Bill Meltzer: Flyers Announce Broadcast Schedule for 2015-16, Alumni and More

Happy Birthday, Wayne Train

I really hope JJ doesn't stick around forever

Anybody check out HockeysFuture yet today? They have their top 20 Flyers prospects ranked. Interesting list. Not sure I agree with some things. Konecny is ranked 12th, below Friedman, Alt, Hagg and a few others.

I really hope JJ doesn't stick around forever
- Just5

I hope he does just to make you unhappy

any news on Gus and where he is playing next year.

Anybody check out HockeysFuture yet today? They have their top 20 Flyers prospects ranked. Interesting list. Not sure I agree with some things. Konecny is ranked 12th, below Friedman, Alt, Hagg and a few others.
- TheGreat28

Pronman has Lindblom ranked ahead of Sanheim. It's all just opinion. These are national writers and reviewers, so they're watching all prospects. We are local fans, so we have the ability to pay closer attention and watch our prospects more often. I'd say several people on this site have a better opinion regarding Flyer prospects than the national media.

Pronman has Lindblom ranked ahead of Sanheim. It's all just opinion. These are national writers and reviewers, so they're watching all prospects. We are local fans, so we have the ability to pay closer attention and watch our prospects more often. I'd say several people on this site have a better opinion regarding Flyer prospects than the national media.
- PhillySportsGuy

ty

any news on Gus and where he is playing next year.
- rinaldo

He'll be on the Flyers roster.


The Kloten Flyers

Flyers fans are spoiled with the quality of their broadcast teams.
Some other teams' TV crews drive me nuts.

Maybe we should offer Lecavalier a spot on the broadcast team in exchange for early retirement? Those guys really seem to love what they're doing.

Flyers fans are spoiled with the quality of their broadcast teams.
Some other teams' TV crews drive me nuts.

Maybe we should offer Lecavalier a spot on the broadcast team in exchange for early retirement? Those guys really seem to love what they're doing.
- Coburns_Nose

I enjoy the Marlins broadcasters and would love them with the Phils....I do like Jones and Clement

Anybody check out HockeysFuture yet today? They have their top 20 Flyers prospects ranked. Interesting list. Not sure I agree with some things. Konecny is ranked 12th, below Friedman, Alt, Hagg and a few others.
- TheGreat28

I have to be honest -- no personal disrespect intended to the writer -- in saying that it is a terrible list. Konecny needs to be much higher, for one thing (as long as he stays healthy, he's got a good shot at becoming an NHL impact player). For another, Michael Parks is now a free agent as his rights expired earlier this month. Even had he been signed, to rank him above Taylor Leier is one of those "out on Waveland Avenue" (i.e., not even in the ballpark) ratings. Parks may or may not get an AHL deal somewhere and perhaps start out in the ECHL with a chance to work up higher but he's several years older than Leier and not on entry-level NHL deal. Beyond that, he spent the last four years playing under Dave Hakstol at UND and the Flyers STILL elected not to offer him an ELC. Those should be two pretty big clues when compiling a rankings list.

While Lindblom was ranked too high in Pronman's list at ESPN -- he is not presently a top 50 NHL prospect leaguewide -- he is way too low on this list (16th among Flyers prospects).

I don't think Parks is even a Flyers prospect anymore, and he's ranked 13th.

I have to be honest -- no personal disrespect intended to the writer -- in saying that it is a terrible list. Konecny needs to be much higher, for one thing (as long as he stays healthy, he's got a good shot at becoming an NHL impact player). For another, Michael Parks is now a free agent as his rights expired earlier this month. Even had he been signed, to rank him above Taylor Leier is one of those "out on Waveland Avenue" (i.e., not even in the ballpark) ratings. Parks may or may not get an AHL deal somewhere and perhaps start out in the ECHL with a chance to work up higher but he's several years older than Leier and not on entry-level NHL deal. Beyond that, he spent the last four years playing under Dave Hakstol at UND and the Flyers STILL elected not to offer him an ELC. Those should be two pretty big clues when compiling a rankings list.

While Lindblom was ranked too high in Pronman's list at ESPN -- he is not presently a top 50 NHL prospect leaguewide -- he is way too low on this list (16th among Flyers prospects).
-Bill Meltzer

Spot on Bill!!

