The Anaheim Ducks used the 2025 NHL Entry Draft to add defenseman Drew Schock, taking him in the fourth round with the 101st overall pick. After that, Schock went straight into his freshman season at the University of Michigan, and he spent most of the year showing he could handle the jump to college hockey.
Schock appeared in 38 games for Michigan and finished with a goal and 10 points. He also helped the Wolverines get all the way to the Frozen Four before their run ended in double overtime, just short of the NCAA Championship Game. The scoring line was modest, but that wasn’t exactly a shock for a player whose game isn’t built around offense.
What stood out more was how often he was available. Schock missed only two games all season, which is a strong sign for any freshman.
He spent plenty of time on the third pair, but as the year progressed he earned looks on the second pair as well. His NCAA debut was a fast start, too: he picked up an assist in his first game and then followed that with a goal and an assist in his second.
At 6-foot-0, Schock doesn’t fit the usual Pat Verbeek mold, and he was the only Ducks defenseman drafted last year who was under six feet tall. Still, he brings a useful mix of skating and passing, and he can work on both special teams units.
He’s also effective in all three zones. The upside isn’t flashy, but if everything comes together, he projects as a solid two-way defenseman who can settle into a bottom-pair role.
Schock is expected back at Michigan for his sophomore season, and there will be more on his plate this time around. The next step is simple enough: stay in the lineup again and produce more offense. Even with a limited ceiling on that side of the puck, there’s value in seeing his goals and points climb.
He remains a long way from Anaheim. The expectation is that he’ll spend another two to three years in NCAA hockey, then move on to San Diego if his development keeps moving forward.
From there, he’d likely need a couple of seasons in the AHL before getting his NHL shot. If everything breaks right, that could put him in an Anaheim uniform in the 2030-2031 season.
For now, Schock is unsigned, and the Ducks hold his rights through August 2029. If his game takes the expected step over the next three years, he should land an entry-level deal before that deadline. If not, Anaheim would likely let him walk into free agency that summer.
Next up in the prospect series is forward Yegor Sidorov.
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