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The Philadelphia Flyers have been Officially Eliminated from the Playoffs; What Happens Now?
With the Philadelphia Flyers recently being officially eliminated from any chance of playoff contention this season, their fans have been left to wonder, what happens now?
Who Stays and Who Goes?
Well, first, management must figure out who stays and who goes. This is something that I think the team’s newly appointed interim general manager, Danny Briere, and head coach John Tortorella may have already been collaborating on. Think about it. During one of the Flyers ‘ recent games, Torts recently took a break from his position behind the bench to join Danny in his box. I bet they weren’t up there just shooting the breeze. If this proves true, it can mean nothing but good things for this club, being that the current administration and coaching staff would now be working together to create a vision moving forward instead of the two working against one another as they have in the past. But, even with the two now working together, it will be no easy feat because prior management has left them in quite a hole, loaded down with many injury-prone players with contracts with no end date in sight. Briere and Tortorella will have to get creative. Sure, impending free agents like the Flyers’ 33-year-old James van Riemsdyk and 36-year-old defenseman Justin Braun will be easy choices not to resign, but what do you do with a UFA like their recent acquisition Brendan Lemieux? Since joining the Flyers, Brendan has managed to maintain a spot in Philadelphia’s nightly lineup, scoring six points in eleven games while maintaining a plus-five average. But I guess the question is, do you dare spend a portion of what limited funds the team has available this off-season to bring back this 27-year-old bottom-six tough guy who made $1.35 million this year? Or do you try and sign someone a little less expensive to do the same job next season?
If your answer were to re-sign him, I would urge you to remember the Flyers have multiple restricted free agents to re-sign guys like defensemen Cameron York, Egor Zamula, and Ronnie Attard. Then on offense, you have names like Morgan Frost, Noah Cates, and Kieffer Bellows to consider. Sure, Bellows, who has only scored three goals in close to 30 games played with the Flyers, may prove no significant loss after the team picked him off waivers this season from the Islanders. Still, York, Frost, and Cates have all played key roles in the Flyers’ limited amount of success this season. York has shown the potential to be a top-pairing defenseman. Frost (although I believe he is still to be over-hyped) has managed to improve his game this season thanks to the extra ice time he received because of Sean Couturiers’ extended injury. And, speaking of Coots, Noah Cates has proved this season that he, too, is more than capable of sliding over into the faceoff dots and shutting down some of the best players his opponents have to offer. Therefore, they will most likely be asking for a substantial raise from their current expiring entry-level contracts.
Bringing up Ready Prospects and Signing Others
Lucky for the Flyers, once they have shown some of their no longer needed or wanted players the door after this season, Philadelphia will then have the roster space required to bring up some ready prospects that are already signed. One such player may be the Flyers’ 2020 1st round pick, Tyson Foerster. After being named to the American Hockey Leagues All-Star game this season, he was recently brought up in a short showcase stint with the big club, where he managed to score three goals and four assists for seven points in just eight games played with the Flyers before being sent back down to Lehigh to gear up for a playoff push.
Foerster, who has been blessed with a rocket of a shot dating back to his days with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), will undoubtedly be a welcomed addition to the Flyers roster next season—given all the injury concerns still surrounding guys like fellow right winger Cam Atkinson, who was shut down this year due to a neck injury (that required surgery) which he received back in training camp.
And with the team potentially bringing up prospects like Foerster and the previously mentioned Egor Zamula to the NHL next year, it creates holes/opportunities for others at the AHL level. The team can then look to sign or bring up other promising prospects they’ve already drafted. This is much like Briere did recently when he decided to ink their 2020 2nd-round pick defenseman Emil Andre who was playing up to that point in the SHL (Sweden’s top professional league).
A couple of those unsigned prospects (or ones that are signed but have yet to play in the professional ranks) who, in my opinion, have played well enough this year to deserve a shot at turning pro next season are the Flyers’ 2022 seventh-round pick forward Alexis Gendron and the teams 2021 sixth round pick defenseman Ethan Samson.
Alexis is a 19-year-old forward whose season was split between playing for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Despite having to learn the tendencies of his new teammates, Gendron finished the season second in the league in goals with a combined total of 55. He was also able to net 26 assists for a total of 81 points over just 63 games played. That means he averaged a very respectable 1.29 points per game.
Now, some of you may not be too keen on the fact that Alexis is a diminutive young prospect (that stands at only 5’9), to which I would quickly point out that Gendron is able to combat his lack of size with not only deceptiveness but an innate ability to observe swiftly what the goalie is giving him and react by putting the puck where he is not before the opposition has time to stop him from doing so. These traits are what I believe will help Alexis not only advance his game to the next level but be able to avoid the thrashing other less nimble players receive on a nightly basis at both the AHL and the NHL levels.
Ethan Samson is in a different position entirely. This 19-year-old right-hand-shot defenseman who stands at 6’1 and 181 pounds is already signed but has yet to turn pro. This stems from that lovely rule forcing players from the Canadian junior leagues to return to the CHL if they do not make an NHL roster. Falling victim to this rule, Ethan was required to return to the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season. Once there, Samson scored 18 goals and 42 assists for 60 points in 60 games played. And with all the struggles the Flyers have had on defense the past couple of years (especially on the right side), you can bet gm Danny Briere and coach Tortorella will give Samson a nice long look in camp next season.
These are just a couple of affordable modifications to the roster that the Flyers should look to make happen this off-season to ensure they can put out a much better product on the ice next season. Because if we, the fans, are going to be forced to suffer through a possible lengthy rebuild, then we would rather see the team focus on letting the youth of tomorrow gain the experience they will need today! Rather than the team continuing to follow the teachings of their previous management, who often opted to fill the roster with veterans who used to be good.
Flyer Fans, What a Difference a Couple Weeks Make.
After the Philadelphia Flyers failed to make any significant moves at the March 3rd trade deadline, fans were left with little hope regarding their team’s future. But what a difference a couple of weeks make!
Enough was enough! After dropping the ball yet again come deadline day, Chuck Fletcher openly admitted that his analytics team had developed an app that determined whether a trade proposal was fair or not for him. It was at that point that ownership decided they could no longer make up excuses for his incompetence and fired him on March 10th. His successor, former Flyer Danny Briere, was then named the team’s Interim General Manager. The self-proclaimed Flyers Governor Dave Scott was rumored to make this move before checking with the old guard of Bob Clarke, Paul Holmgren, and Bill Barber, that serve as his advisors. Although it was the right move at the time, it may have been the cause of his ultimate demise as he, too, was working on borrowed time and believed to be given the luxury of retiring, which Scott just so happened to announce just a few short days ago. Scott’s replacement will be Dan Hilferty, a fellow businessman who joined Comcast Spectacor last month as its CEO (a position Dave Scott used to hold as well).
Since then, the state of the team has changed under Danny Briere, and the Flyers have begun to bring up their youth from the Phantoms like so many of us have been screaming for them to do for some time now. These call up’s were highlighted by guys like the Flyers 2020 1st round pick Tyson Foerster who was able to join the team for eight games where he was able to score seven points before being sent back down to the AHL for a playoff push. Egor Zamula looked to fit right in as well on the Flyers blueline before heading back down to gain some much-needed playoff experience as well. This recent youth movement provided the fans and head coach John Tortorella with some much-needed hope and excitement for their future.
