There seems to be a lot of anguish out there (again) as to the Flyers choosing Samuel Morin with their 11th overall pick in the draft versus say, Ryan Pulock, who HB's Bill Meltzer felt might have been the second, best all-around d-men out there.
There were a ton of French-Canadian media around Morin and not just because he was from Quebec.
Turns out Canadiens' general manager Marc Bergevin tried to work a deal with Paul Holmgren to get his pick so they could pluck Morin.
I saw one website give the Flyers a "D" for Morin. I thought that was being far too harsh.
Historically, as bad as the Flyers have been in the draft AFTER the first round, they always get it right the first time. Simon Nolet has never steered them wrong with players from his territory in Quebec.
But I would take one step farther. If future Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger evaluates a soon-to-be 18-year-old kid and says he has the tools to be a big, mean, shutdown, angry d-man like himself, I'm going with Pronger.
Yes, the Flyers still need a guy to move the puck fluidly up ice, but they now have some very big, stay at home bodies on the back end, including Oliver Lauridsen, who played surprisingly well at the end of last season and was one of those shot-in-dark, 7th round picks in 2009, who had less going for him at the time than Morin.
Also, Craig Button has seen Morin for a couple years now and actually pegged him as the Flyers "real" interest to Bill months ago. Button had great things to say about this kid.
In my book, the Flyers took a "safe" guy who needs some two years worth of polish and will give them some great size when he finally gets here.
I'm OK with the pick. I like that they went after 4 defensemen. I think they wasted their 3rd rou nd pick on another Zac Rinaldo- do they need two in the organization? - but you know the Flyers do this every year in the draft. At least one of their picks fits their Bully image.
**
David Poile seemed to know something about Seth Jones falling long before any of us did. At the Team USA presser on Saturday to introduce Dan Bylsma as the men's coach for the Sochi Olympics, Poile kiddingly said to Florida GM Dale Tallon, 'you're not taking Jones, are you.'
And sure enough, Tallon didn't. Jones literally feel into the lap of Nashville. How fortunate this franchise has been to have a Ryan Suter, Shea Weber and now Seth Jones.
That said, the Preds haven't made it deep in the playoffs, either.
Jones had some interesting things to say at the draft:
Q. What do you know about the Predators in general and what did they say to you in the brief meeting you had with them?
SETH JONES: I didn't really have a meeting with them, but I know they have a pretty good D, Shea Weber, like I said, back there, and Mike Fisher. I think you guys just got Forsberg, traded for him, I believe. So I think there's a lot of potential there, so hopefully I can come in and help the team next year.
Q. What do you think about the prospects of playing with a guy like Weber?
SETH JONES: Unbelievable. He's one of the top defensemen in the League and he's been that way for so many years, and I think he's very experienced and he can help a guy like me, especially being so young, come in and really help the team.
Q. Does a situation like this make you want to prove the people who didn't pick you one, two or three wrong?
SETH JONES: Yeah, well, I'm competitive. I have a competitive nature and I get that from my parents. Yeah, you definitely want to prove them wrong and you definitely want to show them why they should have picked you. That's not my only goal next year, but it's definitely on my list.
Q. Are you surprised (inaudible)?
SETH JONES: I mean, not really. Yes and no, a little bit. You know, it's a business how it works, and that's what they thought they needed to win. You know, that's what they went with. Like I said, same with Colorado; you've got to respect their decision, you've got to respect Tampa's decision and Colorado's.
For full Flyer coverage of the draft, check out CSNPhilly.com:
click here 
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»