UPDATE 4 PM EDT
I will chime in at length about the JVR trade tomorrow. I'm a bit ambivalent about the deal right now, but I do think both players will do well for their new teams.
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UPDATE 1:00 PM EDT
I will post a draft wrapup blog tomorrow with comments about the Flyers' day two selections once I gather a little more information on the picks beyond what it readily available online.
In their entirely, the Flyers picks were as follows:
1 20 Scott Laughton (C)
2 45 Anthony Stolarz (G)
3 78 Shayne Gostisbehre (D)
4 111 Fredric Larsson (D)
4 117 Taylor Leier (LW)
5 141 Reece Willcox (D)
7 201 Valeri Vasiliev (D)
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Amidst rumors of trade discussions that would have a much more immediate impact on the team, the Flyers selected Oshawa Generals center Scott Laughton with the 20th overall pick of the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft.
Laughton is a savvy and physical center, whom some peg as more of a defensive-minded player at the NHL level while others believe he has a little higher offensive upside. The Flyers chose him earlier than most projections had him going, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.
That's how the scouting game goes: different scouts can look at the same players in the same games and come away with divergent opinions of both his assets/weaknesses and his long-range potential.
Some teams look at Laughton and see a player with an NHL upside similar to former Selke Trophy winner John Madden: a player who, in his prime, was a highly effective role player who made important contributions to three Stanley Cup winning teams. Like Madden, Laughton is said to have the ability to kill penalties effectively, defend well, play both ends of the ice, add some feistiness and score some game-changing shorthanded goals.
The Flyers see someone with a higher offensive upside over time. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren likened Laughton to Devils rookie standout Adam Henrique and former Flyers captain Mike Richards. The player himself cited Richards and Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan as comparison players.
If the former scenario proves to be closer to Laughton's NHL role, the Flyers will have gotten a useful young player but probably not the guy who proved to be the best available player in that range of the Draft. If it's the latter, everyone will be thrilled.
Frankly, I was personally a bit surprised that the Flyers didn't go for bigger two-way center Brendan Gaunce or either potential shutdown defenseman Olli Määtta or puck-moving Matt Finn. That said, Philadelphia has a good record with most of their first-round picks, and have earned the benefit of the doubt in that regard.
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Throughout the day and night, there were rumors of the Flyers having discussions with clubs about potential blockbuster moves to acquire the likes of Bobby Ryan or Keith Yandle.
Holmgren was also spotted in discussion with Nashville general manager David Poile.
As of now, nothing has happened apart from yesterday's trade of Sergei Bobrovsky to Columbus for three draft picks (including two that will be made today).
I am not one who believes in taking action based on one's knee-jerk reactions. But Penguins general manager Ray Shero ended up being much more aggressive in closing deals yesterday, and the consensus is that Pittsburgh will probably come away a better hockey team for it, both next season and beyond.
Yesterday, the Penguins made a blockbuster trade that turned rejection from star two-way center Jordan Staal into an opportunity to land a decent replacement third-line center (Brandon Sutter) and open up some cap space. They opened further cap space by trading defenseman Zbynek Michalek to Phoenix, and also drafted a pair of promising defensemen in offensively skilled Derrick Pouliot and defensive-minded Määtta.
Pittsburgh now has the cap space to make a big splash in the free agent market. Losing Staal hurts. In conjunction with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, he created matchup problems for many teams and was also the team's shutdown defensive center. Sutter is more of an old-fashioned third-line center who is a solid player but not nearly the two-way threat that Staal is. When all is said and done, however, the Penguins appear very well set up to cushion Staal's departure by improving the team all around and adding an another impact player.
I do not believe that the Flyers ought to make a big trade move today (or over the summer) simply in reaction to the Penguins. They need to make moves that make sense for their own club. I still do not think they should overpay for Ryan or Rick Nash.
Last night, Holmgren at first said he had "something cooking" on the trade front and later said it was unlikely that anything was imminent. Who knows what that really means? Guess we'll start finding out soon.
Reached by Courier Post beat writer Randy Miller, Ryan made it crystal clear that he wants a trade from Anaheim and the Cherry Hill native even went so far to say as the Flyers would be an ideal destination. However, that does necessarily mean the Ducks will trade him to the Flyers nor should it compel the Flyers to acquire Ryan at all costs.
Yes, Ryan would look nice on Claude Giroux's wing. Yes, his family has been very close with Bob Clarke and has also known Holmgren for years. But hockey is still a business, and the Flyers' number one need is still on defense.
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The Flyers currently have six picks in today's portion of the Draft. When all picks are made, I will update the blog with information and thoughts on the club's selections. The selections are as follows:
Round 2: #45 overall
Round 3: #78 overall
Round 4: #111 overall, #117 overall
Round 5: #141 overall
Round 6: No picks
Round 7: #201 overall
As of the end of the first round, quite a few players originally projected as likely/potential opening round picks are still on the board. These include defensemen Matt Finn, Dalton Thrower and Ludvig Byström, goaltender Oscar Dansk and forward Martin Frk.
Players on the board generally pegged as potential second-round to mid-round picks include forwards Lukas Sutter (son of Rich and nephew of Ron) and 2011 training camp invitee Tomas Hyka (whom the club wanted to sign but learned it could not due to a restriction in the CBA). There is also a pool of
Finnish players in whom the Flyers may have varying degrees of interest, including two-way defenseman Ville Pokka, offensive minded defenseman Esa Lindell, defensive minded shot-blocking defenseman Mikko Vainonen and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo.
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