See how these NCAA stars and future Ducks are developing, from Allain-Samake's vision to Burnevik's scoring touch.
The Anaheim Ducks have some talented players in college hockey that they selected in previous NHL Drafts. A few of these players have been on my radar for a while. I will highlight a quartet of them making strides in their development at the NCAA level. As usual, they are listed in alphabetical order and not ranked.
Anthony Allain-Samake: Defenseman, University of Connecticut. 2025 6th Round, 168th Overall
Threading the needle with energy is Allain-Samake’s game. He has incredible vision, and that was on full display last year with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers, where he found countless opportunities to feed teammates the puck in the slot. Allain-Samake is making progress in his development with the Huskies, notching four assists in twelve games so far, leading all UConn defensemen. If he’s able to do transition this well into his freshman year, he could make considerable progress throughout his collegiate career.
Alexander Blais: Forward, University of Connecticut. 2024 4th Round, 100th Overall
The second UConn Husky on this list, Blais comes to the NCAA from the QMJHL’s Rimouski Océanic, where he led the squad with 53 assists and 73 points in 60 games. His current point distribution in college roughly follows a 1:3 goals to assists ratio, earning two goals and five assists through 12 games. This is very similar to his production in juniors, leading me to believe he is really hitting his stride at the next level. Lining him up with Joey Muldowney and Jake Richard will definitely accelerate his development.
St. Cloud State hockey sophomore Austin Burnevik fends off a St. Thomas defender during the opening game of the season Oct. 4, 2025 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. SCSU lost 4-3.Austin Burnevik: Forward, St. Cloud State University. 2024 6th Round, 182nd Overall
Burnevik has the real potential to be a late round steal for Anaheim. As a freshman, Burnevik led the Huskies with 13 goals and 28 points through 35 games. He is on pace to finish first in both categories yet again, with an NCAA 2nd place 11 goals in 12 games. I’ve had the pleasure of watching him since his days with the USNTDP U18 team in 2022, and he has grown before many people’s eyes, including mine. He will be a driving force in St. Cloud’s offense for the remainder of his college career.
Roger McQueen: Forward, Providence College. 2025 1st Round, 10th Overall.
McQueen has integrated well into the Friar forecheck. As a freshman, McQueen is tied for a team leading six assists in 11 games. He uses his skill to maneuver around defenders and set up his teammates for offensive strikes. The Brandon Wheat Kings alum is an incredibly resilient and strong player. I look forward to seeing how his goal scoring ability progresses as he continues his journey in college hockey.
Honorable Mentions: Michael Callow, Drew Schock