Prospect Update: Jackson LaCombe

By Thomas Harrington

A second round pick from 2019, defenseman Jackson LaCombe completed his second season of NCAA hockey and won gold playing for Team USA at the World Junior Tournament.

LaCombe’s sophomore season at the University of Minnesota was a successful one. Playing alongside fellow Anaheim prospects Blake McLaughlin and Jack Perbix, LaCombe scored four goals and 21 points in 27 games. He bettered his freshman numbers of three goals and 13 points, despite playing in 10 fewer games. He was tied for the team lead in assists with 17, and his 21 points were seventh. At one point towards the end of January, he recorded nine points in just four games.

LaCombe’s play at the World Juniors was a little more up and down. He’s a high-risk, high-reward player who struggled at times in the tournament. He was shaky against Russia and was a healthy scratch against Austria, and was Team USA’s spare defender for the rest of the tournament. However, his play did improve as the tournament went along, and he finished with an assist in six games. His lone point was off of a highlight reel pass against Finland, showing the kind of dynamic offensive presence he can bring to a game.

LaCombe met my expectations from a season ago. I wanted him to play in every game for Minnesota. He did miss four games, but he missed them because he was at the World Junior Tournament. Every game he could play for Minnesota, he did. Second, I wanted him to increase his point total, which he was able to do by more than double, despite playing in 10 fewer games.

Finally, I wanted his defensive game to improve. LaCombe used to play forward and transitioned to defense in the years leading up to him being drafted, so he still needs to work on his overall defensive game. While he struggled at the World Juniors, his defensive play did improve as the tournament went along and he adjusted to the high level of competition. In the NCAA, his play was much more consistent and his defensive game improved over the course of the entire season.

This coming season, LaCombe should be back at the University of Minnesota for his junior year. After averaging nearly a point per game and getting close to the 30 point mark, I’d like to see him break 30 points as a junior. Second, I want him to continue to improve his defensive game. If he can do that, I think he’ll be ready to turn pro the following season.

LaCombe is currently unsigned, but I think the Ducks could sign him as early as next summer. He was a bit of a project when he was drafted, but has a very high ceiling. So far, he’s shown improvement through two years of NCAA hockey. If he can do that in a third, I expect him to be signed to a standard entry-level contract next summer and playing for the Gulls in the 2022-2023 season.

The next prospect update will be on Trevor Janicke.

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Prospect Update: Roman Durny

Prospect Update: Axel Andersson

Prospect Update: Maxim Golod

Prospect Update: Artyom Galimov 

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September 23rd, 2021