2014 Entry Draft - Who do the Flyers choose?

[JackStraw]

you said who steps in for karlsson or Doughty if they get hurt....the difference between karlsson, Doughty and Timmo/Streit is age and durability . Those guys are 25 our guys are over 35.., huge difference . When it comes to rehabbing, recovery, ability to heal and odds of getting injured. A 25 year old can log huge minutes and recover quickly, Timmo and Streit cannot . We are over using them, and they will never make it through a full season and a long playoff, unless we come up with a couple of big minutes younger guys. THATS THE DIFFERENCE. Our top 2 dmen are ancient and the other teams dmen are not. Guys like Lauredsson,did ok filling in, but he filled in for a few games., not half a season. The other problem is Manning,and Lauredsson HAVE NO OFFENSIVE SKILL and NO SPEED.

 

Timo and Streit don't play huge minutes. MacDonald and Coburn are the guys who did that last year. And Streit is not THAT old, he played all 82 games this past season. Injuries happen to every team, but nobody blows up their roster to trade for a #1 pick who MIGHT turn out to be a franchise defenseman because they're worried about injuries.

 

And as OccamsRazor posted, Manning is at least to some extent considered an offensive d-man. Just not a particularly good one. But, if the injury bug hits the Flyers and if Manning is re-signed (he's a RFA) then sure, they could call him up. Just like they did last season.

 

 

 

If we don't move up for Ekblad, I still think if we could get a guy like Nurse ,or Ristolanen for Schenn , I would make that trade

 

No, we can't. It would take a lot more than Schenn (either one) to get either of those guys. A LOT more. 

 

It wouldn't shock me if Hextall made a move to add a veteran (possibly but not necessarily over 30) defenseman either through trade or free agency. But Ekblad or someone like Nurse or Risto is just not happening. Not for the Flyers anyway.

Edited May 25, 2014 by JackStraw

[jammer2]

@BobbyClarkeFan16 

 

             I respectfully think you're wrong on Exblad. He's a star, the only question is, will his offense translate well to the NHL level, if it does, he's a can't miss superstar. At the very least, he's a wickedly mobile, super smart shut down guy who can skate with any forward in the league. He keeps showing flashes of potent offense, which is pretty exciting. I'm gonna go ahead and call him a once in a generation kinda special....I'd ship off both Schenn's and our 1st SO QUICK my head would spin off. The price would be much more than that....and he is worth it.

 

 I've seen a few mocks where we take Julius Honka. I'd be fine with that....he's a tad undersized, but a very exciting prospect with tremendous offensive upside. I can see the "orange Julius" t-shirts right now...lol.

[jammer2]

True but he dominates too on his size in juniors he should realistically be return for at least one more season i think and continue to work on other aspects of his game, it can't hurt Flyers will be ok and why risk rushing him???

 

Besides some time in the A too wouldn't hurt him and he isn't eligible till 2 years from now.

 Exblad is significantly better than Seth Jones, and he made a stacked Preds defense without much problem. Whichever team eventually drafts Aaron, he will immediately become their best skater on defense, so for that reason alone, he makes the NHL right out of the gate. He will also be better than anyone else protecting a lead late in the game, another reason he will make the NHL no questions asked.

[flyercanuck]

@BobbyClarkeFan16  @OccamsRazor

 

Ya, I shouldn't say he won't be around, because anything can happen. I just think there's too much skill there for him to fall all the way to where we pick. I hope it happens though.

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

 I've seen a few mocks where we take Julius Honka. I'd be fine with that....he's a tad undersized, but a very exciting prospect with tremendous offensive upside. I can see the "orange Julius" t-shirts right now...lol.

 

I prefer the nickname Honka Honka Burnin' Love instead.....lol

[OccamsRazor]

@BobbyClarkeFan16  @OccamsRazor

 

Ya, I shouldn't say he won't be around, because anything can happen. I just think there's too much skill there for him to fall all the way to where we pick. I hope it happens though.

 

 

Well i have seen several named thrown around i just hope whom ever they take end up making the BIG club and having a positive impact in the future. The way they have thrown away so many draft picks in trades they can ill afford a bust now (i know but who really can).

 

 After a quick glance goaltender and LW really seems to be the weakest links in the organization.

 

That is counting on some of the defensive prospects making in though.

 

So if you don't count the guys that haven't haven't made it yet technically i say just take the best player available ( if it's a Dman take him) with the first pick and fill the needs with the rest. 

[Mario99]

I see my favorite Nikolai Goldobin is moving up the ranks on one mock he was consistently in mid 20's now i see he is 13

[flyercanuck]

@Mario99

 

I just can't see the Flyers taking a Russian with a 1st. You never know I guess. I just don't see it.

