When Luca Sbisa was shipped off to Anaheim along with two back-to-back first round selections, many were worried that the Flyers gave up too much for an aging Chris Pronger. Even though that doesn’t appear to be a fair statement based on Pronger’s play so far this season, it does not change the fact that the Flyers lost their first round talent for three straight seasons.
With vanRiemsdyk’s rookie season nearly over, the Flyers are without a first round prospect in the pool. Claude Giroux is also with the Flyers, Steve Downie is in the middle of a tremendous season for the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Luca Sbisa is in Anaheim’s system.
That leaves the Flyers with two choices:
- Hope that the players from later rounds develop into solid complementary talents at the NHL level.
- Find hit or miss undrafted players and bring them into the system.
The Flyers are relying on a little bit of both and have found a few players they liked enough to add including Luke Pither, Shane Harper, and Tyler Hostetter.
NHL Ready Prospects
1. James vanRiemsdyk -- LW
Age: 20
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 1st round (#2) in 2007
Potential: Elite scorerIf there were ever any questions about Riemer, I’m fairly confident they have all been answered. Many wondered why he was even selected 2nd overall behind Patrick Kane instead of Kyle Turris who went 3rd.
The Flyers' prize for enduring the Forgotten Year, James vanRiemsdyk, is finally making his presence known to all of the doubters at the NHL level.
As Kyle Turris continues his development in the AHL, there’s obviously something the Flyers’ scouting staff liked in JVR. He’s also a very different player from Turris. Though both are clearly talented forwards, vanRiemsdyk has the potential for so much more with his large frame.
Unlike Giroux, who is one of the most dangerous passers the Flyers’ organization has ever seen, vanRiemsdyk does not rely on one specific skill to make his mark offensively. Instead he is the perfect offensive mix. He is not overly physical, but he does not shy away from contact. He wastes no movement on his skates, but he can work well through tight traffic. He isn’t a sniper of Jeff Carter’s caliber, but he can certainly find twine. He isn’t going to thread a pass through sticks and legs to the far side like Giroux, but he is a crafty passer in his own right. He is big enough to stand in front of the net and fast enough to speed by players on the outside. There are not many flaws to his game.
Everyone already knows about his Calder race with other rookies such as John Tavares, Matt Duchene, Victor Hedman, and Tyler Myers, but they may not realize that vanRiemsdyk is averaging roughly 7 or 8 less minutes of ice time per game than them. He is also sometimes left out on the powerplay thanks to the depth the Flyers have at forward. With 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 59 games, he is averaging the second most points-per-game than among rookies.
With big names from the recent draft performing well such as Tavares and Duchene, it might be hard for Riemer to sneak iont the top three since Buffalo defenseman Tyler Myers may be a lock at this point. Even so, the Flyers organization is impressed with what JVR has done at the age of 20 even if he was expected to spend another developmental year in the AHL.
2. Claude Giroux -- C/RW
Age: 22
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 1st round (#22) in 2006
Potential: Elite playmakerWhat can’t Claude Giroux do? Well, he can’t score goals. Though I’m partially kidding, I wonder if having Giroux practice with his linemates standing behind the net would help him score more. All he has to do is thread a nifty pass through the crease and goalie to his teammates instead of trying to score a goal, and he would suddenly be an offensive machine.
Though he's small, Claude Giroux knows how to use leverage and speed to his advantage when on the attack.
Granted, it is not like he isn’t an offensive machine already. Though he has not broken out into point-per-game form just yet like many had hoped, he is still a little fire-cracker of offensive explosion. In 61 games with the Flyers this season, he has 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points.
He hasn’t let his small frame get in the way either. Though he’s not afraid to throw a check here and there, his incredibly nifty stick-work gets him out of situations along the boards. Practically every game he will make a move or an incredible pass that will leave you gawking at the television. Even the nonchalant no-look behind the back pass to JVR for a 3rd period goal the other night against Tampa Bay seems like child’s play to him. He has as much talent, vision, and brains as any elite playmaking center in the NHL. Once he puts it all together and gets more ice time, he will be a devastating force for the Flyers.
