In Part Two of this series, as we evaluate the Anaheim Ducks prospect pool, we begin to see depth at every position within the organization. While Part One highlighted five players with an uphill climb to long NHL careers, a lot will have to go wrong for the prospects ranked 11-15 not to see significant NHL time in their careers.
As the Ducks will likely have to operate with a top-heavy NHL lineup in the coming years, this second-tier group of prospects will be relied on to fill secondary roles on the depth chart and support the talented core.
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Author’s Note: To qualify for this list, players must be rookie-eligible in 2026-27. Unfortunately, that disqualifies Tristan Luneau from this particular exercise.
Here’s Part One, Prospects 16-20: 2026-27 Anaheim Ducks Top Prospects: 16-20
In reverse order, let’s see who came in at 11-15 on the list of the Ducks’ top prospects:
W, 5-foot-11, 176 pounds, 50th overall in 2026
Preston is the exact kind of player fans often dream their team would take in the late first or second round of a draft. He was expected to be taken much higher than where the Ducks nabbed him at 50th overall in the most recent draft due to an injury, a mid-season trade, and underproducing given what his skill set should dictate.
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He’s an electric skater with some of the best pure skill in his entire draft class, and he consistently makes plays and creates chances at high speeds. With easy top-six potential, the Ducks are hoping his international resume is more of an indicator of what he can become than his junior performance in his draft year. He scored seven points (4-3=7) in five games at the 2025 Hlinka and six points (2-4=6) in five games at the 2026 U18 World Championship playing for Canada, much better numbers than his 44 points (18-26=44) in 46 WHL games last season. He’ll return to the Vancouver Giants in the WHL for the 2026-27 season, where he’ll assume a premier scoring role and aim to prove himself a steal in the second round.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2029–30
LHD, 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, 79th in ’24
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In 2025-26, Smith wrapped up a successful junior career, playing for the Everett Silvertips of the WHL. His production improved year-after-year, and his role, both on the ice and in the locker room, increased, culminating in being awarded his team’s captaincy last season. He was injured early in Everett’s playoff run and unfortunately missed a chance to play in the Memorial Cup, where the Silvertips lost in the Championship Game to the Kitchener Rangers.
Smith rounded into an all-situations defenseman in the WHL, blending smooth, explosive skating ability, quality puck-moving in all three zones, and a physical edge that will raise his floor at the next level. For his D+3 season in 2026-27, Smith will head to the University of Minnesota, where he’s likely to step into a role right away as their No. 1 defenseman.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2028-29
RHD, 6-foot-5, 216 pounds, 42nd in ’22
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Four years removed from his draft and two full seasons in the AHL with the Gulls indicate a shot at NHL games could be just around the corner for Warren. At this moment, he’s decidedly fifth on the Ducks RHD organizational depth chart, behind Drew Helleson, Ian Moore, Nick Jensen, and Tristan Luneau. However, in totality, that’s an inexperienced, unpredictable group, and a slow start or injury to one or two players could open a spot for Warren as early as this upcoming season.
His trademark attribute will always be his size, length, and physicality in small areas of the ice, but he’s progressed admirably with his puck retrieving, footwork, and first pass. He’ll never provide much offense, but could eventually eat tough minutes for a long time in the NHL as a middle or bottom-pair defenseman.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2026-27
C, 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, 22nd in ’22
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Similar to Warren, Gaucher has paid his dues with three full seasons under his belt at the AHL level and should be in line for a shot in the NHL this season. The problem is that those three AHL seasons were unspectacular and unproductive. He got off to another slow start in 2025-26, but upped his production considerably toward the end of the year, finishing with 29 points (15-14=29) in 62 games, including nine (7-2=9) in his final ten regular season AHL games, and made his NHL debut during that stretch.
Gaucher was always projected as a high-motor, shutdown center, and he’ll likely top out as a third-liner. He’s strong, fast, tenacious, and possesses quality defensive habits. His straight-line tendencies will render him an impactful forechecker and difficult to play against at the NHL level. If he can find the back of the net with any sort of consistency, he can become a useful depth piece for a long time for the Ducks.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2026-27 Opening Night Roster
G, 6-foot-6, 214 pounds, 60th in ’23
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Clara’s career in Europe seems to have come to an end after two pedestrian seasons in the SHL, with a brief pit stop in Liiga. The numbers don’t jump off the screen, but they’ll hopefully improve in the AHL, backstopping a potentially improved defensive Gulls team, with newly promoted Dave Manson behind the bench. Clara announced himself on a global scale during the 2026 Olympic Games in his native Italy, where he posted a stunning .911 SV% behind a team that didn’t feature a single NHL player or prospect aside from himself.
Clara is a remarkable athlete in the crease and eliminates massive portions of the net with his 6-foot-6 frame. The next task for Clara and the Ducks’ goaltending coaches over the next few seasons will be to develop his puck tracking, angle knowledge, and game management skills. He remains raw and a project, but a few seasons in Southern California could effectively iron out those wrinkles and produce an excellent young goaltender by the time current starter Lukas Dostal’s contract is close to an end.
NHL Arrival Prediction: 2027-28
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