Anaheim Ducks Select Thimo Nickl 104th Overall
The Anaheim Ducks have selected Thimo Nickl with the 104th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
The 6’2” 176 pound Austrian right-handed shot defenseman put up 10 goals and 29 assists for 39 points in 58 games last year in the QMJHL with Drummondville Voltiguers.
Nickl’s biggest potential is as a rush defender. He has a smooth skating stride that allows him to keep a small gap with attacking forwards, and keep up with them as they are weaving through the neutral zone. He also has a pretty solid stick that he utilizes to break up the play. He also has a very good one-timer that could be a real asset on a PP.
With all of that being said, Nickl was taken 104th for a reason. There are reasonable concerns with his game in both his own zone and in the offensive zone. In the defensive zone, he can sometimes treat the puck like a grenade when it is on his stick. In the offensive zone, he is conservative and only will make the most obvious and boring play even though he has the skating to make more difficult plays.