In a sport as taxing and physical as hockey, and in a league as competitive as the NHL, no true contender can stand at only 23 players deep. So as Anaheim continues its rebuild, our season preview turns to the Ducks of tomorrow – focusing on the prospects who this season hope to break into the NHL.

Nikita Nesterenko

2023-24: 16-21=37 in 70 games played (AHL), +6 rating / 1-0=1 in three games played (NHL)

Nesterenko, acquired at the 2022 trade deadline from Minnesota, impressed in his first pro season, displaying a well-rounded game in San Diego and earning a late-season callup to Anaheim. The 23-year-old would net his second career NHL goal, both against St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington, but more importantly standing out to Ducks coaches for his effort and intensity off the puck.

“His forechecking skills and the pace to his game were really noticeable,” head coach Greg Cronin said. “[San Diego Gulls head coach Matt McIlvane] and his staff did a really good job driving an identity into him. He was a scorer at Boston College and he really had to transform himself. I think he did a lot this summer to try to beef that up, put weight on and gain strength. I think this training camp has shown that.”

Nesterenko appeared in four preseason games, collecting two assists.

“He’s shown he has a reliable identity playing in that hybrid third or fourth line role while he’s got the skill and talent to contribute offensively.”

Nathan Gaucher

2023-24: 10-15=25 in 72 games played (AHL), +1 rating

A 2022 first-round pick, Gaucher’s game is built on two-way smarts, defensive effort and a knack for finishing around the net. Once named the QMJHL’s top professional prospect, the Quebec native fought through injuries and growing pains in his first pro season, but finished the AHL campaign strong and stood out in his preseason debut last week skating on a line with Ross Johnston and Brock McGinn.

“He’s taken a step in his off ice training. He’s made a huge commitment this summer,” Ducks Director of Player Development Jim Johnson said. “I believe you’re going to see a whole different Nathan Gaucher next year. In my opinion, the way he ended his season, what he’s put into [this] season already with his summer training program, I believe we’re going to see a whole different player come fall.”

Gaucher finished his lone preseason appearance with an assist, a +1 rating, four hits and one blocked shot in 13:30 of ice-time.

“I was really impressed with Nathan,” Cronin said. “He hasn’t skated [in a game] in a long time and he worked his rear end off this summer to put functional weight on. He needed to work on his flexibility. That was part of his program to get him to improve his skating and lengthen his stide to make him a little more dynamic skating. He did a great job.”

Gaucher will begin the season with San Diego, likely playing a top-six center role as he did in the Gulls lone preseason game vs. Ontario.

Sasha Pastujov

2023-24: 10-13=23 in 46 games played (AHL), -6 rating

It was a tale of two halves for Pastujov last season, his first as a pro. The first half saw the Florida native tally just three points in his initial 12 outings and endure an eight-game scoreless drought shortly after the new year. The second half though saw Pastujov’s game, and subsequent offensive production, come alive as the 21-year-old finished with 13 points in his final 19 appearances.

“He had an up and down season like a lot of these young kids coming out of junior playing against men,” Johnson said. “Like Gaucher, Sasha got better as the season went on. He went a long time without scoring and then he went on a run where I think he had a hat trick in a game and he had maybe five goals in three games. That started to get him going. He started to find the back of the net and started to gain some confidence in his offensive ability.”

Pastujov skated in one preseason game with the Ducks and also in San Diego’s lone exhibition contest, in the latter on left wing alongside Josh Lopina and Judd Caulfield.

“I’m a more complete version of myself than I was last year,” Pastujov told SanDiegoGulls.com’s Nick Aguilera. “I just want to show the growth I’ve made and the steps I’ve made on and off the ice, whether it’s getting faster, getting stronger or scoring more goals.”

Judd Caulfield

2023-24: 10-16=26 in 61 games played (AHL), +1 rating

Caulfield enjoyed a strong rookie AHL season last year and again figures to be a key part of San Diego’s forward group this fall. The 6-foot-3 23-year-old has a rare blend of size and speed and last year displayed the hard-working tendencies off the puck that Ducks coaches and management think will eventually aid a transition to the NHL.

“He’s a big body, skates extremely well with an understanding of what it takes to play in the NHL or the pro hockey level,” Johnson said. “He just got better and better for me [every time] I was down there to see him. I don’t think Judd knows how strong he really is and how effective that he could be at the next level if he uses his body like he’s capable of. He’s just figuring that out.

“I thought he had an outstanding year and you talk to the coaches down there, they’re really happy with where he is at and how he’s progressed.”

