Elias Pettersson
Michael Rasmussen
Nikita Popugayev
Maxime Comtois
Eeli Tolvanen
- ob18

Get Popugayev outta there
- Mordecai

Pettersson and Tolvanen are probable top 10 picks (Pettersson could go even higher). I like them just fine, but they're not really realistic.

Popugayev and Rasmussen are probably the en vogue size picks this year and could go just outside top 10 (Rasmussen could sneak in), and I've seen both, though more Rasmussen, and am not the biggest fan -- plus what I've read. Rasmussen is just so meat and potatoes. Simple, net front guy, no creativity, isn't that great setting up his teammates, not even sure he's projectable as a center. He's big and uses his size, but just seems pretty low ceiling. Popugayev is kinda annoying....could actually see him being a faller despite the points. Great shot, good on PP, but doesn't really use his size to play a power game, invisible at times, and he plays in a stacked top 6 in Moose Jaw, which could boost his stats. He's a curious one.

Actually like Comtois as an all-around hockey player, but he's been one of the biggest fallers this draft so far, which might actually make him available. He just has not been able to score this year, and it's always worrisome for a top prospect to have trouble scoring their draft year, exceptions withstanding. No Laberge hurt him, but it also shows how dependent his scoring game is on him. His scoring has actually started going up now. I'm sure I'd have watched more than like 1 Victoriaville game so far (plus the Super Series game) if Laberge wasn't dead all year. I'm sure I'll be watching him again.

This class just leaves a lot to desired right now imo. Especially in the CHL after the top handful. Really trying to look beyond the CHL. Heiskanen on Team Finland right now could be a name. Or Lias Andersson on Sweden right now. Feel like I should watch Nick Suzuki some more than the 1 game I caught. Tough this year actually finding names!

Myers......

Pettersson and Tolvanen are probable top 10 picks (Pettersson could go even higher). I like them just fine, but they're not really realistic.

Popugayev and Rasmussen are probably the en vogue size picks this year and could go just outside top 10 (Rasmussen could sneak in), and I've seen both, though more Rasmussen, and am not the biggest fan -- plus what I've read. Rasmussen is just so meat and potatoes. Simple, net front guy, no creativity, isn't that great setting up his teammates, not even sure he's projectable as a center. He's big and uses his size, but just seems pretty low ceiling. Popugayev is kinda annoying....could actually see him being a faller despite the points. Great shot, good on PP, but doesn't really use his size to play a power game, invisible at times, and he plays in a stacked top 6 in Moose Jaw, which could boost his stats. He's a curious one.

Actually like Comtois as an all-around hockey player, but he's been one of the biggest fallers this draft so far, which might actually make him available. He just has not been able to score this year, and it's always worrisome for a top prospect to have trouble scoring their draft year, exceptions withstanding. No Laberge hurt him, but it also shows how dependent his scoring game is on him. His scoring has actually started going up now. I'm sure I'd have watched more than like 1 Victoriaville game so far (plus the Super Series game) if Laberge wasn't dead all year. I'm sure I'll be watching him again.

This class just leaves a lot to desired right now imo. Especially in the CHL after the top handful. Really trying to look beyond the CHL. Heiskanen on Team Finland right now could be a name. Or Lias Andersson on Sweden right now. Feel like I should watch Nick Suzuki some more than the 1 game I caught. Tough this year actually finding names!
- Mononoke

They'll likely be gone before the Flyers pick so I listed them for fun

They'll likely be gone before the Flyers pick so I listed them for fun
- ob18

Comtois, Rasmussen, and Popugayev really seem to be controversial. Wouldn't surprise me to see 1 or more available or all taken if Flyers pick is at a similar spot as last year. They're definitely not slam dunks.

Comtois, Rasmussen, and Popugayev really seem to be controversial. Wouldn't surprise me to see 1 or more available or all taken if Flyers pick is at a similar spot as last year. They're definitely not slam dunks.
- Mononoke

Think those who may be a likely Flyers option forward wise are

Cody Glass
Lias Andersson
Ryan Poehling
Marcus Davidsson
Kristian Vesalainen
Martin Necas

Comtois, Rasmussen, and Popugayev really seem to be controversial. Wouldn't surprise me to see 1 or more available or all taken if Flyers pick is at a similar spot as last year. They're definitely not slam dunks.
- Mononoke

Not that they need more d prospects Urho Vaakanainen could be one worth looking at

Not that they need more d prospects Urho Vaakanainen could be one worth looking at
- ob18

Yeah he's one. Heiskanen I like the most of the Finnish D though -- better and like 8 months younger. He has a Juolevi quality about him, just so happened to be paired with him. Very smart and efficient and clean.

