The Anaheim Ducks announced their rookie camp and Rookie Faceoff roster on Sept. 3.
Gauthier, Luneau highlight Ducks’ 2024 rookie camp roster
Rookie camp will begin on Thursday, Sept. 13 at Great Park Ice in Irvine, CA, and game one of three in the 10-team Rookie Faceoff for the Ducks is scheduled for Sept 14 at 3:30 pm, where they’ll take on the rookies from the Colorado Avalanche in El Segundo, CA.
In the three drafts since general manager Pat Verbeek took over the reins in the Anaheim front office, the Ducks have made 26 selections, including 16 in the first three rounds.
Despite several of those players having “graduated” to full-time NHL duty, the Ducks will still ice a deep and talented crop of rookies this weekend.
2024 23rd overall pick Stian Solberg, 2024 36th overall pick Lucas Pettersson, and 2023 60th overall pick Damian Clara are all designated to play the 2024-25 season in Europe and won’t be attending rookie camp, the Rookie Faceoff, or Ducks training camp.
Due to the star power up and down the roster, a case can be made to watch nearly every young player closely, but let’s take a look at three of the most intriguing young Ducks at rookie camp and the Rookie Faceoff:
*On Sept. 5, the Ducks announced injuries to goaltender Tomas Suchanek and forward Beckett Sennecke. Suchanek had successful surgery to repair a ruptured ACL and is expected to miss six to eight months, likely the entire 2024-25 season. Sennecke fractured his foot during offseason training and his timetable to return was set for six to eight weeks.
Gauthier (20) was a Hobey Baker finalist for his impressive sophomore season at Boston College in 2023-24, he’s the only player on the Ducks rookie roster expected to play the entire 2024-25 season in the NHL and is a top-five favorite to win the Calder Trophy.
All indications point toward Gauthier dominating this tournament and separating himself at rookie camp. He should drive play, dictate pace, and produce at will against his peers.
Ducks’ Gauthier Speaks at NHLPA Rookie Showcase
The more intriguing aspect of watching Gauthier at rookie camp will be observing what kind of leadership role he assumes.
“Cutter said right away, ‘I want to be a leader for the guys who are experiencing camp for the first time,'” San Diego Gulls head coach Matt McIlvane said following Ducks development camp. “For someone new to the organization to jump in and take on that responsibility right away, I applauded him for it. I said, ‘Hey let’s build on that,’…