Anaheim Ducks first-round pick Mason McTavish switched Ontario Hockey League teams Sunday, moving from the Peterborough Petes to the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Peterborough got forwards Alex Pharand and Jonathan Melee and a series of draft selections in the trade for the star centre who could play for Canada in the Beijing Olympics next month.
Drafted third overall to the NHL in July, the six-foot-one, 205-pound McTavish had two goals and 11 points in nine games with the Ducks to open the 2021-22 campaign.
In the Ducks’ season opener on Oct. 13 — McTavish’s NHL debut — he became the youngest goal-scorer in franchise history (18 years, 256 days) when he beat Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
WATCH | McTavish’s 1st NHL goal helps Ducks down Jets:
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Rookie Mason McTavish scores in his NHL debut as Anaheim beats Winnipeg 4-1. 2:01
Anaheim returned him to the junior Petes and he represented Canada in the cancelled world junior championship. The native of Carp, Ont., (near Ottawa) had six goals and seven points in five games for Peterbourough, and three goals and five points in two world junior contests.
“I’m definitely a lot more confident playing nine games in the NHL,” McTavish told the Edmonton Sun in December. “In Anaheim, not just [head coach] Dallas [Eakins], but the management helped me a lot.
“I learned a lot from [veteran centre] Ryan Getzlaf and the way he plays and he carries himself. I’m taking a lot of that and trying to implement it into my everyday life.”
McTavish, who turns 19 on Jan. 30, also served as an alternate captain with Canada last year en route to a gold medal at the 2021 U18 IIHF world championship in Texas.
Hamilton is second in the OHL’s East Division. Peterborough is last.