While the Anaheim Ducks have begun to struggle recently at the NHL level, their organizational depth has continued to prosper. Many prospects have found their names on the scoresheet and will have opportunities to help their teams make a playoff push as we enter the home stretch of the hockey season.
Galimov Impresses at Tournament on Pause
Artyom Galimov was a standout performer at the on-Pause Tournament, hosted by his team, Ak Bars Kazan, while the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is on break because of COVID-19 concerns as well as the Winter Olympics. The tournament was a four-team round-robin between Kazan, Severstal Cherepovets, Locomotiv Yaroslavl, and Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.
Kazan won the tournament after beating both Locomotiv and Neftekhimik. Kazan was led by Galimov, who centered the top line during the tourney and scored four goals (one in every game) and assisted on another.
Galimov was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the Ducks and is still under contract with Kazan through the 2023-24 season and is unlikely to head over to North America until the expiration of his contract at the earliest.
Golden Gophers Have Fantastic Week
The University of Minnesota’s trio of Ducks prospects were all on the scoresheet this week. Blake McLaughlin, Jackson LaCombe, and Jack Perbix combined for three goals and four assists in two games, both being wins.
McLaughlin, who scored the 100th point of his collegiate career on Friday, is in his senior season with Minnesota and leads the team in points, with 28 in 31 games. LaCombe, a junior, is the points leader among Minnesota defensemen, with 19 points in 31 games. Perbix, who is also a junior, has struggled to find consistency during his collegiate career but has set career-highs this season in both goals and points.
There is a possibility that McLaughlin could sign a pro deal with the Ducks following the conclusion of the NCAA season and would likely finish out the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the San Diego Gulls.
Lopina Pots Game-Winning Goal against UConn
Josh Lopina scored two goals this week for the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and assisted on another. His second goal of the week proved to be the game-winner against the University of Connecticut.
Lopina has also proven to be a reliable force in the faceoff circle. The sophomore won 21 out of 25 faceoffs on Feb. 12 against the University of Maine and won 14 of 25 faceoffs last night against UConn.
After being drafted last summer in the fourth round by the Ducks, Lopina has built on a solid first collegiate season (23 points in 29 games) with an even stronger performance in his second season (17 points in 18 games so far).
Quick Hits
- Kyle Kukkonen scored a goal in the Madison Capitols’ 4-3 loss to the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Feb. 12.
- Sasha Pastujov had an assist in the Guelph Storm’s 7-3 win over the Saginaw Spirit on Feb. 12.
- Ethan Bowen scored a goal and assisted on two others this week for the Chilliwack Chiefs.
- Olen Zellweger assisted on two goals in the Everett Silvertips’ 5-4 shootout loss to the Kamloops Blazers on Feb. 12.
- Sean Tschigerl scored a goal and assisted on two others this week for the Calgary Hitmen.
- Tyson Hinds scored a goal in the Sherbrooke Phoenix’s 6-4 loss to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Feb. 13.
- Trevor Janicke had a goal and an assist for the University of Notre Dame in their 3-2 win over the University of Wisconsin on Feb. 13.
- Henry Thrun had two assists for Harvard University this week while teammate Ian Moore also added an assist.
- Mason McTavish tallied his first-ever point in the Winter Olympics with an assist for Canada in a 7-2 win over China on Tuesday.
- Albin Sundsvik scored a goal in Skellefteå’s 4-2 win against Örebro HK on Tuesday.
- Lucas Elvenes had the first multi-goal game of his career with two goals on Wednesday for the Gulls in a 5-1 win over the San Jose Barracuda. Axel Andersson and Brayden Tracey, who returned from injury, also added assists while Greg Printz also lit the lamp.
- Lukáš Dostál stopped 24 of 25 shots for the Gulls in the win. He is now 4-1-0 with a 1.88 goals against average (GAA) and .944 save percentage (SV%).
- Thimo Nickl had an assist for AIK in a 6-1 win against IF Björklöven on Friday.
- Max Golod had an assist for the Tulsa Oilers in a 5-2 loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones on Friday.
- Will Francis returned to the University of Minnesota-Duluth lineup on Friday for his first action since New Year’s Day. He finished scoreless in a 4-3 loss to the University of North Dakota.
Given the Ducks’ current place in the standings, we may see additional names added to prospect updates once the trade deadline has come and gone. New general manager Pat Verbeek has a wealth of prospects at his disposal.
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