Prediction: With The 10th Overall Pick, The Anaheim Ducks Will Select…

By Thomas Harrington

For the third time in franchise history, the Anaheim Ducks hold the 10th overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft. The Ducks finished with the eighth-worst record in the league, but the New York Islanders and Utah Mammoth won the lottery drawings and jumped ahead of the Ducks. Previously, the Ducks selected Nick Ritchie 10th overall in 2014 and Pavel Mintyukov 10th overall in 2022.

As I’ve done in previous years, I’ve examined several mock drafts and draft rankings and read over scouting reports from a large variety of different hockey sources in order to predict who I think Anaheim will select in the first round. I am basing my predictions off of what those rankings and reports say, and also by my own instinct of who I think the Ducks would like on their team. I do it this way and not based on my own observations because I don’t get much of a chance to see these kids play. Outside of the World Junior Tournament, I don’t watch a lot of junior hockey and even less college and international hockey, so I go with what is being said by the people who get to watch these prospects on a consistent basis. After this pick, the Ducks hold nine other picks in the draft: 45th overall, 60th overall, 72nd overall, 101st overall, 104th overall, 136th overall, 159th overall, 168th overall, and 200th overall.

Before I get to my prediction, a bit of background on the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. There isn’t a consensus superstar at the top of this draft. There’s no Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini available. The Islanders hold the top pick in the draft and they will likely take defenseman Matthew Schaefer, but they could surprise people and take center Michael Misa instead. There’s also a chance the Islanders could throw a real curve ball into the mix and take Long Island native James Hagens. The San Jose Sharks pick second, the Chicago Blackhawks pick third, Utah picks fourth, and the Nashville Predators round out the top five for the draft.

Every year, it is difficult to predict which player will be picked at each spot, as well as what kind of careers these players will have. This year, according to the experts, there are some clear groupings of high end players, but the order that those players could go is anyone’s guess. As a result of this, the number of players who the Ducks could take at 10th overall isn’t as big as some years, but it’s very difficult to determine who from that group will still be available. Players like Schaefer, Misa, Anton Frondell, Caleb Desnoyers, Hagens, and Porter Martone will certainly be gone. If one of those players does slip to 10th overall, then the Ducks shouldn’t hesitate to take that player.

While Schaefer will likely go first overall, the top end of this draft looks to be forward-heavy, with eight or nine of the first 10 picks likely being forwards. The Ducks have an enviable group of young forwards either on their roster or poised to break into the NHL in the coming years. But adding another good forward prospect is never a bad thing. That being said, there are a couple of solid defensive prospects the Ducks are likely looking at as well.

This will be Pat Verbeek’s fourth draft as GM of the Ducks. With three drafts behind him, there’s definitely a theme and pattern that’s starting to emerge: size paired with skill. In 2022 every player Verbeek chose was 6’2” or taller. That trend continued in 2023, as the Ducks made nine picks, all of them were 6’ or taller, and six of them were 6’2” or taller. The tallest was goaltender Damian Clara who is 6’6”. That trend mostly continued in 2024, as Anaheim’s two first round picks stood at 6’2” or taller, though two of their later picks, Lucas Pettersson and Alexandre Blais, are under 6’. 

In the first round, Verbeek has chosen defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, forward Nathan Gaucher, forward Leo Carlsson, forward Beckett Sennecke, and defenseman Stian Solberg. Carlsson and Mintyukov both just completed their sophomore NHL campaigns. Carlsson could be the Ducks’ top center for years to come, while Mintyukov had some struggles in his second season. Gaucher finished his sophomore campaign in the AHL and dealt with a major injury, while Sennecke had a very strong season in the OHL. Solberg played primarily in the SHL but made his way to North America and made his AHL debut at the end of the season. So far, the only other Verbeek pick to play in an NHL game is Tristan Luneau, a second round choice from 2022. He has played in 13 games with the Ducks over the past two seasons and was one of the top rookies in the AHL this past season.

Now, on to my prediction, and this assumes that the Ducks don’t make any trades. Regardless of how the first nine picks go, there should still be some good players available when the Ducks make the 10th overall pick. I think Anaheim will be interested in the following group of players, and they all have a good chance of being available at 10th overall: center Roger McQueen, center Brady Martin, winger Victor Eklund, defenseman Radim Mrtka, defenseman Jackson Smith, center Jake O’Brien, winger Carter Bear, defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, and winger Justin Carbonneau. All nine of these players are very good prospects, but have some flaw that holds them back from likely being a top five pick.

McQueen is a large center, in the mold of Ryan Getzlaf, but has had some health issues these last couple seasons and only played in 20 games between the regular season and playoffs this past season. Martin is a well-rounded player with a high offensive IQ. Eklund is an undersized winger but is a good skater with a very high compete level. Mrtka is one of the taller prospects in the draft, standing at 6’6” and a great skater for his size, but his offensive ceiling may not be as high as other possible picks. Smith is a powerful skater with good offensive instincts, but his defensive play can be inconsistent. O’Brien has great patience and vision on the ice, but isn’t an overly physical player. Bear is a very creative player who goes to the front of the net to score. Aitcheson is a hyper-competitive player who plays with a physical edge but crosses the line sometimes. Carbonneau has a great shot and one-timer but sometimes makes questionable decisions on the ice.

With the 10th overall pick, I predict the Anaheim Ducks will select center Roger McQueen(unless the Ducks trade up). There’s some risk with this pick given the injury issues that he’s had, but McQueen checks all the boxes that Verbeek looks for, a center with skill and size who can take over a game. With the number of Anaheim center prospects who have graduated to the NHL in recent years, the Ducks center prospect depth isn’t what it used to be. McQueen would instantly become Anaheim’s top center prospect. If McQueen has already been chosen, then I think the Ducks will go with Aitcheson, Eklund, or Mrtka with the 10th pick.

In two of Verbeek’s three drafts, the Ducks have held two first round picks. He only holds one this year, but Anaheim will make nine more picks on day two, including two picks in the second, fourth, and fifth rounds. Hopefully the Ducks can find some NHL talent on day two of the draft, the way they have previously with Jackson LaCombe in the second round, Henry Thrun in the fourth round, Lukas Dostal in the third round, or Olen Zellweger in the second round.

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June 25th, 2025