But that’s not all the newly appointed GM has done. Briere has come out and said that he is committed to a rebuild and, will look to bring a little different style of player to the Flyers in the future. In doing so, he is confident he can bring this once-historic franchise into the 21st century. One way he has already done that is to sign one of their top defensive prospects, 21-year-old Emil Andre of Sweden, to an entry-level contract. This a move that I think all of us can agree needed to happen as this team has lacked any sort of European style for some time now. Since coming over from the SHL (Sweden’s top professional league) this season, Emil has impressed in his first two contests in North America, scoring two assists in two games played with the Phantoms. Despite his diminutive size of only 5’9, Andre has shown he has no intention of backing down from the physical side of things and thus should be utilized as a potential asset in the offensive zone as well, seeing he is an absolute sniper from the point.
Now, listen, in no way am I saying these not so suddle changes will see this team rebound next year into being cup contenders. It will take time. But, with the firing of Chuck Fletcher, and the “retirement” announcement of Dave Scott, I believe it is the start of things moving in the right direction for this franchise that will lead to this team’s future success. And, who knows, with any hope, maybe the new big boss Dan Hilferty is merely grinding his axe before making some cuts of his own (I.E., those old senile advisors of his that haven’t stepped on the ice for nearly 40 years.) A fan can hope, right?
2023 Men’s Frozen Four Preview
With the Regional Tournaments Champions now named, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) can now prepare for the Famous Frozen Four Tournament, which is set to take place this year in sunny Tampa Bay, Florida, starting on April 6th. The four teams that will be battling it out down on the Suncoast are the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who will be taking on the Boston University Terriers at 5 pm E.S.T., followed by the University of Michigan Wolverines, who will be facing off against the Quinnipiac University Bobcats at 8:30 pm E.S.T. that same night.
Why should you be watching it? Well, if you’re a fan of practically any NHL franchise, then it’s a sure bet your team has at least one promising prospect in this fight. So, with that being said, let’s break down each team’s roster and strengths that have not only helped them to get to this point but may result in the culmination of them beating out 59 other schools for the right to be named National Champions.
Minnesota
The Golden Gophers, who have 14 players on their roster that have already been drafted by one NHL club or another, had possibly the easiest route of the four teams previously mentioned to get to this point. Minnesota was named the victors of the Fargo Regional Tournament played in the Scheels Arena in North Dakota, which meant that they had to beat out the Canisius College Golden Griffins and the St. Cloud State University Huskies. Neither of these teams’ rosters contains a player’s name whom you might remember being called on previous NHL draft day coverages. But that doesn’t mean that the Gophers don’t belong in Tampa. In fact, with names like Logan Cooley (the 3rd overall by the Coyotes in ’22), who has scored 57 points in just 37 games played; Jimmy Snuggerud (who was taken in the 1st round of the ’22 draft by the Blues), who has scored 50 points in 38 games played this year. Matthew Knies (who was taken by the Leafs in the 2nd round of the ’21 draft) scored a team-leading 21 goals on the season; there’s no doubt their offense can certainly stand up to anyones in this tournament. The only question is, can their defense survive the onslaught of others in this tournament?
Boston University
Then there’s the Terriers, who managed to advance out of the Manchester Regionals, which were played up in New Hampshire. This historic hockey powerhouse should be viewed as an actual threat in this tournament because not only did they beat out the impressive Western Michigan Broncos by a score of 5-1, they then took down Cornell, a team that just shutout last year’s NCAA National Champions, (Denver) by a score of 2-0 before losing to the Terriers. How did Boston manage such a feat? Well, they have the depth for sure, with 12 NHL prospects filling out their roster, but perhaps none shined more brightly this season than their record-breaking freshman defenseman Lane Hutson. Lane, who the Montreal Canadiens took with their second-round pick this past off-season, came to the Terriers this year with much acclaim; only no one could fathom how much of a force this diminutive defenseman would prove to be. Bursting onto the scene this year Hutson (with the help of his teammates) was able to surpass Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox’s numbers for a defenseman in his first year of competition in the NCAA by more than eight points right now with games still in hand. That’s why with point totals like that, I think it’s safe to say BU wouldn’t be where they are today if it was not for this young man. Look for the team to run the offense through him as they try to take down the boys from Minnesota, EH?
Michigan
Next up is the heavily favored University of Michigan, who made it back to the Frozen Four after losing to the reigning champions, the University of Denver, last season. To do so, they had to defeat all others coming once again out of the Allentown Regionals, which was played out of the PPL Center in Pennsylvania. This year that meant taking down both Colgate and the local favorite, the Penn State Nitty Lions. The Wolverines were able to do so by relying heavily on the 12 players on their roster that NHL clubs have previously drafted, as well as newcomers Adam Fantilli- a freshman who led all collegiate players in points this season with (64) and who is potentially going to be one of the top three prospects taken this summer. Then not to be out down was former Brooks Bandit standout star TJ Hughes who scored 66 goals and 127 points last year in the Alberta Junior Hockey League before coming to Ann Arbor this season. With such depth, including three first-round picks already on their roster, there’s no doubt a betting man would be wise to put his money on Big Blue to win it all. The only question is whether all those stars can set aside their selfish quest for point totals for the team’s betterment.
Quinnipiac
While the other teams in this tournament depend on big-name recruits who are here today and signed to an NHL contract the next, Quinnipiac relies on their legendary head coach Rand Pecknold’s defensively responsible systems to win games. And why not? They have played a big part in him winning close to 600 NCAA games. With roughly only 6,000 students total annually attending this quaint Connecticut place of higher learning compared to that of, say, Michigan’s student body of over 32,000. Quinnipiac does not simply have the luxury of throwing millions of former alums or boosters bucks at players they wish to recruit. Instead, Coach Pecknold sets out every year to find unknown unselfish players he feels will be committed to playing the game the right way and will not leave in a year’s time. In doing so, he has built a true team who have become giant killers over the last two to three seasons playing together. To prove my point, the Bobcats had to best both Merrimack College and THE Ohio State in the Bridgeport Regionals to get the chance to play in the Frozen Four this year. And perhaps no one player on this roster is more responsible for their success than their elite goaltender Yaniv Perets. He is a 23-year-old undrafted free agent who not only led the nation in wins this year with 32, shutouts with ten, but in goals against as well, with a 1.46 average to his credit this season. While not as flashy as other teams on this list, Quinnipiac has become just fine with winning games 1-0 or 2-1 behind the phenomenal play of their goaltender. The only question for them is can Perets continue to dominate the opposition in this tournament like the ones he did previously, despite this one having multiple future NHL All-Stars peppering him with shots for the entire 60 minutes of play?
Ultimately, anyone of these four teams has played well enough this year to deserve the honor of being named National Champions. So, as we now wait with bated breath for this tournament to commence, we are left with nothing but the thought of whether it will be Minnesota’s high-powered offense, BU’s historic record-breaking defenseman, Michigan’s plethora of top-end talent, or Quinnipiac’s elite goaltending that will ensure they come out on the other end victorious?
NHL Teams should look to add depth by signing any of these NCAA Undrafted Free Agents
(Rob Rasmussen/Quinnipiac Athletics)
As the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) season begins to draw to a close, NHL teams should look to add depth to their organization by signing some of these promising scholars. How can they do that? Well, the NCAA is a place where undrafted free agents tend to go sometimes as nothing more than Walk On’s to prove themselves after not being drafted. Once on campus, these late bloomers are given an opportunity to attend classes and gain an education by day; by night, they are given the shot to show the NHL clubs that passed them by that they made a mistake. They do so by going head-to-head against some of the top prospects in the game today. Some of those players this season included Arizona’s 2022 3rd overall pick Logan Cooley who plays for Minnesota; the Devils’ 2021 4th overall pick Luke Hughes of Michigan; and the Flyers’ 2022 5th overall selection Cutter Gauthier who plays for Boston College. By being afforded this chance to prove themselves on sometimes a nationally televised stage, these prospects that have been once overlooked get a second attempt at making their dream of becoming a professional athlete come true.