FWIW, if I was to rank their top 10 prospects, it would be:

1. Provorov
2. Sanheim
3. Morin
4. Laughton
5. Konecny
6. Gostisbehere
7. Aube-Kubel
8. Cousins
9. Hagg
10. Lindblom

I have to be honest -- no personal disrespect intended to the writer -- in saying that it is a terrible list. Konecny needs to be much higher, for one thing (as long as he stays healthy, he's got a good shot at becoming an NHL impact player). For another, Michael Parks is now a free agent as his rights expired earlier this month. Even had he been signed, to rank him above Taylor Leier is one of those "out on Waveland Avenue" (i.e., not even in the ballpark) ratings. Parks may or may not get an AHL deal somewhere and perhaps start out in the ECHL with a chance to work up higher but he's several years older than Leier and not on entry-level NHL deal. Beyond that, he spent the last four years playing under Dave Hakstol at UND and the Flyers STILL elected not to offer him an ELC. Those should be two pretty big clues when compiling a rankings list.

While Lindblom was ranked too high in Pronman's list at ESPN -- he is not presently a top 50 NHL prospect leaguewide -- he is way too low on this list (16th among Flyers prospects).
-Bill Meltzer

Spot on Bill!!

FWIW, if I was to rank their top 10 prospects, it would be:

1. Provorov
2. Sanheim
3. Morin
4. Laughton
5. Konecny
6. Gostisbehere
7. Aube-Kubel
8. Cousins
9. Hagg
10. Lindblom
- BiggE

I'd put hagg over cousins, switch ghost & Laughton

I have to be honest -- no personal disrespect intended to the writer -- in saying that it is a terrible list. Konecny needs to be much higher, for one thing (as long as he stays healthy, he's got a good shot at becoming an NHL impact player). For another, Michael Parks is now a free agent as his rights expired earlier this month. Even had he been signed, to rank him above Taylor Leier is one of those "out on Waveland Avenue" (i.e., not even in the ballpark) ratings. Parks may or may not get an AHL deal somewhere and perhaps start out in the ECHL with a chance to work up higher but he's several years older than Leier and not on entry-level NHL deal. Beyond that, he spent the last four years playing under Dave Hakstol at UND and the Flyers STILL elected not to offer him an ELC. Those should be two pretty big clues when compiling a rankings list.

While Lindblom was ranked too high in Pronman's list at ESPN -- he is not presently a top 50 NHL prospect leaguewide -- he is way too low on this list (16th among Flyers prospects).
-Bill Meltzer

Spot on Bill!!

FWIW, if I was to rank their top 10 prospects, it would be:

1. Provorov
2. Sanheim
3. Morin
4. Laughton
5. Konecny
6. Gostisbehere
7. Aube-Kubel
8. Cousins
9. Hagg
10. Lindblom
- BiggE

#5 and #10 will surprise the NHL

I have to be honest -- no personal disrespect intended to the writer -- in saying that it is a terrible list. Konecny needs to be much higher, for one thing (as long as he stays healthy, he's got a good shot at becoming an NHL impact player). For another, Michael Parks is now a free agent as his rights expired earlier this month. Even had he been signed, to rank him above Taylor Leier is one of those "out on Waveland Avenue" (i.e., not even in the ballpark) ratings. Parks may or may not get an AHL deal somewhere and perhaps start out in the ECHL with a chance to work up higher but he's several years older than Leier and not on entry-level NHL deal. Beyond that, he spent the last four years playing under Dave Hakstol at UND and the Flyers STILL elected not to offer him an ELC. Those should be two pretty big clues when compiling a rankings list.

While Lindblom was ranked too high in Pronman's list at ESPN -- he is not presently a top 50 NHL prospect leaguewide -- he is way too low on this list (16th among Flyers prospects).
- bmeltzer

TY Bill. I completely agree. Actually I made the same comments on the article about Konecny and upside, and Parks being out of their plans. I think Martel should be in the top 20.

Overall the writer seems to value safe picks - somebody who may get to the NHL as a 4th liner over the high-risk, high-reward players like Martel and Konecny.

I have to be honest -- no personal disrespect intended to the writer -- in saying that it is a terrible list. Konecny needs to be much higher, for one thing (as long as he stays healthy, he's got a good shot at becoming an NHL impact player). For another, Michael Parks is now a free agent as his rights expired earlier this month. Even had he been signed, to rank him above Taylor Leier is one of those "out on Waveland Avenue" (i.e., not even in the ballpark) ratings. Parks may or may not get an AHL deal somewhere and perhaps start out in the ECHL with a chance to work up higher but he's several years older than Leier and not on entry-level NHL deal. Beyond that, he spent the last four years playing under Dave Hakstol at UND and the Flyers STILL elected not to offer him an ELC. Those should be two pretty big clues when compiling a rankings list.

While Lindblom was ranked too high in Pronman's list at ESPN -- he is not presently a top 50 NHL prospect leaguewide -- he is way too low on this list (16th among Flyers prospects).
-Bill Meltzer

Spot on Bill!!

