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QUICK HITS: JUNE 5, 2018
1) For the fourth straight year, the PPL Center in Allentown will host a Flyers preseason game. On Sept. 21, the Flyers will play the New York Islanders. The Flyers are 3-0-0 in the first three preseason tilts they've played at the home of their AHL affiliate; typically in split-squad games in which more of the Flyers "A" lineup is sent to Allentown.
2) 2018 NHL Draft prospect Martin Kaut had a medical red flag arise at the NHL Scouting Combine and must undergo a minor heart procedure. According to Czech hockey website Hokej.cz, medical checkups discovered a congenital heart condition, and the player will undergo routine corrective surgery as soon as possible. The player said the surgery should not affect his preparations for next season, and his condition is not career-threatening. However, he was unable to participate in the physical testing at the Combine for precautionary reasons.
Kaut told the website that he interviewed with 14 of the 31 teams at the Combine, and "got the best feeling" from meetings with the Flyers (who hold the 14th and 19th picks) and New York Rangers (9th, 26th, and 28th picks) .
A solid and surprisingly physical two-way winger, Kaut is also skilled with the puck albeit not flashy. He tends to prefer to pass than to shoot, and can usually find the open man, but he's a good shooter with more finishing upside than his career goal-scoring numbers to date would suggest. He is not an elite skater but skating is not a concern. He is sturdy on his feet and keeps up with the play, although not a speedster. Already a Czech Extraliga regular for HC Dynamo Pardubice as a teenager, he has held his own against adult pros (9 goals, 16 points in 38 regular season games plus five points in seven playoff games), albeit in a league that is not of the same caliber of competition that it was in its heyday.
On the defensive side of the puck, Kaut is a very responsible player especially for one who was brought up playing an offensive-oriented role. He backchecks diligently and, as he showed at the 2017-18 World Junior Championships, is adept at lifting opponents' sticks and clearing pucks out of the defensive zone.
Among players his own age, Kaut is an advanced prospect and fits in well with skilled linemates. He produced seven points in seven games at the WJC (two goals, five assists) and still has another year of WJC tourney eligibility remaining.
Kaut is one of the older prospects in this year's draft, being born 17 days too late to have qualified for the 2017 Draft. He will turn 19 on Oct. 2. As a player coming over from Europe, he would not fall under the AHL age restriction rules for CHL players. If the NHL team that drafts him so desires, Kaut is immediately eligible for the American Hockey League in 2018-19 (the same route the New York Rangers took with Filip Chytil this season, and eventually dressed him in nine NHL games). Alternatively, he could play a year of junior hockey in the CHL. The Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings selected Kaut last year in the Import Draft. Lastly, he could remain in Europe next season.
The consensus for Kaut's NHL upside is that of a bonafide middle-six forward and he is considered a reasonably safe projection as a future NHL regular. However, is not impossible that he could exceed those expectations and make his way to the top of an NHL lineup with the right linemates. A little more explosiveness in his first stride or two, which can be added over time, could make the difference in terms of whether he lands in the top six or more toward the middle portion of a lineup. At 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, he is likely to get a bit stronger and fill out a bit more but size is already a non-issue with him.
3) June 5 Flyers Alumni birthday: Andre Lacroix celebrates his 73rd birthday today. One of the most popular Flyers players -- in fact, the franchise's highest point-getter in the pre-Bobby Clarke years -- the pint-sized forward was a gifted playmaker on the ice. Later, he became the highest regular season career scorer (798 points in 551 games) in the history of the World Hockey Association. Off the ice, Lacroix has always been one of game's true gentlemen and most approachable figures. For younger fans who are unfamiliar with Lacroix, a more playmaking oriented version of Danny Briere is a rough approximation and both are similarly well-regarded off the ice.
4) During the afterparty following the upcoming 2018 Toyota Flyers Charity Classic, local favorite party band Chico's Vibe will be performing at Xfinity Live. There will also be band members participating in the 5k walk/run event under the team name "Band on the Run." The team is co-captained by local multi-sport athlete, leukemia survivor and motivational speaker Stephen Brown. For more information, click here.
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