That said, here is a list of players I think have proven themselves deserving of such a chance this season.
Jason Polin- Western Michigan
To start this list, I could think of no one better than the NCAA’s leading goal scorer, 23-year-old Jason Polin of Western Michigan University. Standing at 6’0 and 198 pounds, this senior was named captain of the Broncos this year, to which he has worn that C with pride. As all true leaders do, Jason took his game to the next level; this season by just about matching his combined goal and point totals from his previous three seasons. In 38 games played this year, Polin has scored a league-leading 29 goals and 17 assists for 46 points (1.21 points per game) while maintaining a +27 average. Now, why should prospecting NHL teams sign this 23-year-old who is still playing in the collegiate ranks you may be asking? With his strong play and incredibly hard shot, Polin has shown that he can be entrusted to be a finisher of sorts. And what team doesn’t need a player who can put the puck in the back of the net?
Hunter McKown- Colorado College
Next up on our list is a true late bloomer named Hunter McKown, who currently plays for Colorado College. McKown is a 20-year-old forward who left the United States National Development team a few years back with much left to be desired. Once in Colorado Springs, though, that all seemed to change. No longer buried by the sure talent that suited up for the Red, White, and Blue on any given night, McKown was finally able to grow his game as a Tiger—scoring 21 goals and seven assists for 28 points this season. Thank goodness Hunter did, as he has managed to be not only Colorado’s leading goal and point-getter this year (by a long shot) but has played well enough to be tied for 7th in goals in the entire NCAA. So, what’s so special about McKown that teams should be willing to sign him to a contract at the end of the season? Besides Hunter’s NHL size at 6’1, 205 pounds, he has exhibited that he is a true power play specialist scoring 12 of his 19 goals this season on the PP. While most of the others came by way of the shoot-out, another formidable tool that struggling NHL clubs should be looking to add to win a couple of extra games next season.
Collin Graf- Quinnipiac
Continuing with our current streak of impressive forwards, we add to it the 6’0 181 pound versatile playmaker Collin Graf of Quinnipiac University. After a sub-par season playing for Union College last year, Graf thought it was time for a change of scenery. So off to Connecticut, he went. But I bet he did not know just how good of a decision that would prove to be, as he is now playing in just his sophomore season for the Bobcats; Graf has been heating up as of late. Scoring six goals and 12 assists for 18 points in just his last ten games. With that latest stretch of games, Collin finds his point totals only trailing that of this summer’s potential top-three pick Adam Fantilli of Michigan. Graf’s deceptive ability to get in behind his opposition defense and impressive shot have been the critical factors to him averaging near a point and a half a game this year! Putting it all together 20 goals, an NCAA-leading 35 assists, a sum of 55 points on the season, and him being able to do all that while maintaining a +28 average you can start to see why NHL clubs would be wise to sign this young responsible player sooner rather than later.
Ryan McAllister- Western Michigan
While this next player may be a newcomer to the NCAA, this freshman forward has been on this writer’s radar for years. Ryan McAllister, the former Brooks Bandit alum who torched the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) for 57 goals and 82 assists for 139 points last season; came to Western Michigan already with a championship mentality, seeing that he had just finished a year in which he won the AJHL’s Inter Pipeline Cup and won the Ernie Love Trophy (for leading the league in points). He was named both the league’s regular season MVP and the playoff MVP, then went on to win Canada’s National Junior Championship, the Centennial Cup, along with being named that tournament’s MVP. So, it came as no surprise to this writer when McAllister was able to get off to a blazing hot start this year by leading all of college hockey in points for most of the season; before teams began to see him as a genuine threat and keep multiple men in his vicinity at all times. Now, I was lucky enough to have Ryan join me on my podcast “Prospect Watch” earlier in the year (which you can view below), and I have to tell you somebody better sign this 21-year-old before he spends the next 10-15 years playing in their division in the NHL and making them regret it. Because even if he commits to playing for WMU again next year, best believe his totals of 13 goals and 35 assists for 48 points will only multiply.
Jake Livingstone- Minnesota State
Moving to defense, we focus on Jake Livingstone of Minnesota State University. Jake is a 6’3 205, pound defender who has had NHL clubs drooling for years now, and for good reason. Through a combined 110 career games played for the Mankato, Livingstone has shown that he can both bring the offense by scoring a total of 80 points as well as proving he is, in fact, defensible responsible by maintaining a career +54 average. So as these videos will further prove my point Livingstone, I believe will be able to offer any professional team that signs him the best of both worlds.
Yaniv Perets- Quinnipiac
Regarding goaltending, other writers and scouts maybe head over heels for a guy like Maine’s 6’4, 205-pound goalie Victor Ostman. But this guardian of the blue paint turned writer is here to tell you there’s more to goaltending than size alone. Ostman is in his third season playing in the NCAA, and his combined goals-against-average during that time is a very uninspiring 3.03, and still worse is the fact that he has only managed to win 33% of the games he’s played in. Yaniv Perets of Quinnipiac, on the other hand, has led all starting goaltenders the past two seasons in goals against with a 1.17 G.A.A. average last year and a 1.52 G.A.A. this year. On top of that, over the last two seasons, while playing for the Bobcats, Perets has won an astonishing 76% of the games he’s played in! Still not impressed? Well, maybe you will be after I tell you 20 of his 52 NCAA victories have come by way of a shutout! After attending the Philadelphia Flyers Development Camp earlier in the year, I was able to catch up with Yaniv, and he did not disappoint. If signed, this 23-year-old goaltender could immediately step into the NHL this season and not only win games but take over a team’s net for the next 10-15 seasons, making them a true contender.
While some NHL organizations may be too distracted with them being in the midst of their latest perennial playoff runs, struggling teams who just sold off all of their assets at the trade deadline to try to start a rebuild would be wise to get a kick start their overhaul by signing one of these ready to go undrafted free agents who could potentially step into their NHL lineup the day after their collegiate season is over. Thus, negating the need to wait two or three years before someone’s game, they are drafting this summer matures.
Prospect Watch: Top Five Defensemen available in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft
Welcome back to our continuation of the top five players available at every position in the upcoming draft. Previously we have covered centers, wings, and goaltenders.
So, the only position left to talk about is the blueliners, better known as defensemen. Now, what attributes teams consider in determining whether one defenseman is better than another has all become relative to the type of defender they are looking for. Some NHL executives may be looking for more of an old school defensively responsible defenseman like the great Larry Robinson, whose career +722 average helped him hoist the Stanley Cup on six separate occasions. Others may prefer one more offensive-minded, like the legendary Ray Bourque, who netted 410 goals in his career. Not saying that one type is better than the other it just depends on what type a general manager may need or want to add to his club at the present time. I’m an old goaltender, so I like my defensemen to take care of things in their own end before they go jumping up into the play in the offensive zone. Remember, a player can score 50 goals a year, but if he’s on the ice when his opponent scores 60, is he really being that effective?
Keeping that philosophy in mind, I constructed this list of the following players.
5. Luca Cagnoni
The first player on my list comes from the Western Hockey League’s (WHL’s) Portland Winterhawks, and his name is Luca Cagnoni. Luca is an 18-year-old left-hand shot defender who stands at just 5’10 and weighs 172 pounds. With this season being Cagnoni’s third in the WHL, he has more than proven that he can excel at both ends of the ice. For example, offensively, Luca is scoring at a rate of 1.00 points per game (P.P.G.), totaling 15 goals and 45 assists for 60 points in 60 games played. What may be more impressive, though, is what he has been able to do defensively, considering the talent he faces on a nightly basis in the WHL. Through 133 total regular season games played with the Winterhawks, Cagnoni has averaged a career +45. Because of these traits mentioned, Luca is projected by many to hear his name called in the second round. So, if this two-way defender can hit the gym and get a little stronger in the future, he has the chance to be a top-four defender in the NHL.
