Ducks surprised many early on night one of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, none more than the pick himself, Beckett Sennecke.
Ducks surprised many early on night one of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, none more than the pick himself, Beckett Sennecke.
Heading into night one of the NHL Draft on June 28, most public draft projections had Oshawa Generals forward Beckett Sennecke ranked anywhere from 5-15 on average.
The Anaheim Ducks held the third overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and selected the 6-foot-3 right-shot forward, leading to one of the most genuine moments of shock from a draft-eligible player in recent memory.
Sennecke can be seen as a "late-riser" in the 2024 draft class as NHL Central Scouting had him ranked 15th among North American skaters in their January mid-term rankings.
Sennecke underwent a significant growth spurt over the last two years. He entered the OHL in the fall of 2022 measuring in at 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds. His final measurement for June's 2024 NHL Draft was nearly 6-foot-3 and 182 pounds.
"I grew pretty fast so I am still getting used to that," Sennecke told Elite Prospects just ahead of the draft. "I think after December, I felt comfortable with my size."
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Once he gained comfort with his new frame, he was nearly unstoppable down the stretch in the 2023-24 season. In his final 34 regular season games, he scored 42 points. His production increased further in the OHL playoffs where he scored 10 goals and 22 points in 16 games.
He was forced out of game six of the OHL semifinals due to injury and missed the championship series in which the London Knights swept Oshawa.
"What we loved about the player is his skating ability, his hockey sense, (and) his individual skill level is really off the charts," Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek stated after the first night of the draft. "He’s the type of player who can play any game on the ice, whether its a physical game, a skill game, or a fast-paced game. That’s what excited us about him, and that’s why we picked him."
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Sennecke was one of the more fun players to watch in the 2024 draft class. He translates the puck skills and shiftiness he developed as a smaller forward to his larger frame while adding puck protection and powerful net-driving layers as he grew.
One of the more underrated aspects of his game is his anticipation skills which leads to his increased involvement in all three zones. If the puck isn't on his stick, it soon will be regardless of which team is in possession.
He is disruptive with his stick as the F1 on the forecheck and reads the play intuitively as F2 and F3 to eliminate options and gain possession.
Anaheim Ducks 2024 draft class overview
Sennecke can read the ice even more effectively on the other side of the puck. In possession, he can diagnose a defensive structure to accurately judge the optimal approach on the attack. He excels at finding soft ice to present himself as a dangerous passing option when a teammate is in possession.
His processing skills is only matched by his manipulation and deception, which he leverages with his long reach, dynamic stickhandling, and remarkable vision.
"I was smaller, so I had to play that small game. Really shifty, quick on my feet, avoiding checks," Sennecke said when the Ducks wrapped up their five-day development camp at the beginning of July. "When I grew, I kept that small person's game and had a bigger body. That’s a unique skill set not a lot of taller and bigger players have. The disadvantage is my bones grew faster than my muscle so I’m a little leaner."
Sennecke will look to round out an impressive forward core under construction in Anaheim under Pat Verbeek. He'll provide a versatile and impactful role as a winger who can impose his will alongside talented potential teammates like Leo Carlsson (19), Mason McTavish (21), Cutter Gauthier (19), and Trevor Zegras (23).
He's likely a year or two from assuming a role as an everyday NHL player. There are some aspects to his game that need polish, most significantly 1v1 defending, and others that need further growth. The upside is undeniable and he could provide a deadly element to the Ducks' future on both sides of the puck for the foreseeable future.
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