It’s good for young hockey players to have options, and for several Jr. Ducks players there are more of them than ever in the rapidly changing landscape of junior hockey.

The NCAA’s ruling a year ago that allowed players who play in the Canadian Hockey League to retain their NCAA eligibility added another high-level option to the United States Hockey League (USHL), British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and North American Hockey League (NAHL) as college feeder systems. Hundreds of Jr. Ducks have played in those leagues and gone on to Division I and III programs. 

Consider that just this past spring, there were 11 players with ties to the Jr. Ducks taken in the USHL’s Phase I and II drafts, three more taken in the Western Hockey League (WHL) U.S. Priority Draft, and three taken in the NAHL’s draft. The seven USHL Phase I picks all played for the 15O AAA team last season. 

The USHL, the only Tier I U.S.-based junior league, has taken 37 Jr. Ducks in the past five years alone.

The USHL pick bonanza came on the heels of the WHL taking eight Jr. Ducks from the 14U team in 2024, a year when USHL teams selected seven former Jr. Ducks, NAHL teams picked seven more and NCDC teams took five more. 

“The kids are going through a challenging time,” Jr. Ducks Director of Player Personnel Alex Kim said. “Nothing in the landscape of hockey is concrete right now. This is the most hectic time to pinpoint what the pathway will be for a player, and no one knows how it will shake out.

“Players and families have to be patient.”

JR. DUCKS 16U PLAYER IS PROOF OF OPTIONS

One of the Jr. Ducks’ 2025 USHL picks was forward Hunter Kapen, who decided to spend another year developing with the club despite having several junior options. 

Kapen led the 15O team, which advanced to the U.S. Hockey Youth Nationals in April, with 84 points and 40 goals in 67 games. The USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers picked him in the eighth round (109th overall) and invited him to their summer camp. That came on the heels of attending WHL camps of the Portland Winterhawks in 2024 and ’25. 

“It was eye-opening,” he said. “The compete level is much higher because everyone’s fighting for a job.”

Kim, who coached Kapen and the 2009 group at 15O last season and is the Jr. Ducks’ longtime 16U AAA coach, said that is one of the biggest adjustments young players must make. 

“The real hockey begins when you make a junior team,” said Kim, who played in the USHL before playing Division I hockey. “A lot of players who get drafted don’t end up on the team, while others who aren’t drafted make the team.

“Hunter decided to stay in California and play 16s. There are multiple roads to lead to where they want to get. It’s also important to have realistic expectations; you have to go when you’re ready, not just from a hockey standpoint, but are you mentally ready, socially and emotionally ready? You have to be equipped to face adversity, because there will be a lot of it in juniors.”

Kapen, who recently signed with Lethbridge of the WHL, has relished his time playing in California.

“It’s been really good. Not only is our team a great group of guys, but we have really good coaches,” he said. “It helps when you’re on a good team, and I’ve been fortunate over the years to play on some good ones. That speaks to how good the coaching is. Everyone wants to stay around and develop, and it helps when you’re in a highly skilled group like we have.”

Those were appeals of the Jr. Ducks to him. 

“Alex has done a great job developing players and caring for how people do after they’re done playing for him,” Kapen said. “There are a lot of opportunities to be on the ice with the Ducks, too.”

Kapen realizes development is a process, and he’s focused on growing his game further this season. 

“I’m more confident with the puck, that’s the big thing the coaches here have helped instill,” he said. “I’m not afraid to try new things with the puck, and they’ll support my decisions.”

2025 JR. DUCKS JUNIOR HOCKEY DRAFT PICKS

USHL 

Phase I (2009 birth years, all from 15O AAA team)

All stats from 2024-25 season

• 5th round/No. 72 overall – C Trevin Vargo by Waterloo (74 points/35 goals in 66 games)
• 8/109 – LW Hunter Kapen by Green Bay (84/40G in 67)
• 9/123 – G Kaeden Tate by Des Moines (32 games, 1.65 goals-against average, .927 save percentage) 
• 9/128 – RD Hudson Welsome by Sioux City (41/9G in 66)
• 10/143 – LW Jordan Tran by Sioux City (67/33G in 67)
• 10/147 – C Cole Hajt by Sioux Falls (70/26G in 66)
• 12/180 – C Daniel Greenbaum by Lincoln (43/23 G in 66)

Phase II (2005-08 birth years)

• 4th round/No. 60 overall – G Owen Crudale (2005) by Dubuque (playing there now; had a 21-20-2 record, 2.74 gaa and .924 save % with Philadelphia/NAHL)
• 6/103 – RW Harout Arutyunyan (2007) by Lincoln (48/26 G in 42 games with Jr. Ducks 18U AAA; now at Blackfalds/BCHL )
• 9/145 – LW Trace Frieden (2007) by Des Moines (26 points in 50 games at Cowichan Valley/BCHL)
• 13/205 – RD Max Holland (2006) by Des Moines (Army West Point commit and played at Spruce Grove/BCHL)

WHL U.S. Priority Draft 

• 1st round/No. 15 overall – D Collin Kim by Kamloops (58 points/31 goals in 46 games for 14U AAA)
• 2/33 – D Chase Gill by Kamloops (former Jr. Duck)
• 2/34 – C Beckett Ertel by Seattle (former Jr. Duck)

NAHL Draft

• 1st round/No. 5 overall – C Brady Craik (2005) by Watertown (now playing for Edmonton/WHL after playing for Winkler/MJHL last season)
• 1/15 RD Clarke Nehmens (2007) by Fairbanks (now playing there, former Jr. Duck)
• 7/218 – LW Ethan Woolcott (2005) by El Paso (now playing there after playing for South Shore Kings/NCDC)