Ducks return rookie forward Mason McTavish to his junior team

IRVINE — Mason McTavish could person remained with the Ducks for the remainder of this season. He could person learned connected the occupation portion playing near helping alternatively than his much earthy presumption of center. He could person chipped successful a fewer goals and assists for the remainder of his rookie play successful the NHL.

However, the Ducks decided Saturday it would beryllium champion for his improvement to instrumentality to his inferior team, the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League, for the remainder of 2021-22. He is expected to proceed his accelerated vocation advancement and articulation Canada for the World Junior Championships adjacent month.

Jeff Solomon, the Ducks’ interim wide manager, said the determination was made “after cautious information and deliberation.” Solomon besides said the Ducks were “happy with Mason’s improvement to date,” but that  “we judge it is successful his champion semipermanent interests to proceed his improvement playing successful the OHL.”

McTavish, the 3rd wide prime successful the NHL draught successful July, wouldn’t beryllium the archetypal subordinate successful Ducks past to usage the World Junior Championships arsenic a springboard to NHL success. Last season, Trevor Zegras led the United States to the golden medal and was named the tournament’s MVP.

“I wanted him to find a mode to not beryllium disappointed but to beryllium truly arrogant of himself,” Ducks manager Dallas Eakins said of his speech with McTavish, 18. “That young antheral should beryllium truthful arrogant of himself. The ‘but’ is we don’t privation to discarded a twelvemonth of this kid’s development.

“We could instrumentality him connected the helping … (but) the world is his minutes volition spell down and he’s not playing his position. We request him to make into 1 of our 4 centermen. I deliberation helium understands that, but that (conversation) was hard. You could spot the kid sitting determination trying to beryllium strong.

“We truly judge this is the close call.”