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Flyers Draft Talk 2020

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intheslot Newbie

intheslot

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This month and into June, we'll break down NHL draft options for the Flyers, who have seven selections this year and would currently pick 26th in the first round.

Today, we’ll look at an impressive center who could fall into the Flyers’ range because of injury concerns.

Hendrix Lapierre 

Position: Center
Height: 6-0
Weight: 181 
Shoots: Left
Team: Chicoutimi Saguenéens

Scouting report 

Lapierre was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in the QMJHL for the 2018-19 season, posting 13 goals and 32 assists for Chicoutimi.

He had a difficult year in 2019-20, both on and off the ice, and was limited to 19 games (two goals, 15 assists). The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler chronicled Lapierre’s injuries, which included worrisome cervical issues initially thought to be concussions. The good news is that, before the QMJHL season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, Lapierre was making progress in rehab and the tentative plan was for him to play in the Saguenéens’ final two or three regular-season games. 

The 18-year-old is a highly skilled two-way player who controls the puck very well and has plenty of poise and patience. Lapierre, who manned the right half wall on the Saguenéens’ power play, is an excellent passer, the kind that can lead his teammates into open space and create scoring chances from nothing. As a 16-year-old playing in the QMJHL, Lapierre quickly learned the importance of playing hard on both ends.

Lapierre isn’t renowned for his scoring, although he told TSN’s Mark Masters that his shot has “gotten a lot better” while he’s been sidelined. The Gatineau, Quebec, native is also not especially physical or explosive. 

The bottom line, though, is that Lapierre is widely considered one of the most talented players in the draft. He told Masters he sees himself as being similar to Evgeny Kuznetsov and is looking to model his game after Aleksander Barkov, too.

“Lapierre is the wild card of this draft. … I think he’s a top-five player if he can return to full health,” TSN’s Craig Button said in March. “He’s the best two-way player in the draft.”

Fit with Flyers 

In an April 25 phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jordan Hall, Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said, "Obviously you’d want the big, scoring, playmaking center, anybody does. We’re in a position where we’ll likely be taking the best player available.”

If Lapierre drops to the back of the first round and the Flyers have a chance to take him, there’s a real chance he’d be the best player available. The team would, of course, need to feel comfortable with his injury situation — his most recent medical reports have been submitted to NHL Central Scouting, according to Wheeler — but he could be a good value pick, perhaps even a steal. 

 

(By Noah Levick May 09, 2020 9:00 AM

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intheslot Newbie

intheslot

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The entire picture for the 2020 NHL draft remains cloudy with the ongoing suspension of the 2019-20 regular season because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Where will the Flyers be picking? When and how will the draft be held? Those questions are currently unanswered.

The Flyers hold seven total selections and, as of right now, are slotted with the 26th overall pick.

“I think it’s a decent draft — I don’t know if it’s top end," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said April 25 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "The top 10, 12 guys look like pretty high end. There’s a bit of a drop-off, but there’s some depth to the draft for a couple of rounds. We don’t know totally where we’re picking, but we have an idea. We have some guys targeted we feel we would be very happy with in the top couple of rounds and then we still have some work to do to clean up the mid-to-later-round picks.

"Obviously you’d want the big, scoring, playmaking center, anybody does. We’re in a position where we’ll likely be taking the best player available. 

"Realistically the players you draft now are two or three years down the road, best-case scenario. Some cases you get surprised. But by then, your team needs are different. We’ll do the best we can, we have an idea of where our holes are going forward and places where we certainly want to add depth to, whether it’s center or scoring winger or defense, we’ll see what happens. We’ll prepare, we weigh guys against each other, the pros and cons and we’ll do the best we can there.”

This month and into June, we'll continue to break down options for the Flyers at No. 26.

Mavrik Bourque

Position: Center
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 178
Shoots: Right
Team: Shawinigan Cataractes

Scouting report

A deft and cerebral facilitator, Bourque is a big-time passer with step-ahead vision.

The 18-year-old scored 1.45 points per game, ninth most in the QMJHL, with 29 goals and 42 assists through 49 contests.

Alexis Lafreniere, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft, led the league with 35 power play assists. Bourque finished tied for fifth with 21.

How well does he see the ice? Check out this feed during a February game in which Bourque erupted for seven points (two goals, five assists).

 

Two Goals and 5 Assists for Mavrik Bourque. Crisp pass along the half wall on the power play. If Bourque continues to have nights like this, he will be a top 10 selection on draft night. Elite playmaker. Always seems to deliver the perfect pass.#2020NHLDraft | @FCHockey

 
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Bourque isn't the strongest or fastest but everything else is really good, particularly the way he exploits gaps and understands angles.

He’s a guy that’s everything to that team, he plays probably too much for a player his age," Flahr said. "Every game I’ve seen him, he’s on the ice pretty much half of the game. Third game in three days, he doesn’t have a lot left in the tank, but a real character kid. He’s undersized a little bit but he can skate, he can play both ends of the rink, he likes to score, he likes all facets of the game and you can tell he’s a gamer. Intriguing guy and a guy that won’t have to wait too long on draft day.