[OccamsRazor]

@Mario99

 

I just can't see the Flyers taking a Russian with a 1st. You never know I guess. I just don't see it.

 

 

Me either stay away...just to risky.

[jammer2]

  One of my favourite players in this draft is Nick Ritchie. He's exactly what we need, big...explosive, wicked shot, nice wheels....but he should go between 5-8....so he will be long gone...would love to move up somehow to get him...he is the LW this team *really* needs!!

[flyercanuck]

@jammer2

 

He seems like the perfect fit for Girouxs line. It would be nice to have that size there, and that shot. I'm kind of hoping we get a LWer this year. It seems like half the first round is that position.

[jammer2]

@flyercanuck  Might just be the best ever year for Left Wingers. These things come in cycles. Last year in was Centers....this year the shift to LW is obvious, with a good chance half of the top 10 will be LW'ers.

[flyercanuck]

@jammer2

 

So we take a goalie, right?

[OccamsRazor]

@jammer2

 

He seems like the perfect fit for Girouxs line. It would be nice to have that size there, and that shot. I'm kind of hoping we get a LWer this year. It seems like half the first round is that position.

 

I think it's possible that one of this guys will be there at #17 so it's a win win...right???? Someone always falls.

 

Ehlers

Nylander

Ritchie

Virtanen

Fleury

Kapanen

Fiala

Vrana

Tuch

Barbashev

Honka

 

If not then McKeown or Sanheim will be there so no matter what is the 1st round they'll get a good player. In Hexy we believe.  

[jammer2]

@OccamsRazor  You know what I"m looking forward to...some play it close to the vest GM'ing. Homer would have dealt a 1/3rd of the roster trying to jump start the team in the seemingly wide open East.....perhaps even mortgaging the future to do so. I'm really hoping Hexy is the type of guy to find out exactly what he have in Laughton, Raffl, Akeson to name a few. The only way to do that, is have them play and go through the growing pains that is customary for 1st and 2nd year players. At least Raffl is mature beyond his years. He does not play like a kid, very responsible.

[OccamsRazor]

Hexy is the type of guy to find out exactly what he have in Laughton, Raffl, Akeson to name a few.

 

Yeah it looks like you, me and maybe just Jack want to do that.

 

It's sad so many don't want to know what we have first before looking else where.

 

Crazy even, though many just prefer to let those guys go.

 

So they can go somewhere else and prosper so they can turn around and create a (insert name) thread complaining about said player playing great somewhere else and not given a chance in Philly same ol crap. Just like the non stop Crater and Richy threads that pop up every time one of those dudes score.

 

It would be nice for some of these kids to get some callups instead of the Flyers always looking at other teams guys before trying their own. I hope with Hexy that changes.

[OccamsRazor]

So we take a goalie, right?

 

Being Hexy was a former goalie and none of the mocks i seen had a goalie going in the first. And using the Eagles philosophy they use with their first pick this last draft.....stating the guy they wanted would be there when their 2nd round pick came around, so they took the guy they wanted with their first pick.

 

I say take Thatcher Demko with the 1st pick yes i know a lot of Philly fan may be upset  but i believe this kid is the real deal. 

 

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=155248

 

Nice size 6-3 195 already.

 

 

"He's a huge, strong goalie with excellent net coverage," Central Scouting's Al Jensentold NHL.com. "He has that NHL presence in the net. He's more of a positional-style goalie that relies on his angles and size and he plays big in his stance.

"When he drops in the butterfly he gets his body in front of a lot of shots. He's smart at reading the play and gets set quickly; strength is definitely not an issue with him."

"He has an ability to move very well laterally and is able to recover pucks," Ayers said.

Ayers, the former goaltending coach for the United States National Team Development Program, knows that with more experience and teaching Demko will continue to improve.

And he'll have a couple more years to develop in college and his signing time could slide with it.

Yeah i know it won't be the popular chice i was just throwing it out there.

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

Hmmmm, Demko and Stolarz in the future to battle it out. Interesting. I'll be honest though. I'm not sure if it's something that I do. Part of the issue is that goaltender values are weak when compared to other positions. You can build a trade package around an elite forward and defense prospect, but you can't build it out of a goaltending prospect because nobody knows how said goaltender is going to project. With that being said, if Demko is available when the Flyers choose in the second, I'd hope they'd be all over him.

