Phantoms / Royals / NCAA / Juniors / Int'l

[awaz]

Rubstov officially transferring from KHL to Chicoutimi in the QMJHL too. That's huge news for his development in my opinion. Should get a ton more playing time.

 

[JBM73]

Future Flyers Report: German Rubtsov coming to North America?

 

[JBM73]

From ESPN's Top 50 Prospects list. Skaters:

18. Philippe Myers, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 19 | Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 209 | Previous: 84
Current team: Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) | Drafted: UD
2016-17 stats: 19 GP | 8 G | 10 A

He has been everything the Flyers could have hoped he'd be when they brought him into camp on a tryout two seasons ago - and more. Defensemen who are 6-foot-5 and can skate at a pro level are hard to find, and when you combine that with above-average hockey IQ, it makes one heckuva player. Staying healthy will be key for Myers, as he has already sustained multiple injuries this season, including a concussion at the World Juniors.

47. Oskar Lindblom, LW, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 20 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 196 | Previous: 69
Current team: Brynas (SHL) | Drafted: No. 138, 2014
2016-17 stats: 34 GP | 10 G | 20 A

Lindblom has been one of the top scorers in the SHL in his 20-year-old season, putting him on track to potentially push for ice time with the Flyers next season. There's a lot of reason to have optimism with Lindblom. He's a big forward with goods hands and overall hockey intelligence. He can battle for pucks, made a nice touch play or finish a tough scoring chance. He's not really a game-breaker, though; he isn't going to burst down the wing or generate offense out of nowhere. But he produces everywhere he goes, and after a while, that's hard to ignore.

49. Travis Sanheim, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 20 | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 201 | Previous: 71
Current team: Lehigh Valley (AHL) | Drafted: No. 17, 2014
2016-17 stats: 37 GP | 7 G | 11 A

Sanheim has been very good as a rookie pro in Lehigh Valley. There are times where he makes "wow" plays, and there are stretches where I wish the potential would really flow through more consistently. However, the total package is still quite good; he's a big defender with excellent speed for a player his size, good hands and ability to break a game open. His defense has been, and continues to be, sub-optimal, but he shows competence versus pros, even if I wouldn't refer to it as "excellence" in that area.



Top 10 Goalies list:

3. Carter Hart, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 181
Current team: Everett (WHL) | Drafted: No. 48, 2016
2016-17 stats: 28 GP | 1.94 GAA | .926 SV%

Hart has continued to excel at the Major Junior level, following up his CHL Goalie of the Year accolades from last season with another quality campaign. Hart's game is quiet because he's such a smart player. His angles and depth in the net are sharp, he reads shooters well, and squares everything up. He needs to bulk up a lot, but when his frame rounds out he could be scary good.

5. Felix Sandstrom, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 20 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 194
Current team: Brynas (SHL) | Drafted: No. 70, 2015
2016-17 stats: 12 GP | 2.01 GAA | .916 SV%

Sandstrom was named the top goalie at the World Juniors. "He's athletic, he's poised, he's structured. There is a lot there to like," an NHL scout observed at the tournament. He also has been a very solid regular in the SHL for a teenager (as he just turned 20 on Jan. 12). He has the look of an NHL goalie with his size, the way he reads the game and the plays he can make.

8. Anthony Stolarz, Philadelphia Flyers

 

[lasgop8]

From ESPN's Top 50 Prospects list. Skaters:

18. Philippe Myers, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 19 | Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 209 | Previous: 84
Current team: Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) | Drafted: UD
2016-17 stats: 19 GP | 8 G | 10 A

He has been everything the Flyers could have hoped he'd be when they brought him into camp on a tryout two seasons ago - and more. Defensemen who are 6-foot-5 and can skate at a pro level are hard to find, and when you combine that with above-average hockey IQ, it makes one heckuva player. Staying healthy will be key for Myers, as he has already sustained multiple injuries this season, including a concussion at the World Juniors.

47. Oskar Lindblom, LW, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 20 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 196 | Previous: 69
Current team: Brynas (SHL) | Drafted: No. 138, 2014
2016-17 stats: 34 GP | 10 G | 20 A

Lindblom has been one of the top scorers in the SHL in his 20-year-old season, putting him on track to potentially push for ice time with the Flyers next season. There's a lot of reason to have optimism with Lindblom. He's a big forward with goods hands and overall hockey intelligence. He can battle for pucks, made a nice touch play or finish a tough scoring chance. He's not really a game-breaker, though; he isn't going to burst down the wing or generate offense out of nowhere. But he produces everywhere he goes, and after a while, that's hard to ignore.

