Gostisbehere, Stolarz Shine for Team USA

[hf101]

The Philadelphia Flyers followed a strong draft in 2011 with an even greater group of promising individuals in 2012. First round draft pick Scott Laughton may arguably be the closest to making the big club in spite of his age, having signed an entry level contract with the organization last week, but the Flyers’ 2nd and 3rd round picks both gave impressive performances during the ten day National Junior Evaluation Camp for Team USA.

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, drafted in the second round, is challenging for the back-up goaltender position behind John Gibson with Jon Gillies and Garret Sparks. He stopped 26 of 28 shots in 1:00:15 of ice time through two USA camp games. He also stopped all 16 shots faced in the final game of the tournament, which he split with Gibson. Team USA lost to Finland by a 3-2 margin.

The United States of Hockey listed Stolarz as the second best goaltender of the tournament based on his statistics, but had this to say:

“This one is as wide open as it was when camp started, though I think Garret Sparks might have gotten out ahead of the pack a little bit. Stolarz had good stats, but still looks pretty raw and might need some extra seasoning. Jon Gillies had a rough go in camp, suffering both from bad luck and some shakiness.”

While Stolarz is going to have to work hard in the fall to earn his spot on the roster for Team USA at the World Junior Championship, third round draft pick Shayne Gostisbehere appears to be a lock.

“Ghost” had one assist in a 5-2 routing of Finland along with two powerplay goals and an assist in a 10-2 dismantling of Sweden. With excellent puck moving abilities and above average defensive skills, the only consistent knock against him is his size and current build. Considering that three of the other top defensemen were all 1st round draft picks this year (two in the top ten), it makes the Flyers’ selection at #78 overall all the more impressive.

Ken Schott, writer for the Daily Gazette in Schenectady, NY, spoke with Team USA coach Phil Housley regarding Gostisbehere:

“Gostisbehere, def­initely, every day has gotten better. His skating ability to get out of trouble, his knack to make the first pass in traffic and get involved in the rush have been excellent. His decision process when to join and when not to join has been really solid.”

The 2013 IIHF World Juniors Championship begins on December 26 in Ufa, Russia.  The final roster must still be trimmed before then, but it’s a good sign for the Flyers organization that their recent efforts at the draft may be paying Dividends sooner than later.

http://gcobb.com/2012/08/13/gostisbehere-stolarz-shine-for-team-usa/

[OccamsRazor]

@hf101...thank you for sharing all good to hear...stocking the stables is never a bad thing...building through the draft is KEY regardless of the sport. But in hockey to me it really seems important the way the farm system is setup...the good/great players will rise to the top in time.

[mojo1917]

The scouting report on Gostisbehere is nice to read right up to the size thingy. I hope this kid can get the size to play in the NHL because everything i've seen from him says "good hockey player" good instincts , good first pass, great skating, runs the PP ....start taking HGH or something shane, it's college no one is looking.

[jammer2]

@mojo1917 When a former superstar like Phil Housley says a young player knows when to join the rush and when not to....that speaks volumes for me. Nice first pass in traffic and skating ability to get out of trouble, size issues or not, colour me impressed.

[mojo1917]

@jammer2

I know right ?

Brian Rafalski wasn't big , neither is our Viking, Timmonen.... I just want the kid to get big enough to stand a chance in the league.

[jammer2]

@mojo1917 I've never seen the kid, so don't really know....but I do know, small is one thing, frail is quite another....you can't be the latter and survive in this league...he might just have to do some work, depending on how much muscular density he actually has. Gretzky is the only frail player I can remember excelling, but he had friggin eyes in the back of head, so that does not count...lol.

[ctid]

Not to over hype the guy. But I do believe, from what I've read since the Flyers drafted him, he might just be one of the steals of the draft. not saying he will be an all-star. But I'm not excluding it either.

As of now, I expect Ghost to make it to the NHL and stick, whether that means top pairing d-man, 3-4 d-man or 5-6th d-man I do not know. But I like the kid.

All of a sudden our blueline prospect pool does not seem THAT bad.

