A talented two-way threat, Mark Popovic was selected as Anaheim’s second round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft following a successful junior hockey career.
Popovic made his professional debut in 2002-03 with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the American Hockey League (AHL).
He had a solid rookie season, leading club defensemen in points (24) and assists (21), while being named the Ducks’ AHL Man of the Year.
In 2003-04, he returned to Cincinnati and while his point production dipped, he was the club’s most reliable blueliner in almost every situation.
Mark was loaned to Team Canada for the prestigious Spengler Cup Tournament in Switzerland, where he helped his team to a gold medal. He also made his NHL debut last year, playing in one game for Anaheim.
This season, Popovic is back with Cincinnati, where his numbers have been somewhat lackluster on a team that has won only 10 games through mid-December.
Our sources believe that Mark has the talent to play in the NHL, although consistency and motivation are periodic question marks. If he can level out his play at the high end of his game, he has a good chance to fly South next winter and land on the Pond at Anaheim. Should his career enter a fourth or fifth year in the AHL with the issues with which he's been wrestling, the other door to AA hockey also might loom large.
