ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ducks blueliner Pavel Mintyukov headlines the team’s deep defenseman prospect pool and his rookie campaign has been a bright spot in an otherwise rough Ducks season.
The Ducks selected Mintyukov with the No. 10 pick in the 2022 draft and he earned the call-up to the NHL this season, after spending two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League. In 50 top-level games so far, he’s posted a respectable 24 points on three goals and 21 assists.
While the Moscow native has dealt with some adversity in the big leagues, his overall development has been encouraging. A shoulder injury in mid-January sidelined him for a month, but he’s consistently been a top-four defenseman for the Ducks ever since and has posted some highlight plays.
‼️ First career goal for Pavel Mintyukov ‼️ pic.twitter.com/N5DnipkVuJ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 16, 2023
Mintyukov’s first month in the NHL looked Calder-worthy, as he tallied eight points in his first 11 games amid a rare winning stretch for Anaheim. His production has dwindled quite a bit since this strong start, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t worthy of an everyday role. The team’s constant struggles and inability to fully gel has hindered many players’ offensive abilities; Anaheim is 29th in the NHL in goals scored per game.
Mintyukov had previously spent time in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit and Ottawa 67′s. Last season, with time spent on both teams, he notched 88 points, the most for any blueliner in the OHL and the entire Canadian Hockey League, which awarded him the Max Kaminsky trophy.
Mintyukov’s awareness is one contributing factor to his strong development at such a young age. He’s very creative and can generate scoring opportunities on the fly. When there’s a loose puck, Mintyukov will rush it without hesitation and use his playmaking ability to shift momentum to the offensive zone. Most importantly, he’s stout on the defensive end. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, his frame allows him to dominate smaller opponents. He’s also fast and can stay focused on the rush.
In the Ducks’ recent down years, the lack of defensive production has been a major issue. Last season, Anaheim allowed 39 shots per game, a record-high in the salary cap era. While allowing 33 this season isn’t great, it’s still an improvement. Mintyukov will look to continue to lock down opponents in the defensive zone to prevent shots.
32-year-old Cam Fowler leads Ducks defensemen with 28 points, with Mintyukov trailing not far behind, despite playing in 10 fewer games. Calling Mintyukov Anaheim’s best defenseman isn’t a wild take, but if he can head into next season as a consistent point-producer and a wall in the defensive zone, he’ll likely be the Ducks’ most reliable blueliner sooner rather than later.
Mintyukov’s defensive ability and playmaking skills have not only given him time in the top defensive pair, but also earned him occasional minutes as part of Anaheim’s top power play. He’s notched seven assists on the power play this season, tied for third-most among all Ducks skaters.
On offense, Mintyukov’s passing ability absolutely shines. On Feb. 21, in a home bout with the Blue Jackets, the 20-year-old posted three assists, the first three-point performance of his young NHL career. The most impressive part of his performance was the fact that all three came in a span of just three and a half minutes and helped Anaheim erase a 4-1 deficit.
With the recent call-up of Olen Zellweger and young prospects such as Rodwin Dionicio thriving at the amateur level, general manager Pat Verbeek has seemingly secured Anaheim’s future defensive greatness. With a little over 20 games left in the season, the Ducks’ campaign is practically unsalvageable, but that doesn’t mean that the games are worthless. Mintyukov and other young players will still be able to showcase their talent in a low-stakes setting.