With the 19th pick... Flyers select Jay O'Brien (C)

[mojo1917]

I think this was Pryor's pick. I'll bet he fought hard for him.

Tony Amonte says, NHL star...he's with him every day.

 

I really liked what I heard in his short interview with Kathryn Tappen.

"I'm going to make sure, I make the most of this opportunity" . 

I also liked that he had to check himself about making the NHL. Just in that 2 minutes, I saw a lot of intangibles, those are things Hexy values.  He seems like a high character kid. He seems confident.  I look forward to seeing what he becomes. 

Truly I was more impressed with him than I was Farabee and I liked the Farabee pick.

 

I am pretty sure, the FO liked this kid and knew he wouldn't be around when they picked in the second round.

Right now there are plenty of defensmen pushing for the NHL in the system why not restock the forwards and make some defensive picks in the depth rounds .

I like the picks. I like the philosophy of drafting smart, high character kids. 

 

 

[AJgoal]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/news/nhl-draft-picks-2018-grades-results-trade-rumors-rasmus-dahlin-brady-tkachuk-quinn-hughes/37z44iwdg3q5z9c3nm9j05h8

 

19. Philadelphia Flyers — Jay O’Brien, C, Thayer HS (Mass.)

The second of Philly's two first-round picks is a roadrunner who loves to shoot the puck. O'Brien is a tough competitor who hates to lose, and he can stickhandle around just about anything. He was the top high school player in the U.S. and is bound for Providence College. Grade: A

 

Take it with a grain of salt, they didn't have a single grade lower than B-

[vis]

1 hour ago, mojo1917 said:

I think this was Pryor's pick. I'll bet he fought hard for him.

Tony Amonte says, NHL star...he's with him every day.

 

I really liked what I heard in his short interview with Kathryn Tappen.

"I'm going to make sure, I make the most of this opportunity" . 

I also liked that he had to check himself about making the NHL. Just in that 2 minutes, I saw a lot of intangibles, those are things Hexy values.  He seems like a high character kid. He seems confident.  I look forward to seeing what he becomes. 

Truly I was more impressed with him than I was Farabee and I liked the Farabee pick.

 

I am pretty sure, the FO liked this kid and knew he wouldn't be around when they picked in the second round.

Right now there are plenty of defensmen pushing for the NHL in the system why not restock the forwards and make some defensive picks in the depth rounds .

I like the picks. I like the philosophy of drafting smart, high character kids. 

 

 

Agree with all of this.  I know it’s only a snippet, but I liked the interview with Tappen as well.  Folks are concerned about the level of competition.  Whatever.  When you’re dominating that way, you’re a special player.  Scouting department deserves a lot of trust after selecting Sanheim and Frost the past few years.  

[brelic]

3 hours ago, vis said:

Agree with all of this.  I know it’s only a snippet, but I liked the interview with Tappen as well.  Folks are concerned about the level of competition.  Whatever.  When you’re dominating that way, you’re a special player.  Scouting department deserves a lot of trust after selecting Sanheim and Frost the past few years.  

 

I’d add Konecny to the list. They saw something special in him and moved up to get him. 

 

The scouting staff has my trust. 

[terp]

They discussed where O’Brian played, the level of competition etc and almost certainly discussed moving back.  But they didn’t do it because they didn’t think he would last.  Otherwise, they would have moved back, as they have done in the past.  So they obviusly felt they had to take him at 19 or not get him.  

 

No one is above being second guessed so it isn’t absurd to take the position that the Flyers are just plain wrong about his talent.  But, given this scouting staff’s impeccable record, the time they spent watching him and Amonte’s assessment, it seems off base to argue that they were just “wrong” to pick him where they did.  It could of course turn out to be a bad pick, as can any of them, but that will be hindsight.

[OccamsRazor]

Strange the Flyers didn't select one single Canadian in this draft....crazy...i blame Trump!

[vis]

15 hours ago, brelic said:

 

I’d add Konecny to the list. They saw something special in him and moved up to get him. 

 

The scouting staff has my trust. 

Konecny, I thought, was still projected as a first round talent.  Maybe I’m wrong.  But fair point in identifying a player and moving up to get him.

[flyercanuck]

1 hour ago, vis said:

Konecny, I thought, was still projected as a first round talent.  Maybe I’m wrong.  But fair point in identifying a player and moving up to get him.

 

Ya, Konecny was definitely a 1st round prospect. His size and a concussion scared off many teams. I'll take a guy his size who plays 6'4" over a guy 6'4" who plays 5'5" anyday.

[OccamsRazor]

I  am hoping for a Roenick/Amonte type of kid....and not a Jordan Schroeder type....time will tell...

[Podein25]

I'm late to all the Draft stuff,  but I think it's important, as people are doing here, to put some context around all of this stuff. 

