31 Teams in 31 Days - Anaheim Ducks

Well we certainly need to do our annual "31 Teams in 31 Days" a little differently this year. With the 2020 NHL Entry Draft set to occur in early October, we're only going to look at the players drafted or signed from previous seasons. Then, when the draft occurs, I will go back and edit each team's article with the OHL players that they select. Additionally, I will still go through with my annual ranking of the Top 25 OHL Prospects, however I will include 2020 NHL Draft prospects in this piece (based on my rankings for that crop).

Last year we started at the bottom of the alphabet. That means this year we go back to the top. The Anaheim Ducks are first!

1. Mathew Hill - Defense - Barrie Colts
Hill is the type of player who doesn't really get a ton of appreciation when playing on a poor team. The Colts were an inconsistent team this year due to their youth, especially down the stretch, and that puts a lot of pressure on a stay at home defender like Hill. The offensive production dropped slightly, but that is not what he's being counted on for. His offensive game is simple. You will not see him take liberties with the puck. If he separates his man from the puck, he has his head up and is looking to pass out as quickly as possible. At times, he can be pressured into poor choices, which come as a result of a lack of dynamic puck skill and confidence. His mobility is actually good for a bigger defender, so I would like to see him gain more confidence in using that skating ability to open up the ice more for breakout opportunities. Defensively, Hill is a major asset in defending in transition. He is very hard to get around because of his reach and he is not afraid to use his size to angle off attackers and put them on their behind. He is also a strong and stable presence near the crease, again, using his size to intimidate and tie up. Where I think Hill's defensive game still needs more growth is along the wall. He loses too many challenges for a larger player because he doesn't keep his feet moving and is forced to reach. Additionally, it would be great to see more consistency as a physical player to pin and seal his man so that they don't slip away as easily as they seem to from his grasp. However, the Colts should be better next year and Hill should not be written off as a pro prospect just yet. He still possesses the raw size and mobility package that hooked the Ducks in the first place. I would look for his offensive production to improve slightly too. A 5-6 goal, 20 assist kind of season is certainly a possibility.