2014 Early Draft Overview
Flyers Current Draft Position
The Eagles would probably end up in the top 3 picks of the draft if the season ended now. The 2014 NHL draft is relatively wide open although Aaron Ekblad and Sam Reinhart have been favorites for a year or two to be taken with the first two picks in the draft. The draft does not appear to have the quality at the top or quite the quality depth of the 2013 draft overall but this does look like a deeper draft for the wing position than 2013.
Just one or two games ago the Flyers were one of the 3 worst teams in the NHL with a 1-7 record but even with a loss after 2 straight wins, they are within 5 points of 2nd place and have a game in hand over Carolina and the Islanders who are tied for 2nd in the Metropolitan Division with 11 points.
They have some talent but with limited defensemen and an inconsistent offense at best, it is difficult to prognosticate exactly where they end up but for now a top 10 pick is realistic and they are still in the bottom 2 or 3 of the NHL.
Right now they remain the 2nd or 3rd worst team with Buffalo and Edmonton. Buffalo has 5 points (in 12 games), Flyers have 6 points (in 11 games), Florida has 8 points (in 12 games), Edmonton has 8 points (in 14 games).
If the Flyers finished with the third worst record, defenseman Aaron Ekblad should be on their radar. If Ekblad and Reinhart were taken 1-2, defenseman Roland McKeown would be one of my early favorites for the Flyers to take. The Flyers may think otherwise though as they have always leaned toward what they consider the best player and that often is a forward, especially centers.
Flyers Centers
The organization needs to determine how center Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier fit into their future plans. It is possible Scott Laughton will be ready to play on the Flyers next season. In my opinion, Sean Couturier has good value to the Flyers as a defensive center at the least. He's one of the team's best penalty killers and he has also began to win faceoffs at a fairly high rate. Some think Sean has been disappointing offensively and further think Laughton can also be a defensive center and penalty killer.
They are both very young players and having two good two way centers eventually doesn't hurt. Sean also will have a low salary under the cap for a couple seasons. If either Schenn or Couturier stand out offensively, it may influence the Flyers decisions.
Vinny Lecavalier began the season as the 2nd line center but has been moved up to the 1st line where he is playing right wing with Giroux at center. It remains to be seen if the move is a permanent move.
The organization has a tendency to take centers and forwards in the first round of drafts although they took Samuel Morin with their first round pick in 2013.
Team Needs
The Flyers big needs are defensemen and pure goal scorers on the wing. It is unknown if top prospect defenseman Sam Morin will be ready for the NHL next year. He showed promise during training camp and preseason.
While Shayne Gostisbehere and Robert Hagg are potential puck movers on defense and Hagg is a good passer from the defensive zone, the Flyers need defensemen who can either pass the puck better or skate with the puck or both. Morin is solid in those areas but he is a big defenseman.
Here is a look at ten players besides Ekblad and Reinhart and how they would fit the Flyers:
Defenseman Roland Mckeown 6-1, 200 Kingston (OHL) - 2nd pick overall in the OHL draft.
McKeown may be the best puck moving defenseman in the draft next to small defensemen Anthony DeAngelo and Julius Honka. Although the Flyers have prospects Shayne Gostisbehere whose strength is moving the puck and Robert Hagg who is a very good skater and potential puck mover also, this remains one of the Flyers biggest needs. McKeown has come into his own on the defensive end and is a very good skating defenseman and he has pretty good size for a puck moving dman.
Gostisbehere remains a possibility to fit with big prospect Sam Morin on a pairing in the future but McKeown and Morin could definitely form a very promising 1st pairing duo in the future. McKeown is also a good passer and has the ability to get the puck out of the defensive zone and also in the offensive zone. This makes McKeown extremely enticing and he is appearing on a lot of prospect lists as a top 10 pick at the moment. He also has a right handed shot. The Flyers top 3 young defensive prospects Morin, Hagg, and Gostisbehere are all left handed.
Left Wing Jake Virtanen 6-1, 210 Calgary (WHL)
Virtanen is a complete winger who has added a lot of size and strength in just two years as a 16 year old and 17 year old. He has not yet arrived at the point where he is scoring goals every night but he has good hands, he's fast for his size and he is a hard working player on and off the ice. Virtanen also is responsible on the defensive end. He may not be ready to make the Flyers in 2014-2015 but the remainder of his season with Calgary in the WHL could change that. He is someone who may be able to replace James Van Riemsdyk who the Flyers traded for Luke Schenn.