 

In the case of O'Brien, one of the important pieces of context is that he was not heavily scouted. So him being ranked wherever he was (he was 57th on one list) has to be considered in that light. 

 

I offer this snippet from a guy I trust: "we really like this player....terrific stick handler...fast hands...lethal shot, both powerful and accurate...Compares to: Travis Konecny"

 

Was he gonna be there later? Maybe. But you take the player you want when you can. That's the first rule of scouting (isn't it?). So they could have traded down to the low 30s, let's say, from 19, and get what? A 5th rounder?

 

Meh.

[ruxpin]

23 minutes ago, Podein25 said:

Was he gonna be there later? Maybe. But you take the player you want when you can. That's the first rule of scouting (isn't it?). So they could have traded down to the low 30s, let's say, from 19, and get what? A 5th rounder?

In retrospect (retrospect only) Groton was paying a premium to move up.  Could have gotten the Rangers' 26 and 48?

 

Or St. Louis. They gave up a 3rd for #25 from #29. 

 

Hindsight is a great thing. Maybe Hextall tried and those teams weren't aware of their need yet. Dunno. 

[OccamsRazor]

38 minutes ago, Podein25 said:

 

I offer this snippet from a guy I trust: "we really like this player....terrific stick handler...fast hands...lethal shot, both powerful and accurate...Compares to: Travis Konecny"

 

 

That sounds pretty solid if you ask me and then i watch the videos of him and yeah i think there could be something there.

 

He is going to Providence and playing in a solid program with the Friars for Nate Leaman who has turned that program around since he got there.

 

He get 3-4 years to develop and in a year or two we will know where he is at...he could be the next Tanner Laczynski....who the same scouts found in the 6th round...i trust these guys.

 

Plant-water-wait.......

[ruxpin]

3 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

Plant-water-wait.......

 

...and wait. And wait.

 

Waiting:  It's what we do.

[OccamsRazor]

4 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

 

...and wait. And wait.

 

Waiting:  It's what we do.

 

Sure it's not much more than juniors though...Tanner and Allison will be coming to the AHL after their junior years...juniors take 2-3 years of development too...the only part i dont like is they can just stick their team and become free agents and nothing the Flyers could do.

 

The risk of college draft picks.

[ruxpin]

8 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Sure it's not much more than juniors though...Tanner and Allison will be coming to the AHL after their junior years...juniors take 2-3 years of development too...the only part i dont like is they can just stick their team and become free agents and nothing the Flyers could do.

 

The risk of college draft picks.

I agree. Was just taking the opportunity for smarm, but i agree with everything you said in both posts. I'm actually excited about the kid. Knew next to nothing about him other than his name and vaguely where he was ranked and that he was a high school kid, but I really am intrigued by what I've learned since. 

 

There were a bunch of us in chat for the draft. Some flyers fans and a bunch of others. You should have seen all the "who?s" instantaneously.  And the "wtf?s" with the Wild's pick. Lol.  Most entertaining parts of the entire draft. 

[Podein25]

2 hours ago, ruxpin said:

 

Or St. Louis. They gave up a 3rd for #25 from #29

 

Wow.

 

That on the face of it is a huge overpayment. But again illustrates the point about getting your guy. They were willing to pay that kind of price to get their guy. 

[AJgoal]

 

[ruxpin]

2 hours ago, Podein25 said:

 

Wow.

 

That on the face of it is a huge overpayment. But again illustrates the point about getting your guy. They were willing to pay that kind of price to get their guy. 

It's not bad next to what the Rangers gave up to Ottawa.  Groton gives up a mid-second rounder for four spots.  Moments later, Armstrong gives up a mid-third rounder for 4 spots.   

 

Armstrong is a little better, but Rangers did it for K'andre Miller. Armstrong did it for Bokk.  Seems to me Rangers are in a place where they need volume. They could have waited the 4 spots and taken any of Sandin, Samuelsson, or Wilde.  I don't know. 

 

The thing is, Hextall could have traded back to 26, picked O'Brien and had another mid-round 2nd in his pocket. 

[OccamsRazor]

41 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

The thing is, Hextall could have traded back to 26, picked O'Brien and had another mid-round 2nd in his pocket. 

 

Well you can't trade if no one wants to trade.

 

Hextall was saying that it wasn't there really the ability to move up or back.

 

Hatton, Hughes and Kravtsov going where they did threw everything off.

 

Once guys started falling like Zadina and Bouchard to the Oilerd teams no longer wanted to move back.

 

And that effected things later in the 1st round too.

[ruxpin]

10 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Well you can't trade if no one wants to trade.

 

Hextall was saying that it wasn't there really the ability to move up or back.

 

Hatton, Hughes and Kravtsov going where they did threw everything off.

 

Once guys started falling like Zadina and Bouchard to the Oilerd teams no longer wanted to move back.

 

And that effected things later in the 1st round too.