 

 

7pt game for Mavrik Bourque last night in Halifax, and this goal was not too shabby. #2020nhldraft

 
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Another good game for @Cataractes_Shaw F Mavrik Bourque with 5 pts too (1 empty net goal + 4 assists). He has know 14 g + 15 a for 29 pts in 19 games. Pretty impressive #2021NHLDraft #LHJMQ #QMJHL

 
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Fit with Flyers

It's uncertain if Bourque will be available for the Flyers if they end up picking at No. 26. NHL Central Scouting put him as the 22nd-ranked North American skater, but EliteProspects.com has Bourque pegged as the 17th-best player in the draft and TSN's Craig Button slotted him at No. 20.

The Flyers could be aiming for the best center available to replenish a bit at an important position. They've taken three centers over the past two drafts — one in the sixth round and another in the seventh.

Bourque will undoubtedly have the Flyers' attention if he's in the ballpark of their first-round selection.

 

(Jean Levasseur/Shawinigan Cataractes)

25 or 26 not the greatest place to pick at ...

 

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flyercanuck Veteran

flyercanuck

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There's no way Fletcher isn't taking this guy in the draft...he checks ALL the boxes...

 

first and last name start with the same letter  ✅

 

Hails from Minnesota  ✅

 

Plays hockey  ✅

 

 https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=218020

 

 

Blake Biondi

Center -- shoots R
Born Apr 24 2002 -- Hermantown, MN
[18 yrs. ago]
Height 6.00 -- Weight 191 [183 cm/87 kg]
 
 
 
 
  Regular Season Playoffs
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM +/- GP G A Pts PIM
2018-19 U.S. National Under-17 Team Exhibition 6 1 2 3 0            
2018-19 Sioux City Musketeers USHL 7 1 1 2 0 -1 2 2 0 2 0
2018-19 U.S. National Under-17 Team USHL 2 0 0 0 0 -3 -- -- -- -- --
2019-20 Sioux City Musketeers* USHL 10 1 2 3 8 -3          
2019-20 Sioux Falls Stampede USHL Statistics Unavailable      
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intheslot Newbie

intheslot

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This month and into June, we'll break down NHL draft options for the Flyers, who have seven selections this year and would currently pick 26th in the first round.

Today, we’ll look at a left winger who’s already earned a reputation as a “power forward.” 

Jake Neighbours 

Position: Left wing 
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 195 pounds 
Shoots: Left 
Team: Edmonton Oil Kings 

Scouting report

The 18-year-old Neighbours relishes the physical aspects of hockey.

“Growing up, I was bigger than some guys and once I got to where hitting was allowed, I loved throwing big ones,” he told Jim Matheson of The Edmonton Journal. “Being physical is what my dad preached for a long time. And the chirping develops as you get older. I like that too, but it depends who you’re chirping against.”

He’s shown the willingness to fight, too, and can fire a right hand. 

Of course, a player doesn’t draw consideration in the early rounds of the NHL draft just because of his physicality. Neighbours produced more than a point per game this season, posting 23 goals and 47 assists in 64 WHL contests. He’s a decent skater for his size, sets up his teammates effectively and has a nice wrist shot in his arsenal. Neighbours profiles as a player who could help both the penalty kill and power play units at the NHL level, given his ability to protect the puck and force the action offensively. However, he produced only three power play goals this season, a number you’d like to see rise as he continues to develop. 

"He's one of those forwards I'd put in the power forward with good skill who can make plays category," Brad Lauer, his head coach with the Oil Kings, told Dave McCarthy for NHL.com. "But he's also a big body who can play a heavy game in those tight, below the goal line, getting to the net type of games. He's got that ability to be that big man and the ability to make plays with good hands and a good hockey sense. He doesn't shy away from tough areas and that is a strong point of his game."

Another quality that stands out with Neighbours is his character, which those close to him rave about. He captained the Canada White U-17 team and generally seems to be the kind of guy you’d like in your locker room, a selfless kid and diligent worker, as The Athletic’s Scott Cruickshank detailed. 

Fit with Flyers 

Down the line, one could see Neighbours’ relentless, aggressive game fitting well in Alain Vigneault’s forecheck-focused system. 

Based on where he’s ranked — he's the 26th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting, while ESPN's Chris Peters puts him at No. 33 overall and TSN’s Craig Button has him at No. 43  — he could be an option for the Flyers in either the first round or the second. 

 

(Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Oil Kings)

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intheslot

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The entire picture for the 2020 NHL draft remains cloudy with the ongoing suspension of the 2019-20 regular season because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Where will the Flyers be picking? When and how will the draft be held? Those questions are currently unanswered.

The Flyers hold seven total selections and, as of right now, are slotted with the 26th overall pick.

“I think it’s a decent draft — I don’t know if it’s top end," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said April 25 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "The top 10, 12 guys look like pretty high end. There’s a bit of a drop-off, but there’s some depth to the draft for a couple of rounds. We don’t know totally where we’re picking, but we have an idea. We have some guys targeted we feel we would be very happy with in the top couple of rounds and then we still have some work to do to clean up the mid-to-later-round picks.

"Obviously you’d want the big, scoring, playmaking center, anybody does. We’re in a position where we’ll likely be taking the best player available. 

