Mason McTavish

July 2023 – McTavish solidified himself as an NHL player and a future young star for the Anaheim Ducks. He played in 80 games for the Ducks registering 43 points, great for a rookie season in the NHL. McTavish played in a top six, and mainly 1PP, role for the scoring starved Ducks and performed admirably. He also had 44 PIMs and that number may increase as he increases in strength and confidence. McTavish is as good as advertised and should only get better as he develops. Pat Quinn

May 2022 – After initially making the Ducks out of camp, McTavish showed that he has the size and strength (even at 18) to compete with NHLers. In the end, so that they don’t lose his rights when he turns 25, team brass decided to send him back to junior before he played his 10th NHL game. After a slow start in the OHL, McTavish was traded to a contender in Hamilton, promptly exploding for 40 points in 24 games. He added another 12 in six playoff contests, letting it be known that junior hockey has nothing left to teach him. There is a very strong likelihood that he steps into the NHL in the fall. – Dobber

July 2021 – With the Ducks selection of McTavish, they have found Trevor Zegras’ co-pilot. While Zegras is the finesse, playmaking center, McTavish will be the big, scoring center. These two will make a fine one-two combo in the NHL in a few seasons. Lucas Main

July 2021 – McTavish was selected in the first round, 3rd overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2021 NHL Draft. Nick Richard

February 2021 – Mason McTavish has the size, skill, and shooting ability that will have teams drooling at the thought of drafting him. He is a stalky 6’1″ and 196lbs and he has some smooth hands around the net. McTavish shows the ability to battle for pucks along the boards and work them to his teammates when he chooses to and his ability to create a screen at the net-front is quite good. All this goes without saying, he is at his best when he is able to set up shop at the faceoff circle and use his impressive shot. Be it a booming one-timer or ridiculous snap shot, McTavish can score from all over the offensive zone. He possesses the ability to go invisible, in a good way, disappearing from defenders before seemingly appearing in space with a good chance to score. He doesn’t always create his own shots but paired with a good playmaker, McTavish should be a legitimate scoring threat at the NHL level.

He will need to improve his skating a bit as he can be a bit lumbering on his feet at times. When he digs in, he can generate some solid power and get up to pretty good speeds but the willingness to move his feet isn’t consistent. This also hampers him in his own end. His strength and ability to lean on a player is valuable and he should continue to do more of that as he develops but defensive effort is fairly broad concern among most prospects at this age. The Zürich-born Canadian is currently playing in Switzerland with EHC Olten of the Swiss League (Swiss men’s second-level), the same team that fellow 2021 NHL Draft prospect Brennan Othamnn is playing for. Only six games in, McTavish has two points, a goal and an assist. With the OHL season looking like it will start up in April, McTavish likely has a month left in Switzerland to get into midseason form so that he can try and dominate the OHL and boost his draft stock. Tony Ferrari