4. Lukas Dragicevic
Is a 17-year-old right-hand-shot defenseman who currently is playing in the WHL for the Tri-City Americans. He is 6’2 and 181 pounds and is on this list purely because of his offensive abilities. Throughout 61 games played this season, Lukas has scored 15 goals and an incredible 53 assists to achieve 68 points. Folks, that’s a defenseman who is scoring at a rate of 1.11 points per game right now! From his long outlet passes, he puts right on the tape of a teammate in full stride. To his ability to cycle the puck in the offensive zone, I guarantee you Dragicevic’s skill set has more than one NHL executive dreaming of what he could do on his franchise’s power play unit right now. The only problem is Lukas has to learn when to go and when to stay at home, seeing that he, unlike others on this list, is a minus player. And once again, I reiterate it doesn’t matter how many points you score if you’re out on the ice when the other team scores more.
3. Etienne Morin
In the third slot, I have possibly my favorite defender in this draft, 18-year-old Etienne Morin. Morin, who is also expected to go in the second round this summer, plays for the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He is another responsible left-hand shot two-way defender who excels at both ends of the ice, but where his game differs from Cagnoni’s is that Etienne can bring the physical aspect. You wouldn’t know that from looking at him, seeing that he’s only 6’0 and 183 pounds, but I bet if you asked the opposition’s winger who is having trouble skating back to the bench after colliding with him at the blue line, they would swear to you it felt as though they were just hit by their team bus. But, as impressive as Etienne’s open-ice hip checks in the defensive zone are, he has shown that he can also get it done in the offensive zone by filling up the stat sheet. Morin has recorded 17 goals, and 40 assists for 57 points in 60 games played this season. All while averaging a +21. With all these intangibles at his disposal, it’s no surprise that Morin’s name has been shooting up teams’ draft boards this season.
2. David Reinbacher
Next up on my list is the 18-year-old Austrian-born David Reinbacher. Standing at 6’2 and 187 pounds, this coveted right-hand-shot defender has been impressive this year playing for the EHC Kloton in Switzerland’s National League (top pro league). A kid who is holding his own playing against men, Reinbacher has demonstrated that he is not afraid to use his size to his advantage. Whether it be to knock his opponents off the puck, matching his forward’s stride for stride as he joins them on the rush, or unloading an accurate shot on net that the goaltender will still feel after the game, David has proven he belongs at the pro level, and thus will likely get selected somewhere in the later part of the first round of the NHL Draft this summer.
1. Axel Sandin Pellikka
Finally, we’ve arrived at who I think is the top consensus defenseman available in the draft, Axel Sandin Pellikka. Pellikka is an 18-year-old right-hand-shot blueliner in Sweden’s top professional league, the SHL. He is 5’11 and 181 pounds and is signed to play for the Skelleftea AIK until the end of the 24/25 season. Now, while Axel’s SHL’s stats of two goals and three assists for five points in 22 games played may not look that impressive compared to others on this list. His point totals from him playing in the J20 (the top junior league in Sweden) do. Before moving up to play in the SHL, this season, Pellikka was dominating the J20 by scoring 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in just 28 games. Paired with that 1.17 points per game pace in juniors, he maintained a +16 average. You may be asking what traits Axel has over the other talented young players on this list. He has the hands and accuracy that very few skilled forwards in the NHL have right now. So much so that if he was implemented into an NHL team’s roster today, I assure you he would be taking a veteran’s place in the shootout if the game went to overtime.
Again, this list was constructed based on my own preferences and biases. Each one of these players has distinct characteristics that certain clubs are looking for. Feel free to let me know which player from this list is your favorite. I’m sure, despite the order I choose to rank them in, it will not matter soon enough, as I can almost guarantee they all will make excellent pros in the years to come.
The Flyers need to get rid of the Old Guard
With management serving up yet another trade deadline folly, the fans of the Philadelphia Flyers have had enough! With teams around the league making significant moves for the better part of two weeks before the deadline Chuck Fletcher (the Flyers’ General Manager) set idle. He did so while playoff contenders acquired player after player they felt would improve their team’s chances at hoisting the Stanley Cup this season. For example, the New York Rangers went for broke, giving up all kinds of assets to add aging superstars like Patrick Kane from the Blackhawks and Vladimir Tarasenko from the Blues.
But the buyers weren’t the only ones improving their team’s outlook. Many sellers (teams considered out of the running for the postseason) were able to unload their impending free agents or unwanted contracts to gain draft capital and/or other teams up and coming prospects to get a head start on their potential rebuilds. One of the teams that were able to plunder away the best treasures at the deadline was the Chicago Blackhawks. Who over the subsequent three drafts has the possibility (with all the conditional picks they acquired) to select seven first-round talents. Make eight second-round selections, and have a total of five third-rounders. Folks, I don’t know about you, but with all those draft picks at their disposal, they are bound to build back another dynasty team sooner rather than later.
When you compare that to what the Flyers were able to do by trading Patrick Brown to Ottawa for a 6th-round pick. Giving away fan favorite Zac MacEwen to the Kings for Brendan Lemieux and a ’24 5th-round pick and sending Isaac Ratcliffe to the Predators for future considerations, you can begin to see why Philadelphia has been stuck in mediocrity for so long now.
But their troubles go well beyond Chuck’s inability to unload an impending free agent like James van Riemsdyk, who has scored 20+ goals seven times in his career (with one of those times being last year when he finished the season with a team-high 24 lamp lighters). Their problems are so deeply rooted that they date back to the beginning of their existence. Since their induction into the league, the Flyers have been known as a team that takes care of their players. This includes even after they hang up the skates for the last time, which on its face sounds amazing right? Not necessarily. Like no other team in the NHL, the Philadelphia Flyers have shown no shame in their corrupt practices of nepotism. Time and time again, the powers at be for the Flyers have seen to it that their friends and former teammates are gifted a job opportunity over a more qualified candidate from outside the organization. Now, I know what you’re thinking both head coach John Tortorella and GM Chuck Fletcher are from outside the organization, right? Sure, they are, but just like in politics, sometimes the people who appear to be in some of the most powerful positions, are but figureheads or puppets. In the Flyers case, the puppeteers or real shot callers are none other than former Flyers greats Bob Clarke (who is currently an executive and/or senior advisor to the Flyers), Paul Holmgren (who is a senior advisor to Dave Scott), and Bill Barber (who is a senior advisor and scouting consultant for the Flyers). These three men (all of which) who haven’t even played professional hockey in close to 40 years are the real powers that be. The ones who have been around the organization SO LONG that they have become consiglieres of sorts. But my question is, why do they still hold this mafia-type control over the team when the league as a whole has changed so much from when the Bullies ruled the ice?
In their day, teams filled their rosters with knuckle draggers who would beat their opponents into submission. Now, teams are built on the premise of skill using new in-depth hockey analytics that helps competent executives find affordable role players to fill their salary cap-restricted rosters. Something that the Flyers’ old guard knows nothing about. Hence the reason why Philadelphia has been so unsuccessful since the league’s implementation of said salary cap back in the 2005-2006 season.
This fear of the unknown has resulted in the team’s blind hiring of people in key positions for their franchise. People like 64-year-old Kjell Samuelsson, a former Flyers player who, since the moment he retired some 24 years ago, has been gifted jobs within the organization anywhere from an assistant coach with the Phantoms to his current role of being the Director of Player Development.