Okay yet explains not trading up.  I get that. I get trading back not being there, but the Rangers confuses that for me a little. 

 

The point is that the Rangers DID trade up to 22.  They may have given the same package to move up to 19 instead.  I wonder if someone went at 20 or 21 that suddenly made them move (unless it was O'Brien himself). That could explain why it wasn't there for Hextall.  Similar with St. Louis. In fact, St. Louis' move might have been because of Ottawa moving back. 

But barring being spooked by something immediately after Philly picked, it seems like the Rangers'package could have been available 

 

[AJgoal]

4 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

Okay yet explains not trading up.  I get that. I get trading back not being there, but the Rangers confuses that for me a little. 

 

The point is that the Rangers DID trade up to 22.  They may have given the same package to move up to 19 instead.  I wonder if someone went at 20 or 21 that suddenly made them move (unless it was O'Brien himself). That could explain why it wasn't there for Hextall.  Similar with St. Louis. In fact, St. Louis' move might have been because of Ottawa moving back. 

But barring being spooked by something immediately after Philly picked, it seems like the Rangers'package could have been available 

 

 

Rumor is that the Rags wanted O'Brian themselves, possible that if the Flyers moved back with New York, they took him instead, or that they jump Philly to grab him. 

 

There's just too much uncertainty around this draft for me to definitively say "reach."

[ruxpin]

38 minutes ago, AJgoal said:

 

Rumor is that the Rags wanted O'Brian themselves, possible that if the Flyers moved back with New York, they took him instead, or that they jump Philly to grab him. 

 

There's just too much uncertainty around this draft for me to definitively say "reach."

Agreed on the reach.  I included "O'Brien himself" in my post at the very last second because it suddenly occurred to me it may actually have been him.

 

My other thought was that they wanted RHD and they had decided whoever was left between Merkley and K'Andre Miller. And when Merkley unbelievably went at 21, they jumped up so they didn't miss out on both. 

 

In either case, OccamsRazor is likely right (don't tell him) that there probably was nothing available when Hextall picked. 

[OccamsRazor]

2 hours ago, ruxpin said:

Agreed on the reach.  I included "O'Brien himself" in my post at the very last second because it suddenly occurred to me it may actually have been him.

 

My other thought was that they wanted RHD and they had decided whoever was left between Merkley and K'Andre Miller. And when Merkley unbelievably went at 21, they jumped up so they didn't miss out on both. 

 

In either case, OccamsRazor is likely right (don't tell him) that there probably was nothing available when Hextall picked. 

 

From what I remember someone I forget who comment about the stunned look on the faces of the people at the Rangers table when they took O'Brien.

 

So i am happy stealing someone from them.

 

I think they kid will be a steal.

 

But man the front office is going to have a time in a few years i think deciding on who to keep and who to move.

 

Which I'm not complaining just rejoicing in having the prospects in the first place to create a conundrum.....

 

[ruxpin]

4 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

From what I remember someone I forget who comment about the stunned look on the faces of the people at the Rangers table when they took O'Brien.

 

So i am happy stealing someone from them.

 

I think they kid will be a steal.

 

But man the front office is going to have a time in a few years i think deciding on who to keep and who to move.

 

Which I'm not complaining just rejoicing in having the prospects in the first place to create a conundrum.....

 

 

This is not really a clear depth chart and some people are a little out of position, but something I was fooling around with prior to the draft just to give a visual representation of the depth we're looking at (I originally was doing centers and said "screw it, make lines!  That's fun!").   Some of this year's picks are thrown in there kind of after the fact.  Anyway, few current Flyers are on the list because it was vaguely projecting 3-4 years out.     Bolded  is currently on the team.

 

LW	C	RW
Claude Giroux	Sean Couturier	Travis Konecny
Oskar Lindblom	Nolan Patrick	Travis Voracek
Joel Farabee	Morgan Frost	Wayne Simmonds
Carsen Twarynski	Jay O'Brien	German Rubstov
Isaac Ratcliffe	Mikhail Vorobyov	Mike Vecchione
Matthew Strome	Scott Laughton	Tanner Laczynski
Danick Martel	Pascal Laberge	Wade Allison
Tyrell Goulbourne	Marcus Westfalt	Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Taylor Leier	Gavin Hain	Maxim Sushko

 

Provorov	Gostisbehere
Sanheim	Myers
Morin	Gudas
Ginning	Hagg
Friedman	Amorosa
McDonald	Wyatte Wylie

[Claude Monet]

Saying that he played at a high school level is asinine. The New England prep league is miles above the high school level.  The whole league is predicated upon taking the best players and bringing them to their school.

 

my high school lost our 3 best players going to prep school. And one of the. Was our goalie in soccer so that sucked! He wound up going to uvm and playing on St. Louis’s line so I can’t be too pissed though!

 

its like saying the public high schools in nyc are on the same level as the catholic league. 

 

The gap gap in talent is huge