2023-08-16 23:52:40
IRVINE, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks have been full of talented young defensemen in recent drafts.
At 6-foot-5 and 214 pounds, Noah Warren stands out.
The Montrealer has used his frame and his robustness to his advantage, and that of his teammates, this season with the Gatineau Olympiques in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
The Ducks liked what they saw of Warren during his first two seasons with Gatineau, so much so that they selected him in the second round (42nd overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft.
A year later, and four days following his 19th birthday, the Ducks signed Warren to a three-year rookie contract on July 19.
If he has great confidence in his overall game, Warren’s imposing size and robustness have long been his best assets.
In his first campaign with Gatineau, when he was just 16, Warren was already registered at 6-foot-5 and 209 pounds.
“I got strong early on, before everyone else,” Warren said during development camp for the Ducks in July. “I have to get even stronger and not be pushed around. »
Another defenseman in the Ducks’ prospect pool, Tristan Luneau, is a childhood friend of Warren. They were drafted seven spots apart by Gatineau in 2020, and two years later the Ducks picked them 11 spots apart in the second round of the draft — Luneau 53rd overall.
Luneau agrees with the idea that Warren brings much more to a team than his impressive size.
“He skates well, his agility is very impressive for a player of his size, and he has a good shot,” said Luneau.
It will be crucial for Warren to stay healthy during this important period of his development. Warren has had two surgeries in the past 12 months. He missed training camp for the Ducks last fall following having foot surgery, while a shoulder injury sustained in March kept him from participating in on-ice drills during development camp.
Warren, who should be healthy for the start of training camp next month, had 48 points (nine goals, 39 assists) in 138 games during his three seasons in the QMJHL. He is eager to show off his strengths and tweak the parts of his game that need improvement.
“I like to advocate a physical style, but I also know how to circulate the puck,” assured Warren. I still have to work on the attacking side of my game, but I can make an attacking contribution. »
Warren is part of a growing group of young defensemen who will fight for a spot on the Anaheim roster heading into the opener.
Pavel Mintyukov (19), Olen Zellweger (20) and Tyson Hinds (20) each won their respective Junior League Defender of the Year awards last season. Jamie Drysdale (21) is set to return to his top-4 position following seeing his 2022-23 season cut short in early November due to shoulder surgery, and Jackson LaCombe, 22 , will also be in the running for a regular position following playing two games with the Ducks last season.
With all of these options available to general manager Pat Verbeek and new coach Greg Cronin heading into the season, rushing their young defensemen into the NHL doesn’t seem to be in the cards.
“I’m going to be patient with our defensemen,” Verbeek said during the World Junior Championship Summer Challenge at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., earlier this month. “It’s a difficult position. I want these players to be ready. »
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