Or how about Dave Brown, a former Flyers tough guy who, over parts of 22 seasons, has held at one time or another the position of Assistant Coach, Director of Player Personnel, and or Director of Professional Scouting. As Coaches and GM’s came and went for the team, who could fathom that these two men would be allowed to hold onto these titles for that long despite Philadelphia being viewed among the league’s worst in scouting and player development? The old guard, that’s who. A bunch of old men who would rather see the team they claim to love so much falter year after year so that their old linemates are not without a job.
Now, as much as I would like to say that is where the systemic nepotism ends within the Flyers organization, I would be lying. It is SO deep-rooted that Danny Briere had his current job of Special Assistant to the GM made up for him. Both former Flyers Ian Laperriere and Jason Smith find themselves coaching the Phantoms. And there’s a laundry list of nostalgic players of old now inked to be player development coaches: Sami Kapanen, Sam Morin, Nick Schultz, and Chris Stewart, to name a few. Something has to change! While it is a nice gesture, it has not been conducive to the team winning championships. Operating with the same stagnant thought processes that they had since the late 60’s, and early 70’s is precisely why the Flyers haven’t been able to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup in the last 48 years. So, until ownership realizes they need to drain the swamp by cutting ties with their good old boys. Get used to the mediocrity, as the Flyers will continue to leave you wanting something more when they make future “massive moves” like trading for Brendan Lemieux at the deadline.
Contenders continue to add pieces for their Playoff Push as the Flyers sit Idle.
The NHL Trade Deadline is Friday, March 3rd, 2023, at 3:00 pm. And yet again, it would appear as though the Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher seems content waiting around for the action to come to him rather than doing his due diligence by picking up the phone and trying to SELL his less-than-desirable impending unrestricted free agents to a contending team.
While Chuck has been sitting on his hands pondering if his team should be buyers or sellers these past few days. Multiple playoff hopefuls have been paying other seller dwellers a premium to make deal after deal to acquire players that they feel will help them make a run at the Stanley Cup. Leaving the Flyers with fewer and fewer teams that will be willing to still make a deal with them come Friday.
Other floundering teams haven’t seemed to have a problem with this kind of indecisiveness because they understand that the early bird gets the worm. The Chicago Blackhawks realized their dynasty, in which Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were a big part of bringing the franchise three Stanley Cups together, is ending. Thus, they have been busy making deals to get an early start on a full rebuild. The Blackhawks already have garnered themselves a 2nd rd. pick this year, a conditional 1st in 2025, and a 2nd & 4th round pick in 2026. This is coming even before Patrick Kane’s imminent move to the New York Rangers.
How about Nashville? After announcing that he would be retiring at the season’s end, Predators GM David Poile was able to restock the cupboards after receiving quite the haul from the Lightning in exchange for their gritty forward Tanner Jeannot. Poile talked Tampa Bay into giving up defensive prospect Cal Foote, a top ten protected 1st in 2025, 2024 2nd, and their 2023 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks for Tanner. As well, as a 2nd in ’24 from Winnipeg for Nino Niederreiter
The Blues, who seemed to fall from grace after last season’s success, obtained two first-round picks in 2023, a 2nd in 2024, a 3rd in ’23, and a 4th in 2024 for Vladimir Tarasenko (NYR) and Ryan O’Reilly (Tor.)
All these teams mentioned above will be better for years to come for what they have already been able to accomplish. Meanwhile, the Flyers only move thus far has been to ship out a failed prospect in Isaac Ratcliffe to the Nashville Predators for future considerations. Hardly compares, right?
As for the dwindling number of teams willing to make a trade when the Flyers finally see fit to do so, all I can say is that list has only diminished that much more over the course of my writing this article. The Carolina Hurricanes, who sit atop the Metro Division, just acquired Jesse Puljujarvi from the Edmonton Oilers. Toronto added defenseman Jake McCabe from Chicago and paid dearly for center Ryan O’Reilly from the Blues. As previously mentioned, the Lightning got their guy in Tanner Jeannot from the Predators. The Devils pulled off a heck of a trade for Timo Meier, previously of the Sharks. Colorado added defensive depth from Chicago in the form of Jack Johnson. The Golden Knights picked up Ivan Barbashev from the Blues. The Stars got Evgenii Dadonov from the Canadiens. The Jets picked up Nino Niederreiter from the Preds. Boston pulled off a couple of deals that saw them add Shane Bowers from the Avalanche and Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway from the Caps. The Rangers have already seen Vladimir Tarasenko play for them, who they got in a deal with St. Louis, and the Islanders picked up captain Bo Horvat from the Canucks.
Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, while all these trades were taking place, Uncle Chuck debated whether he should get rid of a guy like Nick Seeler, a 29-year-old third-pairing defenseman. To which I would want to ask him why this was even a question. Although, Nick has proven to be rather serviceable with his physical play and ability to lineup on both the right and the left side. If a team was interested in him, then by all means, move him for a future asset. The Flyers have defensemen who can easily take his spot in Ronnie Attard who made the AHL All-Star Team, and Egor Zamula, who has been chomping at the bit to receive an extended look at the NHL level. The Flyers have Ethan Sampson and Emil Andrae ready to take their place on the Phantoms’ blue line next year.
All I have to say is that this organization had better acquire some future assets by ridding themselves of expiring and/or bad contracts in the next few days. If they don’t, the Flyers fanbase will be ready to give up on the team for the year and tune into something more exciting, like Phillies Spring Training Games or the Sixers fighting to make the Playoffs.
Prospect Watch: Top Five Goalies in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft
As the NHL Entry Draft looms ever closer, I thought it would be wise to list my top five players from each position who will be available to be selected this June. In this particular article, I will name my top five guardians of the blue paint. Now, we all know goalies are a special breed and thus take a little longer to develop than most other positions. I mean, even the great Marc-Andre Fleury, who was taken #1 overall in 2003, was sent down to Jr’s his first year and played parts of three seasons in the AHL before becoming one of the most dominant goaltenders of all time. Because of this, you’ll find that over the years, most teams find their future franchise goaltender late in the draft. For instance, Hall of famer Dominik Hasek wasn’t selected until the 10th round back in 1983. Or how about Henrik Lundqvist, who the Rangers took in the 7th round in 2000.
So, I guess what I’m saying is after playing this position for over thirty years and spending a good deal of time giving back to the game by coaching the youth who are brave enough to strap on the pads. I would suggest teams forget about the current position trend or who “experts” say is the most NHL-ready and look at their overall game. Does this player excel at just a few things and still have glaring holes in other areas? How they prepare for a start. Do they arrive late and rush to get dressed to get out on the ice, or are they there hours before a game stretching or running through the opposition’s tendencies as they envision themselves making those stops? Or even something as easy as scouting how they can rebound after a bad outing. Will their confidence be shot, so they carry it over to the next game? Or can they shake it off and come out and be that solid backstop you need them to be?
That’s why, considering all these factors, I must warn you my list WILL defer from others out there. For instance, you will not see Michael Hrabal on this list seeing that I believe the league as a whole has developed an unhealthy fascination with goalies who have more size than skill. Hrabal, who currently plays for the United States Hockey League’s (USHL’s) Omaha Lancers, is predicted by most so-called experts to be the first goalie to be taken off the board in the upcoming draft, primarily because he stands 6’6 and weighs in at 209 pounds. These attributes may have some teams drooling, but not this writer. Hrabel is averaging well over three goals a game and maintaining a sub .900 save percentage (SV%), leading him to a record of just six wins, ten losses, and four overtime losses in the USHL. So, with that being said, let’s base this list on pure skill alone, shall we?
