Ducks' Stian Solberg: Punishing defender quacks in 23rd

Solberg was the 23rd overall pick by the Ducks at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on Friday.

Solberg is a punishing defender who's emerged as the top defender after the big six D in this year's draft. He's mean and strong, and sometimes takes it too far in one-on-one coverage. But he'll mature into a more controlled game as he develops, and his already strong closing skills are going to take a lot of forwards by surprise. Solberg has a decent shot, but his offensive upside is limited. He's exactly the kind of mobile rock that every NHL team covets. The Ducks see him as a left-side Radko Gudas, which means he'll be a favorite in Anaheim when he eventually arrives, but his fantasy upside is limited.