The Anaheim Ducks have missed the playoffs every year since 2017-18 and in doing so, have drafted in the top ten for seven consecutive seasons and procured one of the NHL’s deepest and most potent prospect pools.
Despite several young players having graduated and become full-time NHLers, such as Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger, the Ducks still have an impressive pipeline of potential impact and depth prospects yet to make the jump.
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For this exercise, only players who haven’t lost rookie status are eligible for a ranking, and to be clear, these are my (Patrick Present) subjective rankings.
Honorable Mentions: Yegor Sidorov, Herman Traff, Tarin Smith, Lasse Boelius, Calle Clang
Top Ten:
10. Nathan Gaucher, 21, C, San Diego Gulls (AHL)
9. Ian Moore, 23, RHD, San Diego Gulls (AHL)
8. Sasha Pastujov, 22, W, San Diego Gulls (AHL)
If one were to look at this list in early November 2024, it would be understandable to feel genuinely surprised to see Pastujov’s name this high in a ranking of Ducks prospects.
Pastujov had a poor camp heading into the 2024-25 season. To the extent that the organization deemed it best for him to begin the year in the ECHL with the Tulsa Oilers. A trip to the ECHL is one few prospects recover from, but Pastujov’s mental fortitude during that time is a significant contributing factor to his ranking on this list.
“Sasha showed lots of character by going to the E,” Ducks assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Martin Madden told The Hockey News: Anaheim Ducks. “I think he would be the first to say he didn't have a good camp and probably deserved to be in the ECHL to start the year, but he didn't hang his head, and he had put in lots of work in the summer.
“He's a great kid, but he's got character. He worked his butt off all summer to get stronger and to get a little faster because that's what he needs to improve. His speed and skating overall, but his speed in particular, and he put in the work, and for some reason, it didn't come through during training camp. He went back there, got his confidence back, got his legs back going, and didn’t miss a beat by the time he got back to San Diego.”
After a successful career at the junior level, both with the USNTDP leading up to his draft year (66th overall in 2021) and in the OHL in the two years that followed. He averaged well over a point-per-game at both levels, but struggled to find that same production at the AHL level in his rookie 2023-24 campaign, which saw him tally 23 points (10-13=23) in 46 games.
“His capacity to adapt to read the play, to handle the puck, is natural,” Madden continued. “When he was able to come back and play at pace, production followed. I don't think producing is ever going to be a big, difficult thing for Sasha. I think he's got that naturally. His awareness is great, his touch is very good.”
Pastujov’s skating will always be his most substantial drawback. His stride is somewhat clunky and lacks explosion while his edges and four-way mobility are average at best. However, while these aspects aren’t ideal and a difficult hill to climb if one is to build an NHL career, they can be overcome with high levels of skill, IQ, and competitiveness, areas where Pastujov has now proven proficient.
His puck skills and release are above NHL-average, but his separating factor is his vision and hockey sense. He excels at recognizing lanes and involving himself in the building of every offensive play. While his 6-foot, 187-pound frame isn’t an advantage, he manipulates defenders when in possession by inviting pressure and connecting with linemates from small areas of the ice.
After posting 16 points (9-7=16) in 12 ECHL games to start his 2024-25, Pastujov finished the season with 45 points (17-28=45) in 43 games in the AHL with the Gulls. He unfortunately missed six weeks in the latter half of the season due to injury, but picked up where he left off upon return to the lineup.
Among AHL players who played a minimum of 25 games last season, Pastujov ranked eighth in scoring on a per-game basis (1.05 points per game).
His road to the NHL is still a murky one, especially when considering the Ducks, their general manager’s player archetype preferences, their loaded pipeline, and Pastujov’s requirement to assume a scoring role on a depth chart, as he lacks exceptional forechecking or defensive prowess.
Despite the notable work done to improve his 200-foot game and details, nothing about Pastujov or his game screams “Pat Verbeek player.” However, if he can hit the ground running in 2025-26, continue to improve, and produce, he’s not one to bet against carving out an NHL career for himself.
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Photo Credit: Derek Lee-The Hockey News