"Realistically the players you draft now are two or three years down the road, best-case scenario. Some cases you get surprised. But by then, your team needs are different. We’ll do the best we can, we have an idea of where our holes are going forward and places where we certainly want to add depth to, whether it’s center or scoring winger or defense, we’ll see what happens. We’ll prepare, we weigh guys against each other, the pros and cons and we’ll do the best we can there.”

This month and into June, we'll continue to break down options for the Flyers at No. 26.

Ozzy Wiesblatt

Position: Winger
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 183
Shoots: Right
Team: Prince Albert Raiders

Scouting report

After playing a depth role last season on a veteran Prince Albert team that won the WHL championship, Wiesblatt took on much greater responsibility in his draft year and capitalized. The winger who turned 18 years old in March registered 70 points (25 goals, 45 assists) and a plus-20 rating over 64 games.

Constantly making things happen and pushing the puck north, Wiesblatt has the capability to dazzle with finesse and also outwork you with effort.

“Last year, they were a deep, older team, but he contributed," Flahr said Tuesday. "Obviously a little undersized but a great motor to him, he’s a driver of offense for their team. Every time you go watch a game he plays in, you notice him, for sure. He’s got lots of juice and generates offense, a real good motor to him which will certainly give him a chance as a smaller player.”

 

What a goal by Ozzy Wiesblatt on the 4-on-3, keeps his head up and is able to outwait the defense and goaltender before smoothly slipping it behind Basran #2020NHLDraft

 
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Ozzy Wiesblatt (2020) leads this year's CHL Tracking Project in controlled entries per 60 with 22.

Crossovers, deception, changes in speed, handling, and off-puck acceleration -- here's how Wiesblatt combines all of those elements for transition success.

 
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Raising five kids, Wiesblatt's mother Kim White is deaf and communicates with her children using American Sign Language. Wiesblatt's three brothers also play hockey.

"The fact that we all kind of play in junior hockey right now and hopefully in the NHL one day, I think it's really special," Wiesblatt said in a video feature produced by the CHL, "and we couldn't have done it without our mom."

Fit with Flyers

Wiesblatt is not very big for a winger and he had a quiet 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game performance in January, putting up no points or shots and a minus-2 mark.

Those factors could cause him to drop a tad in the draft but many will be happy if he's up for grabs at their slot. He's the 19th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and TSN's Craig Button has him as the 29th-best player in the draft.

The Flyers have a strong track record of drafting WHL products. Over the past six drafts, the Flyers have taken eight WHL players, four of which were selected in the opening two rounds.

Wiesblatt should be available at No. 26 (and maybe in the second round) for the Flyers. He would be a quality selection with his ability to dictate tempo and play in all situations.

 

(Lucas Chudleigh/Apollo Multimedia)

 

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flyercanuck Veteran

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The Wiesblatts is a pretty cool story, to go along with their pretty cool names...Ozzy, Orca,  Oasiz and Ocean (ya, mom was a bit of a hippy). 

 

 https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/remarkable-story-wiesblatt-family-home-team-heroes/

 

 The kid has a great motor and an excellent shot. If he fell to us in the 2nd round it wouldn't be a bad pick...though I'm still hoping for Vierling.

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intheslot Newbie

intheslot

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 I have been bored(sorry for all the extra posts ... 
 
 
 
 

The entire picture for the 2020 NHL draft remains cloudy with the ongoing suspension of the 2019-20 regular season because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Where will the Flyers be picking? When and how will the draft be held? Those questions are currently unanswered.

The Flyers hold seven total selections and, as of right now, are slotted with the 26th overall pick.

“I think it’s a decent draft — I don’t know if it’s top end," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said April 25 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "The top 10, 12 guys look like pretty high end. There’s a bit of a drop-off, but there’s some depth to the draft for a couple of rounds. We don’t know totally where we’re picking, but we have an idea. We have some guys targeted we feel we would be very happy with in the top couple of rounds and then we still have some work to do to clean up the mid-to-later-round picks.

"Obviously you’d want the big, scoring, playmaking center, anybody does. We’re in a position where we’ll likely be taking the best player available. 

"Realistically the players you draft now are two or three years down the road, best-case scenario. Some cases you get surprised. But by then, your team needs are different. We’ll do the best we can, we have an idea of where our holes are going forward and places where we certainly want to add depth to, whether it’s center or scoring winger or defense, we’ll see what happens. We’ll prepare, we weigh guys against each other, the pros and cons and we’ll do the best we can there.”

This month and into June, we'll continue to break down options for the Flyers at No. 26.

Thomas Bordeleau

Position: Center
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 175
Shoots: Left
Team: USNTDP

Scouting report

The potential is certainly there with Bordeleau, a center that oozes creativity and vision.

Combining an impressive shot with his propensity to find others, the Michigan-bound pivot led the U.S. national team development program under-18 squad with 46 points (16 goals, 30 assists) through 47 games.

“He was probably one of their go-to guys for the U.S. development team," Flahr said Tuesday. "Another guy that’s undersized but he can skate, he can make plays, he can see it. On the power play, he can make plays.

“He’s certainly got the vision and the ability to shoot the puck and generate offense at the junior level. It should translate, for sure, at the college level. We’ll see what happens.”