3. Ville Leino -- LW/C
Age: 26
Acquired: Trade with the Detroit Red Wings
Draft: Undrafted
Potential: Versatile secondary scorerYou know those young players that have an incredible break-out year overseas and come to North America hoping to be star players? Names like Janne Pesonen, who had an incredible 2007-08 season in the Finnish league (SM-Liiga) before signing with the Penguins, Fabian Brunnstrom, who tore up the Swedish Elite League (SEL) also in 2007-08 before signing with the Dallas Stars, Jonas Gustavsson, who was labeled the best goaltender outside the NHL in 2008-09 before signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Mika Pyorala, who as a two-way forward had a great offensive year in the SEL before signing with us this past offseason, should all come to mind. Pesonen is now in the KHL, Brunnstrom works in and out of the Dallas line-up, Gustavsson has had a mediocre season with the Leafs, and though Pyorala was a decent depth two-way forward, he is now in the AHL.
Leino looked good in his debut with the Philadelphia Flyers the other night wearing number 22 and sporting an awesome beard. He even scored a goal in his first game wearing orange and black.
Leino, only a year younger than Pesonen, had one point less than Pesonen in the SM-Liiga in 2007-08 before signing with the Detroit Red Wings. He had a great 2008-09 season with Detroit’s AHL team in Grand Rapids before jumping into the NHL late that season. He had a great surge in 13 regular season games with Detroit, and many pronounced him one of the favorites to win the Calder Trophy this season.
It didn’t work out as he hoped.
He struggled as Detroit struggled. Some of his problems such as skating and back-checking became more apparent without a healthy Detroit roster covering them up. He became a healthy scratch and was eventually traded for next to nothing to the Flyers in order to free up cap space.
He still has every offensive talent a forward could need, especially around the net. He will never likely be a star, but he’s got the makings of a solid depth forward if he can work on his skating. He’s not afraid of the crease, and in Laviolette’s system, he will either work on his skating or get left behind. He has the chance of becoming a very versatile secondary scorer as soon as the Flyers have an offseason to work with him.
He also happens to have an awesome beard growing. He was playing the other night and wearing number 22 as Powe was out with a minor injury. He looked good and was willing to work hard. He seems to really want to earn a spot on the roster, and he helped his cause by scoring a goal in his orange and black debut.
4. Ryan Parent -- D
Age: 22
Acquired: Trade with the Nashville Predators
Draft: 1st round (#18) in 2005
Potential: Smart shut-down defensemanRyan Parent is certainly not an offensive contributor in any world, but he does bring a very important and often underrated skill-set to the Flyers. While he has played 83 NHL games, he has only contributed 7 total points off of 6 career assists and a goal that he had the other night against the Florida Panthers. Even so, he is a very positionally strong defenseman who works well funneling dangerous threats inside out. He has very good stick-work, and when he does retrieve the puck, he always makes the safe play first.
Parent has finally returned from back surgery and scored his first NHL goal in his first game back.
Since he has limited offensive potential, he will always be a cheap option on the backside. Though offensive capabilities are something most NHL defensemen need in the new NHL, Parent will have a role as a shut-down defenseman. He is more than capable of pulling his weight even if his ceiling is only as a second pairing blueliner.
Unfortunately, he has also suffered a number of injuries throughout his career. This year was his second opportunity to play his first full NHL season. Back surgery sidelined him this time, and the rest of the season will be a huge test for him.
5. Oskars Bartulis -- D
Age: 23
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 3rd round (#91) in 2005
Potential: Middle pairing puck-moving defensemanBartulis is a very composed player. He thinks thing through from the blueline but is quick enough to get the puck out of danger. He is very fluid, calm, and direct when moving the puck whether he is passing or skating it up ice. He doesn’t have tons of offensive potential but has a great shot from the point on the powerplay. He will be someone on the back-end that a team can count on to be safe while getting the puck up ice.
