At least with Couturier he had played a few seasons in the NHL when the dummies were saying he could never be more than a 3C (even though he was already the 2C on a playoff team). With Frost, the bad takes about him being the next Jason Akeson came before he had even played his first full NHL season.

Maybe with Bobby Brink we can let him get some proper NHL experience before we decide he's a bust?
- Feanor

This is all typical philly flyers fans style. Some people here are only happy when we suck. Everybody is a bust,
York was a waste of a pick (except that he is playing great)
We didn't get enough from Florida for giroux (hello Tippett)
Foerester can't skate (except that he can and he looks great in the small sample size)

Those are just the ones that come to my head right away that I have to laugh about

What are some other myths of the past that people have created in here ?

This is all typical philly flyers fans style. Some people here are only happy when we suck. Everybody is a bust,
York was a waste of a pick (except that he is playing great)
We didn't get enough from Florida for giroux (hello Tippett)
Foerester can't skate (except that he can and he looks great in the small sample size)

Those are just the ones that come to my head right away that I have to laugh about

What are some other myths of the past that people have created in here ?
- Bob Habib

Those 3 examples are all one guy lol tough to staple that to the group

Not really a great comparison of guys who all have been in the league for 3 plus seasons. Are there any Russian rookies this year ? That would be interesting
- ClaudeFather

Name a Russian player besides the Flyer who isn’t allowed to come over.

Bob McKenzie tends to be the closest thing there is to a true consensus since he's actually polling team scouts and execs.

If you wanna do a nerdy deep dive into the draft class Elite Prospects is where it's at. They do their own seasons-long scouting and evaluations, then hold draft meetings to debate their rankings. You'll learn a LOT more about the prospects from them than you will from the usual mainstream sources that try to pigeonhole prospects into lazy archetypes.


- Tomahawk

Thank you for this info!
Seeing one kid ranked 7 and another scout has him ranked 15 and then someone else has the same kid ranked 10 it's hard to really know who is who. But I will definitely dive my nerdy nose into elite prospects a lot more now

Thanks again

Those 3 examples are all one guy lol tough to staple that to the group
- ClaudeFather

Is it only one guy?! I felt like there are other Debbie downers here who felt the same.
But then again I am old and my memory fails me lol

Not really a great comparison of guys who all have been in the league for 3 plus seasons. Are there any Russian rookies this year ? That would be interesting
- ClaudeFather

He was simply stating the fact that despite a near-constant worry about "The Russian Factor" over the decades, every single top Russian player has ended up in the NHL. Some come over right away (OV, Malkin, Kuch, Vasy, Nichushkin), some take their time (Panarin, KK, Kuzie, Shesty, Sorokin), a couple have bounced back and forth (Radulov, Kovy), and some came over and fizzled (Gusev, etc).

But what's constant is that almost 100% of the best Russian players all do come over to the NHL. Michkov won't be any different, even though he's signed to the "33rd NHL team" SKA until 2026.

And for the record there are 16 Russians in the midst of their rookie seasons, including Zamula.

He was simply stating the fact that despite a near-constant worry about "The Russian Factor" over the decades, every single top Russian player has ended up in the NHL. Some come over right away (OV, Malkin, Kuch, Vasy, Nichushkin), some take their time (Panarin, KK, Kuzie, Shesty, Sorokin), a couple have bounced back and forth (Radulov, Kovy), and some came over and fizzled (Gusev, etc).

But what's constant is that almost 100% of the best Russian players all do come over to the NHL. Michkov won't be any different, even though he's signed to the "33rd NHL team" SKA until 2026.

And for the record there are 16 Russians in the midst of their rookie seasons, including Zamula.
- Tomahawk

So here’s the question. At #2 who does anyone here take? Does the Russian (who I’ve read many think might be as good as Bedard) go at #2 or one Fantilli or Carlson? I only know what I’ve read and many on here seem to actually follow Junior, College and international hockey so I’d defer. If this Russian kid is truly supposed to be that good do you take the plunge at #2 or pass. If so, when should he go. That’s gonna be an interesting reality in a few months.