Bordeleau, the son of former NHLer Sebastien Bordeleau, showed off his skill at the Five Nations tournament in February, recording a goal and five assists over four games.

As a smaller center, Bordeleau can improve his consistency with effort and being hard on the puck.

 

The U18s break through late in the opening twenty on a goal from Landon Slaggert.

Pretty pass from Thomas Bordeleau to set up Slaggert out front. #NTDP #5NationsU18 #GoIrish #GoBlue

 
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Fit with Flyers

It will be interesting to see when Bordeleau is selected because his stock seems to vary. He's the 29th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and was the 44th-rated player among all draft prospects by TSN's Bob McKenzie in late January. However, EliteProspects.com pegs him as the 23rd-best player in the draft.

The ceiling offensively should entice many teams. The Flyers could be looking for a center in the first round, but will they view Bordeleau as the best player available if they end up picking at No. 26?

Bordeleau is expected to be taken late in the first round or early during the second. His pure offensive instincts will make him a fun player to watch at Michigan, alongside the Flyers' 2019 first-round pick Cam York. The Flyers took York and 2018 first-round pick Joel Farabee out of the USNTDP.

 

(Rena Laverty/USA Hockey)
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ruxpin Grand Master

ruxpin

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On 5/17/2020 at 9:03 AM, flyercanuck said:

The Wiesblatts is a pretty cool story, to go along with their pretty cool names...Ozzy, Orca,  Oasiz and Ocean (ya, mom was a bit of a hippy). 

 

 https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/remarkable-story-wiesblatt-family-home-team-heroes/

 

 The kid has a great motor and an excellent shot. If he fell to us in the 2nd round it wouldn't be a bad pick...though I'm still hoping for Vierling.

 

Maybe 2nd round, yeah.   I don't use #26 on him.     If I have my heart set on him, I trade back to mid- or late-30s and get an extra pick out of it.

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ruxpin Grand Master

ruxpin

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21 minutes ago, ruxpin said:

 

Maybe 2nd round, yeah.   I don't use #26 on him.     If I have my heart set on him, I trade back to mid- or late-30s and get an extra pick out of it.

 

@flyercanuck

 

If I'm trading back with my #26 pick I might consider late-30s or 40/41 to take Brock Faber.   Another RD but he's young for the draft and a Minnesota kid.   He's going to University of Minnesota (NCAA isn't really a selling point to me because at his age he has high possibility of not signing).   But he's a decent pick at 40 if it also gets you and extra pick plus prospect or player.

 

With the caveat that at some point the Flyers will need to seriously consider trading from their young defensemen strength.

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intheslot Newbie

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This month and into June, we'll break down NHL draft options for the Flyers, who have seven selections this year and would currently pick 26th in the first round.

Today, we’ll look at Roni Hirvonen, an undersized center who was on the ice for about 15 minutes per game this season in Finland’s top league. 

Roni Hirvonen 

Position: Center 
Height: 5-foot-9 
Weight: 164 
Shoots: Left 
Team: Ässät 

Scouting report

Hirvonen transitioned to Finland’s Liiga this season and had 16 points in 52 games for Ässät (five goals, 11 assists). In 2018-19, he had impressive production at the U-20 level for his hometown team, Kiekko-Espoo, with 21 goals and 34 assists in 50 games. 

His modest numbers for Ässät this season shouldn’t be discouraging. Playing against adults for the first time, Hirvonen was good enough to earn a regular spot in the lineup. The 18-year-old plays a relatively mature game, reading the play well and showing a solid sense of where he should be positioned on both ends. One of his strengths is moving the puck up ice with crisp long-distance passes. 

Though he’s unafraid to grapple in difficult areas, Hirvonen’s size is a concern, and it’s possible he’ll need to play on the wing in the NHL. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler praises his “feistiness,” which is a trait that should serve him well moving forward. Even when Hirvonen is giving up height and muscle, he finds ways to get to the front of the net. Despite not recording a power play goal this year, Hirvonen has the potential to be impactful on the power play because of that knack for sticking himself in dangerous spots, his vision and his puck handling.

His skating sometimes appears effortful and it takes him a while to accelerate, but he's generally pretty smooth once he gets going. Hirvonen told Jokke Nevalainen of DobberProspects.com in October that he feels his skating has recently improved. 

“I’m a smart player,” he said to Nevalainen. “Versatile. And as previously said, a dynamic skater. I have a warrior’s mentality.”

Fit with Flyers 

NHL Central Scouting ranked Hirvonen 10th among European skaters, while ESPN’s Chris Peters has him at No. 36 overall and TSN’s Craig Button puts him at No. 57. He’s worth consideration in the first two rounds for the Flyers, who took an undersized player at No. 34 last season in 5-foot-8, 164-pound right winger Bobby Brink.

"Obviously you’d want the big, scoring, playmaking center, anybody does,” Flyers assistant GM Brent Flahr told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jordan Hall in a phone interview on April 25. “We’re in a position where we’ll likely be taking the best player available. 