49. Travis Sanheim, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 20 | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 201 | Previous: 71
Current team: Lehigh Valley (AHL) | Drafted: No. 17, 2014
2016-17 stats: 37 GP | 7 G | 11 A

Sanheim has been very good as a rookie pro in Lehigh Valley. There are times where he makes "wow" plays, and there are stretches where I wish the potential would really flow through more consistently. However, the total package is still quite good; he's a big defender with excellent speed for a player his size, good hands and ability to break a game open. His defense has been, and continues to be, sub-optimal, but he shows competence versus pros, even if I wouldn't refer to it as "excellence" in that area.



Top 10 Goalies list:

3. Carter Hart, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 181
Current team: Everett (WHL) | Drafted: No. 48, 2016
2016-17 stats: 28 GP | 1.94 GAA | .926 SV%

Hart has continued to excel at the Major Junior level, following up his CHL Goalie of the Year accolades from last season with another quality campaign. Hart's game is quiet because he's such a smart player. His angles and depth in the net are sharp, he reads shooters well, and squares everything up. He needs to bulk up a lot, but when his frame rounds out he could be scary good.

5. Felix Sandstrom, Philadelphia Flyers
Age: 20 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 194
Current team: Brynas (SHL) | Drafted: No. 70, 2015
2016-17 stats: 12 GP | 2.01 GAA | .916 SV%

Sandstrom was named the top goalie at the World Juniors. "He's athletic, he's poised, he's structured. There is a lot there to like," an NHL scout observed at the tournament. He also has been a very solid regular in the SHL for a teenager (as he just turned 20 on Jan. 12). He has the look of an NHL goalie with his size, the way he reads the game and the plays he can make.

8. Anthony Stolarz, Philadelphia Flyers

I cant believe that Meyers is that much ahead of Sanheim who would've thought that.

 

[awaz]

thanks JBM! i was hoping you would clip the flyers out when i saw the list tweeted.

how does the flyers system stack up to others? gotta think 3 of the top 10 goalies has every other team beat, but 3 skaters in the top 50 probably isn't dominant.

still though, that's the 3 that i would expect to see, so that's good.

 

[awaz]

I cant believe that Meyers is that much ahead of Sanheim who would've thought that.

Myers is gunna be special. I fully expect Myers/Provorov to be the flyers top pair for the foreseeable future. Maybe even as soon as next year.

With Morin/Sanheim as the second pair.. things are looking good on defense, as we know. just need to get some difference makers up front in the system. fortunately they typically progress faster than dmen and goalies.

 

[lasgop8]

Myers is gunna be special. I fully expect Myers/Provorov to be the flyers top pair for the foreseeable future. Maybe even as soon as next year.

With Morin/Sanheim as the second pair.. things are looking good on defense, as we know. just need to get some difference makers up front in the system. fortunately they typically progress faster than dmen and goalies.

That would mean Ghost/Gudas would be our 6/7 not bad if this all shakes out the way we are hoping

 

[awaz]

That would mean Ghost/Gudas would be our 6/7 not bad if this all shakes out the way we are hoping

yep, that would be perfect. should be a pretty interesting off season. Lindblom, Myers, Sanheim, and Morin should all be pushing for an NHL spot next year. Will be interesting to see how Hexy operates with his 'spots aren't given' policy, but still having the potential for 4 guys getting replaced on the NHL squad.

throw laughton and leier in there too, they should be pushing as well.

 

[JBM73]

thanks JBM! i was hoping you would clip the flyers out when i saw the list tweeted.

how does the flyers system stack up to others? gotta think 3 of the top 10 goalies has every other team beat, but 3 skaters in the top 50 probably isn't dominant.

still though, that's the 3 that i would expect to see, so that's good.

The #'s 1, 2 and 4 goalies are all Russians playing in the KHL. No other NHL team had more than one goalie on the list. I didn't look that closely at the skaters.

 

[lasgop8]

yep, that would be perfect. should be a pretty interesting off season. Lindblom, Myers, Sanheim, and Morin should all be pushing for an NHL spot next year. Will be interesting to see how Hexy operates with his 'spots aren't given' policy, but still having the potential for 4 guys getting replaced on the NHL squad.

throw laughton and leier in there too, they should be pushing as well.

I dont want any of those forwards i would like to get much bigger up front i would like to at least have one line preferably a huge third line and keep French Vandevelde and fill in a name to be the 4th line/shutdown line.

