That is when he is at his best. Unfortunately, that is not as often as one would like, and he suffers from glaring consistency issues.
The potential is massive, as he has an NHL shot, good defensive awareness, fast skating and skill and the motor to keep him going all game. When he feels it, it’s so much fun to watch. However, if he gets into a game where he doesn’t start well he can seem disinterested and lost. He feels invisible and is a complete non-factor. These swings in the performance have to stop and he needs to be the best version of himself almost every night, rather than every couple of nights. If that happens, then the Ducks have another amazing Swedish center in their system.
10.) Damian Clara
The last spot in the top ten goes to Damian Clara. An Italian goalie playing in Sweden who was a key part of Brynäs IF’s promotion back to the SHL last season. Especially during the playoff where he went 10-1-0 with a .931 save percentage and 1.68 GAA. At the age of 19, that type of performance in the second tier of Swedish hockey is extremely impressive.
What makes Clara successful is his very strong skating mechanics, combined with a 6-foot-6 frame. He is a giant and takes up a ton of the net, but he also has quick side-to-side movement. His major weakness is his positioning and overcommitment to the first shot. While he is able to reset fairly quickly, he often tends to bite on fakes or over-commit towards the shooter leaving him vulnerable to rebounds or deflections. However, he is a young and talented goalie, who the Ducks are hoping can be the next in a long line of NHL-caliber goalies who have come from their system.
HM (Not a Top 3 round pick, not necessarily 11th ranked): Rodwin Dionicio
Rodwin Dionicio is pure offence from the backend. He is highflying, creative and exciting to watch. He always looks to create offence and uses every bit of his deep toolset to do it. From great edges and fast skating to stickhandling and smart movement to open up lanes. In terms of raw skill, not many are better than Dionicio, who also had 73 points last season in the OHL. This earned him a contract with the Ducks, and although he is returning to Switzerland this season, he will finally get a taste of pro hockey. Here we will get a chance to see if he can produce and transition into the pro game. Because as good as his offence is, his awareness and defensive ability are question marks that need to be answered before he is ready for the NHL.
Main Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
