Ducks select Sennecke, Solberg in first round of 2024 NHL draft

LAS VEGAS — Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek had an action-packed first day of the 2024 NHL draft, making a surprising pick at No. 3 and trading up from the No. 31 spot to No. 23 in Friday’s first round at Sphere.

At No. 3, Anaheim had a variety of options. While one might’ve expected the team to call a highly touted name like Anton Silayev, Cayden Lindstrom or Ivan Demidov, Verbeek went with a skater less acclaimed in mock drafts: right wing Beckett Sennecke.

The Athletic had the 18-year-old mocked at No. 7 overall, so it’s no secret that the selection was unexpected; Sennecke, himself, even couldn’t believe that he’d be the third name taken off the board following Macklin Celebrini and Artyom Levshunov.

Surprising aside, Sennecke’s acquisition adds polished puck-handling skills, cerebral playmaking and strength to the Ducks’ prospect pool. He helped lead the Ontario Hockey League’s Oshawa Generals to the 2024 OHL Championship behind 10 goals and 12 assists in the postseason. This all came after a 68-point regular season in which he tallied 27 goals and 41 assists in his second year with the club.

While 68 points in 63 games played in his sophomore season with Oshawa isn’t anything to scoff at, Sennecke’s numbers didn’t progress massively from year one to year two. He only added 13 points in two extra games, whereas winger Tij Iginla, the No. 6 pick, saw a 66-point improvement between two of his junior seasons. Sennecke’s two OHL campaigns were rather similar statistically.

But points—especially without context—are certainly not everything. Sennecke played out of his mind to end the regular season in 2023-24, posting 42 points across the final 34 games. At nearly 6-foot-3 and 182 pounds, he’s likely still growing with an already typical NHL frame.

Sennecke’s stickhandling abilities made him rise up the ranks as an elite prospect. He’s deceiving, crafty, a deke savant and intelligent on rushes, never afraid to weave through opposing defenses and create opportunities.

The Toronto native’s physicality allows him to forecheck, win puck battles and make the most out of every play. His late-season surge and seven game-winning goals with Oshawa proved his ability to secure victories by himself.

He’ll just want to continue to adjust to his recent growth spurt before suiting up in Anaheim, as he grew nearly five inches across his OHL tenure. He could also improve his awareness when not controlling the puck. But with star center Trevor Zegras’ name circulating trade talks, picking up a game-breaking forward like Sennecke could fill gaps in the Ducks’ rebuild.

But Verbeek wasn’t content with just one big swing in the first round. Originally slated to use the Edmonton Oilers’ No. 31 pick, the Ducks dealt it along with the No. 58 selection to Toronto to acquire the No. 23 pick as the Maple Leafs were on the clock.

In Toronto’s spot, Verbeek called blueliner Stian Solberg, who was just the second Norwegian player picked in the first round in NHL history, and also the second of the night after the Detroit Red Wings took Michael Brandsegg-Nygård at No. 15. Expected to be a lottery pick, Solberg adds depth and upside to Anaheim’s already stacked defenseman pipeline headlined by Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger.

At 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds, Solberg moves well and uses brute force on opposing skaters. He’s committed to playing with the Swedish Hockey League’s Färjestad next season and has already shown his professional readiness against premier opponents, as he represented Norway at the World Juniors and exerted his punishing physicality at the tournament.

He also added 15 points on top of his defensive masterclass with Norway’s Vålerenga in 2023-24. He’s simply an explosive force to be reckoned with, and will only add to the well-roundedness of Anaheim’s prospect pool as a defense-first blueliner. He’ll just want to lean away from racking up too many penalty minutes and should work on finding more creative playmaking tactics before he winds up in the NHL.

The Ducks have eight picks total, and six picks left to use, barring any trades. They’ll select once in the second round, thrice in the third, once in the fourth and once in the sixth.