Bartulis has been a welcome surprise for the Flyers this season and even got the chance to play for Team Latvia at the Olympics.
It has been a great season for Bartulis, who had an outstanding outing with Team Latvia at the Olympics despite not earning a medal. He wasn’t expected to make an impact on the Flyers’ blueline this season, but he has been a welcome surprise. Even though he has a team worst minus 10 rating, he has survived through a carousel of partners on the blueline. With the acquisition of Lukas Karjicek, who fits the mold of a more offensive-defenseman instead of just a puck-mover, and the return of Parent from back surgery, Bartulis may have been shifted down to the 7th defenseman despite his recent minor groin tweak. With a relatively healthy blueline at the moment, he can take his time recovering, but the Flyers would love to have him back soon just in case someone else gets hurt on the back-end.
Like Parent and Braydon Coburn, Bartulis would have been a restricted free-agent (RFA) this offseason. With his outstanding play at the blueline, Holmgren locked him up to a three year deal at a bargain price, so Bartulis could be here for a while as he progresses as a defenseman.
6. Jon Kalinski -- LW/C/RW
Age: 22
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 6th round (#152) in 2007
Potential: Versatile utility and energy forwardThere was a point last season when not only was Jon Kalinski’s hockey career in danger, but his life was on the line as well. The story about Kalinski’s injury has been all over articles, and even on TV during hospital commercials on CSN. He has made a very solid recovery and does not seem to have lost a step at all. He even earned another call-up this season when the Flyers were hurt by injuries early in the year. In 10 games during this year’s stint, he earned 2 assists, and in 2008-09, he played 12 games earning a goal and 2 assists.
Kalinski is a heart and soul forward who has already seen NHL action as a call-up in times of need.
His offensive numbers aren’t astronomical. They never have been and they never will be, but at the same time, Kalinski provides an energy and work ethic that can’t be taught. He is, first and foremost, an energy player who can line-up wherever he is asked, do whatever he is asked, and make it look fun. He is a heart and soul type of player, who can be effective at the NHL level immediately if the need should arise.
Before Blair Betts was brought into training camp this past summer in hopes of earning a roster spot with the Flyers as a fourth line center, it was Kalinski who was penciled in for the role. Now with Betts locked up long-term on a bargain contract, it will be hard for Kalinski to make the jump as a fourth line center. Even so, he has the versatility to play wherever the team needs him. He has a legitimate shot at making the team next season if it isn’t too log-jammed.
On The Verge
1. Patrick Maroon -- LW
Age: 21
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 6th round (#161) in 2007
Potential: Top line power-forwardWhen Patrick Maroon was drafted in the 6th round back in 2007, there were plenty of people who skimmed over his name and forgot it a second later. He was an American skater from St. Louis and a long shot to ever get a chance at the NHL. Fortunately for the Flyers organization, Maroon never wanted to be that name forgotten to the draft log.
Maroon has re-awakened his game after a mid-season injury gave him the chance to rest. He has a legitimate shot at the NHL next season.
Maroon, when he was drafted, was one of the most gifted stick-handlers coming out the of the United States, but he had a severe conditioning problem. There are plenty of stories online detailing his incredible effort to get in shape and to make a name for himself. He worked hard on his conditioning and skating. Eventually he found himself with the London Knights of the OHL. In one season, he became a star leading the Knights in scoring and into the playoffs.
He ventured to the AHL the following season where he worked on his skating some more. He had a great year for his first professional season scoring 23 goals and adding another 31 assists for 54 points in 80 games with the Phantoms. Still, as a 20-year-old he finished fourth on the team in scoring.
He went through a slump early this season, but after returning from an injury, he went on an offensive fury. He has brought himself back up to third in scoring even though his goal totals are low.