5th Jacob Fowler
In my option, the fifth-best goalie in this upcoming NHL draft is Jacob Fowler, a Florida native who is currently 18 years of age and stands at 6’2 and 201 pounds. If you haven’t heard of him before, you can find Jacob suiting up on a nightly basis for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms, where he has repeatedly proven that he is both positionally sound and has one of the best glove hands in this draft. This season Fowler has played in 30 games where he has averaged a respectable 2.36 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .921 save percentage (SV%). This has earned him a record of 18-8-3 so far, with 5 of those wins coming by way of a shutout. For his efforts, Jacob will be attending Boston College next season to play for the Eagles. I believe Fowler will get drafted in the later rounds this summer but will develop relatively quickly in the fast-paced NCAA next season.
4th Adam Gajan
At number four, I have the 18-year-old Slovakian goaltender Adam Gajan. Measuring between 6’3- 6’4 and 176 pounds, Gajan is getting accustomed to the North American style game while playing for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL. Where in 6 games played, he holds a record of 5-1-0. Through those six games, Adam has managed to maintain a 2.48 GAA and a .906 SV%. Something that the University of Minnesota-Duluth will be happy to hear, seeing that he is committed to playing for them next season. Now, most people have Gajan ranked much higher on their list because of his recent success playing for his native country at this past World Juniors. I am more worried about his struggles back home when asked to move up to the Slovakia 2 league, his country’s third-tier pro league. The sign of most elite prospects coming from European nations is that they have been able to dominate the junior ranks to the point that their club has called them up to the pro level as early as, say, 16 or 17 years old. When Gajan was asked to do so on occasion throughout two different seasons, his goals-against-average sky rocketed into the double digits each time. Now, Adam is on this list for a reason why he may not yet be ready to play professionally; he has shown he can outshine players his own age like he did when playing in that game against Team Canada at the WJC. Adam’s willingness to never give up on a play and ability to react only after the shooter has decided to send the puck his way will easily move him into being named a team’s top goaltending prospect in just a few years.
3rd Calvin Vachon
This next goalie is possibly my favorite on this list. A hidden gem in my mind who is currently tucked away up in Faribault, Minnesota, playing for a little Preparatory High School named Shattuck St. Mary’s. A team who brought you such players as Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Zach Parise, and defenseman Jack Johnson. His name is Calvin Vachon, a classically trained goaltender with a fantastic pedigree of his own. Calvin is the grandson of Hall of Fame goaltender Rogie Vachon, who you may remember being a dominant force for the Los Angeles Kings back in the 70s. In fact, Calvin has been so good for such a long time that you might be able to get away with calling him a bit of a phenom seeing that he has been putting up jaw-dropping numbers since he was 13 years old. For example, back in 2018-2019, while playing for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings 13U AAA Team, Calvin posted an unfathomable goals-against-average of just 0.59, which he paired with a .902 save percentage through an incredible 57 games played. Now, some time has passed, and Calvin has to play much more challenging opponents, but still, he sees success. Calvin has six shutouts through 23 GP this year and is a perfect 18-0-0. While at the same time averaging 2.04 G.A.A. and a .927 SV%. Because of where he plays, a team that either reads this article or does their own due diligence, I believe, will be able to grab Vachon late in the draft and thus get a goalie who could develop over a couple of seasons into one of the next great American goaltenders.
2nd. Kenneth Trey Augustine
At number two, I have another American-born goaltender, Kenneth Trey Augustine. This Michigan native, who stands at 6’1 and 180 pounds, backstops the United States National Development Program (USNPDT), and man, what a job he has done for them with a combined record of 23-0-2 this year. What’s great for scouts and teams alike when they look at a player from this team is that you get to see what they look like against both NCAA and USHL teams seeing that their schedule has them playing a mixture of teams from both leagues. When you combine Trey’s stats from this season when playing in those different leagues, you’ll see that he has allowed just 2.12 goals a game and has been able to average a .936 SV%. To add to that remarkable season, Augustine was naturally selected to play for Team USA in the World Junior Championships a few months ago, where over six games, he averaged a 2.85 GAA and a .891 SV%, receiving a bronze medal for his efforts. If it wasn’t for Team Canada and that darn Connor Bedard, he may have been able to remain undefeated on the season, but instead, he had to settle for going 4-1-0 in the tournament. After being drafted this summer, Trey is already committed to playing for Michigan State University next season, where he will be able to continue to hone his game before getting his chance to one day play in the NHL.
1st. Scott Ratzlaff
I have Scott Ratzlaff of the Western Hockey Leagues Seattle Thunderbirds at number one. Scott, who is 17 years old, stands at 6’1, and weighs in at 172 pounds, has had to play probably one of the most demanding schedules of any goaltender on this list. Night in and night out over the last three seasons, he has had to face multiple players who will be drafted within the top fifteen players this summer. Guys like the consensus number one pick Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats, Zach Benson of the Winnipeg Ice, Andrew Cristall of the Kelowna Rockets, Riley Heidt of the Prince George Cougars, and Brayden Yager of the Moose Jaw Warriors, to name a few. In doing so, he not only won most contests against those great talents but has managed to maintain a league-leading 2.03 goals-against-average and accrued a league-leading five shutouts. Such play has seen him be rewarded the honor of playing for his country this season in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he was able to go undefeated, finishing the tournament a perfect 4-0-0, with two of those wins coming by way of a shutout. His play allowed him to finish with a tournament-best 0.50 GAA and a .976 SV%. Scott has accomplished all these feats by being one of the quickest reaction goalies out of this draft.
On top of that, after he has made a save, it’s obvious his goalie coach has been able to drill into his head not to stay on the ice and flop around. But instead, he effortlessly returns to his feet without ever taking his eyes off the play. All of which should make a scout’s mouth water.
So, why this draft has been said to be chalked full of offensive talent I’m here to tell you that there is depth in the crease as well. There are netminders that teams will be able to select at the beginning, middle, and end of the draft who will all have the chance to develop into everyday NHL players.
One Impending UFA the Flyers should try and sign this summer.
With the Philadelphia Flyers in the middle of yet another disappointing season, I thought it would be wise to get an early start and suggest an obtainable Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) that the team’s General Manager, Chuck Fletcher, should look to sign this offseason. Now, for those who don’t know me, I’m not like most writers who would have you spend the next five minutes reading about how the Flyers should go out this offseason and sign a player like Boston’s UFA David Pastrnak or Detroit’s 26-year-old UFA Captain Dylan Larkin, who have reportedly been looking to sign deals that will pay them north of $9 million a season.
I live in reality. Even with players like James van Riemsdyk and his $ 7 million cap hit coming off the books this year, the Flyers will be cap-strapped next season. We can thank Uncle Chuck for this, with him handing out extravagant contracts to forwards like the often injured Sean Couturier, who carries a $7.75 million average annual value (A.A.V.) for the next seven years. Kevin Hayes, whose due to make another $7.1 million for the next three years. How about Fletcher’s folly of agreeing to pay a then-21-year-old Joel Farabee a sum of $5 million for the next six years instead of offering him a more reasonable bridge deal until he could prove his true worth? Let’s not forget about the defense, with Provorov due to make $6.75 million for the next three seasons. Chuck recently resigned Travis Sanheim to an eight-year $50 million deal that starts next season, making the team responsible for paying Travis $6.25 million for the majority of the next decade. Remember when Fletcher traded away our first-round pick to acquire a defenseman in Rasmus Ristolainen? A player who to date holds a career -170 average, and to top that, him thinking it was an excellent idea to re-sign him to a five-year deal that pays him over $ 5 million a season for the duration. Or better yet, when Fletcher acquired an injury-prone Ryan Ellis who only played in four games for Philadelphia before sustaining a career-ending injury. A player now considered to be nothing more than a $6.25 million dead cap hit for the next four seasons.
