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#21: The Philadelphia Flyers Top-10 Prospects |
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Part 21 of the top-10 prospect per team series by Prospect Guru and CHL fanatic Brian Huddle and seemingly harsh judger Adam French is on the Philadelphia Flyers who if they had not made the moves for Schenn and the number 8 pick (Couturier) would very likely be last on this list. Luckily for them they got two very elite prospects in return.
1.
Sean Couturier, Center,
Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL,
8th overall, 2011, 18 years old,
6’3, 198.
A highly skilled hard working two-way center Couturier is a package any team would welcome on their team. Couturier protects the puck extremely well and is very good in and around the net. He has a very hard shot and is a talented playmaker (Shooter first). He is a strong skater that is quick but doesn’t have high end speed; his skating strength derives from being hard to knock off his feet. He is great at both ends of the rink and can shutdown an opposing team. The knock on Couturier is his lack of physical play and his overall strength, though these questions should be answered next season when he won’t be starting the year with Mononucleosis.
Upside: 1st Line Two-Way Center
NHL Comparable: Jeff Carter
2.
Brayden Schenn, Center,
Saskatoon Blades, WHL,
5th overall, 2009, 20 years old,
6’1, 198.
Schenn is a very similar player to Couturier in the fact that he is a two-way hard working center. He is a deceptively smooth skater with good acceleration he uses his powerful stride to find open ice and beat his opponents on the outside. He is a great playmaker and recently has drastically improved his shot and his confidence in it rounding out his game. While he can play the PK he does not excel at it, his real prowess lies on the PP where he uses his knack of finding the empty areas and pin point passing. One of his main weaknesses is when he presses all offense he can lose concentration of his own end and get caught, while skilled he isn’t an offensive dynamo and is at his best playing a simple north/south game.
Upside: 1B Center
NHL Comparable: Mike Richards
3.
Erik Gustafsson, Defenseman,
Adirondack Phantoms, AHL,
Undrafted, 22 years old,
5’11, 207.
Gustafsson is a very raw offensive defenseman. He is a strong and quick skater that can rush the puck effectively. He is a very good passer and has some creativity which allows him to run an effective power play. His shot needs work and he is very inconsistent in its use. He is not good in his own zone and often can be easily knocked off the puck and outworked in the corners. He can be fairly inconsistent but when he is on he is on.
Upside: 5-6 Offensive Defenseman
NHL Comparable: Anton Stralman
4.
Brendan Ranford, Left Wing,
Kamloops Blazers, WHL,
209th overall, 2010, 19 years old,
5’10, 183.
Ranford is an exciting player with a flair for dynamic offensive creativity and at times shows elite skill levels (Inconsistent showings). He is a quick skater in tight and can elude checks on the boards but lacks great open ice skating for a guy his size and can appear sluggish when skating up ice. He works hard but can get lost in his own zone easily especially when down in a game where he focuses all on offense. He is very weak at the moment and will likely take quite a while to get where he needs to be, improving his skating would help put him on track.
Upisde: 3rd Line Contributor
NHL Comparable: Lee Stempniak
5.
Eric Wellwood, Center,
Adirondack Phantoms, AHL,
172nd overall, 2009, 21 years old,
5’11, 179.
The less talented but harder working brother of Kyle Wellwood, Eric is an average skater with top-end acceleration that is second to none. He’s a solid defensive forward and plays the PK well using that acceleration to close gaps very quickly and turn in shorthanded chances. While his offensive skill set is limited and his creativity is virtually non-existent his hard work and fearless play get him into the scoring areas where he is adept at finishing. His awareness of the play allows him to capitalize but don’t expect him to create his own offense.
Upside: 3rd Line Two-Way Forward
NHL Comparable: Kyle Brodziak
6.
Nick Cousins, Center
Soo Greyhounds, OHL
68th Overall, 2011, 18 years old
5’10, 165 lbs
Cousins plays a solid game at both ends of the ice. He skates well and has agility laterally to go around defenders. He’s a creative center who looks like he has the puck on a string at times. He can shoot the puck well, though he’s not a pure finisher. He also goes into the dirty areas, just not often enough. His passes are crisp and concise. Some question his ability to add much more weight onto his frame, and whether he’ll even be able to make an NHL squad because of it.
Upside: Top Six Offensive Forward
NHL Comparable? Danny Briere
7.
Jason Akeson, Right Wing
Kitchener Rangers, OHL
Undrafted, 21 years old
5’10, 190 lbs
Akeson is a playmaker through and through. Always looking for the pass, Akeson has a good understanding of the game. He’s an adept stick handler, with above average speed in his stride. He’s shift and elusive offensively but does not take control of a game, instead he’s an instinctual player who will ride shotgun to those more skilled. He’s an opportunistic scorer with a decent shot. Unfortunately he’s a bit of a perimeter player, with a small frame to get outmuscled.
Upside: Second Line Playmaking Winger (who could likely bottom out as an AHL guy)
NHL Comparable? Claude Giroux meets Clarke MacArthur
8.
Marcel Noebels, Right Wing
Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL
118th Overall, 2011, 19 years old
6’3, 200 lbs
Noebels is a big body who can play a power game, but doesn’t show it enough. He possesses a heavy shot, and can drive to the net well with notable speed and agility in his wide-based stride. He has good vision, and soft hands, with a solid understanding of the game. Noebels plays both ends of the ice too. He’ll need to adjust his initial stride and get more explosive, otherwise he’s a good long term project.
Upside: Top Six Two-Way Winger
NHL Comparable? James Neal (Without the punishing hits)
9.
Colin Suellentrop, Defense
Oshawa Generals, OHL
116th Overall, 2011, 18 years old
6’2, 190 lbs
Suellentrop plays a solid defensive game with a good understanding of the game. His instincts are good, and he’s a physical player with a good frame for what he does. He’s mobile, with above average skating. He got better as the year wore on, learning the positioning as he went, and even became comfortable with the puck, taking it up the ice from time to time, rather than a dump play. He’ll need to get meaner, especially in front of the net, but that will come with time. He’ll get a big role next year with a good team, so a breakout season could be in order.
Upside: 4-5 Shutdown Defenseman
NHL Comparable? Rob Scuderi
10.
Tye McGinn, Left Wing
Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL
119th Overall, 2010
6’3, 210 lbs
McGinn is a late bloomer who has seen time in both the OHL with his brother, Jamie, and now the Q. He’s an intelligent forward who knows where to be on the ice. He brings a healthy dose of physical play, which bodes well for his projection as a role player.
Upside: Third Line Character Forward
NHL Comparable?
Thanks for reading
You can follow me on Twitter @AdamFrenchReal
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