Maroon provides an excellent weapon in front of the net to bang home the trash. His stick-work and hand-eye coordination are already NHL caliber. He has the makings of a Mike Knuble type of forward who can press the issue in the corners, on the end wall, or in front of the net. He is the type of player that the Flyers could use, but after an injury set him back in preseason, he failed to make the roster. All through the early portion of 2009-10 he seemed a little slower than normal but was just feeling the aftereffects of his offseason injury. Another chance to rest midseason seems to have revitalized him. He was expected to make the Flyers roster even before vanRiemsdyk, so he has a legitimate shot of being a top nine winger by next year.
2. Andreas Nodl -- RW
Age: 23
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 2nd round (#39) in 2006
Potential: Third-line two-way forwardAndreas Nodl has had a hard time finding consistent offense. He isn’t doing poorly at the AHL level with 8 goals and 15 assists in 45 games played with the Phantoms this year, but his offensive potential has yet to materialize.
In his short professional career, Nodl has gotten very good at digging out pucks trapped in corners.
Even so, Nodl has many other qualities to his game that would be helpful to the Flyers. One thing Nodl has become an expert on is board-work. He has strong defensive capabilities, but his board-work and forechecking are excellent. If his offense never materializes, he has the potential to be a very good utility forward on the third line. He has the speed to create turnovers and work ethic to make offense happen, but he is not necessarily a gifted finisher.
He had an incredible start to his professional career making the Flyers’ roster at the on-set of the 2008-09 season even before Giroux, but eventually his lack of offensive production became evident. The organization decided that he could use some developmental time at the AHL level. He scored his first NHL goal on December 23rd, 2008 just before the Christmas break but was sent down before the next game. He also got a 10 game stint with the Flyers this season registering an assist.
3. Joonas Lehtivuori -- D
Age: 21
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 4th round (#101) in 2006
Potential: Middle pairing puck-moving defensemanAfter a let-down season compared to his 2nd full year in the Finnish league, Joonas Lehtivuori made the journey the Phantoms in order to slowly work toward the NHL. Instead of more frustrations, Lehtivuori figured out how to play a North American brand of hockey rather quickly, and while other defensive prospects like Marc-Andre Bourdon and Kevin Marshall have struggled for parts of the season, Lehtivuori’s experience playing against men in the SM-Liiga eased his transition. The transition seems to have been much harder on Bourdon and Marshall, who have both ventured over to the Phantoms from the Quebec junior league in Canada.
Joonas Lehtivuori races against Team USA's Patrick Kane to the puck up ice on a fast break.
Lehtivuori has almost immediately become the Phantoms’ best defenseman in the absence of Bartulis. He is the only defenseman on the current roster with a positive plus-minus at plus one, and he is second on the team in production from the blueline registering 4 goals and 11 assists in 48 games.
He has quickly become the veteran presence that the Phantoms’ needed even as a rookie. His abilities to move the puck calmly while finding the safest path up ice have been exactly what the Phantoms needed, and even though he is not a prototypical powerplay quarterback with a booming shot and a nose for the net, he earns his keep in other ways. Lehtivuori feels comfortable managing the game on the ice and keeping the tempo at his speed. That play-management ability is something the Flyers see every game only from Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen.
4. David Laliberte -- RW
Age: 23
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 4th round (#124) in 2004
Potential: Secondary scorerOn November 2nd, 2009 in his second game of an 11 game stint with the Flyers, David Laliberte did something that no Flyer has done since Eric Lindros: score a goal in each of his first two NHL games. The first one was scored against Michael Leighton then of the Carolina Hurricanes, and Laliberte added an assist for good measure. He then scored against Tampa Bay in the following game putting himself among some very elite company.
Former QMJHL winger David Laliberte patterns his game after Simon Gagne.
Oddly enough, he patterns his game after the only person on the Flyers’ roster who had the opportunity to play with Lindros: Simon Gagne. Unfortunately for Laliberte, he does not have the blazing speed necessary to pull off what Gagne can do in any given game, but he can put up some offensive numbers. During his final year in the QMJHL, Laliberte scored a massive 50 goals and added another 48 assists for 98 points in 68 games. Needless to say, he has some offensive skills.