So here’s the question. At #2 who does anyone here take? Does the Russian (who I’ve read many think might be as good as Bedard) go at #2 or one Fantilli or Carlson? I only know what I’ve read and many on here seem to actually follow Junior, College and international hockey so I’d defer. If this Russian kid is truly supposed to be that good do you take the plunge at #2 or pass. If so, when should he go. That’s gonna be an interesting reality in a few months.
- mikeyo27

At #2 I take Fantilli 100%

So here’s the question. At #2 who does anyone here take? Does the Russian (who I’ve read many think might be as good as Bedard) go at #2 or one Fantilli or Carlson? I only know what I’ve read and many on here seem to actually follow Junior, College and international hockey so I’d defer. If this Russian kid is truly supposed to be that good do you take the plunge at #2 or pass. If so, when should he go. That’s gonna be an interesting reality in a few months.
- mikeyo27

Talent-wise, it's a toss-up between Fantilli and Michkov for me.

But one you can sign and insert into your lineup right away and the other you have to wait at least until 2026 for.

Not really a great comparison of guys who all have been in the league for 3 plus seasons. Are there any Russian rookies this year ? That would be interesting
- ClaudeFather

Kuzmenko came over in the offseason, just signed for 2 more years in Vancouver as well.

Talent-wise, it's a toss-up between Fantilli and Michkov for me.

But one you can sign and insert into your lineup right away and the other you have to wait at least until 2026 for.
- Tomahawk

For some of the legitimate reasons listed, I would take Carlsson at #3. Michkov probably goes #4. After that it's all over the place depending on who you read.

Kuzmenko came over in the offseason, just signed for 2 more years in Vancouver as well.
- TobyFlenderson

Great example. Guy was the top scorer for the same team that Michkov is currently signed to and he had no problem leaving once his contract expired there.

I am thinking in the range of 3.5-4.5 aav based on what Filip Chytil just signed for in New York.

Chytil has 22 goals and 22 assists this season in 69 games. Doubling his career high.

Tippett will also be in that range or higher if he repeats or improves his numbers next season.
- MBFlyerfan

Tip has slowed, thinking his injury is part of the reason, assume he will be just a little better next season

For some of the legitimate reasons listed, I would take Carlsson at #3. Michkov probably goes #4. After that it's all over the place depending on who you read.
- MBFlyerfan

Everything after Bedard seems kind of uncertain still. Michkov's stock is kinda soaring right now despite all the obvious questions.

Great example. Guy was the top scorer for the same team that Michkov is currently signed to and he had no problem leaving once his contract expired there.
- Tomahawk

From what I read the Fedotov issue had mainly to do with the issue that the owner of his Russian team is close friends with Putin and that the owner wanted to punish him for leaving. They say he had signed a 3 year deal. His team, CSKA Moscow had ties to the Russian army so he technically was property of the Russian Army.

He appealed but is forced to serve 1 year.

I read it to be a loosely similar situation to if a player played football for West Point and was obligated to serve a certain amount of time in the Army before he turned pro.

I could see him coming over next year after his obligation is up.

It was the way they held him to his obligation that was somewhat shady IMO. It just seems more dire considering the current situation with the war.

The world is an unstable place. Every GM has that baked in. I’m not getting into a political discussion. But the US has been in a proxy war with Russia for 2 years. It could escalate or de escalate. No one knows.

I don’t know the details of the Fedotov situation. But I do know that all the guys that matter from a talent perspective (kucharov, Ovi, Kaprizov, etc) are all here now despite a volatile and fluid situation.

If I’m a GM my risk assessment would have me taking Bedard 1st even though I think Michkov will be better. I couldn’t justify passing on him at #2.
- Minnyhock

I’m almost at that point too. Idk if michkov will be better but it wouldn’t surprise me at all. I’d even say if he was drafted at 1 it wouldn’t be as much of a reach as most would say. Definitely without a doubt it’s a bedard/michkov combo. Or should be anyways. Any other narrative is just for extending circumstances. Hockey wise it’s really not even a debate. And for the record I have access to khl games

At #2 I take Fantilli 100%
- MBFlyerfan

Why?

Everything after Bedard seems kind of uncertain still. Michkov's stock is kinda soaring right now despite all the obvious questions.
- Tomahawk

It seems there is Bedard. Followed by the next tier of Fantilli, Michkov, Carlsson.

That seems to be the general consensus from almost every handicapper/pundit/draft expert.