Nico Myatovic

2023-24: 9-21=30 in 34 games played (WHL), -8 rating

An unfortunate early-season injury zapped Myatovic’s hot start in Seattle of the WHL, but the 2023 second-round pick returned to post near a point per game total in his final junior campaign.

“He was in dynamic force at junior hockey…but only played 34 games and that was the unfortunate thing,” Johnson said.

Dev camp was a success ✅@Aaron_Cooney spoke with a few familiar faces as they shared their experiences from this year's camp. pic.twitter.com/SPLhWBxcQh

— San Diego Gulls (@SDGullsAHL) July 6, 2024

“He’s another guy that’s going to spend a lot of time in the gym, which he needs. He needs to get stronger, a little bit more added mass to him to add some more explosiveness and strength to his game to withstand playing against men…He’s got a good skill level, he skates well, he’s got a good shot and a good release. He just needs to now build that frame and that base so he can be an effective player in pro hockey.”

Yegor Sidorov

2023-24: 50-38=88 in 66 games played (WHL), +8 rating

Sidorov will likely spend the bulk of his first professional season in San Diego, but the dynamic 20-year-old certainly showed glimpses of his creativity and puck skills in the preseason – highlighted by a power-play goal in his exhibition debut.

Sidorov loves to shoot the puck, as evidenced by 50 goals in 66 regular-season games last year and then another 15 in 16 playoff contests, and could one day become an offensive weapon in Anaheim, but his edict this fall will be learning the structure and two-way prowess needed to excel in the pros.

“He has the ability to score, but what we asked him to do was, while not change his ability to shoot the puck because we liked the fact that he’s a shooter, focus on a 200 foot game,” Johnson said of Sidorov’s final year in the WHL. “He did that for us and he got much better in his own zone this year without losing [the offensive production].

“He’s a guy whose skating mechanics are good. He’s got good speed and quickness. He’s got good hands and a high skill level. He uses escapes well in tight areas. He sees the ice and he’s tenacious on the puck. He loves to score goals so his puck possession skills are good. He uses his body well for me. He’s a shooter that can one time the puck and has a really good release. So those are really good traits for him.”

Drew Helleson

2023-24: 4-14=18 in 59 games played, -7 rating

Helleson has appeared in 124 AHL games over the last two years, slowly growing into a key role on San Diego’s blue line. The 23-year-old is more known for his work in the defensive end, but finished last year on a hot streak with the puck, collecting seven points in his last six games.

Helleson appeared in three exhibition games with the Ducks and anchored the top pair in San Diego’s preseason preseason game alongside AHL offseason acquisition Dillon Heatherington.

Tyson Hinds

2023-24: 2-8=10 in 71 games played, -8 rating

The defensively-minded Hinds will also be a big part of San Diego’s back end this fall, now with a full season of professional experience to draw back on.

“In your first year pro, it’s all overwhelming and there’s so much going on,” Hinds said. “This year, I have more confidence and less stress. I know what I can bring and I’m ready to work hard.”

"We had good chemistry out there."

Ducks prospect Tyson Hinds on skating with Tristan Luneau and his play in today's 4-3 win over Colorado.#FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/3uFrTggKp0

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) September 14, 2024

“I think he learned a lot [last] year at the pro level,” Johnson said. “I expect him to have a much stronger year and hopefully he gets off to a real good start. I believe he will. He’s got great work habits. He’s a great kid to work with.”

Noah Warren

2023-24: 6-7=13 in 50 games played (QMJHL), +13 rating

At 6-foot-5, 215 lbs., Warren already looks the part of an NHL defenseman and this fall will begin his professional career in San Diego. Like many skyscraping blueliners, Warren excels in the defensive zone with his combination of reach and physicality, but the former second-round pick has the fluidity and skating stride that’s much more rare for players his size.

“He’s got unreal athleticism, good skating mechanics and good mobility,” Johnson said. “His posture and balance are good. He’s learning how to close hard and strong with a purpose. He can kill plays with his aggressiveness when he is playing well.”

Rodwin Dionicio

2023-24: 25-48=73 in 60 games played, +21 rating

Dionicio will certainly have some growing pains as he adjusts to the pro game, but the young defenseman has an exciting blend of skills, especially with the puck, and an aggressive tenacity that should fit right in under Cronin one day.

Rodwin Dionicio put up impressive numbers with the 2024 #MemorialCup champions.@AnaheimDucks | @SpiritHockey | #FlyTogether

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) July 8, 2024

“He’s very confident with the puck and once he gets some framework to his game, I think his offense is going to be much more efficient,” Cronin said.