So, with all that money already tied up in questionable deals, it is imperative that IF the Flyers wish to go out this off-season and obtain a free agent that they feel will help them moving forward, they have no other choice but to get it right. One player I think could provide the offense they currently lack and should still be able to fit within their cap restraints is winger Michael Bunting of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Who? You may be asking. Michael is a former 4th-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes who now stands at 6’0 tall and 192 pounds. As with most late-round selections, he took a little longer to develop. But after showing some potential in the 2020-2021 season while playing for the Coyotes, he was quickly snatched up in free agency by Toronto, where Michael has continued to develop his game. This previously unknown 27-year-old talent has been playing on their top line with Auston Matthews and William Nylander for some time now. Last season while still being considered a rookie, Bunting led all first-year players in points with 63! To the sum of 23 goals and 40 assists while maintaining a +27 average. Beyond his own stats, Bunting was able to aid Auston Matthews in netting 60 goals which allowed him to be awarded the Maurice Richard Trophy (an award given to the player who amasses the most goals in the NHL that season).
To prove his success last season wasn’t a fluke, Bunting has come out this year and continued to produce, playing the only way he knows how. Hard. While he may not be as talented as his current linemates, he does outwork them. During his time in Toronto, Michael has been known to play with an edge, whether it be winning board battles, crashing the net for a rebound, or standing in front of it for a deflection. Bunting has shown he has no problem doing whatever is needed of him to help his team win the game. Michael does this despite knowing his efforts will be downplayed by his teammate’s league-wide popularity. That doesn’t faze him, though; actually, I think he prefers it because while other teams are setting up game plans to stop some of his more notable teammates, Michael has managed to score 16 goals and 21 assists for 37 points this season. What’s possibly more impressive, though, is that he has been able to do all that while averaging a team-best +23 right now!
After reading all this, you may be saying that there’s no way Toronto would ever let a guy like that leave in free agency, but I don’t think they will have a choice. Bunting will be due a substantial raise from his current salary of just $950,000, and the Leafs are loaded with top-end talent, which, fortunately, the Flyers the Leafs have had to pay a substantial amount of money to retain. Toronto already has 49%, or $40.5 million, of their cap wrapped up into four forwards next season: Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. Then when you add to that the fact that the Leafs will need to re-sign their recently acquired St. Louis Blues center and captain Ryan O’Reilly next season (who they gave up multiple prospects and a slew of top draft selections for) along with their already 11 other roster players with expiring contracts this summer. It becomes evident that the Maple Leafs better hope their attempt at winning it all this season pays off.
With this newly acquired knowledge, Philadelphia should go into negotiations with Bunting’s agent this summer using Colorado’s 27-year-old winger Artturi Lehkonen’s contract as a reference, seeing that they both share the same goal and point totals right now. Lehkonen, who is the same age as Bunting, is signed to a five-year deal worth $22,500,000, so that would work out to Bunting making in the ballpark of $4.5 million a season. Securing Bunting into a similar arrangement would ensure that both Michael gets a much-needed raise and the Flyers don’t overpay for yet another player. Doing so would give Philadelphia a player whose hustle and work ethic make him a perfect fit for whatever line Tortorella puts him on. Then when the team’s top prospects like Cutter Gauthier and this year’s potential top ten pick join the big club in the coming years, Bunting will be there to ensure them a smooth and successful transition.
In my mind, this signing would be ideal. Sure, the team has other needs, some of which may even be more pressing than this one, but their current budget will not allow them to ink a top tier center or top pairing right-hand-shot defender in free agency this summer. Those needs are going to have to be fulfilled by either obtaining a proven prospect in a trade for their own impending free agents or through the draft itself.
Prospect Watch: Aiden Fink
Back again with another exciting prospect you should be keeping an eye on. His name is Aiden Fink, a 5’9 winger out of the Alberta Junior Hockey Leagues (AJHL’s) Brooks Bandits program who has been shooting up Mock Drafts as of late. I don’t know how he does it, but year after year, their General Manager/ Head Coach, Ryan Papaioannou, continues to find these diamond-in-the-rough type players that the more prominent Canadian Junior Leagues tend to overlook. But I assure you thanks to the success of former Bandits alums like Stanley Cup Champion Cale Makar, the NCAA’s Ryan McAllister, TJ Hughes, and Zach Bookman. Fink’s success this season should not go unnoticed by prospecting NHL clubs.
Especially since Fink currently leads the AJHL in goals, assists, total points, and points per game. Yes, you read that right. To put it mildly, Aiden has had quite the season thus far. In just 47 games played, he has tallied 33 goals and 52 assists for 85 points, which, if you do the math, equates to him scoring at a rate of 1.80 points per game right now (PPG)! With this kind of production and Fink still projecting to finish the season with 100 points, he should no doubt be drafted by an NHL club this summer before heading up to Madison to play for the University of Wisconsin next season (where he is already committed).
Now, there are many things to like about Aiden’s game: his skating, his above-average passing ability, and his high hockey IQ, but if I had to pick just one thing that has scouts drooling more than anything right now, it would be his ability to find twine from anywhere on the ice. A sniper who is always locked and loaded, Aiden tends to maneuver around with covert stealth-like precision eluding the opposition until he can unload a merciless shot past their unsuspecting netminder.
While Aiden’s diminutive size may inhibit him from being a 1st round selection this summer, that doesn’t mean his stock isn’t still steadily rising. With each passing game, more and more teams’ scouts are beginning to become captivated by what he can do out on the ice. This leads me to believe that if Fink continues to work hard and develop his game over the next few seasons under the tutelage of the Badgers’ Head Coach, Tony Granto, we will be sure to see him in an NHL jersey sooner rather than later.
Flyers, Enough is Enough, Chalk the Season up as a loss, and bring up the Kids Already!
After tonight’s loss to the New York Islanders (who were playing their backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov mind you), the Philadelphia Flyers find themselves ranked seventh in the Metropolitan Division. Winning just 21 games out of 52 played thus far. But sadly, the worst may still be to come. Unlike the last 10-15 games of their schedule, the team is no longer slated to play a bunch of fellow non-playoff-bound teams. Quite the opposite, actually. In the coming weeks, the Flyers will be forced to play the Edmonton Oilers, the red-hot Seattle Kraken, the New Jersey Devils, the New York Rangers, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Carolina Hurricanes. These teams are all loaded with the kind of superstar talent that the Flyers roster currently lacks.
Now, I don’t know about you, but if this team is destined to replicate the kind of season they gave us last year, then why not just bring up the kids from Lehigh now and get them some more NHL experience?
Think about it. Do you really want to tune in as the Flyers continue to dress players like their 35-year-old defenseman Justin Braun, who has gone scoreless in the 34 games he’s played in so far this season? Or would you rather see a 23-year-old defenseman in Ronnie Attard who just came back from representing the Phantoms this year at the AHL All-Star Game? I rather see the teams future get the chance to gain more experience at the highest level. I mean at least Attard, who was Philadelphia’s 2019 3rd-round pick plays aggressively and chooses to stand people up at the blue line instead of just letting them skate past him.
