Under 23 Team Spotlight: Anaheim Ducks

Welcome to a new Spotlight blog where I will be looking at players for each team, that are under 23. Why 23? Well last August the World Cup had a team comprised of "Young Stars" who were 23 or younger. A team that surprised at the tournament, and represented the future of the league. That is where I got my inspiration to do this list. Within this spotlight, I will look at teams, with players that are 23 or under. I will give ranking, opinion, and an overall team grade. Today we start with the the Anaheim Ducks

***Left Wing***

1) Nick Ritchie, 21 years old

-Drafted 10th overall in 2014, Ritchie is quickly becoming one of the Ducks best left wingers. He already has 26 points this season, and has 3 GWG. On a team that lacks talent up front, Ritchie could play an important role for the Ducks

2) Nicolas Kerdiles, 23 years old

-Kerdiles has had a very slow start to his career. He has only played 1 game this season, and it is still not certain what role he will play with the team. He is a solid two-way player, so he could find his way on the 3rd/4th line

3) Max Jones, 19 years old

-Jones, much like Ritchie, plays an intense game, and should fit in well with the Ducks. Expect him to make the transition to the NHL next year. One of the Ducks top prospects.

Other notables: Kevin Roy 23 years old, Jack Kopacka 19 years old

***Center***

1) Rickard Rakell, 23 years old

-Arguably the Ducks best forward this year. He already has 24 goals this season, and he will eventually take over the reigns of being the teams best center.

2) Kalle Kossila,, 19 years old

-Finnish Forward who played college in the states, Kossila is a strong skater, and a great face off man. A potential 3rd of 4th line forward.

3) Sam Steel, 19 years old

-On top of having a cool name, Steel has alot of potential. He is much like Alex Killorn. He is currently having a career season with the WHL Regina Pats.

Other notables: Troy Terry 19 years old, Julius Nattienen 20 years old

***Right Wing***

1) Ondrej Kase, 21 years old

- Kase has been a pleasant surprise for the Ducks this season. He is not going to dominate the league, but he helps give the Ducks a solid 3rd line player. Very affordable and effective.

2) Nick Sorensen, 22 years old

-The often injured forward just doesn't appear to fit in the the Ducks system. Their is talent there, so it's not yet time to close the book on him.

Other notables: Deven Sideroff 19 years old

***Defense***

1) Hampus Lindholm, 23 years old

-One of the top young bluelinesr in the league. Lindholm has struggled a bit this year, but he still logs big time minutes for the Ducks. (over 22 minutes per game)

2) Brandon Montour, 23 years old

-High offensive upside, who has looked good on his recent call-up. Should be interested to see if he stick with the team.

3) Shea Theodore, 21 years old

- Select 26th overal in 2013, Shea has had a hard time sticking in the NHL. He was sent back to the minors recently, replaced by Montour. Still lots of talent, but he is on the bubble,

Other notables: Andrew Welinski 23 years old, Jacob Larsson 19 years old, Marcus Peterson 20 years old, Josh Mahura 18 years old

***Goalies**

1) John Gibson, 23 years old

- Only 23 and already has a William M. Jennings Trophy under his belt. He is starting to establish himself as a starter, and will eventually become one of the leagues top netminders.

Other notables: Garrett Metcalf 20 years old

Team Ranking:

-The Ducks has a solid core of young talent. They are especially strong on the blueline, and between the pipes. Rickard Rackell has become a fixture on the Ducks top line, and Nick Ritchie is coming into his own/ Future looks bright for the team

Overall Score: 85/100 B+