"Realistically the players you draft now are two or three years down the road, best-case scenario. Some cases you get surprised. But by then, your team needs are different. We’ll do the best we can, we have an idea of where our holes are going forward and places where we certainly want to add depth to, whether it’s center or scoring winger or defense, we’ll see what happens. We’ll prepare, we weigh guys against each other, the pros and cons and we’ll do the best we can there.”

Though Hirvonen successfully took the step up from the junior level this year, the typical timeline of at least “two or three years down the road” likely still applies. He’s not the classic, can’t-miss center Flahr described, but he’s an interesting prospect. 

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This is Occ. thread,,ty very much..

 

2020 NHL draft profile: Daniel Torgersson has 'unique size,' ability to 'dominate'

 
 
 

The entire picture for the 2020 NHL draft remains cloudy with the ongoing suspension of the 2019-20 regular season because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Where will the Flyers be picking? When and how will the draft be held? Those questions are currently unanswered.

The Flyers hold seven total selections and, as of right now, are slotted with the 26th overall pick.

“I think it’s a decent draft — I don’t know if it’s top end," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said April 25 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "The top 10, 12 guys look like pretty high end. There’s a bit of a drop-off, but there’s some depth to the draft for a couple of rounds. We don’t know totally where we’re picking, but we have an idea. We have some guys targeted we feel we would be very happy with in the top couple of rounds and then we still have some work to do to clean up the mid-to-later-round picks.

"Obviously you’d want the big, scoring, playmaking center, anybody does. We’re in a position where we’ll likely be taking the best player available. 

"Realistically the players you draft now are two or three years down the road, best-case scenario. Some cases you get surprised. But by then, your team needs are different. We’ll do the best we can, we have an idea of where our holes are going forward and places where we certainly want to add depth to, whether it’s center or scoring winger or defense, we’ll see what happens. We’ll prepare, we weigh guys against each other, the pros and cons and we’ll do the best we can there.”

This month and into June, we'll continue to break down options for the Flyers at No. 26.

Daniel Torgersson

Position: Winger
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 199
Shoots: Left
Team: Frolunda HC

Scouting report

Playing in Sweden's top junior league SuperElit, Torgersson finished tied for fourth with 26 goals and third with a plus-38 rating. The 18-year-old was over a point-per-game scorer for Frolunda, putting up 44 points in 39 games. He got a taste of the Swedish Elite League, going scoreless in six games, and showed a well-rounded makeup at the Five Nations tournament.

A rangy winger who is proficient around the net, Torgersson can also move well and understands how to augment talented centers. There will be a good amount of projection with Torgersson, who has the tools to develop into an NHL winger.

There's some Isaac Ratcliffe in the Swede. Ratcliffe, the Flyers' 2017 second-round pick, is a 6-foot-6, 203-pound, lefty-shot winger with impressive mobility. Ratcliffe's hands and touch are considerably better than Torgersson's, but both players are big wingers with scoring ability. In 2019-20, Ratcliffe experienced his first season at the pro level, learning how important it is to use his size with the puck just as much as his skill.

Torgersson will need to prove he can utilize his frame and score in harder ways against men.

“Big body, strong down low on the walls, can shoot it," Flahr said last week. "He is a winger, for sure, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg with him. Eventually he’s going to hopefully dominate using his size and ability to get to the net and shoot the puck. On the national teams and certainly on the junior teams, he complements skilled centers pretty well and obviously he has unique size.”

 

Fit with Flyers

The draft stock for Torgersson has fluctuated as he's the 13th-ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting and considered the 27th-best player in the draft by TSN's Craig Button. However, ESPN's Chris Peters rated Torgersson at No. 61 among the class and many view him as a second-round pick.

The Flyers, who have some nice wingers in the system but are not exceptionally deep at the position, could get two cracks at Torgersson with their first- or second-round pick. The Flyers may not see Torgersson as the best player available during the first round if they end up picking at No. 26 overall and they do not have a third-round selection after the Justin Braun trade.

But when a winger can score with that type of size, the Flyers will certainly be interested, especially if Torgersson is available in the second round.

“Everybody has seen him," Flahr said of his staff. "He plays on a fairly prominent team over there with a number of prospects, he’s been on all the national teams.”

 

(Christian Wahlgren/Pucksnack.com)
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The entire picture for the 2020 NHL draft remains cloudy with the ongoing suspension of the 2019-20 regular season because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Where will the Flyers be picking? When and how will the draft be held? Those questions are currently unanswered.

The Flyers hold seven total selections and, as of right now, are slotted with the 26th overall pick.

“I think it’s a decent draft — I don’t know if it’s top end," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said April 25 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "The top 10, 12 guys look like pretty high end. There’s a bit of a drop-off, but there’s some depth to the draft for a couple of rounds. We don’t know totally where we’re picking, but we have an idea. We have some guys targeted we feel we would be very happy with in the top couple of rounds and then we still have some work to do to clean up the mid-to-later-round picks.

"Obviously you’d want the big, scoring, playmaking center, anybody does. We’re in a position where we’ll likely be taking the best player available. 

"Realistically the players you draft now are two or three years down the road, best-case scenario. Some cases you get surprised. But by then, your team needs are different. We’ll do the best we can, we have an idea of where our holes are going forward and places where we certainly want to add depth to, whether it’s center or scoring winger or defense, we’ll see what happens. We’ll prepare, we weigh guys against each other, the pros and cons and we’ll do the best we can there.”