MAB

Manning

Gus

Ghost

are all SOLID NHL prospects. Add in the Great Dane (who is more of a longshot and project) plus the russian kid with famous name drafted in the 7th round (who scouts said could have gone in the 2nd round if it wasn't for injuries I believe).

Sure we do not have a bluechip on D, but all of a sudden we have 4 solid prospects plus 2 wild cards.

[mojo1917]

@jammer2

@ctid

plus the nick name ghost is fing awesome !

i'm pulling for him.

[Podein25]

kid with famous name drafted in the 7th round (who scouts said could have gone in the 2nd round if it wasn't for injuries I believe).

Valeri Vasiliev

He's the one I'm most interested in. A real steal in the 7th round by Homer and the gang. Loves to hit apparently.

[Mad Dog]

Valeri Vasiliev

He's the one I'm most interested in. A real steal in the 7th round by Homer and the gang. Loves to hit apparently.

I am not setting any high expectations for these prospects anymore. Kevin Marshall had higher ceiling, so did Luka Sbisa. There were so many prospects that went through this organizaiton... the kids who were expected to deliver big things and grow fast, and they disappointed in the worst way possible.

Marhsall especially has been a bust so far and it doesn't look like he's gonna make it in this league.

But........ you can't do wrong when drafting later than a 5th round. So getting this kid in the 7th round could certainly mean he *is* a steal. But I just don't want to get my hopes up high and then see this guy turning into yet another bum.

[Podein25]

But I just don't want to get my hopes up high and then see this guy turning into yet another bum.

Sure, fair enough

Kevin Marshall had higher ceiling, so did Luca Sbisa.

I wouldn't even put Marshall and Sbisa in the same sentence or same league. I saw Marshall play some in Jr (just on TV mind you) and I, for one, never thought for a second that he'd be an NHLer, so I'm not sure anyone really thought he had a high ceiling. The fact that he was drafted in the 2nd or 3rd round doesn't mean he had a high ceiling either. I assume the Flyers liked his grittyness, but that's a dime a dozen commodity, so I never understood the pick.

Sbisa on the other hand is gonna be a fine NHLer for years to come. We shouldn't have traded him.

[jammer2]

@Mad Dog Remember the great Mike Ratchuk? LOL, just like every team, the Flyers have a boatload of misses when drafting d-men. Considering we rarely ever develop one ourselves, it just could be the scots/drafting....who knows, or a bit of plain ol' bad luck...or a cobmo...hard to tell. The 80's was REAL BAD, when guys like Steve Smith, Darren Rumble, Mike Stothers, Greg Smyth, Kerry Huffman,....these guys were all high draft picks that either outright failed or had careers as depth players....not good.

One of the most famous misses for me, as an OHL fan was our 3rd rounder in 1981 Barry Tobobodobung, a crazy native kid from the Sault who literally startted a fight if somebody looked at him wrong. He started 2 bench clearing brawls against the Spits, what a frggin animal...if he ever made it to the O&B, he would be more famous than Frank "Blood" Bathe!

[jammer2]

@Podein25 Not only was Marshall a second round pick, we traded a 3rd rounder to move up in the 2nd to draft this kid. The slow moving "tough" turtle....and we basically have the same scouts now, which alludes to my previous point, maybe these guys can only draft forwards??

Edited August 16, 2012 by jammer2

[Podein25]

@jammer2

Wow, that's insane. I had pushed that out of my memory obviously because it's too painful. I never thought he would amount to anything. I mean, I'm a gritty hockey player, that doesn't mean I should get drafted.

[terp]

I've read about a dozen articles about "Ghost" and every one a rave review. Looks like a gem of a 3rd round pick.

[flyercanuck]

@jammer2

I remember Tobobondung being drafted. The story went he jumped up on his chair when he heard the Flyers picked him, and got his leg stuck where it folds. He was so thrilled Philly had picked him and made a comment something like " Philly fans are going to love me...I'm an animal!"

He was killed rescuing his son from under a road grader they were riding in.

[flyercanuck]

I am not setting any high expectations for these prospects anymore. Kevin Marshall had higher ceiling, so did Luka Sbisa. There were so many prospects that went through this organizaiton... the kids who were expected to deliver big things and grow fast, and they disappointed in the worst way possible.

