Ducks tabbed as having No. 1 farm system in NHL

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jamie Drysdale Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Ducks tabbed as having No. 1 farm system in the NHL

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 8/24/23

The Anaheim Ducks have picked in the top 10 of the NHL Draft for five straight years.

So, it should come as no surprise that they have the best farm system in hockey, according to The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who ranked the Ducks in the No. 1 spot in his 2023 NHL pipeline rankings. Pronman ranked the group No. 4 last year.

“They have a plethora of high-end talent at center and defense, which is typically how you build winners,” Pronman wrote. “They have skill, size and compete throughout their pipeline … It’s been some dark days in Anaheim in recent years but I think within five seasons they will be a good team again.”

Led by 2020 No. 6 overall pick Jamie Drysdale, six of Anaheim’s top prospects are defensemen. The remaining four players are centers, led by 2019 No. 9 overall pick Trevor Zegras, followed by 2023 No. 2 overall pick Leo Carlsson. Just five of the team’s top 10 prospects were first-round picks.

There’s much debate about whether Zegras is still a prospect given his 180 games of NHL experience and the fact that he’s been a full-time player on Anaheim’s roster since May 2021.

The @AnaheimDucks surprised some when they selected Leo Carlsson second overall even, Carlsson himself.

The newest Duck caught up with @JamisonCoyle following the pick.#FlyTogether | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/7to1ZLyusC
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) June 29, 2023

Carlsson’s selection came as a bit of a surprise in June, when the Ducks passed on Hobey Baker winner Adam Fantilli – who also plays center and was considered the second-most NHL-ready player in the draft class – to take the 6-foot-3, 18-year-old.

“Carlsson has elite skill, which when combined with his frame and a strong motor has allowed him to be a very good player,” Pronman noted before later adding that "[he's] also an excellent playmaker with a very imaginative offensive mind who can run a pro power play.”

Pronman’s top 15 Ducks prospects:

1- Trevor Zegras,C

2- Leo Carlsson, C

3- Mason McTavish, C

4- Jamie Drysdale, D

5- Olen Zellweger, D

6- Pavel Mintyukov, D

7- Nathan Gaucher, C

8- Jackson LaCombe, D

9- Tristan Luneau, D

10- Tyson Hinds, D

11- Nico Myatovic, LW