This month and into June, we'll continue to break down options for the Flyers at No. 26.

Ryan O'Rourke

Position: Defenseman
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 178
Shoots: Left
Team: Soo Greyhounds

Scouting report

O'Rourke is particularly appealing because his defensive game is already refined. The 18-year-old takes immense pride in playing in his own end, while his offensive game features untapped potential.

As team captain, O'Rourke led the OHL's Greyhounds with a plus-16 mark and scored 37 points (seven goals, 30 assists) in 54 games.

O'Rourke doesn't get enough credit for his adeptness at pushing the puck north. He can get up ice and is an intelligent passer.

“A real steady player," Flahr said May 12. "He’s a 6-footer, but a competitive guy, his outlet passing, moving the puck up ice is probably his bread and butter. He can defend, he can do a little of everything. You’ve got to be a little careful of your viewings because he plays so much up there, you have to pace yourself, so there could be another level to what he can do. Plays a real mature game I think is the best description of him.”

Fit with Flyers

As we noted when looking at William Wallinder, the Flyers are well-stocked at defensemen but won't shy away from drafting the best player available to load up even more on the back end.

O'Rourke fits the bill of blueliners the Flyers like — guys with quality size and mobility. The Soo defenseman might be a fringe first-rounder, so he's expected to be available for the Flyers. The club is likely looking more for a center or winger in the first round, but O'Rourke brings a lot to the table. The Hockey Writers' Mark Scheig believes O'Rourke will be the steal of the draft.

It would be somewhat surprising if he's the Flyers' pick at No. 26. If O'Rourke is in their ballpark during the second round, though, he'll definitely have the club's attention.

 

(Terry Wilson/OHL Images)
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intheslot Newbie

intheslot

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2020 NHL draft profile: Why Jan Mysak is so intriguing

 
 
 

The entire picture for the 2020 NHL draft remains cloudy with the ongoing suspension of the 2019-20 regular season because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Where will the Flyers be picking? When and how will the draft be held? Those questions are currently unanswered.

The Flyers hold seven total selections and, as of right now, are slotted with the 26th overall pick.

“I think it’s a decent draft — I don’t know if it’s top end," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said April 25 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "The top 10, 12 guys look like pretty high end. There’s a bit of a drop-off, but there’s some depth to the draft for a couple of rounds. We don’t know totally where we’re picking, but we have an idea. We have some guys targeted we feel we would be very happy with in the top couple of rounds and then we still have some work to do to clean up the mid-to-later-round picks.

"Obviously you’d want the big, scoring, playmaking center, anybody does. We’re in a position where we’ll likely be taking the best player available. 

"Realistically the players you draft now are two or three years down the road, best-case scenario. Some cases you get surprised. But by then, your team needs are different. We’ll do the best we can, we have an idea of where our holes are going forward and places where we certainly want to add depth to, whether it’s center or scoring winger or defense, we’ll see what happens. We’ll prepare, we weigh guys against each other, the pros and cons and we’ll do the best we can there.”

This month, we'll continue to break down options for the Flyers at No. 26.

Jan Mysak

Position: Center/winger
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 175
Shoots: Left
Team: Hamilton Bulldogs

Scouting report

There is a ton of intrigue to Mysak, an underager with innate scoring ability and a precocious hockey IQ.

After scoring nine points (five goals, four assists) through 26 games playing against grown men for the Czech Extraliga's HC Litvinov, the 17-year-old transitioned to the OHL and punctuated his draft year. Mysak took off with Hamilton, delivering a pair of hat tricks and 25 points (15 goals, 10 assists) in 22 games. The Czech Republic native played a much bigger role at the junior level, especially with the Bulldogs losing center Jan Jenik to a season-ending injury in December.

Mysak understands the art of scoring. He might not be the flashiest or smoothest, but he's strong, quick and knows how to dissect the opposition. He can also play down the middle and on the wing, versatility that attracts NHL teams in the first round.

“Anybody that can play center is good," Flahr said about Mysak on May 12.

“He had the reputation coming into the year. He played with men the first half, I saw him a number of times over there early. Just like any young player playing with men, he played and worked and did the little things, but wasn’t overly productive, just kind of played safe and played a role. Then midseason, he came over.

"The way it worked with Jenik going down to injury, he stepped right in on the top line and produced right off the bat. He played center when I saw him and he’s played wing overseas when I saw him, but real hard-working, honest, two-way game. You can argue whether he’s more of a shooter or a playmaker, but he’s got some rawness. I think coming over was real good for him.”

Fit with Flyers

The Flyers very well could be eyeing the best center available during the first round after selecting three defensemen, three wingers and a goalie last summer. It's a premium position and every organization is looking for greater depth down the middle. The fact that Mysak can player center and winger is a bonus.

So, will he be available for the Flyers? It's difficult to say.

He's the NHL Central Scouting's 28th-ranked North American skater and TSN's Craig Button rates him as the 34th-best player in the draft. However, in an excellent film review, The Athletic's Scott Wheeler sees Mysak as one of the top forwards among this class.

