Why the Anaheim Ducks Bet Big on Beckett Sennecke

Beckett Sennecke Photo by Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

LAS VEGAS - There were rumors in the lead-up to the draft that Anaheim might select Beckett Sennecke with the third pick overall. Evidently, Sennecke did not hear those rumors himself.

The Oshawa Generals right winger appeared to be in genuine shock when his name was announced at the Sphere, but if you think about what the Ducks are trying to build right now, the big teen makes a ton of sense.

"They're obviously drafting big and I fit that role," Sennecke said. "They want skill and physicality and I'm going to bring that to the team. Whenever they think I'm ready, I'm going to hop in and do my job."

Now 6-foot-3 and 182 pounds, Sennecke was only 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds when Oshawa took him in the OHL draft two years ago. Some scouts think the right winger might even continue growing, though Sennecke says he's perfectly fine whether he gets any taller or not. For the Ducks, the package he brings to the table was irresistible.

"What we love about the player is the skating ability and the hockey sense," said GM Pat Verbeek. "His individual skill level is off the charts and he's the type of player who can play any game on the ice, whether it's a physical game, a skill game or a fast-paced game."

And while Sennecke had a very nice regular season with the Generals, he was a beast in the playoffs with 22 points in 16 games, helping Oshawa on a surprise run to the OHL final. So ending strong probably helped his cause, eh?

"I think it was probably the driving factor," Sennecke said. "They want someone who produces in the playoffs and shows up when it matters most and I do think I'm a playoff performer."

Sennecke will be back in the OHL next year and the mission now will be to continue his growth and development.

"There's a lot of upside," Verbeek said. "He already possesses a lot of elite skills, now it's a matter of, like all these young kids, just get in the gym and put some weight on and get stronger."

Yes, it was shocking that Sennecke went third overall since a number of better-known names were still on the board, but at the same time his name had been trending up in the past months and a number of teams were quite high on him. The fact he was floored by the selection was one of the highlights of the first round.

"I heard the 'from Oshawa' before my name was called," he said, "and it was just butterflies and chills."

The Sennecke pick was the first of a number of surprises in the top 12 picks, including a number of the top blueliners dropping - heck, in a class that was known for high-end defensemen, only one (Artyom Levshunov to Chicago) went in the top six selections. And the second - Carter Yakemchuk to Ottawa at No. 7 - wasn't the name many would have expected to go before the likes of Zeev Buium, Sam Dickinson and Anton Silayev.

But as the folks who work for NHL teams like to say, it's not about the number you were picked at, but what you do after that matters most. Now these kids officially have teams to impress.

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