Ducks Select Five Players During Second Day of 2019 NHL Draft

Jun 22, 2019

The Anaheim selected five additional players through Rounds 2-7 of the 2019 NHL Draft today at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. In addition to last night’s first-round picks of center Trevor Zegras (ninth overall) and left wing Brayden Tracey (29th overall), the club selected defenseman Jackson LaCombe (second round, 39th overall), defenseman Henry Thrun (fourth round, 101st overall), center Trevor Janicke (fifth round, 132nd overall), defenseman William Francis (sixth round, 163rd overall), and defenseman Mathew Hill (sixth round, 186th overall).

“We had a game plan getting the best player available with every pick,” said Director of Amateur Scouting Martin Madden. “We also wanted to add some defensemen back to our depth pool. I think we accomplished that.”

LaCombe, 18 (1/9/01), collected 25-105=130 points in 110 career United States High School Prep League (USHS) games with Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep. The first high school player selected in the 2019 NHL Draft, LaCombe was named to the 2018-19 USHS All-USA Hockey First Team. The 6-2, 187-pound defenseman earned the honor after recording 22-67=89 points in 54 games during his senior season.

Thrun, 18 (3/12/01), appeared in 124 career games with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP), earning 15-61=76 points with a +68 rating in two seasons. The 6-2, 190-pound defenseman has also represented Team USA at several international tournaments, winning gold at the 2018 U-17 World Hockey Challenge and bronze at the 2019 U-18 World Championship. A native of Southborough, MA, Thrun ranked second among NDTP U-18 team leaders in power-play goals behind only Cam York, tied for second in goals (8), and third in points (37) and assists (29).

Janicke, 18 (12/25/00), recorded 22-26=48 points in 58 games as team captain for Central Illinois of the United States Hockey League (USHL) last season. The 5-10, 190-pound center led the Flying Aces in points, co-led in goals, and ranked second in assists. A native of Maple Grove, MN, Janicke also helped Team USA to a silver medal at the 2018 U-18 World Championship, and played for the U-17 and U-18 NTDP teams from 2016-18.

Francis, 18 (11/16/00), had 2-8=10 points with a +9 rating and 131 penalty minutes (PIM) in 59 games with Cedar Rapids of the USHL last season. A 6-5, 212-pound defenseman, Francis played for Centennial High School in Minnesota’s high school hockey league, earning 10-32=42 points in two seasons from 2016-18.

Hill, (5/1/01), has appeared in 95 career Ontario Hockey League (OHL) games with the Barrie Colts, compiling 3-13=16 points with a +15 rating and 61 PIM. The 6-4, 197-pound blueliner, a native of Mississauga, Ontario, ranked third among Colts defensemen in plus/minus (+7) last season.