Blockbuster Trade at NHL Draft

The Anaheim Ducks made a significant move during the NHL Draft on Friday night.

Just before the St. Louis Blues were set to make their pick, it became clear that they would be trading their 15th and 29th selections to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Mason McTavish.

The Ducks, in turn, sent the 29th pick along with the 117th pick to the Vegas Golden Knights, acquiring Nikita Klepov with the 15th pick and Marcus Nordmark at the 28th spot.

McTavish, only 23, was initially drafted by the Ducks as a center with the third overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

This trade marks a surprising turn, especially considering McTavish had just signed a six-year, $42 million extension last summer. With him, Leo Karlsson, and Cutter Gauthier, the Ducks appeared to be building a promising core. But after a less-than-stellar season from McTavish, it’s clear that a split was looming.

He had a bit of a rough season overall, ending it with 41 points—17 goals and 24 assists—though he did start strong, netting 11 points in the first 15 games. Still, the trend wasn’t sustainable, and it seemed like things were slipping away.

Interestingly, McTavish lost his second-line center position to Mikael Granlund, which pushed him to left wing, impacting the forward lines. The Ducks might be shifting their focus to rookies like Ryan Poulin and Tim Wash for more dynamic options.

As the season wore on, McTavish’s struggles became increasingly obvious, with him being scratched multiple times and even missing a vital playoff game against the Golden Knights.

On the other hand, Klepov comes with a promising outlook as a high-ceiling offensive forward, set to play at Michigan State next season. He had an impressive first year in the OHL, leading the league with 37 goals and 60 assists in 67 games.