Smith C: very good wheels, excellent skills and good hockey sense. If he was a year older, he would have challenged for 1OA in 22. Floor: 2nd line C, top pp unit; ceiling: top end 1C

Moore C/W: undersized, but is a strong skater with top notch skills, might be better suited as a wing in the NHL. Floor: 2nd line wing, top pp unit. Ceiling: 1st line wing or center

Benson W: small, but possesses very good wheels, excellent hockey sense and great skills. Might be the best pure playmaker in this class: Floor: solid 1LW who drives the top pp unit. Ceiling: franchise winger

Sale W: solid frame, good wheels and skills. Plays an advanced game, a very smart player who can be relied on in all situations.
Floor: very good 2 way wing who plays on the 2nd pp unit and is a regular on the pk.
Ceiling: perennial Selke contender who also plays on the top line and scores at a point per game rate.

My personal ranking of these 4 who are 5-8 on my overall list:
Smith
Benson
Moore
Sale
- BiggE

Benson is a very Flyers kind of player. Maximum effort and desire, all the time. Torts would like his attention to detail, fire and coachability.

Kind of surprised Dvorsky is not getting more attention in the 5-10 range. 17 yr old center with good size playing in Sweden's second highest league. I guess quality of competition is the concern.

Both can be equally effective yet draw completely different kinds of attention.
- MBFlyerfan

I've made this comparison before, but Tipp reminds me a lot of Kasperi Kapanen. Super "noticeable" with his speed, his shot, his net drive... but at the end of the year you look at his numbers and you're kinda like... that's it?

Kind of surprised Dvorsky is not getting more attention in the 5-10 range. 17 yr old center with good size playing in Sweden's second highest league. I guess quality of competition is the concern.
- Trox88

I was reading reports on him and there knock I see is that he coasts to much and let’s the play come to him rather than driving play.
I have no idea I have never watched the kid play.

I've made this comparison before, but Tipp reminds me a lot of Kasperi Kapanen. Super "noticeable" with his speed, his shot, his net drive... but at the end of the year you look at his numbers and you're kinda like... that's it?
- Tomahawk

And comparing Tippett and Frosts stats, they are pretty close. Tippett has been much more noticeable putting his up for sure. But at the end of the day they are pretty close in points, +/-, and ice time. One scores goals, one sets up goals.

Has Tippett been better overall? I would say 100% yes. But it's not as big a gap as one would think.

...

Has Tippett been better overall? I would say 100% yes. But it's not as big a gap as one would think.
- MBFlyerfan

Frost makes a lot of stuff happen but your garden variety hockey fan won't even notice.

Oh come on. We got York instead of Caufield, that was the Flyers big “take a D over a F” recent moment. That’s working out just fine! 🤥
- mikeyo27

York has been very solid, and his offense will come. Briere should lock him up long term and then send Provorov out for picks. With the Flyers rebuilding there's no reason to hang on to a LHD who only plays the left side and will need a big extension in two years when he'll be 28. That's if he even stays in the NHL. Maybe he'll go back to Russia to further his religious studies.

I was reading reports on him and there knock I see is that he coasts to much and let’s the play come to him rather than driving play.
I have no idea I have never watched the kid play.
- bird_dog_pa

Thanks for the info. I am trying to learn more about the prospects after the big 4.

Smith C: very good wheels, excellent skills and good hockey sense. If he was a year older, he would have challenged for 1OA in 22. Floor: 2nd line C, top pp unit; ceiling: top end 1C

Moore C/W: undersized, but is a strong skater with top notch skills, might be better suited as a wing in the NHL. Floor: 2nd line wing, top pp unit. Ceiling: 1st line wing or center

Benson W: small, but possesses very good wheels, excellent hockey sense and great skills. Might be the best pure playmaker in this class: Floor: solid 1LW who drives the top pp unit. Ceiling: franchise winger

Sale W: solid frame, good wheels and skills. Plays an advanced game, a very smart player who can be relied on in all situations.
Floor: very good 2 way wing who plays on the 2nd pp unit and is a regular on the pk.
Ceiling: perennial Selke contender who also plays on the top line and scores at a point per game rate.

My personal ranking of these 4 who are 5-8 on my overall list:
Smith
Benson
Moore
Sale
- BiggE

Nice recap, thank you

Benson is a very Flyers kind of player. Maximum effort and desire, all the time. Torts would like his attention to detail, fire and coachability.
- Tomahawk

Torts shouldn't even be consulted when it comes to who the Flyers draft. He'll be gone by the time any of these kids are in their 20s and really contributing.

Torts shouldn't even be consulted when it comes to who the Flyers draft. He'll be gone by the time any of these kids are in their 20s and really contributing.
- Feanor

I meant it as more of a side benefit than a reason to draft him.

If Benson were still there at the Flyers' pick Danny should run up to the podium to take him.

Torts shouldn't even be consulted when it comes to who the Flyers draft. He'll be gone by the time any of these kids are in their 20s and really contributing.
- Feanor

I don’t believe he will be.

I agree, Frost had a good game last night. The biggest difference I see between a player like Frost and a player like Tippet this season is that Tippet has developed into a player that makes something happen pretty much every shift. He gets people off their seat when he has the puck and I have to be honest, its exciting to watch. With Frost its more hit or miss. There are shifts where he makes dazzling plays and then ther are shifts and even periods where I wonder if he even played. Now its been better with Frost because it used to be entire games where I would wonder if Frost was playing, so there has been an improvement throughout the year. Frost is never going to be a defensive player nor a player that will win a majority of puck battles in the corners, so a key for him is to keep his legs moving, use his speed and drive offense. I would also like to see Frost shoot more because I think he has a sneaky quick shot with good accuracy. For Tippet, happy to see him driving the net more but I still feel he needs to improve his shot accuracy.
- jd250

Frost's game is more of slowing the play down and letting it come to him as opposed to Tippett which is "hurry up and get there". You saw that on the Provorov goal where frost hesitated and let the play develop.....

