In the latest edition of his 32 Thoughts blog, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has revealed that Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov is frustrated about being scratched in consecutive games. Mintyukov, who is only 21 years old, is reportedly interested in being traded if his playing time doesn’t improve.
The former 10th overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft initially made a strong impression during the 2023-24 season, contributing four goals and 28 points in 63 games while averaging almost 19 minutes of ice time per game. His performance earned him a spot as the 13th finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy. However, concerns about his defensive abilities were raised, highlighted by a -20 rating alongside an 88.9% on-ice save percentage at even strength.
Over the last couple of years, Mintyukov’s defensive play has shown improvement, but his offensive production has taken a hit. Since the start of the 2024-25 season, he has only managed five goals and 22 points in 86 games, coupled with an average ice time of 17:07 per game. On a more positive note, his defense has been bolstered by blocking 109 shots and delivering 91 hits. Additionally, his on-ice save percentage at even strength has improved to about 91.0%.
Despite these advancements, Mintyukov has seen younger prospects, such as Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger, and Ian Moore, surpass him in the Ducks’ organizational hierarchy. This makes it challenging to anticipate a fair return should the Ducks decide to make him available in a trade, especially considering that it is uncommon for a recent top-10 pick to request a trade in the latter stages of their entry-level contract.
A comparable situation in the NHL involved Yaroslav Askarov, the 11th overall pick in the 2020 draft, who sought a trade from the Nashville Predators in his entry-level contract’s final year. Despite Askarov playing significantly fewer games than Mintyukov at the time, the Predators managed to secure a solid return from the San Jose Sharks, demonstrating that a strong athlete can still generate significant interest, even amid challenges.
Currently, Mintyukov lacks arbitration rights, which puts him in a difficult position. Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek, known for his patience and strategic approach, is likely to resist any pressure to trade the young defenseman unless an extraordinary offer is presented. While the situation remains complex, there is still room for optimism regarding Mintyukov’s future as he continues to work on his game and aim to reclaim a solid position within the Ducks organization.