Crash the Pond Draft Grades
The 2020 NHL draft is officially done and the Ducks made 8 selections throughout the draft. Check out our grade of each pick below:
1st Round
Jamie Drysdale B+: Many people have issues, and rightfully so, with the value that was left on the board by passing on Marco Rossi, but Jamie Drysdale is going to be a very good NHLer. His smooth skating and precise edgework will provide the Ducks with a steadying presence on the blueline that can potentially put up 40+ points a season.
Jacob Perreault A+: Perreault slid, somewhat surprisingly, to the Ducks at 27th overall, and will provide the Ducks with a dynamic goal scorer for years to come. Perreault slid due to a mixture of his size, average skating, and consistency, so there is some risk involved, but the potential reward for the Ducks is massive. They could have just gotten a 30+ goal scorer late in the first round.
2nd Round
Sam Colangelo A-: Colangelo is another prospect that depending on who you talked to, slid a fair amount. Some people had him slated to become a first-rounder. He was one of the leading goal scorers and point producers in the USHL last season, and will now be able to show his talent against tougher competition at Northeastern. Colangelo has a chance to become a modern-day power forward.
3rd Round
Ian Moore B+: Moore is a very talented defenseman that stood out at the prep level due to his athleticism and skating. The biggest issue for him is the quality of competition was sub-par at the prep level, and that led to him providing inconsistent performances. Moore will be moving on the USHL this year and then NCAA hockey the season after. If his game rises as the quality of competition elevates, the Ducks could have found a real gem.
4th Round
Thimo Nickl C+: Nickl will be a bit of a project for the Ducks, but that is what you expect from a 4th round pick. The 6’2” defenseman can make plays, but his speed and skills are just average. If he makes the NHL, it most likely will be in a 3rd pairing role unless he is able to improve those two things.
5th Round
Artyom Galimov B: Galimov is the first Russian skater selected by the Ducks since 2001, and although he is not the most high profile Russian of the draft, he was named the KHL rookie of the year last season. This was Galimov’s last chance to be selected in the NHL draft, the first draft he was eligible for was in 2017, so there are some concerns as to if this past season was just a flash in the pan, but if you watch any highlights of him, there is a lot of skill there. This is a complete upside play.
6th Round
Albin Sundsvik C: Sundsvik is a two-way center that had a good year in the Swedish under 20 league but struggled to have an impact when he was brought up to the senior team in the SHL. He is a smart player but most likely does not have the speed or skill to become a NHL player, which is average value for a 6th round pick.
7th Round
Ethan Bowen B: The Ducks traded to get the pick to take Bowen. I would assume they had him in mind when they made the trade and must-see some untapped potential in him.
Overall the Ducks had a very good draft. They got a potential franchise Defenseman in Drysdale, a potential 30+ goal scorer in Perreault, and a potential 2nd line power forward in Colangelo with their first three selections. That is incredible value for this Ducks team and restocks a prospect system that was lacking high-end skill. They took some shots on players with upside with their rounds 3-7 picks, which is exactly what they should be doing. Ducks fans should be very happy with this draft. We give this draft an A- grade overall.