2022-23 NHLPA PLAYER POLL

https://www.nhlpa.com/player-poll/2022-23

Hayesy tied with Jake for "best guy in the locker room"

2022-23 NHLPA PLAYER POLL

https://www.nhlpa.com/player-poll/2022-23

Hayesy tied with Jake for "best guy in the locker room"
- Tomahawk

Add that data to the good ole trade app. Has to increase his value to other teams.

2022-23 NHLPA PLAYER POLL

https://www.nhlpa.com/player-poll/2022-23

Hayesy tied with Jake for "best guy in the locker room"
- Tomahawk

Surprised that Seeler wasn't voted for top stick handler.

2022-23 NHLPA PLAYER POLL

https://www.nhlpa.com/player-poll/2022-23

Hayesy tied with Jake for "best guy in the locker room"
- Tomahawk

At least Jake is actually good.

Is Deslauriers lower or above them?

2022-23 NHLPA PLAYER POLL

https://www.nhlpa.com/player-poll/2022-23

Hayesy tied with Jake for "best guy in the locker room"
- Tomahawk

Best guy in the locker room to me would be the guy who is in charge of the music and gets me a cold beer after the game.

2022-23 NHLPA PLAYER POLL

https://www.nhlpa.com/player-poll/2022-23

Hayesy tied with Jake for "best guy in the locker room"
- Tomahawk

Not a single Flyer player in the top 5 of any on-ice category

Add that data to the good ole trade app. Has to increase his value to other teams.
- mickel25

The best shoe game is what matters most tho.

I agree, Frost had a good game last night. The biggest difference I see between a player like Frost and a player like Tippet this season is that Tippet has developed into a player that makes something happen pretty much every shift. He gets people off their seat when he has the puck and I have to be honest, its exciting to watch. With Frost its more hit or miss. There are shifts where he makes dazzling plays and then ther are shifts and even periods where I wonder if he even played. Now its been better with Frost because it used to be entire games where I would wonder if Frost was playing, so there has been an improvement throughout the year. Frost is never going to be a defensive player nor a player that will win a majority of puck battles in the corners, so a key for him is to keep his legs moving, use his speed and drive offense. I would also like to see Frost shoot more because I think he has a sneaky quick shot with good accuracy. For Tippet, happy to see him driving the net more but I still feel he needs to improve his shot accuracy.
- jd250

Tippett is not a player that makes something happen pretty much every shift. Not even close. Tippett and Frost are very similar players in terms of scoring and scoring chances.

Also in fairness the backup goaltender who played last night gives up 4+ goals a game on .881 sv% so it pretty much went as expected.

FLA put up 40+ shots and gave up 4+ goals, as expected. The Flyers still needed Hart to have a great game to win against a team that was looking past them.

Once again not bad enough to take a "generational talent" in the draft and not good enough to well, do anything relevant during the season. Rinse and repeat next year.
- Flyers_01

I agree that Florida is not a good defensive team and their goaltending last night was pedestrian. Still have to be encouraged by the play of many young players last night. They carried the team in that game.

Honestly, when you look at Frost’s overall trajectory there have been some extenuating circumstances that on the surface seem more like excuses. His Shoulder injury cost him almost a full year, the world pandemic bit into what would have been been another fairly important full year of development.
So what is he? Hard to say of what his full potential could be just based on his lack of time on the ice. But what can’t be argued is his skill level and vision. I watched him in junior and saw a kid that didn’t have to play defence because he always had the puck. I heard some scouts had an issue with his skating which after watching a ton of his games I new was a (frank)ing joke.
Truth is Frost looked every bit as good as Mitch Marner, every bit as good as Nick Suzuki in his D+1 year in the OHL. Frost needed to grow from his boy like body into a man and although slight, is getting close.
Both him and Tippet have really been given a fantastic chance this year to get the opportunity to take their games to an NHL level. One that’s reflective of what they were in junior’s. Both have taken some big steps. I still think skies the limits for both. They have a hard ass coach that has focused on pushing their ass to a new level. In a season that’s been one of transition, that’s a positive from my perspective.
-landros 2

It has been a great year in regard to player development for the Flyers. Cates, Frost, Tippet, York and now Foerster, that is the making a new core of good young players to build around. Plus the Flyers have young veterans like TK and Farabee and a couple of forwards in the pipeline in Gauthier and what I presume will be a high 2023 1at round pick. Its not all doom and gloom around here and its OK to be a little bit excited about the future trajectory.

I see what you are saying here, but for me sometimes style influences perception.

I HAVE TO SAY THIS AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE....WELL, WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE, I AM IN NO WAY SAYING TIPPETT AND FROST ARE LIKE THESE TWO PLAYERS IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN TO MAKE A POINT....

But it is kind of like Eric Lindros vs Adam Oates. One guy was a loud banging type of player who drew attention all over the ice (Tippett) and the other is a quiet almost silent assassin who sneaks in and out of view and makes silent plays (Frost)

Both can be equally effective yet draw completely different kinds of attention.
- MBFlyerfan

It's a strange phenomenon. I agree with you. Tippett is more of a one on one player. That stands out more. An example was last night in the first period, a poster insinuated that Frost wasn't playing well. He had already made a nifty deke to get himself in shot position and had distributed and passed the puck on the PP to create two scoring chances for the team at that point. I keep reading in games that Frost in invisible and think I must be watching a different game.