Some teams might want to see more from Mysak. Some teams might be completely sold.

If the Flyers end up picking at No. 26 overall and Mysak is available, he'd be hard to pass up.

 

(Brandon Taylor/ProAm Images)
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intheslot Newbie

intheslot

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Mason Millman was the third defenseman taken by the Flyers in the 2019 NHL draft.

The first was Cam York, the 14th overall selection who had scored 65 points, a U.S. national team development program single-season record for a blueliner.

The second was Ronnie Attard, a 6-foot-4, 210-pounder coming off a 30-goal season in the USHL (yes, 30 goals as a defenseman).

Naturally, for fans and followers, Millman sort of became the tailpiece of the class. He didn't come to the Flyers with juicy statistics. Fittingly, Millman was an upside pick, just like in his OHL draft.

The Saginaw Spirit are seeing the beauty of identifying potential and watching it fruit into a player. The Flyers could enjoy the same story with Millman, who is starting to look like one of the club's biggest sleepers in its entire prospect system.

"The way that they draft now and the way the game is going, they’re very smart in their selections," Saginaw general manager Dave Drinkill said about the Flyers in an April phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia, "and drafting a guy like Mason is going to make them look very smart.”

Possibly even smarter after the 2020-21 OHL season. That's when Millman will have the chance to really raise the bar.

“We expect him, and I think he expects himself, to be one of the top defensemen in the league, and I don’t mean that in a cocky way," Drinkill said. "He’s not a cocky individual at all, he’s just very confident in his ability, and the opportunity he’s going to get with us and the amount his game has grown, it’s going to continue to grow. We expect him to take a huge role and be one of the top D in the league, and that means offensively and in the two-way style of playing against other teams’ top players. I really believe he can be one of the best defensemen in the OHL, if not the CHL.

"We’re not biased toward him, I think other teams around our league look at him as one of the top D-men in our league and his age group, as well, so that’s very unanimous around the league that they feel that way about Mason.”

The Spirit took Millman in the seventh round of the 15-round 2017 OHL draft. At the junior hockey level, projection is paramount in the evaluation of draft prospects. Drinkill watched Millman play for the London Jr. Knights midget AAA program. He watched a 15-year-old at the early stages of development with underlying upside.

"What we saw in Mason was a very raw, slender, smooth-skating defenseman who we thought had a lot of offensive potential and a lot of potential in his game in general," Drinkill said. "We thought if we could get him in the right spot in the draft, get him into our system and develop him properly, there was big upside.

"I always like to draft players — I tell my scouts this, as well — to look for players with high ceilings. Sometimes at the minor midget level, when you’re drafting players to the OHL, the players that pop out at you, the most dynamic ones are guys that are more physically mature than others ones, or have already kind of met their potential at a young age. For us, we have to look past that and find players that have a lot more room for growth, and Mason had a ton of that and it’s all definitely worked out that way.”

 

(Luke Durda/OHL Images)

 

Millman, who turns 19 years old in July, is a long, 6-foot-1, 180-pound blueliner that glides up the ice and is turning into a problem for OHL opponents. Alain Vigneault and the Flyers love them some skilled puck movers with size. Millman is of that ilk, a "prototypical new-age defenseman," as Drinkill called him.

His ability to transport pucks either with his feet or with his head and brain, they’re elite at our level. And I’m betting that if he keeps developing and gets into the Flyers’ system, he’s going to keep becoming an elite defenseman that way.

He’s so smooth on the ice, he can separate himself from attacking guys on the forecheck so effortlessly, uses the net to shield himself and then two strides, he’s gone — giving himself room to either skate with it or make an outlet to a guy in stride. He almost looks like he’s floating out there and he’s only getting quicker as he gets stronger.

He has the frame to add a lot more muscle and lean muscle mass to his body where it’s going to make him quicker and stronger and even better in that area. He’s going to need that to get to the next level and be successful at the next level. But he’s such a smooth skater and he gets up the ice so easily in our league.

Just about three weeks into the 2019-20 campaign, Millman had a minus-12 rating. When the season was all said and done, Millman was a plus-31 (fifth best among OHL defensemen) with 44 points (13 goals, 31 assists) in 58 games for the 41-16-5 Spirit.

"So he definitely turned his game completely around," Drinkill said. "He provided a lot of offense for us, but he’s also a really good penalty killer, he’s got a great stick, he’s really learned to battle and be smart on the ice about winning battles, puck position and then when to have possession and when to move it. He’s just becoming an all-around leader and a great, great player for our organization.

“I think his confidence grew, he took a greater role with us. He’s just such a great kid and a great person, as well."

 

There's just no slowing down @Mason_Millman 😳💨

The @NHLFlyers prospect flips the puck up high with an incredible burst of speed and finds the back of the net to give @SpiritHockey the lead ⬇️

 
Embedded video
 
 
 
 

When the Flyers drafted Millman last summer, he was coming off a 25-point season in 66 games with Saginaw.

"A defenseman two of our Ontario guys felt strongly about, that he has upside," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said then.

Drinkill knows Millman is still growing.

