A shocking but good pick for the Ducks!
When Anaheim Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek called out the name Leo Carlsson on the stage in Nashville for the team's second-overall pick, it came as a surprise to those around the game. It has been heavily rumored that center Adam Fantilli was going to be the pick for the Ducks, but Verbeek pulled a wild card on everyone.
However, if you had paid attention to all the reporting as the draft got closer that day, Carlsson seemed to be the pick for Anaheim. LA Times writer Helene Elliott called the pick a "mild surprise" in a column shortly after the selection was made,
"It was a mild surprise. But the choice made sense for the Ducks, who have a stockpile of young talent and can allow Carlsson to remain with his Swedish team Orebro next season to continue his development."
The pick of Carlsson was a shock, but after looking more into it, it was a great pick for Anaheim. Carlsson can do a little bit of everything and has great two-way potential. He has also experienced playing against professionals during his time with the Swedish Hockey League.
These are some of the reasons as to why Anaheim elected to use the pick on Carlsson over Fantilli. It's not that Fantilli is a bad player by any means, but Verbeek saw Carlsson as a better fit for what they are looking to build out in Anaheim.
It remains to be seen if Carlsson will play with the Ducks this season, but he should join the team at some point. He will be a great addition to this squad for years to come, and it was a home run pick by Anaheim.