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2016 NHL Draft: Anaheim Ducks select Joshua Mahura 85th overall

Josh Mahura is 6'0 179lbs defenseman from Red Deer who is probably an unknown for casual draft observers. He tore his MCL in the first game of the regular season, although didn't realize there was a problem until his second game. As a result, he missed the entirety of his draft eligible season. He was a B ranked prospect by Central Scouting going into the season, so scouts made a note of circling back when he debuted for Red Deer in the playoffs.

He's a little light, but potentially strong for his size, finishing in the top 25 in bench press reps at the scouting combine. His primary advantage is his skating. He can take long strides and close gaps efficiently. He's known for being a good one-on-one defender who sees the ice fairly well and plug gaps. He was 23rd in the VO2 max output at the combine, continuing an Anaheim trend of choosing fit players.

Mahura went 2+2=4 in 17 games for Red Deer in the playoffs. He isn't known for a good offensive game, but there's no indication he's a hindrance on that side of the ice. He will need time to fill out his frame before attempting to make it at the next level.

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