Prospect awards show that future is bright for the Anaheim Ducks

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Brett Thomas Wills
May 10, 2023 (7:26 PM)

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The National Hockey League Entry Draft Lottery came and went this week with much fanfare surrounding where consensus number one overall Conor Bedard would end up. During the lottery, it was revealed that the Chicago Blackhawks who lottery numbers fell in the right order, were the winners. Since then, fans and insiders have pointed out that the Anaheim Ducks have lost out on potentially a generational player twice in the last eighteen years as they lost out to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Sidney Crosby sweepstakes before the 2005 draft.

But as a silver lining, the Ducks organization will be able to celebrate a different feat, one that has never been done in the history of the National Hockey League, take a look.

Three of the organizations prospects have won Defenceman of the Year for their respective leagues within the Canadian Hockey League.

Prospect Tyson Hinds playing for the QMJHL's Sherbrooke Phoenix is the 2023 Kevin-Lowe Trophy which is awarded to the QMJHL's top defenceman. Hinds, skated in 56 games contributing 11 goals and 43 assists with a +61 ratio, good for second in the league.

The Ontario Hockey Leagues Max Kaminsky Trophy was awarded to Ottawa 67's Pavel Mintyukov for his efforts during the 2022-2023 OHL season. Mintyukov, born in Moscow, Russia split time between the Saginaw Spirit and the Ottawa 67's during his most recent campaign. In 69 games played the 6'3, 205lb defenceman had 24 goals to go along with 64 assists for 8 points.

Olen Zellweger, fresh off a World Junior gold medal for Canada is the receipient of the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as top defenceman of the Western Hockey League. Zellweger, drafted in the second round of the 2021 National Hockey League Entry Draft split time between the Everett Silvertips and the Kamlopps Blazers during the 2022-2023 season. For his good play during the season Zellweger was rewarded with 32 goals to go along with 48 assists.

This past season was bleak for the Anahiem Ducks, but with prospects in the pipeline who have demonstrated their skill and dedication this year, the future is bright.