There may not be a player in the Anaheim Ducks systems with as much buzz surrounding him as Long Beach native Emerson Etem.

The So. Cal phenom is a true west coast kid. He surfs, skates and of course started playing hockey on wheels, not ice. But as any of us who have played hockey both ways, Inline and ice each have its own uniqueness and beauty. Inline hockey is very quick. Etem has quick hands, quick feet and a quick shot. Emerson does all three; only difference is he's been able to carry that over to the ice.

Etem was picked by the Ducks 29th overall in the 2010 NHL entry draft and the anticipation of his arrival in Anaheim has been boiling over since then. This past season with Medicine Hat of the WHL he scored 62 goals and amassed 107 points in 65 regular season games. Etem scored 53 of those goals in his teams first 50 games. He added another 13 points (7g 6a) in seven playoff games before joining Syracuse of the AHL late in season. Etem finished with three goals in six games (reg. season/playoffs) while with the Crunch.



Etem is 6'0" 194 lbs. and still growing. He needs to put on a bit more bulk before making the jump to the NHL. The good news is that his defensive game is farther along than many players his age. He was a key penalty killer for Medicine Hat and finished the year with a team best plus/minus of +41. Even if his offensive ability doesn't translate to the NHL right away he could make the Ducks on defensive merit alone. Fortunately, He appears to be on the right track to be a solid addition both offensively and defensively.

I do think he is still a year away from having a shot with the Ducks. He has shown at times that his maturity level is not quite on the same level as his hockey talent. He has was suspended for two games during the WHL playoffs for an illegal knee-on-knee hit. He's also been known to ruffle a few feathers with his mouth. If he can put his past antics behind him then he should be a huge asset to the Ducks very soon.

BUT, I do suspect he will get a long look in training camp this season, he just won't be there when the puck drops on the season.

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