If the Flyers had the 3rd, 4th, or 5th pick I am not sure they would draft Virtanen (yet) but he is someone to keep an eye on if the defensemen are off the board and they end up picking lower down than their current standing.
Left Wing William Nylander 5-11, 172 Rogle (Allsvenskan) Sweden
Nylander is a fast skating wing who could also play center. Nylander can handle the puck extremely well and is creative with the puck. Some are very excited about Nylander but he is not a very good defensive player and isn't likely to add much weight to his frame. He has the niftiness and creativity of Giroux but also plays somewhat like a smaller and quicker version of Jakub Voracek.
He would add more speed to the Flyers which they do need but I remain skeptical he is what the Flyers really need. At the same time, Nylander has spectacular ability offensively so he is someone to keep a close eye on.
Center/Left Wing Leon Draisaitl 6-1, 209 Prince Albert (WHL) 2nd Pick CHL Import Draft
Draisaitl is an intriguing package of size, power, skating ability and vast potential. He has played well this season and last season but it still feels as though he hasn't reached his potential yet. He is the best player to come out of Germany to date. The physical ability of Draisaitl is attractive to scouts and teams. At times, there have been some who say he isn't the fastest skater. Draisaitl has a little more passing ability than Virtanen but Virtanen's speed and overall hockey instincts may be better.
Left Wing/Center Michael Dal Colle 6-2, 184 Oshawa (OHL)
Dal Colle seems to me like a Flyers type of prospect. Maybe I have that feeling because he plays on Scott Laughton's team but Dal Colle can shoot some and pass the puck and has the strong ability to play center and he is a sound defensive forward also. He needs to add upper body strength. Dal Colle also seems like a safe pick. He is a fast and fluid skater and he has quick hands and excellent hockey sense. Dal Colle knows how to put himself into position to score or pass the puck. If he was on the board where the draft if they end up drafting somewhere in the top 10, it wouldn't surprise me if they chose Dal Colle.
Left Wing/Center Sam Bennett 6-0, 178 Kingston (OHL)
Bennett is a fast skating winger and center who is a good scorer, puckhandler and passer. He's one of the top offensive players in the draft but Bennett could add weight to his frame. He reads plays well and has a good understanding of the game. Bennett is one of many players who could find his name called just about anywhere in the top 10 depending on how the rest of the hockey season plays out. The Flyers do need to add speed to this team although with Scott Laughton nearly ready, I'm not sure Sam would be the best pick for them (yet).
Defenseman Haydn Fleury 6-3, 203 Red Deer (WHL)
Fleury is a big kid who can add more to his frame and may even still grow more. He's a good skater who can handle the puck who made mistakes with the puck at times earlier in his career. Early reports are his defense and decision making have improved so he's projecting as a good two way defenseman prospect right now. Fleury logs a lot of ice minutes in all situations so he's one to watch. He has more size potential than McKeown so it could be a battle to see which one of McKeown or Fleury is the second defenseman taken in the draft behind Ekblad.
The Flyers could suddenly have a stockpile of young future defensemen if they added Fleury or McKeown to Morin, Hagg, and Gostisbehere.
Left Wing Brendan Perlini 6-2, 205 Niagara (OHL)
Perlini has been one of the top scorers in major junior hockey so far this season with Niagara in the OHL. He's a solid puckhandler with quick hands and outstanding hockey sense. Perlini is patient with the puck when needed and can also be a quick decision maker and a good passer. With 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points in 15 games, he has been one of the biggest risers so far if not the biggest rising star in the draft prospect rankings so far. The only question is his speed.
I would like to see more of Perlini and he is one of the forwards I am watching closely as a potential Flyers prospect. The Flyers need a pure scorer on the wing and Perlini could be exactly what they need on the lines since they traded James Van Riemsdyk. They could use more speed overall so I'd like to see his speed more closely but they also need some more size upfront (who can score and make plays).
Right Wing Nikolay Goldobin 6-0, 178 Sarnia (OHL)
Goldobin was a prolific rookie scorer in the OHL last season with 68 points in 68 games after he came over from his native Russia in the CHL Import Draft. So far this season, Goldobin has 9 goals and 11 assists for 20 points in 15 games. He is a very intelligent offensive player with little in the way of a defensive game but he is learning the North American game.
Left Wing Nick Ritchie 6-2, 231 Peterborough (OHL)
Ritchie had only 1 goal in October although he had 4 assists. The big power winger is fast for his size and has a heavy shot and quick hands but consistency has been an issue.
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