Our 7th round pick...

[ctid]

from thehockeynews.com http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/47829-International-Scouting-Services-Best-2012-draft-picks-by-round.html

Round 7 - Valeri Vasiliev, Philadelphia Flyers

Valeri Vasiliev is an animal. He can crush people and plays with a fearlessness we often associate with players who haven't existed since helmet rules came into place. Does that sound like a Flyer or what? He did not get near enough exposure and could have been a second-rounder had he played more games in front of more NHL scouts.

sounds good to me

[TedZep]

I hear Bettman/Shanahan have already decided to suspend him for the first two games he is eligible to play for the Flyers.

[Podein25]

@ctid

I wasn't overly thrilled with our drafting, although I'm coming around to the Laughton pick and like it more and more everyday. A born Flyer by the looks of it.

But I like this late pick. He was expected to go much higher but a shoulder injury last year made him drop. I think he's a good one. Hopefully he can be convinced to come to North America.

[orange_crush]

from thehockeynews.com http://www.thehockey...s-by-round.html

Round 7 - Valeri Vasiliev, Philadelphia Flyers

Valeri Vasiliev is an animal. He can crush people and plays with a fearlessness we often associate with players who haven't existed since helmet rules came into place. Does that sound like a Flyer or what? He did not get near enough exposure and could have been a second-rounder had he played more games in front of more NHL scouts.

sounds good to me

the new Jody Shelley?

[Podein25]

the new Jody Shelley?

No, I'm told that this Russian kid can actually skate. Even backwards.

[jammer2]

@Podein25 A lot of teams have had success in inserting toughness into their 7th defensemen slot. John Scott comes to mind....can acutally play defense if needed. Essentially it allows you to have the forwards more point/goal orientated and does not force you to dress somebody useless like Shelley. Teams are figuring out, the 2 minutes a game guys like that play are just not worth it. Pefect spot to stash your goon, the seventh spot on defense...assuming he can play and not hurt you should an injury arise.

[Podein25]

@jammer2

Sure, fair enough, but I don't think this kid we are talking about is a goon. He's not even that big. But hits like a truck, like his namesake on the great CCCP teams on the 1970s.

[orange_crush]

No, I'm told that this Russian kid can actually skate. Even backwards.

wow skate backwards and he's only a 7th round draft pick?

[jammer2]

@Podein25 Was really more concerned with adding toughness and physicality into the 7th spot, but re-reading my post I could see how you would take it as more of a goon type. Love to hear about vaule picks like this, where an injury stopped him from being a 2nd rounder. Still a looooooong shot, but nice to hear about anyways.

[Podein25]

@jammer2

"value-pick" is a great term for it. Makes up for some of the disappointments.

I guess out of all the picks, I was disappointed with the big goalie at #45, where there were lots of other guys to take still. And also the fact that Hyka, who we liked enough to want to sign a year ago, was on the board in the 5th round and we didn't take him, knowing that we didn't have a 6th. (I might be wrong about the actual rounds there, but you get the drift)

[orange_crush]

I guess it's better than Klotz in the 3rd round..

[jammer2]

@Podein25 Yeah, you just nailed my big problems. I'm even wondering if Laughton would have been there at #45 and Gaunce or Latta could be Flyers. Who knows, I'm sure other teams had Scotty on their radar also....but the goalie project at #45....this *better* be a nice pick. You'd have a hard time convince me he would not have been there in the 3rd...AND...Hyka, thought they would have made a move on that kid also.

Another miss by our scouting dept was Nick Ebert. Here is kid ranked in the 1st, (deservedly) falls down....but to let him slip to the Kings with their last pick?? He had at least 5/6 value IMHO. That would have been another nice value pick.

[Podein25]

@jammer2

Yeah, so what the hell is the story with Ebert? Ranked top 10 overall a year ago. Off-ice issues I presume? Speaking of which, I'm surprised that nobody took Myles Bell with a late pick, but see that he is attending the Rangers development camp. I would not at all be surprised if he landed a contract. The kid has top 10 talent last I checked.

[ctid]

@jammer2

Yea, I'm with you with the Nick Ebert thing. I don't understand why everybody passed on him...I mean, geez, the kings drafted him as the last pick of the entire draft.

I like the Vasiliev pick by the flyers in the 7th, and I'm actually coming around on the Laughton pick, even the Gotishebere pick is good, but the Flyers should really have picked up Hyka and Ebert as late round picks.

[jammer2]

@ctid Really odd, Ebert is one of those guys that does everything good, but nothing spectaclar. Pretty decent as a power play point man. Resceptable in his own zone, still has a bunch of offensive upside.....decent shot also. I never once heard of off the ice issues, those kind of things tend to make the Windsor Star. Shocking, last pick of the last round...the rich get richer I guess. A bunch of teams missed the mark here. He won't be a star, but I can see him playing in the NHL at some point.

[Podein25]

Ebert is one of those guys that does everything good

Those same qualities got Koekkoek taken in the top 15! Go figure. So if Ebert doesn't have off-ice issues, maybe he has "character" issues that showed up in interviews. How did he perform at the Combine I wonder? Otherwise, it sounds like he just fell off everybody but the King's list entirely and was forgotten about altogether. I guess it can happen that way eh?