Benson at #5 for the most part. (though Pronman has him ranked #13)

But then you see a player like Cristall who is ranked 6th here, 11th here, 7th here...Same with Will Smith and many others.

Then there are players like Eduard Sale who I've seen ranked as high as 6, 9, 10, and as low as 16. Elite Prospects has him at 27. It's players like that who interest me because I have to see why so many knowledgeable people have him ranked all over the place.

Assuming we don’t win lottery and bedard goes 1 it would be an absolute gift for michkov to fall to flyers.

Why?
- SMS4016

I like his size and skating. I like how he is dominating the NCAA as an 18 year old Freshman. He should top out at 6'2" and around 210 once he fills out. He has great skill and really no weaknesses from an offensive standpoint.

If Bedard was not in this draft I think he would be the consensus #1 pick. And probably would have been #1 the last few years before this had he been of age.

Edited to add: I would also go with him over Michkov because of the three year wait.

Assuming we don’t win lottery and bedard goes 1 it would be an absolute gift for michkov to fall to flyers.
- SMS4016

I agree. I would sprint to the podium to pick him. I just dont think he falls past #4.

I like his size and skating. I like how he is dominating the NCAA as an 18 year old Freshman. He should top out at 6'2" and around 210 once he fills out. He has great skill and really no weaknesses from an offensive standpoint.

If Bedard was not in this draft I think he would be the consensus #1 pick. And probably would have been #1 the last few years before this had he been of age.

Edited to add: I would also go with him over Michkov because of the three year wait.
- MBFlyerfan

Fair enough… personally I see him as more of the “safer” pick for all the common reasons given. Maybe it’s just preference? I look at it this way…. Who has a more likely chance to out do bedard? I think it’s michkov and only michkov. At least as of now. And projecting from now. We probably won’t even be in position to take any of them tho

It seems there is Bedard. Followed by the next tier of Fantilli, Michkov, Carlsson.

That seems to be the general consensus from almost every handicapper/pundit/draft expert.

Benson at #5 for the most part. (though Pronman has him ranked #13)

But then you see a player like Cristall who is ranked 6th here, 11th here, 7th here...Same with Will Smith and many others.

Then there are players like Eduard Sale who I've seen ranked as high as 6, 9, 10, and as low as 16. Elite Prospects has him at 27. It's players like that who interest me because I have to see why so many knowledgeable people have him ranked all over the place.
- MBFlyerfan

A lot will depend on which team is picking where... the gap between some of these players isn't very wide and it's gonna come down to personal preference.

Like I've heard there are scouts/execs who firmly believe that Michkov will be the best player out of this draft. Will a team that feels that way end up picking in the top-2? That could make things interesting.

Cristall is also so talented that I wouldn't be surprised if some team steps up and take him in the top-5 thinking they can even out his consistency. Or he could drop into the 20's because he can be a bit of a mess.

Same with Sale to a lesser extent.

And I have no idea where Smith will wind up. He could be the first American to go, or he could drop into the teens.

Fair enough… personally I see him as more of the “safer” pick for all the common reasons given. Maybe it’s just preference? I look at it this way…. Who has a more likely chance to out do bedard? I think it’s michkov and only michkov. At least as of now. And projecting from now. We probably won’t even be in position to take any of them tho
- SMS4016

I think there is a VERY OUTSIDE chance Michkov could fall to us because of the reasons stated earlier. The three year window, the Russian situation, etc. But I wouldn't bet a dollar on it.

I like Fantilli's size a LOT. All things being equal that is the decider for me. A guy that can skate like that, with that offensive skill, and also that size...its just too much to pass up.

I predict it goes Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, Michkov in that order.

A lot will depend on which team is picking where... the gap between some of these players isn't very wide and it's gonna come down to personal preference.

Like I've heard there are scouts/execs who firmly believe that Michkov will be the best player out of this draft. Will a team that feels that way end up picking in the top-2? That could make things interesting.

Cristall is also so talented that I wouldn't be surprised if some team steps up and take him in the top-5 thinking they can even out his consistency. Or he could drop into the 20's because he can be a bit of a mess.

Same with Sale to a lesser extent.

And I have no idea where Smith will wind up. He could be the first American to go, or he could drop into the teens.
- Tomahawk

Its fun isnt it? Researching these guys and seeing where they end up? Watching them as their careers progress? I love it. More so than any other sport.