Anaheim Ducks select Maxim Masse No. 66 overall in 2024 NHL Draft

It’s not a banner year for goal-scoring prospects coming out of the QMJHL, but right winger Maxim Masse was an exception in the 2024 Draft class.

On Saturday at The Sphere in Las Vegas, the Anaheim Ducks selected Maim Masse in the third round, No. 66 overall.

Masse, 18, is coming off a strong season with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in which he collected 36 goals and 75 points in 67 games, a nice jump from his 29-33-62 line in 65 games the season prior. Masse gets noticed; his 2022-23 campaign earned him Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year honors, whereas he captured the Mike Bossy Trophy this past season as the QMJHL’s top professional prospect. Masse also added three goals and six points in eight playoff games with Chicoutimi this year.

Masse brings a projectable frame at 6-foot-1 and 181 pounds. He’s been an effective power forward in the QMJHL, winning battles along the boards and imposing his will to reach scoring areas of the ice. He won’t always be the biggest guy once he’s playing in the pros, so he needs to be more than just a big body – which he is. He’s a crafty player with good positioning. His slapshot and wrist shots are accurate, and many scouting reports note that his playmaking ability is underrated.

If Masse hits his ceiling, his size, strength and offensive toolbox could make him an effective power-play weapon. The knock on him has always been skating – but it’s not like it’s awful. It’s simply lacking compared to that of others drafted in his range, as noted by Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis. Masse will never be a burner, but scouts have noted his mechanics have improved enough that the skating isn’t a deal-breaker for his NHL hopes.

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