The Anaheim Ducks have decided to officially bring in their 2019 first-round pick. The team has announced that forward Brayden Tracey has signed his entry-level contract. It is a three-year contract that can slide this year and next if Tracey does not play in a minimum 10 NHL games. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Tracey, the No. 29 overall pick in June, was the Ducks’ second first-rounder of 2019 after Boston University forward Trevor Zegras was selected No. 9 overall. However, Tracey has arguably been the more impressive of the two players so far this season. Tracey has registered 10 goals and 22 points in just 13 games thus far with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors. The team’s leading per-game scorer, Tracey and 2021 top prospect Ryder Korczak have almost single-handedly fueled the Moose Jaw offense this season. However, the Warriors are still struggling and Tracey could become an intriguing WHL trade candidate this season.
A late riser in the draft process, scouts began to take notice of Tracey’s game midway through an 81-point campaign that marked his first full WHL season. A player whose game is defined by his patient approach, soft hands, and elite vision, Tracey is a high-end play-maker in the making. He is yet another member of an alarmingly talented group of young forwards in the Anaheim pipeline. The team can afford to take their time with his development and this contract is no guarantee that he will see pro action even next season, nevertheless this year. Yet, his ability and upside should excite Ducks fans even if his NHL debut is still a few years down the road.