Don't like Valimaki. Saw him when I watched Rasmussen. Really iffy hockey sense at times imo.

Myers......
- Mononoke

Did he return? Concussion???

Did he return? Concussion???
- WhirlingDervish

Did not return, and was diagnosed with a concussion. Will not play Monday.

WOW BJ gonna blow all winning records away

Did not return, and was diagnosed with a concussion. Will not play Monday.
- Pat MaGroin

Yeah, I just back read the posts here... ugh. Thanks.

Think those who may be a likely Flyers option forward wise are

Cody Glass
Lias Andersson
Ryan Poehling
Marcus Davidsson
Kristian Vesalainen
Martin Necas
- ob18

Poehling and Bowers are 2 names, but one plays in NCAA and the other in USHL. Don't really know much about them. Bowers is underperforming stats wise, and Poehling is a 17 year old buried on a college team. Really hard to gauge him too. I have them as names, but I just couldn't say anything about them! Or Davidsson too in the SHL. I really like Lias Andersson though. Maybe one of my favorites. Seems up your alley as a pure sniper, 2-way guy. Necas is probably a top 5-10 pick. He's awesome too if they targeted a trade up perhaps.

Cody Glass.....as a player who seemed like a high ceiling back half guy, I was really excited to watch him. Saw him like 3-4 times, and I was a touch disappointed. Portland has been known to play a fast paced, stat boosting, offensive powerhouse system. He/they do so much damage off the rush, and it's really hard to gauge how structured his game is. Good skater, good shooter, good at finding soft spots, good passer too. Plays center, but he looks like a winger to me. Not much off the cycle, tries hard defensively, not sure he's that smart defensively. Honestly, he has a few Brayden Schenn-lite qualities. He has skill for sure. How he is upstairs, I'm slightly more uncertain. Not bad or anything, but there are some junior style things about his game. I liked Vesalainen at last year's U18s. But scouts this year seem to be dropping him because, while being a solid defensive player, he cannot score for the life of him. Left the SHL to go to Liiga and still can't score. Something to think about.

I have said before: this is looking like a draft where the Flyers may want to explore again taking a non-CHL pick, or even non-NA. Underwhelming crop.

WOW BJ gonna blow all winning records away
- Landsbergfan

Feel like you peed yourself giggling as you typed this

Tomek is in net tonight...

Poehling and Bowers are 2 names, but one plays in NCAA and the other in USHL. Don't really know much about them. Bowers is underperforming stats wise, and Poehling is a 17 year old buried on a college team. Really hard to gauge him too. I have them as names, but I just couldn't say anything about them! Or Davidsson too in the SHL. I really like Lias Andersson though. Maybe one of my favorites. Seems up your alley as a pure sniper, 2-way guy. Necas is probably a top 5-10 pick. He's awesome too if they targeted a trade up perhaps.

Cody Glass.....as a player who seemed like a high ceiling back half guy, I was really excited to watch him. Saw him like 3-4 times, and I was a touch disappointed. Portland has been known to play a fast paced, stat boosting, offensive powerhouse system. He/they do so much damage off the rush, and it's really hard to gauge how structured his game is. Good skater, good shooter, good at finding soft spots, good passer too. Plays center, but he looks like a winger to me. Not much off the cycle, tries hard defensively, not sure he's that smart defensively. Honestly, he has some Brayden Schenn-lite qualities to him. I liked Vesalainen at last year's U18s. But scouts this year seem to be dropping him and dropping him because, while a solid defensive player, he just cannot score for the life of him. Left the SHL to go to Liiga and still can't score. Something to follow.

I have said before: this is looking like a draft where the Flyers may want to explore again taking a non-CHL top pick, or even non-NA. Underwhelming crop.
- Mononoke

Where do u anticipate their draft position being?

Feel like you peed yourself giggling as you typed this
- Mononoke

Feels great to see TORTS back from the dead all the hockey guys have written him off,and had HackedStole as their new supercoach

Where do u anticipate their draft position being?
- WhirlingDervish

They're all probably realistic options in the 15-30 range. Lias Andersson is the only one I might worry about going higher (besides Necas, like I said). Teams reach though, especially in a weak draft class, and we got a LOT of season left.