 

[awaz]

I dont want any of those forwards i would like to get much bigger up front i would like to at least have one line preferably a huge third line and keep French Vandevelde and fill in a name to be the 4th line/shutdown line.

Lindblom is 6'2 190, that's not too bad size wise. could certainly stand to add some pounds still, but i'm very much looking forward to what he can bring. i think he's a top 6 guy that could bring some scoring.

 

[awaz]

if you could pick 3 guys from any team as your 3rd line, who would it be las?

curious, and also want to talk hockey instead of work

 

[lasgop8]

if you could pick 3 guys from any team as your 3rd line, who would it be las?

curious, and also want to talk hockey instead of work

As you know i would like to have Matt Martin for my first pick Cal Clutterbuck and Ryan White. I dont know what they make but i tried to stay reasonable with the cap .

 

[lasgop8]

Lindblom is 6'2 190, that's not too bad size wise. could certainly stand to add some pounds still, but i'm very much looking forward to what he can bring. i think he's a top 6 guy that could bring some scoring.

Ive never seen him play but im looking to get some guys who teams just hate to play against i cant say that Linblom is that type of player. If Coots brought a mean streak we wouldn't have a glaring need for toughness.

 

[JBM73]

if you could pick 3 guys from any team as your 3rd line, who would it be las?

curious, and also want to talk hockey instead of work

Work has really been getting in the way of my posting for the past 9-10 months...

I'd start with Couturier as my C, especially since he's now winning 51.8% of his draws. I don't have other specific names, but I'd pair him with a speedy defensive winger who can chip in offensively, ala what Read used to be, and a banger type who can do the dirty work along the boards and crash the net - what they hoped Weise was going to be.

 

[lasgop8]

Work has really been getting in the way of my posting for the past 9-10 months...

I'd start with Couturier as my C, especially since he's now winning 51.8% of his draws. I don't have other specific names, but I'd pair him with a speedy defensive winger who can chip in offensively, ala what Read used to be, and a banger type who can do the dirty work along the boards and crash the net - what they hoped Weise was going to be.

If Couts is our third line center i would push Ryan White back to the fourth line or if he makes to much for the fourth line somebody that plays like him for cheaper.

 

[JBM73]

If Couts is our third line center i would push Ryan White back to the fourth line or if he makes to much for the fourth line somebody that plays like him for cheaper.

Ideally a few key roles on the team are filled by guys still on their ELC's...you're right that we'd have trouble putting together our ideal team under the cap.

 

[awaz]

I like the Coots and Clutterbuck picks. Clutterbuck is a shmuck when he's on other teams, but i'd like to see his game in black and orange. I agree, i think they were hoping Weise could fill that role this season and it just hasn't happened.

If they go this way for a 3rd line, I'd want more offense in the fourth line than PEB/Vandevelde provide. But a fourth line of Laughton, Leier, and Lyubimov, with a 3rd line like Coots/Clutterbuck and maybe Antoine Russel out of Dallas would be an extremely agitating and good defensive line that could still chip in offensively.

Not sure if Russel is playign 3rd line minutes though. and obviously coots isn't really.

 

[lasgop8]

R

I like the Coots and Clutterbuck picks. Clutterbuck is a shmuck when he's on other teams, but i'd like to see his game in black and orange. I agree, i think they were hoping Weise could fill that role this season and it just hasn't happened.

If they go this way for a 3rd line, I'd want more offense in the fourth line than PEB/Vandevelde provide. But a fourth line of Laughton, Leier, and Lyubimov, with a 3rd line like Coots/Clutterbuck and maybe Antoine Russel out of Dallas would be an extremely agitating and good defensive line that could still chip in offensively.

Not sure if Russel is playign 3rd line minutes though. and obviously coots isn't really.

Rousell is definately a guy that teams hate to play against also if we wanted to add sizewhich we desperately need our old friend Patrick Maroon or a guy like Nick Richie in Aneheim

 

[awaz]

R

Rousell is definately a guy that teams hate to play against also if we wanted to add sizewhich we desperately need our old friend Patrick Maroon or a guy like Nick Richie in Aneheim

Anaheim plays a thick game. No doubt about that. I expect if you were a GM your team would look a lot like them. Which definitely wouldn't be a bad thing. Just hard to assemble a team like that with enough skill. Helps to have Getzlaf and Kesler down the middle I suppose.

Center is a big concern for me going forward. With Coots not really realizing his offensive potential, G slowing down at 5 on 5, and not being the biggest Rubstov fan, they're pretty thin in the middle going in to their 'window'. IMO.