During his first professional season he split time in both the ECHL and AHL before becoming a full-time AHLer for the Phantoms in 2008-09. Without the speed of Gagne, he has to rely on his stick-work in traffic to get by, but he has an opportunity to make an impact on the Flyers if he continues to improve.
Need More Time
1. Joacim Eriksson -- G
Age: 19
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 7th round (#196) in 2008
Potential: Consistent starting goaltenderThe new sensation of the Flyers’ prospect pool, Joacim Eriksson, is tearing up the Allsvenskan over in Sweden. The Allsvenskan is the second tier of Swedish hockey, but it is not like the AHL. The relationship between the Allsvenskan and SEL is more like if you took the NHL and split it into two leagues; one league of playoff teams and another made up of the rest. Then the best of the NHL-B and the worst of NHL-A would go to their own playoff for the right to play in NHL-A next season. So, to say Eriksson is only tearing up a secondary league in Sweden is a little unfair.
Eriksson has had a remarkable season in the Allsvenskan and has surpassed Ed Belfour's club shutout record.
Eriksson was a member of the Brynas system and stuck behind elite goaltending prospect Jacob Markstrom. Because Markstrom was on the Brynas SEL team, there was no room for Eriksson without relegating him to a back-up position. He was then loaned to Leksand of the Allsvenskan where he has been incredible. He beat Ed Belfour’s club record by securing 8 shutouts this season and is 2 away from tying a league record.
All season long he has been in the upper-echelon of goaltending, often being the number one in both GAA and SV%. Though he has fallen back a bit, he is still in the top three among goaltenders, all of which don’t see nearly as much rubber as he does. He will likely play in the SEL next season. He needs more time before he is NHL ready, but he’s definitely someone to keep an eye on.
2. Kevin Marshall -- D
Age: 20
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 2nd round (#41) in 2007
Potential: Mean shut-down defensemanThe physical shut-down defenseman Kevin Marshall had gotten off to a slow start in the AHL. Even so, it is his first professional season, and you cannot fault him for getting out of the gate slowly. He has started to progress as the games come off the schedule, but he still has a bit to go.
Marshall was a major impact player during a summer prospect scrimmage against the Capitals' prospects even though vanRiemsdyk got all the glory because of his incredible offensive display.
Though he doesn’t have much in the way of offensive instincts, he has managed 2 goals and 2 assists in 56 games. He does have a very hard slap shot from the point but probably won’t get the opportunity to use it much at the NHL level. His responsibilities are, first and foremost, as a shut-down defenseman. He plays his position very well, and while he is similar to Parent in a lot of aspects, he is unafraid to get a little mean along the boards or in the corners. This will only work to Marshall’s advantage as he grows in the AHL.
With a deep blueline on the Flyers already including Pronger, Timonen, Coburn, Carle, Parent, and Bartulis, who all could possibly be in the organization’s long-term plans, there is certainly no rush on pushing Marshall through his progression. He will work in the AHL and get better. Since he already has a defensively responsible skill-set, he could probably play a fairly safe NHL game sooner than most, but Bartulis and Lehtivuori are closer only because they seem to be less frazzled by outside influences and are calmer with the puck.
3. Marc-Andre Bourdon -- D
Age: 20
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 3rd round (#67) in 2008
Potential: Mean power-play quarterbackLast year at this time Bourdon was rounding out the finishing touches of an incredible QMJHL season from the blueline where he scored 18 goals and added 42 assists for 60 points in just 54 games spent with two different teams. He became one of the most important players for the Rimouski Oceanic during their Memorial Cup run and even won the award for the best QMJHL defenseman of the 2008-09 season.
Bourdon was the offensively gifted defenseman drafted after Luca Sbisa in 2008 that made Sbisa less of a hard loss to swallow. Even so, he has to work on his puck-moving game before he can become an effective professional defenseman.
Since then, things have been rough for Bourdon. He, like Marshall, got off to a slow start playing in the faster-paced AHL. The competition was bigger, tougher, and faster. In the end, Bourdon’s skating issues caused him some problems. Though he he has the third most points among defensemen on the team with a goal and 13 assists in 55 games, he has the third worst plus/minus rating with a minus 12.