Patrick, Hischier...then Vilardi, Mittelstadt, Liljegrin, Petterson, Necas seem to me to be the top top guys right now in w/e order. After them gets murkier.

Then you have maybe Kostin (who I didn't like watching him a handful of times in Super Series. Really gives me lots of tools, no toolbox vibes), Tolvanen (pure sniper...maybe more 1-dimensional), Tippett (mixed things on him and his hockey IQ as well; but very skilled)....then Rasmussen feels like someone who some team could love and reach on (already mentioned my misgivings earlier), maybe Foote....Heiskanen, Andersson perhaps....

After the first group it seems wiiiiiiiide open. And it's not like some of those guys are so amazing they can't be leapfrogged either. Many have weaknesses.

Ducks and Rags coming up Rags look loose like a working girl but always match the Flyers well

Poehling and Bowers are 2 names, but one plays in NCAA and the other in USHL. Don't really know much about them. Bowers is underperforming stats wise, and Poehling is a 17 year old buried on a college team. Really hard to gauge him too. I have them as names, but I just couldn't say anything about them! Or Davidsson too in the SHL. I really like Lias Andersson though. Maybe one of my favorites. Seems up your alley as a pure sniper, 2-way guy. Necas is probably a top 5-10 pick. He's awesome too if they targeted a trade up perhaps.

Cody Glass.....as a player who seemed like a high ceiling back half guy, I was really excited to watch him. Saw him like 3-4 times, and I was a touch disappointed. Portland has been known to play a fast paced, stat boosting, offensive powerhouse system. He/they do so much damage off the rush, and it's really hard to gauge how structured his game is. Good skater, good shooter, good at finding soft spots, good passer too. Plays center, but he looks like a winger to me. Not much off the cycle, tries hard defensively, not sure he's that smart defensively. Honestly, he has a few Brayden Schenn-lite qualities. He has skill for sure. How he is upstairs, I'm slightly more uncertain. Not bad or anything, but there are some junior style things about his game. I liked Vesalainen at last year's U18s. But scouts this year seem to be dropping him because, while being a solid defensive player, he cannot score for the life of him. Left the SHL to go to Liiga and still can't score. Something to think about.

I have said before: this is looking like a draft where the Flyers may want to explore again taking a non-CHL pick, or even non-NA. Underwhelming crop.
- Mononoke

They would be fine going the CHL route if they wanted, but why do you think I mainly have used those who are in other leagues.....

But as we've seen many times can't just dismiss the CHL players, they may develop into a type of player they want long term.

They would be fine going the CHL route if they wanted, but why do you think I mainly have used those who are in other leagues.....

But as we've seen many times can't just dismiss the CHL players, they may develop into a type of player they want long term.
- ob18

I'm not dismissing CHL players as a whole. That's most of my viewing. I'm dismissing many of THESE consensus CHL 1st rounders after the obvious ones. Individually, one by one being underwhelming in my limited viewings. There isn't really much doing after Poehling and Bowers in other NA leagues either. USDP is a nothing this year. But it's early yet, as you would say.

They're fine going the CHL route or the SHL route or the USHL route or the Ecuadorian Beer League route. Just have to pick the right player or it isn't the right route.

I only caught 1 Nick Suzuki game against London, but it wasn't a great game, so he's someone on my immediate viewing list. I want a better read on him. I like Robert Thomas on London. He might squeak into the 1st. Both somewhat similar guys who might be in the 25-45 range.

They're all probably realistic options in the 15-30 range. Lias Andersson is the only one I might worry about going higher (besides Necas, like I said). Teams reach though, especially in a weak draft class, and we got a LOT of season left.
- Mononoke

My bad, I was referring to the Flyers... DOH!

Vorobiev (sp) vs Tomek, hit the post. Not sure who to root for there...

What you said about Morin is that he should be up with the team by now, contributing in some way, and you questioned his hockey sense. That's ridiculous. Morin is in his 2nd year of pro hockey, and could probably be playing in the NHL now, if they wanted to rush him. When it comes to development, every player is an individual.
- MJL

There is no question an 11th overall pick from 2013 should be in the NHL by 2017 contributing in some way. I'm ok with not rushing him, but the fact that he's in the AHL not scoring many points and seemingly not banging down the NHL door halfway through the 16-17 season is a bit worrisome. He's on pace for less points this year and a bigger minus.