FWIW, if I was to rank their top 10 prospects, it would be:

1. Provorov
2. Sanheim
3. Morin
4. Laughton
5. Konecny
6. Gostisbehere
7. Aube-Kubel
8. Cousins
9. Hagg
10. Lindblom
- BiggE

Lists are by nature subjective, and prospect lists even more so because they involve projections. Some may factor the ceiling higher; others may factor likelihood of reaching the NHL higher. Overall I think you're list is a good balance of both factors.

I can't think of a strong argument to make any changes. Well done!

Now go for 11-20. That's where the debates will begin.

Anybody check out HockeysFuture yet today? They have their top 20 Flyers prospects ranked. Interesting list. Not sure I agree with some things. Konecny is ranked 12th, below Friedman, Alt, Hagg and a few others.
- TheGreat28

They have his probability at D right now, probably due to the injury/size concerns and that's what's bringing him down relative to the others. Once he gets another season of junior under his belt, you'll probably see them bump that up to a C or better, like they've done w/ Sanheim, Ghost, etc over the past couple of years.

My top-20 would look like this:

1. Provorov 8.0B
2. Sanheim 8.0B
3. Konecny 8.0D
4. Laughton 7.0B
5. Morin 7.0B
6. Ghost 7.5C
7. Hagg 7.0C
8. NAK 7.0C
9. Cousins 7.0C
10. Lindblom 7.0C
11. Alt 6.5B
12. Stolarz 7.0D
13. Friedman 7.0D
14. Sandstrom 7.0D
15. Straka 7.0D
16. Kase 7.0F
17. Fazleev 6.5C
18. Leier 6.5C
19. Vorobyov 6.5C
20. Martel 7.0F

TY Bill. I completely agree. Actually I made the same comments on the article about Konecny and upside, and Parks being out of their plans. I think Martel should be in the top 20.

Overall the writer seems to value safe picks - somebody who may get to the NHL as a 4th liner over the high-risk, high-reward players like Martel and Konecny.
- TheGreat28

I haven't seen Konecny play a single game. When I see an NHL team trade up to select a player in the first round, I don't know if that player should be designated as high risk. I would think if the Flyers thought he was high risk they wouldn't have made that move.

They have his probability at D right now, probably due to the injury/size concerns and that's what's bringing him down relative to the others. Once he gets another season of junior under his belt, you'll probably see them bump that up to a C or better, like they've done w/ Sanheim, Ghost, etc over the past couple of years.

My top-20 would look like this:

1. Provorov 8.0B
2. Sanheim 8.0B
3. Konecny 8.0D
4. Laughton 7.0B
5. Morin 7.0B
6. Ghost 7.5C
7. Hagg 7.0C
8. NAK 7.0C
9. Cousins 7.0C
10. Lindblom 7.0C
11. Alt 6.5B
12. Stolarz 7.0D
13. Friedman 7.0D
14. Sandstrom 7.0D
15. Straka 7.0D
16. Kase 7.0F
17. Fazleev 6.5C
18. Leier 6.5C
19. Vorobyov 6.5C
20. Martel 7.0F
- Tomahawk

I was actually just starting to do the same thing you just did Tomahawk with the HF grading system. You and I tend to value ceiling more than some, so I'm ok with your top 10 as well. I have to get to work but will revisit your bottom 10 in a bit. But the F on Martel sticks out...not quite sure I agree with that. Martel might be in the 13-15 range when I put a version together.

Also, a frustrating thing about HF is that they really don't seem to change the ratings on players after they've set them. Sanheim clearly should be a B at this point, and others like Lindblom do not get upgraded despite having strong years and making tremendous strides on fixing the weaknesses that affected their ratings in the first place.

EDIT: Saw they did upgrade Sanheim to a B. Still have him as a 7.5 though.

I haven't seen Konecny play a single game. When I see an NHL team trade up to select a player in the first round, I don't know if that player should be designated as high risk. I would think if the Flyers thought he was high risk they wouldn't have made that move.
- MJL

Fair point. His size does present risk though, even if nothing else the injury concern. I'm ok with not considering him as safe as someone like a Laughton. But overall I agree...he doesn't carry the risk that Martel does.

But the F on Martel sticks out...not quite sure I agree with that.
- TheGreat28

Kid's definitely got skill, but a 5'8 LW's gonna have to overcome a lot of adversity to end up sticking in the league as a 2nd-line scorer. The F to me just means he's likely to drop more than a few ratings... like down to a 4 (top minor league forward) or a 3 (average minor league forward).

Same for Kase.

I haven't seen Konecny play a single game. When I see an NHL team trade up to select a player in the first round, I don't know if that player should be designated as high risk. I would think if the Flyers thought he was high risk they wouldn't have made that move.
- MJL

Mackenzie also more or less said the concerns about his health and whether he can play his style at the NHL level were over blown. Sounded like it was a home run pick in his eyes.

More rock em sock em robots! Yaaaaay!