If Bourdon is ever going to make it to the professional game he has to work on being more careful with the puck like Bartulis and Lehtivuori. He is an offensive juggernaut when given the right opportunities, but he needs to figure out how to put himself, and the puck, safely into those situations. He has a ton of talent and, like Marshall, can bring some tenacity to the back-end. With a stacked blueline, there is no rush on Bourdon either, so he has plenty of time to iron out the wrinkles in his game.
4. Stefan Legein -- RW
Age: 21
Acquired: Trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets
Draft: 2nd round (#37) in 2007
Potential: High-energy secondary scorerThere has been plenty of discussion about Stefan Legein’s little “vacation” from hockey. He had all the talent to be a professional ice-hockey player and even got to win a World Junior Championship gold with Team Canada. He just suddenly got tired of all the pressure and felt overwhelmed.
After a return to hockey and a change of scenery, Legein is starting to look like the player Columbus hoped he would be when they drafted him.
The story has been beaten to death, and while there is obviously a little apprehension when discussing the future of a player who once hung up his skates, you can only go off of what he has done since being traded to Philadelphia. Columbus decided to part ways with Legein, and Philadelphia may have reaped the rewards.
Before coming to Philadelphia, Legein had only 3 goals and an assist at the professional level in 32 games after coming back out of retirement. Since his change of scenery, he has seemed more comfortable. He has definitely given the Phantoms’ offense a jolt with 21 goals this season. He is a former 43 goal scorer in the OHL, so he certainly knows how to set-up a meeting between rubber and twine even if he has certain draw-backs as a passer. He is also a hard-nosed locker-room guy who will fight for any pucks on the ice. He’s a hard worker and plays much like Darroll Powe.
The organization will take some time with Legein to be sure that everything is in order. He has a real opportunity to be one of those hard working energy players that become fan favorites in Philadelphia.
5. Eric Wellwood -- LW
Age: 20
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 6th round (#172) in 2009
Potential: Two-way secondary scorerEric Wellwood is in the middle of a dream season for a defensive specialist with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL. Not only is he playing with easily the most talented line-up in possibly the entire CHL, but he is keeping the pace offensively. That’s not an easy task for a defensively responsible forward working on the kill instead of the powerplay. Even so, his incredible offensive outburst during the 2008-09 postseason scoring 21 points off of 10 goals in 20 games made the Flyers take an extra long look at him.
Wellwood has gotten the opportunity to celebrate a lot of goals this season. He has 31 in 61 games played for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL.
It is certainly paying off now. Wellwood has 31 goals compared to his 16, 34 assists compared to his 18, and 65 points compared to the 34 he had last season in the same amount of games. He has certainly taken his game to a whole new level and hopes to continue his play with the Phantoms next season since he has already signed a contract.
Though he has a far more skilled brother with the Vancouver Canucks in Kyle Wellwood, he is a much harder worker. He also has something his brother will never have: incredible speed. Eric Wellwood won’t necessarily look for body contact, but he can breeze by for a break away after stealing the puck on a penalty kill. On top of that, he has the talent to finish.
Though his offense may never translate, he can at worst become a Blair Betts type of player at the NHL level with a little more offensive abilities. Every team could use more players like Betts anyway.
6. Jonathan Matsumoto -- C
Age: 23
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 3rd round (#79) in 2006
Potential: Third-line centerJonathan Matsumoto has done nothing nothing but produce offensively since leaving Bowling Green State University for the Phantoms. In 232 games played with the Phantoms, he has 72 goals and 86 assists for 158 points including the 21 goals and 26 assists he has this season. He was the leading scorer among forwards for the Phantoms last season and leads the team in production this season. Still, Matsumoto has not seen one NHL game.
Matsumoto has been one of the most consistent forwards for the Phantoms in the last couple of years.
