NHL Prospect Watch: Anaheim Ducks

Ahead of the 2024-25 hockey season, we’re diving into the WHL prospect pool for each of the NHL’s 32 teams. Throughout the series, we’ll highlight WHLers who have been signed to an NHL contract, were recently drafted, or are included in the NHL’s definition of a rookie. Join us for a brand-new season of NHL Prospect Watch.

Let’s fly south with a look at the up-and-comers in the Anaheim Ducks system.

Nico Myatovic

Coming off a WHL Championship victory with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2022-23, expectations were high for Nico Myatovic entering the 2023-24 campaign. A lower-body injury suffered in October dramatically shortened the winger’s season, but he showed he hadn’t missed a step once making his return to the ice in January. Myatovic potted nine goals and 21 assists for 30 points in 34 games, matching last season’s points-per-game average of .88. The Prince George, B.C. product’s season was highlighted by a seven-game point streak from late January to early February and a hat trick against Tri-City in March. Myatovic, who was selected 33rd overall in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, inked a three-year, entry-level deal with the Ducks upon the conclusion of the WHL season and made his professional debut at 19 years old with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, appearing in 12 contests.

#FlyTogether prospect Nico Myatovic powered the @SeattleTbirds to a come-from-behind 6-5 win Sunday with his first hat-trick of the season!

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) March 11, 2024

Vojtech Port

A fortuitous trade from Edmonton to Moose Jaw gave Port a chance to shine with a contending squad. The 6-foot-2 Czech blueliner nabbed four goals and 11 assists in 42 games split between the Oil Kings and Warriors, adding another four helpers en route to an Ed Chynoweth Cup win in Moose Jaw in the spring. Port also had a strong showing at the 2024 Memorial Cup in Saginaw, Mich. with a goal and an assist in four outings. The 18-year-old was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks after recording 17 points (4G-13A) in 48 games with the Red Deer Rebels and Edmonton Oil Kings in 2022-23.

MOOSE JAW STRIKES FIRST!

Vojtech Port gets Moose Jaw on the board first in an all-important win-or-go-home game at the 2024 Memorial Cup. pic.twitter.com/LuYK3TkMi7

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 29, 2024

Egor Sidorov

Saskatoon’s human highlight reel dazzled Blades and Ducks fans alike with a career-best season in 2023-24, helping Saskatoon capture the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular season champions and coming within one goal of reaching the WHL Championship Series.  Sidorov tallied a career-best 50 goals and 38 assists for 88 points in 66 games. His 12 game-winning markers led all WHL skaters while tying for third in powerplay goals (16) and fourth in total goals (50). The Belarusian sniper led the league with another 15 goals in the postseason, including four game-winners and a pair of hat tricks in back-to-back games, while adding eight assists for 23 points in 16 games. Anaheim signed Sidorov to a three-year, entry-level deal during his first-round series against Prince Albert after selecting him in the third round, 85th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

🎥 HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT 🎥

The spin-o-rama backhand? The between-the-legs snipe? We couldn’t decide between these Egor Sidorov beauties 😅@BladesHockey | @AnaheimDucks | #FlyTogether#WHLHoN | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/i1rhzUcrTd

— The WHL (@TheWHL) April 18, 2024

Tarin Smith

Despite missing the majority of his 16-year-old season after undergoing shoulder surgery, Smith emerged as one of the premium defensive prospects in the lead-up to the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-1, 187-pound blueliner ended up scoring eight goals and 36 assists for 44 points and a +26 rating in his first full season with the Everett Silvertips, leading all WHL rookie defencemen in goals, assists, points and plus-minus. The Porcupine Plain, Sask. product also iced nine multi-point matches over the campaign, including a pair of three-assist efforts against Kamloops and Spokane in January. He got his first taste of WHL playoff action with a goal and four assists in eight matches, advancing to the second round against the Portland Winterhawks. Anaheim snapped Smith up with the 79th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 Draft in Las Vegas and whisked him off to his first NHL development camp shortly afterward.

🎥TARIN SMITH – HIGHLIGHT REEL🎥

The Pride of Porcupine Plain is ready to take his talents to Sin City!@WHLsilvertips | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/lyBUWSwhzi

— The WHL (@TheWHL) June 17, 2024

Tomas Suchanek

After starting the 2023-24 season with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers, first-year pro netminder Tomas Suchanek earned a call-up to the San Diego Gulls. The 20-year-old posted a 12-6-3 record with a .919 save percentage and 2.56 goals-against average, good enough to ink a three-year, entry-level deal with the Ducks. Suchanek played two seasons with the Tri-City Americans, earning a WHL Second All-Star Team recognition in 2022-23. The 6-foot-2, 182-pound netminder closed out his junior career with a 39-38-5-2 record, a .906 save percentage and a 3.44 goals-against average. Suchanek also backstopped his native Czechia to a silver-medal finish at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship and was named to the tournament’s All-Star Team.

TOMAS SUCHANEK 🫡#LetsGoGulls | #SDvsBAK pic.twitter.com/3XA0YWmg0r

— San Diego Gulls (@SDGullsAHL) February 21, 2024

Jaxsen Wiebe

Jaxsen Wiebe brought his sandpaper style of play to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls and ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers in his first professional season after graduating from the WHL. The 22-year-old pounced on a loose puck in the Henderson Silver Knights crease for his first AHL goal on January 3. Wiebe would eventually tally four goals and an assist in 24 games with the Gulls before closing out the season with the Oilers, where he netted four goals and two assists in 11 games. The 6-foot, 203-pound forward captured a WHL Championship with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2022 and snagged a hat trick against the Saint John Sea Dogs at the 2022 Memorial Cup before earning an entry-level contract with the Ducks as an undrafted free agent. Wiebe suited up for 191 regular season and playoff WHL games with the Red Deer Rebels, Oil Kings and Prince George Cougars, putting up 38 goals and 70 assists for 108 points.

Jaxsen Wiebe slams it home for his first career @TheAHL goal 🙌#LetsGoGulls | #SDvsHSK pic.twitter.com/EEsxt6Hk4M

— San Diego Gulls (@SDGullsAHL) January 4, 2024