Forward Beckett Sennecke was a shock selection by the Anaheim Ducks at number three in this year’s NHL Draft. While Sennecke was expected to go in the first round, no one thought he would be selected in the top five.
The Ducks’ selection was so surprising that Sennecke himself could not believe it. His priceless reaction was the highlight of the first round. As such, fan reaction revolved around Sennecke’s hilarious take.
“Bro was in literal shock,” a fan chimed in.
“One of the best moments in recent draft history,” a fan opined.
“What a great reaction,” a fan posted.
Despite the overwhelmingly funny reactions, some fans questioned the Ducks for taking Beckett Sennecke with the third pick. He’s a look at what these fans had to say.
“It’s a pick that can get that GM a raise or fired,” a fan Tweeted.
“Why didn’t they trade down for an extra 2nd or something?” this fan chimed in.
“I guess they haven’t learned from last draft,” a fan weighed in.
While certainly a surprise pick, the Ducks hope Sennecke fits in with the rest of the team’s young core. Meanwhile, Ducks fans have plenty of reason to be optimistic with this year’s first-round pick. Sennecke has the makings of becoming an impactful player in the NHL.
Beckett Sennecke’s physical development increased NHL potential
While taking Beckett Sennecke at number three might have been a surprise to most fans, the Ducks knew what they were getting in Sennecke.
Sennecke has been considered one of the most talented forwards in the draft. Given his skill set, he was projected to be a first-round selection. However, it was Sennecke’s physical development that catapulted him to the top three.
The Hockey News recently provided this insight into Sennecke’s physical growth as the key to his draft stock:
“His unique growth spurt has him incorporating more physical elements into his game that he wouldn’t have been able to add before as a player under six feet.”
His size and skill, are two major factors teams cannot overlook. As a result, the Ducks felt confident in taking Sennecke over Ivan Demidov, who most experts had picked to go in the top three.
The assessment by The Hockey News pegs Sennecke as a power forward, modeling his game after the Nashville Predators’ Filip Forsberg. It looks like the Ducks might have made the savviest, if most surprising, pick in this year’s NHL Draft.