He has watched Giroux and vanRiemsdyk quickly leap-frog him into the NHL. Even Nodl, Kalinski, and Laliberte have become regular call-ups before him without producing nearly as much at the AHL level. So why does Matsumoto seemed trapped with the Phantoms?
Part of the reason is the depth at center the Flyers have. There is not a very large need for Matsumoto with Giroux, Richards, and Carter clogging up the middle. On top of that, he does not have the skill-set to be a role player, energy guy, or even a relief scoring winger like the other players that have been called up before him. He is a skilled center who is decent at everything he does. He doesn’t necessarily excel at anything to make him a role player, but he is not talented enough to beat out the big three hogging up the center positions at the NHL level. With it looking more and more like Carter, Richards, and Giroux will be here long-term, Matsumoto may be stuck if he does not end up a complimentary winger.
7. Simon Bertilsson -- D
Age: 19
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 3rd round (#87) in 2009
Potential: Balanced hard-hitting defensemanSimon Bertilsson is a puck-moving defenseman with a very specific skill-set. He is smart, mobile, mean, and even has a decent offensive upside. He’s more of a balanced defenseman who can hit pretty hard, and his game is sort of like another Swedish defenseman, Niklas Kronwall. He certainly does not let his hard-hitting or his puck-moving abilities get in the way of his defensive capabilities. Bertilsson is a very balanced defenseman.
Bertilsson is the kind of defenseman that is smart, can move the puck, can provide offense, can play a solid defensive game, and also just happens to like to skate through walls.
Unfortunately for Bertilsson, the 1 goal and 4 assists he has in his 51 game SEL career is not indicative of his true offensive potential. It is important to remember that he is a boy playing amongst men in the Swedish Elite League. When competing with the U-20′s in the junior league at the age of 17 before getting SEL time, Bertilsson scored 9 goals and added another 22 assists for 31 points in 30 games. He definitely has some skills.
He was hoping to be a major part of Team Sweden in the World Junior Championships this year, but an injury held him off of the final roster. It has also cut into the amount of games he could be playing with Brynas in the SEL this year.
Bertilsson also happens to be from the same system as Eriksson. Though Eriksson is playing with Leksand right now, if Markstrom vacates his starting position for North America, both Bertilsson and Eriksson could be reunited in the SEL next season. There’s a slight chance that either or both could head to the Phantoms next year, but the odds of that happening are slim.
8. Denis Bodrov -- D
Age: 23
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 2nd round (#55) in 2006
Potential: Smart shut-down defensemanProfessional hockey has been a tedious task for Denis Bodrov. At one point, General Manager Paul Holmgren was doing everything possible to get him over to North America. It didn’t work out, and Bodrov continued with his career in the KHL. Suddenly locker room dramatics became apparent. Because of this, he was traded off a team that included his brother to another organization where his problems began to translate into poor on-ice performances. It was only a matter of time before he was let go, and his contract was effectively ripped up.
Bodrov is finally getting the opportunity to leave Russia and all of his problems behind him. This season with the Phantoms is his fresh start.
There is obviously more to the story that the media is not hearing. There was also some very telling shenanigans going on where Bodrov and some state officials marched on Mytishchi Atlant’s stadium to take possessions in the form of motor vehicles. Why did this happen? It turns out Atlant was refusing to pay the overdue contract balance as well as the remainder of the contract rightfully owed to Bodrov.
While his court battle continued overseas, Bodrov turned to the only place he had left to go: the Flyers. Holmgren saw Bodrov finally fall into his lap and got him set-up with an AHL contract on the Phantoms since Holmgren was flirting with the 50 contract NHL limit. Bodrov was a little out of shape but has since performed well with the Phantoms.
Bodrov is the type of player that won’t let his size get in the way. He is a very smart shut-down defenseman, who could have a solid NHL career ahead of him if he does not let other issues throw him off track in North America like they did in the KHL.
