The Ducks have until 2 pm PST on June 1 to sign three recently drafted prospects to ELCs or lose their exclusive signing rights
The Ducks have until 2 pm PST on June 1 to sign three recently drafted prospects to ELCs or lose their exclusive signing rights
June 1 at 2 pm PST, the exclusive signing rights to three Anaheim Ducks prospects will expire, after which they will become unrestricted free agents.
Ben King (107th overall in 2022), Connor Hvidston (139th in '22), and Albin Sundsvik (160th in '20) are all in need of NHL contracts.
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Ben King
Ben King (22) was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Draft after being passed over in his first two eligible drafts.
After a coming-out party in 2021-22 when he scored 52 goals and 105 points in 62 games for the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL, his 2022-23 was deflating as he missed three months with a high-ankle sprain. He finished the season with 35 points in 30 games.
King signed a one-year AHL contract with the San Diego Gulls on Oct. 4, 2023 and began his professional career.
In 2023-24, King scored 15 goals and 30 points in 61 games, good enough for eighth on the team in scoring.
"Ben had an up and down year," said Ducks Director of Player Development Jim Johnson in an interview with AnaheimDucks.com. "I would expect another summer of getting stronger in the gym, working on his lateral mobility a little bit and the change of direction."
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King has all the makings of a modern day "power forward." At 6-foot-3 and 201-pounds, he thrives in tight areas of the ice. He forechecks aggressively and cleverly to force poor decisions. He gets to the front of the net at will and once there, he proficiently gets tips on shots from the point and finds loose pucks. On the rush, he always finds a way to get open as a passing option for a teammate and can wire a puck with space.
King has all the makings of a "Pat Verbeek-type" and there's nothing indicating he won't receive a contract offer.
Connor Hvidston
Hvidston (19) was drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft (just four days away from 2023 draft eligibility) and was primarily seen at the time as a defensive-specialist forward.
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He quickly changed that narrative in 2022-23, when he scored 65 points in 59 games for the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL. He joined the San Diego Gulls on an amateur tryout at the end of the 2022-23 season, playing seven games while managing to score his first professional goal.
He dealt with injury trouble in 2023-24, missing a month early in the year with a back injury and 15 games in total. He also underwent an appendectomy during the season.
He finished the season with 27 goals and 59 points in 53 games. He added ten points in nine playoff games as the Broncos lost in the second-round of the WHL playoffs to the eventual champion Moose Jaw Warriors.
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"I really feel bad for Connor," Jim Johnson said. ""He battled with injury, battled with his strength and his energy levels just weren't right, but he still ended up with 59 points and 27 goals. He can play in traffic, has a sky-high skill level and good hockey IQ. He's got great vision. His skating speed I believe is deceptive and he surprises guys."
At 6-foot-2 and 185-pounds, Hvidston uses his length to his advantage and is a true 200-foot forward. He's shown the resourcefulness and determination to battle through difficult stretches and become/remain productive.
Hvidston was one of the more pleasant surprises from a late draft pick for the Ducks and there aren't indications a contract offer isn't in the near future for him.
Albin Sundsvik
Sundsvik (23) was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2020 NHL Draft after not being drafted in his first eligible year (2019).
Sundsvik has played 246 career games in the SHL and scored 55 points.
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He was an alternate captain for Sweden at the 2021 World Junior Championship, when he scored three points in five games as Sweden finished fifth in the tournament.
Sundsvik has not attended a Ducks' rookie or training camp since he was drafted in 2020 and wasn't featured in AnaheimDucks.com's interview with Jim Johnson.
He is under contract with Rogle BK in the SHL for the 2024-25 season and will likely become a free agent on June 1 at 2 pm PST.