"Yeah, ha!"- Ryan Getzlaf speaks favorably about Leo Carlsson on his comparisons with the No. 2 pick

Anaheim Ducks legend Ryan Getzlaf has high praise for the Ducks' No. 2 overall pick, Leo Carlsson. Getzlaf will take on a new role at his former club after being named the player development coordinator just a day before the 2023 NHL draft.

Carlsson is a talented forward and is widely regarded to be one of the NHL's best forwards of the future. He's also expected to become a Ducks icon in the future, similar to Getzlaf.

However, reaching the height of Getzlaf will be difficult for Carlsson. Ryan Getzlaf spent his entire career with the Anaheim Ducks, where he established himself as one of the league's best forwards. He finished his career in 2021-22 as the Ducks' all-time leading goal scorer, with 1,019 points from 282 goals and 737 assists in 1,157 games.

Getzlaf was asked about Leo Carlsson being a big-stature center and whether he reminds him of anyone, and he spoke favorably about Leo Carlsson in his comparison (via NHL.com):

"Yeah. Ha. He's a big kid. It's great. I got to meet all these kids that we just drafted, meet their families, and you definitely get a unique perspective when you meet families and everybody because we meet the families first and then the kid comes in. You see where they came from and all that stuff. I'm excited about it."

With Ryan Getzlaf in the role of player development coordinator, it will be interesting to see how Carlsson develops his game style.

The hockey journey of Leo Carlsson

2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft - Round One

Leo Carlsson began his hockey career playing at the youth level with his hometown team, Farjestad BK. He then made the move to Orebro HK for the 2020-21 season.

At the age of 17, during the 2021-22 season, he made his professional debut in the SHL, showcasing his skills and contributing three goals and nine points in 35 regular season games.

In his draft-eligible year, Leo Carlsson continued to impress while playing exclusively with Orebro HK in the SHL. He solidified his role as a scoring line player and has shown his offensive abilities throughout the 2022-23 season. His performances caught the attention of scouts, with respected analyst Bob McKenzie describing him as a "blue-chip" prospect in the 2023 draft.

Fans can expect to see Carlsson making his NHL debut when the Anaheim Ducks face the Vegas Golden Knights in their first game of the 2023-24 season on Saturday, October 14.