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

@jammer2 and @OccamsRazor, Hextall has already said his first order of business is to improve the pipeline of prospects and development system. He said that he won't gut the big club that Paul put together because he said he likes a lot of the pieces that Holmgren has put in place. His big thing is that he wants to fix the farm system because he sees that's where the biggest issue is. So, I'm expecting that Leier, Laughton, Stolarz, Hagg, Gostisbehere and even Morin (when eligible) are all going to spend time LeHigh Valley before even seeing the Flyers. The only people I expect to see on the big club this year will be Akeson and Alt. I'm not expecting Manning or Lauridsen either as I think they're nothing more than AHL fodder. I get the impression that Hextall is going to have complete autonomy when it comes to replenishing the farm system and building the big club, so I expect very little interference and influence from Snider and company, especially when you consider that Hextall and Lombardi basically rebuilt the Kings into perennial Stanley Cup contenders and winners in 2011 - 2012. I'm just wondering who Ron is going to jettison from the big club.

[OccamsRazor]

Hmmmm, Demko and Stolarz in the future to battle it out. Interesting. I'll be honest though. I'm not sure if it's something that I do. Part of the issue is that goaltender values are weak when compared to other positions.

 

Yeah i watched several games of Boston college cause mostly i don't have a college hockey team and on my TV package they just happened to be on a lot. He looked good for a freshman.

 

Yet i really can't expect the Flyer to select him with a first nor with just one year of college can i justify it.

 

I was just mentioning more or less.

 

Besides goaltenders can be found later and they take awhile to develop so honestly with the 1st pick i prefer a more can't miss/will be ready soon type of guy. And i would be happy with the defensive prospects we mentioned earlier in the thread. 

 

Hexy will do his due diligence i suspect. And have faith in him till he gives me a reason to think otherwise. And from hearing him speak he has said all the right things that many of us fans have been screaming for. 

 

As far as Akeson, Alt and Ollie go it will work itself out but if they resign Ollie he will be the or 6th or 7th Dman for no other reason that he doesn't have waiver exemption and why sign a guy then waive him until he proves he can or can't play.

 

So if he is resigned he will be the the no less. Alt and him could be expected to battle it out. Alt doesn't have to go through waivers and can/could just be sent back down. I do not want him sitting in the press box he needs to be playing, so with him it's the BIG club or Phantoms top pair with Hagg.

 

Akeson i hope is hitting the weights hard i hope cause the one glaring thing i saw he could use is more upper body strength so he isn't muscled off the puck so easily....he had a taste so it's in his best interest to get that taken care of cause i'm afraid if he is sent down again it could be for good. Other than that i liked his addition to the BIG boys and he will find a spot i think.

Edited May 26, 2014 by OccamsRazor

[OccamsRazor]

Hmmmm, Demko and Stolarz in the future to battle it out.

 

This mock has him sliding to the 2nd round but off the board 3 picks before the Flyers select to Dallas.

 

McKeown #23 to the Sharks, Honka #34 to Calgary, Sanheim #42 to Nashville.

 

The 2nd Dman off the board Haydn Fleury #10 to Ducks.

 

Flyers taking Barbashev #17.

 

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2014/

Edited May 29, 2014 by OccamsRazor

[AJgoal]

Interesting. That mock has Milano (NHL Central scouting #16) going later than Barbashev (CS #18). It also has Kapanen going #24, and he's NHL CS's #1 European. I don't really follow Juniors/college/international hockey, but the way they have the draft falling seems off to me.

[OccamsRazor]

Interesting. That mock has Milano (NHL Central scouting #16) going later than Barbashev (CS #18). It also has Kapanen going #24, and he's NHL CS's #1 European. I don't really follow Juniors/college/international hockey, but the way they have the draft falling seems off to me.

 

 

Yeah like the NFL these guys really don't know no more than we do teams usually have their own draft boards tailored specifically for their systems and usually go by usually only altering course when some they like falls to them.....like Hagg did last year.

 

Then they grin and snatch them up. 

 

I wish someone somewhere tracked how accurately these guy are at getting it right after all is said and done.

 

Remember there are diamonds in the rough every year you can look back on and just laugh at....Quick a 3rd, Keith a 2nd Weber a 2nd.

 

Hindsight is amazing.................and i see 20/20 with it!!!! 

[flyercanuck]

This mock has him sliding to the 2nd round but off the board 3 picks before the Flyers select to Dallas.

 

McKeown #23 to the Sharks, Honka #34 to Calgary, Sanheim #42 to Nashville.

 

The 2nd Dman off the board Haydn Fleury #10 to Ducks.

 

Flyers taking Barbashev #17.

 

http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/mock-draft/2014/

Kapanen also looks pretty low there...so does Lemieux.

[OccamsRazor]

Kapanen also looks pretty low there...so does Lemieux.

 

A good read for those wanting to move up and what it will cost:

 

NHL draft: What does it cost to trade up?

 

http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2013/4/25/4262594/nhl-draft-pick-value-trading-up

 

Not that they should but it wouldn't surprise me they are up to something.....since the draft is in Philly.