ANAHEIM, Calif. — The beauty of the Anaheim Ducks’ prospect pool is its exceptional depth that extends past the top-picked headliners, of which winger Coulson Pitre is a prime example.
Anaheim selected Pitre with the first pick of the third round in the 2023 NHL draft, at No. 65 overall. In a draft class retrospectively seen as historically dominant, Pitre stood out as a hard-nosed, playmaking forward with plenty of upside following a point-per-game 2022-23 Ontario Hockey League campaign.
Pitre’s two-way game has put him on track to become a solid bottom-six piece for the Ducks should he keep developing positively. Pitre logged 55 points in 55 games during the 2023-24 OHL season, five fewer than he tallied in 2022-23, but he also skated in four fewer games while still improving his goal total.
His 2023-24 figures also came while playing for a sub-.500 Flint Firebirds squad that somehow managed to sneak into the playoffs, largely thanks to Pitre’s efforts. He finished top-three in scoring on the roster and served as captain for a portion of the season.
Pitre’s junior career, like many prospects his age, started out unconventionally. The Windsor Spitfires drafted him in the 2020 OHL draft but Pitre didn’t play a single game for the team after the coronavirus pandemic canceled the 2020-21 season.
He would be traded to Flint before the 2021-22 season rolled around and immediately found a spot as a hard-working, goal-scoring shot creator with NHL potential, earning All-Rookie First Team status.
At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Pitre does plenty more than the typical middle-round forward. He plays a cerebral, quick-footed game and battles hard even when he doesn’t possess the puck. He’s a polished skater, is skilled beyond his with the puck, and is versatile; he can play center or wing.
Coulson Pitre picks the top corner! 🔝
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) October 19, 2023
The @AnaheimDucks third-round pick starts and finishes off the @FlintFirebirds attack to give them the early lead 🎥 pic.twitter.com/ej9Bk22x3l
The scrappy 19-year-old signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Ducks on April 3. Set to turn 20 in December, Pitre will aim to elevate his talents at the AHL level with the San Diego Gulls.
Pitre will want to work on refining the smaller details of his game. While his awareness is strong, the Newmarket, Ontario, native would sometimes force plays that weren’t there, leading to turnovers. But his hard-working attributes supplement his offensive game, as he’s a sure bet to win battles along the boards and set up his teammates in transition.
Pitre isn’t expected to be a superstar, top-line NHL forward but is still considered a high-value player for the third round of the draft. He plays with a smooth style that is difficult to defend and if he can gain more physical strength, his path to becoming a full-time Duck might not be super long.
Given Anaheim’s deep prospect pool, now bolstered following its 2024 draft selections, Pitre will have to continue to show more than just his point-scoring ability to stand out at the professional level. The Gulls were a below-average scoring team in 2023-24 and could certainly use Pitre’s high hockey IQ and solid mechanics to generate more opportunities.
One of the Ducks’ better two-way forward prospects, Pitre will also need to keep molding his identity at the pro level by testing himself at both wing and center on different lines.
San Diego made substantial changes in the offseason, including not bringing back top-two centers Andrew Agozzino and Glenn Gawdin. But with the abundance of prospects making the jump from juniors to the pro level, and with Anaheim signing a handful of players who’ll likely suit up with the Gulls in 2024-25, playing time will not be guaranteed.
Ducks fans and personnel will have their eyes on Pitre as he makes the difficult transition from the OHL to the AHL. With Anaheim’s rebuild in full force, the team will look for future middle- and bottom-six options to stick around long-term, and Pitre could very well be one of them.