"I think when he adds strength, the rest of it will continue to come and grow in his game," he said. "You do find that sometimes kids put on too much weight at one time and it kind of hurts the rest of their game. With Mase, he kind of gradually got stronger, he’s becoming more of a man even looking at him, his face is kind of becoming more mature and so is his body, as well, it’s making his shot better, his passes are crisper and harder, he’s starting to get that hockey player build with a strong core and legs.

"You can see the big jump he made from last year to this year. I’m looking forward to seeing him come back into camp next year being a 19-year-old in our league, being one of the older players on our team now and kind of in a leadership role, but also being depended on to play 24, 25 minutes a night and in every situation. Obviously we’re going to rely on him heavily for offense from the back end, but his skating ability allows him to be on the ice against other teams’ elite players, elite talent to try to shut them down in a shutdown role, as well."

The more you can do on the back end, the better. Millman's style of play is trending in the direction of how the NHL game is trending.

"You’ve got to be able to skate and you’ve got to be able to make plays," Drinkill said. "He never wants to dump the puck out or chip the puck off the glass when there’s another option to be made. In fairness to him, he always takes the other option, whether it’s a smart play or regroup or hitting a guy to the middle or a chip to an area is the worst-case scenario.

"He’s not that old-school defenseman that just wants to get the puck out and make the safe play. He makes the smart play and that’s the way the game is going. I think Philadelphia saw that and I think they’re going to be very impressed as they get him into their pro system and continue to work with him.

"I think they’ve got a good one."

Not bad for their fourth-round pick and third defenseman in the 2019 draft.

 

(Luke Durda/OHL Images)
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OccamsRazor Grand Master

OccamsRazor

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3 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

Millman looks like a good pick especially for a late rounder. That was a nice rush, but he better learn to keep his head up.

 

I think you're in the wrong thread.

 

 

REPORTED!!!!!!

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OccamsRazor Grand Master

OccamsRazor

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7 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 

I am...but just responding to the post above me.

 

I see it was in the slot who put a Millman post in the 2020 draft talk.

 

SMH. Now I have to REPORT him.

 

Since I have nothing else to do here at work right now I will say to further derail the thread Millman could be a steal in a few years.

 

Flyers will no doubt have a bunch of prospect if they don't have room for the can at least move them for a solid return.

 

To derail further I haven't seen anything on signing Kalnyuk either I thought I seen they had 30 days to sign him (not sure why only 30 days) and not by August 15th.

 

Later...

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flyercanuck Veteran

flyercanuck

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10 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

 

 

Since I have nothing else to do here at work right now I will say to further derail the thread Millman could be a steal in a few years.

 

 

 Reported!!

 

 

10 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Flyers will no doubt have a bunch of prospect if they don't have room for the can at least move them for a solid return.

 

 Even being able to trade away a Marody for a pick is better than drafting the neanderthals who are just a waste of one. 

 

10 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

To derail further I haven't seen anything on signing Kalnyuk either I thought I seen they had 30 days to sign him (not sure why only 30 days) and not by August 15th.

 

Later...

 

 Without having seen him play much (in other words, just stat watching) his numbers have basically plateaued for 3 years.

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OccamsRazor Grand Master

OccamsRazor

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2 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

Without having seen him play much (in other words, just stat watching) his numbers have basically plateaued for 3 years.

 

It's because the skill of his overall team combined with him being a two way defenseman.

 

He isn't one trick pony. There is a reason they made him captain of the team.

 

And he has much better stats than the much heralded K' Andre Miller (his teammate).

 

One was a 1st round pick.

 

The other was a 7th round pick.

 

I think there is a reason he isn't signed i think someone is in his ear and trying to steal.

 

No proof of that just a hunch.

Edited by OccamsRazor
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BobbyClarkeFan16 Proficient

BobbyClarkeFan16

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I haven't been paying as much attention to the draft this year, but as it stands, there are five players that I hope the Flyers are looking at with regards to their 1st round pick. I'm hoping for one of the following:

 

Perrault

Reichel

Foerster

Bordeleau

Khusnutdinov

 

I think we're good for defensemen in the first round this year. From watching video and reading scouting reports, Foerster is who I'm hoping they select. It's like reading the scouting report all over again for Lindblom - great iq, great hands, skating leaves a little to be desired because his stride is a bit awkward and that's only due to leg strength, which can be easily corrected. I love the fact that when Barrie moved Suzuki, Foerster stepped up his game and really took over. Clearly motivation isn't an issue for him and he's very coachable. 

 

I also really like watching Bordeleau, but what worries me is that he's a more perimeter player and is easily knocked off the puck. He'll need to learn how to survive in high checking areas. The skill is there, but the body is going to be a work in process.

 

The prospect that's the most interesting of the group is Khusnutdinov though. He could end up being a Russian Johnny Gaudreau, especially with his speed. It's unreal how fast he is. He also knows his way around all three zones and is very adept defensively. However, his speed is going to be his calling card. It's ridiculous how fast this kid is and his hands are there. He isn't like Rico Fata at all. If he grows 1 inch and hits the 5'10 mark and adds about 15 pounds, he'll top out at 5'10, 180 and could be a real gem. If the Flyers are looking for a grand slam, he might be the one. 

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