Marhsall especially has been a bust so far and it doesn't look like he's gonna make it in this league.

But........ you can't do wrong when drafting later than a 5th round. So getting this kid in the 7th round could certainly mean he *is* a steal. But I just don't want to get my hopes up high and then see this guy turning into yet another bum.

Check out the Leafs draft over the last 40 years. That's worth changing teams over. Philly has done alright usually picking in the 20s for the most part. It's easy taking the consensus 1st overall pick. It's not hard taking a Malkin when he "falls" to you at #2. Those are no-brainer picks that an idiot could make. Taking Claude Giroux, Mike Richards, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams, Steve Downie with picks at the end of the first round are nice picks. Nobody hits on most of their picks, let alone all of them.

If Philly refuses to ever be a bottom feeder, they've done well with low picks. Better than most.

[jammer2]

@flyercanuck Just checked Barry Tobodonbung's stats.....looks like he went to Maine of the AHL after the OHL, then tolled around for ACHL teams in the mid-eighties, until making a failed comeback in 1990....(had no idea he played that late).....the unfortunate road grader incident must have happened after he retired, not that it made it any less devestating.

Man oh man, the building was electric when Barry and the Generals came to town, the stars of his team were never talked about, it was always "wonder what Barry is gonna do tonight"!

http://www.hockeydb....ay.php?pid=6519

here is an article on the ***** rant I found about him, mentions the folding seats and the road grader also.

http://thebitchrant....abobondung.html

Edited August 27, 2012 by jammer2

[Polaris922]

Check out the Leafs draft over the last 40 years. That's worth changing teams over. Philly has done alright usually picking in the 20s for the most part. It's easy taking the consensus 1st overall pick. It's not hard taking a Malkin when he "falls" to you at #2. Those are no-brainer picks that an idiot could make. Taking Claude Giroux, Mike Richards, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams, Steve Downie with picks at the end of the first round are nice picks. Nobody hits on most of their picks, let alone all of them.

If Philly refuses to ever be a bottom feeder, they've done well with low picks. Better than most.

Giroux and maybe Wlliams were nice picks. Richards and Gagne were no brainers. Downie is a joke. I only sort of agree on Williams because he's done well but Kronwall went right after him.

[mojo1917]

Richards was picked 24. Not exactly a no brainer, downie is a nice player but not elite and not a first rounder IMO Williams has played well on winning teams his whole career, kronwall is a good player too, but I don't think Williams prior to him is a ridiculous pick.

[Polaris922]

Richards was picked 24. Not exactly a no brainer, downie is a nice player but not elite and not a first rounder IMO Williams has played well on winning teams his whole career, kronwall is a good player too, but I don't think Williams prior to him is a ridiculous pick.

I feel Ichards was a no brainer BECAUSE he was still on the board at 24. He was very highly thought of and were it not for a great draft class would have gone much higher.

I didn't say Williams was ridiculous. I said the only thing that keeps me from saying he was a great pick was Kronwall was still there. Obviously Williams has done well. Just might have taken Kronwall before him.

[AJgoal]

Except if you put Kronwall in a Flyers sweater, he's suspended indefinitely by now. Therefore, for the Flyers, Williams was a much better pick

[Podein25]

@jammer2

5'10" with 320 PIMs in 61 GP. Nice

Love guys like that.

I think I've posted this link before, but I played for this guy. http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=44227

He was about 5'10" too and apparently used to fight Dave Brown (Saskatoon Blades) "all the tiime" - that would have taken cojones and he was bat **** crazy. I loved him as a coach. He made us tougher.

[jammer2]

@Podein25 Looks like Dan had a lot more offensive talent than Barry, but impressive penalty totals regardless. Would have been cool to play with a beast like that.

[Podein25]

@jammer2

Yeah, he clearly had talent with those numbers considering how much time he spent in the penalty box!. Had a great shot.He could still snipe top corners from crazy angles when he was coaching us.

Became a postal worker and a dad, otherwise he prolly could have played pro somewhere.