Or how about replacing the failed waiver wire acquisition of Kieffer Bellows in the lineup who has only managed to score one goal in the 15 games played so far with the Flyers? I know I would much rather see the team’s 2020 1st round pick Tyson Foerster. Besides, the move would make sense because Bellows is a left wing who is currently being forced to play his offside, and Foerster is a natural right winger. Tyson also recently returned from representing the Phantoms at the AHL All-Star game. After accruing a team-leading 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points in 44 games played before the break. If called up, the 21-year-old would bring more size and skill, seeing that he stands at 6’2 and 194 pounds and has possessed an NHL caliber shot since he was 16 years old.
While we’re at it, teams have already begun to trade players before the March 3rd trade deadline, so why not follow suit and get rid of pending unrestricted free agent winger James van Riemsdyk and the overpaid defenseman Ivan Provorov sooner rather than later? Both moves would free up cap space and provide prospects like Elliot Desnoyers and the 2022 NCAA leading scorer/National Champion Bobby Brink a chance to prove themselves at the NHL level. Both have been equally impressive playing in Lehigh Valley this season and could provide the pop that this team needs offensively.
Regarding replacing Provorov, Cam York would be up to the task on the first line, and Egor Zamula could be called up from the Phantoms to fill the vacant roster spot, giving him a chance to develop into a more permanent fixture.
Then finally, to complete the roster moves, they should recall the undefeated goaltender Samuel Ersson and get Felix Sandstrom an Uber back to Allentown. Sam, who went 5-0-0 with a team-best 2.37 goals-against-average and a .918 save percentage when called up to play for the Flyers in Carter Harts absence this season, left most fans stunned when they heard the news that management decided to send him back to the minors recently.
While these moves will by no way fix all the teams’ problems, they might be able to re-spark some deflated fans’ attention and allow these talented young prospects to develop their skills further at the highest level. This would enable the prospects mentioned above to gain valuable experience while simultaneously permitting the team to lose graciously in the pursuit of another game-changing prospect to pair with their top-five selection from last year’s draft Cutter Gauthier. Only then would Philadelphia be able to take a step forward in their quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
The Flyers Should trade their Impending UFA James van Riemsdyk to this Metropolitan Team
Let’s face it with the All-Star Break now upon us; the Flyers once again find themselves nothing more than a five-hundred team. They are winning just enough games to be out of the running for the chance to draft a game-changer like Connor Bedard or Adam Fantilli and not enough to make the playoffs.
So, what should they do? Well, the first of many things should be to trade away assets like winger James van Riemsdyk (JVR), an impending unrestricted free agent at the season’s end. Philadelphia would be wise to try and get something for him before he walks for nothing after just 31 more games. Now, while JVR may have never turned out to be the player the Flyers thought he would be when they selected him second overall back in 2007, he has proven to be productive over the years. For instance, he has scored 20 or more goals seven times in his career. He scored twenty-five or more goals four times in his career. Thirty or more twice and 35 or more once. On top of that, van Riemsdyk is a 33-year-old veteran with great size (6’3) and strength (208 pounds) that can offer great depth and experience to any playoff-contending team in need of his services.
In previous years, the Flyers have been rumored to have tried to move on from James, but his albatross of a contract hindered that. That’s why, now more than ever, it is imperative that they find a way to facilitate a deal because with van Riemsdyk in the last year of his five-year $35 million contract. His $7,000,000 cap hit should not be that hard of a sell to contending teams considering the Flyers can afford to retain 50% of his salary.
But it doesn’t make a trade imminent the Flyers General Manager Chuck Fletcher will still have to channel his best-used car salesman and peddle James to the right contending team. For JVR’s stats, this season (8 goals and 13 assists for 21 points) are a far cry from even his totals from last year when he led the Flyers in goals with 24.
The question then becomes, what playoff contender needs James the most? Now there are teams like Calgary, Dallas, and Washington who could use him, but the best fit in my mind would be the Carolina Hurricanes, and here’s why.
Despite losing players to free agency and normal roster turnover, over the years, the Hurricanes have found a way to remain a perennial playoff team, with this year being no different. Once again, Carolina currently finds themselves atop the Metropolitan Division, but lucky for the Flyers the Canes just found out some bad news. Fellow veteran left winger Max Pacioretty who was traded to Carolina by the Las Vegas Golden Knights, has just sustained the second tear of his right Achilles tendon. An injury that will likely put an end to his season, if not his career. Pacioretty, like van Riemsdyk, carries an expiring contract with a $7 million cap hit and was brought to Raleigh to try and add some much-needed veteran experience and guidance to a very youthful Hurricanes roster.
This gives the Flyers the perfect opportunity to unload the burden of JVR and his contract onto a very vulnerable Don Waddell, the Carolina Hurricanes General Manager. Who is probably still swallowing down a fist full of Tums or other antacids right now while contemplating what he will do after hearing the news of Pacioretty’s latest injury.
What’s that now? You don’t trust Fletcher to be able to get this type of deal done? Neither do I, so let’s break down what he should be asking for in return, shall we? The Hurricanes have been known to overpay for a rental at the deadline if they think that player can legitimately help their organization raise a Stanley Cup banner. Now, of course, the Flyers will be looking to acquire future assets, but in my mind, why ask for all draft picks? Even if you hit on one of them, that player could take up to three to five years to develop.
So, here are three enticing but obtainable assets that the Flyers might be able to pry away from the Hurricanes in a trade for van Riemsdyk.
The first is a 22-year-old German sharp shooting forward named Dominik Bokk. Bokk is a 6’2 181 pounder that was originally taken in the first round by the St. Louis Blues back in 2018. After being drafted, Bokk struggled to adjust to the North American-style game. Since then, Dominik has shown a resurgence in his development since taking his talents back to Germany to play in the DEL (Germany’s top professional league). This season Bokk is averaging over a point per game, with him already scoring 24 goals and 25 assists for 49 points in just 42 games played, which, if he can keep it up, projects him to reach totals of 30 goals and 32 assists for 62 points. Scoring isn’t the only part of his game that should be appealing to the Flyers, though. Bokk can get back and play defense as well, this being made evident by him being projected to finish this season with a +30 average.
If I were Fletcher, a second prospect I would be eager to ask about would be a Finnish forward named Ville Koivunen, a player whose mindset is always set to attack. Ville was drafted by the Hurricanes back in 2021 with their second-round pick. Since then, Koivunen has returned to his native country to play in the Liiga (Finland’s top professional league) and has managed to put up ten goals and eight assists for 18 points this season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaF96csgv5E
Last but most certainly not least, I would try an obtain 21-year-old Swedish forward Noel Gunler. He is a 6’2 176, pound forward who possesses the kind of lightning-quick release you can only see and appreciate while watching it in super slow motion on the arena’s big screen after he’s already done celebrating the goal. Gunler was selected by the Canes back in the second round of the 2020 draft and can be found currently playing for their American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. Where this season, he has been able to score eight goals and ten assists for 18 points. Where at the same time, he is projected to finish the season with 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points. The only thing is Noel still has yet to be taught the art of defense. There’s no question he can score on demand, but his -12 average this season shows that he allows his opponents to do so as well.
So, at the end of the day, the Flyers must regain future assets for JVR before his contract expires. Philadelphia does not wish to resign him, and letting him walk for nothing at the end of the season would be foolish. Therefore, with the Flyers looking as though they will not be making the playoffs again this year, they should take the opportunity to cash in on the Hurricanes’ misfortunes by gaining proven prospects that are projecting to be only a year or two away. Trading van Riemsdyk for one or more of these prospects listed above would also allow for some of the Flyers’ more NHL-ready prospects like Tyson Foerster, Elliot Desnoyers, and Bobby Brink to gain some much-needed experience playing at the highest level, which is a win-win any way you look at it.