CHL Prospect Pipeline: Anaheim Ducks
CHL Prospect Pipeline highlights those who played in 2021-22, who were born in 2001 or later, and are signed by or on the reserve list of an NHL club.
Gage Alexander
A hulking netminder, Alexander will suit up with the Swift Current Broncos next season after spending part of the past three campaigns with the Winnipeg ICE highlighted by 2021-22 in which he found the win column in 18 of 29 outings. The 20-year-old Okotoks, Alta., native was selected by the Ducks in the latter half of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Nathan Gaucher
Owning solid two-way abilities, Gaucher’s game is backed by reliable offense that last season saw him finish third in Quebec Remparts’ scoring with 57 points in 66 games, bringing his career total to 112 points in 155 games since being selected eighth overall in 2019. Hearing his name called 22nd by Anaheim in the 2022 NHL Draft, the budding centre entered the evening as the recipient of the Mike Bossy Trophy, presented annually to the top NHL Draft eligible prospect from the QMJHL. An 18-year-old product of Richelieu, Que., Gaucher also has international experience as part of Canada Red at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge where he finished tied for tops in team scoring with five points in as many games. In late July, Gaucher signed his entry-level contract with the Ducks.
Tyson Hinds
Bringing a multi-faceted playing style, the 2003-born blue-liner reached a career high last season where through 38 games with the Sherbrooke Phoenix he put up seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points. Hinds’ junior career has also counted stops with Shawinigan and Rimouski, while his international resume counts a five-game stint with Canada White at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. The Gatineau, Que., native was chosen by Anaheim in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Connor Hvidston
A reliable right-wing, Hvidston put together a solid first season with the Swift Current Broncos where he notched 32 points in 58 games, good for seventh in team. A 17-year-old native of Tisdale, Sask., Hvidston has also earned opportunities on the international stage highlighted by a showing with Canada at the 2022 Under-18 World Championship. Hvidston was chosen 139th overall by Anaheim in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Ben King
Putting together a breakout campaign in 2021-22, King exploded to a 105-point finish with the Red Deer Rebels, marking a 59-point uptick from his previous career best. By year’s end, King led the WHL with 52 goals and earned a spot on the WHL Central First All-Star Team. A shifty centre, King finds offensive opportunities, a redeeming quality that helped him to hear his name called by the Ducks in the fourth round of this summer’s NHL Draft. A 20-year-old native of Vernon, B.C., King was originally chosen 13th overall by Swift Current in the 2017 WHL Draft and spent part of three seasons with the franchise before later joining Red Deer.
Tristan Luneau
A modern defenceman, Luneau possesses solid puck-moving abilities as evidenced by his strong season with the Gatineau Olympiques in which he headlined all rearguards with 43 points through 63 appearances. The first-overall selection from the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft, Luneau rewarded his club with a dominant freshman campaign that saw him post 18 points in 31 games and later took home the Raymond Lagace Trophy as the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. An 18-year-old from Victoriaville, Que., Luneau was chosen 53rd overall by Anaheim in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Mason McTavish
It was a busy season for the sizeable centre who first got a taste of the pro ranks in a nine-game trial with the Ducks in addition to the a three-game showing with the squad’s minor-league affiliate, all coming after his third-overall selection in the 2021 draft class. From there, the 19-year-old native of Carp, Ont., returned to Peterborough before later joining the Great White North as part of the Winter Olympics. Later joining the Hamilton Bulldogs, McTavish dominated with 47 points in 29 games on the season then added another 16 goals and 13 assists in the postseason to help the Bulldogs claim the J. Ross Robertson Cup and later compete for the Memorial Cup where he was named to the tournament’s All-Star Team after posting eight points through five appearances. The fifth-overall choice from the 2019 OHL Priority Selection, McTavish’s two seasons in the junior circuit have seen him produce north of a point per game.
Pavel Mintyukov
An offensively minded blue-liner, Mintyukov flashed his scoring touch in his first season with the Saginaw Spirit as he led the team in scoring with near point-per-game production counting 62 points over 67 appearances as he ultimately earned a spot on the OHL Third All-Star Team. An opening-round selection from the 2020 CHL Import Draft, the Russian rearguard has also shown success internationally as he put up five points in six games with his home nation at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Chosen 10th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, Mintyukov then signed his first contract with the Ducks shortly thereafter.
Sasha Pastujov
Skating in his first season with the Guelph Storm, the deceptive right-wing made a solid impression in pushing the pace offensively with a team-leading 76 points coming in 65 outings. The 19-year-old Floridian has also earned the call with the U.S. national team on several occasions including the 2022 World Junior Championship. A third-round selection from the 2021 NHL Draft, Pastujov signed his entry-level contract with Anaheim last August.
Sean Tschigerl
Bringing a well-balanced game, the talented left-wing has continued to progress over part of four seasons with the Calgary Hitmen highlighted by the 2021-22 campaign when he posted a career high of 58 points coming in 68 games that ultimately saw him finish second in team scoring. A 19-year-old native of Whitecourt, Alta., Tschigerl has also represented his country internationally as part of Canada Black at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge where he put up a pair of points in five appearances. Tschigerl was chosen 130th overall by Anaheim in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Noah Warren
A big defender who plays a mobile game, Warren is a rare breed, and that quality saw him rewarded in this summer’s NHL Draft when he heard his name called by Anaheim midway through the second round. Originally chosen with the eighth pick in the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft, the 18-year-old Montreal native has continued to build his game over the past two season with the Gatineau Olympiques where last year he ultimately finished with 24 points through 62 appearances.
Olen Zellweger
A dynamic presence from the back end, Zellweger reached another level in 2021-22 where through 55 outings with the Everett Silvertips he racked up 14 goals and 64 assists to lead all WHL defenders with 78 points and claim the Bill Hunter Trophy as the league’s Defenceman of the Year. A second-round selection from the 2021 NHL Draft, Zellweger also ended the year in getting a taste of the pro ranks with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Given his gifted offensive opportunities, Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence has frequently called upon the 18-year-old product of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.