Irvine’s Nicolas Kerdiles ready to make his Ducks debut, five years after being drafted by the team

Nicolas Kerdiles was a great story when he was drafted by the Ducks … five years ago. Born in Texas and raised in Irvine, he was the first Orange County-raised player drafted by the franchise.

But his path to the NHL was blocked by a backlog of young forwards in Anaheim’s system, coupled with a concussion history, the latest in a rookie game in September that set him back further.

Kerdiles kept at it, though, and was called up Wednesday to make his NHL debut at 23, against the Boston Bruins at Honda Center, where Kerdiles attended games as a kid.

“I kind of envisioned this day, one day, but to have it actually happen is pretty special,” Kerdiles said. “It’s pretty cool.”

Kerdiles immediately called his family after the recall Tuesday afternoon. They are expected to be in attendance.

“They were so happy,” he said. “It was just kind of like a big pressure off all our shoulders because they know how bad I wanted this opportunity. For it to happen, they were just as excited as I was.”

Kerdiles skated at left wing with Rickard Rakell and Corey Perry in the morning. He is known more as a two-way forward and a strong skater, but the Ducks seek secondary scoring. Kerdiles has 19 goals in 55 minor league games the past two seasons.

“The reports I get on him are that he’s a player that can really skate,” Ducks assistant coach Paul MacLean said. “He has the ability to be a dominant skater in the game, and anytime you do that, you’re going to be an effective player.”

Kerdiles has played only 10 games with the San Diego Gulls this season but said he’s in the best shape of his life following his second concussion in two seasons. He admitted he was discouraged at the time.

“It definitely takes a toll on you mentally,” he said.

That was contrasted by the phone call he got from Gulls General Manager Bob Ferguson on Tuesday. The two have a running exchange about wearing a baseball cap forward because it represents forward movement in his career.

They joked about it just before his recall.

“I left the rink and he called me a minute later and said, ‘What direction’s your hat right now?’ ” Kerdiles said.

Kerdiles told him “forward” as he backtracked to the arena to retrieve his gear.

“I remember getting the chills and just being really happy,” he said. “I made a U-turn illegally and just got right back to the rink.”