Ducks Select Center Gaucher with 22nd Overall Pick

The Ducks selected center Nathan Gaucher with the 22nd overall selection in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft Thursday night at Bell Centre in Montreal.

Gaucher, 18 (11/6/03), earned the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) 2021-22 Mike Bossy Award as the QMJHL's Best Professional Prospect after scoring 31-26=57 points with a +30 rating and 74 PIM in 66 games with the Quebec Remparts. He also collected 3-6=9 points in 12 postseason games.
"We added two highly competitive players with size and skill, each with great hockey sense." said Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek, also referencing 10th overall pick Pavel Mintyukov. "Both players will be great additions to the core of our future moving forward."

The Chambly, Quebec native combined for 58-54=112 points with a +21 rating and 120 PIM in 155 games with Quebec from 2019-2022. The 6-3, 207-pound forward represented Canada at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, tying for Canada Red's scoring lead with 2-3=5 points in five games.
"It's crazy," Gaucher said following the pick. "A lot of people are here for me, like 60 people. We heard them yell a little bit. It's a great organization, great talks. It's amazing."

Gaucher's brother, Jacob, captained Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL in 2021-22, posting 35-33=68 points in 66 games to lead the team in goals and tie for the team lead in points.
The draft resumes Friday, July 8 at 8 a.m. PT on NHL Network and ESPN+.