Long Way To Go
1. Luke Pither -- C
Age: 20
Acquired: Signed as a Free-Agent
Draft: Undrafted
Potential: Secondary skilled scorerLuke Pither is one of the two newest members of the Flyers organization signed just this past Tuesday. It’s easy to decipher Holmgren’s rationale behind Pither even though he is a long-shot prospect. With the graduation of Giroux and vanRiemsdyk to the NHL level full-time, the forward position of the prospect pool is looking a little thin on talented, game-breaking scorers. There’s absolutely no question that Pither is a game-breaker. He was originally a top 5 draft pick to even get into the OHL even though he failed to get drafted by the NHL.
Pither is currently 3rd in the OHL in scoring and will join the Phantoms next season.
There are some cautions there though. He has his faults, and they are not talent. The real question is whether the Flyers can correct these very fixable problems when no one else has been able to so far. Pither has been described as an unbelievable offensive talent who disappears as the slightest hint of physicality. He needs plenty of open space to work and doesn’t do so well in traffic. He’s also quite a bit less than reliable on the backcheck to help out defensively. These are all correctable problems, but he has to want to learn these parts of the game before any amount of time with the Flyers’ organization will help him correct them.
He has incredible speed, an incredible shot, and incredible puck-handling. In open space, he is a terror. If the Flyers can harness that into something useable then this could be a steal of a signing. He started out with the Kingston Frontenacs but moved onto the Guelph Storm midseason during his second OHL year. He was misused there for a number of years before heading to the Belleville Bulls in the middle of the 2008-09 season. There he put up an incredible 42 points off of 19 goals in 23 games. This year, now with the Barrie Colts, he has continued his unbelievable offensive dominance and is third in the OHL in scoring with 34 goals along with 55 assists for 89 points in 62 games.
Pither will be added to the Phantoms’ roster next season where the Flyers can get a better look at him.
2. Shane Harper -- RW
Age: 21
Acquired: Signed as a Free-Agent
Draft: Undrafted
Potential: Secondary skilled scorerShane Harper is the other undrafted free-agent prospect that Holmgren liked enough to give him a chance with the Phantoms, but Harper also comes with a cool story about his journey through youth hockey. The California native grew up in the L.A. area playing roller hockey until he was six. He then changed over to ice hockey where he actually became good friends with Wayne Gretzy’s son. Birthday parties with the Great One and the Great One’s son must have been a thrilling experience for a California kid whose parents had no interest whatsoever in hockey.
Harper's play with the Everett Silvertips this season has earned him an NHL contract with the Flyers despite never being drafted.
Another interesting thing to realize about Harper is that he has not missed a game in two full seasons along with the entirety of this one. He was a healthy scratch for the first game of the 2007-08 season but has not looked back since, becoming the all-time leader in games played for the Everett Silvertips of the WHL. This season he also tied a team record for goals in a season with 39 though there are quite a few games left to go. He also has 35 assists this season in the 66 games that he’s played putting him at 74 points on the season and 17th in the WHL in scoring.
He’s not as offensively gifted as Pither, but he is a much more balanced player. He has a ton of offensive talent and is one of the best stick-handlers in the WHL this season. He also has a very fast, accurate snipe of a shot that is able to catch goaltenders off guard and possesses a good work ethic. He will also be joining Pither and the other Flyers’ prospects in the AHL next season.
3. Adam Morrison -- G
Age: 19
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 3rd round (#81) in 2009
Potential: Average starting goaltenderWithout a 1st or 2nd round pick in 2009, the Flyers used their first selection in the draft to pick up a promising WHL goalie in Adam Morrison. He had very good numbers as a back-up in 2008-09, and the Flyers hoped his talent would lead to greater things in 2009-10.
Morrison backed up Capitals' prospect Braden Holtby last season, and despite a great performance early in this season, he has taken a nose-dive back to the back-up position.
Well, the organization got its wish for at least half a season. For half the year, Morrison was spectacular in net. He was among all of the goaltending leaders in the WHL in both GAA and save percentage. Unfortunately, that’s where things started to go south for the 19-year-old. He wasn’t performing well even though the team continued to help him earn wins.
The Saskatoon Blades had acquired an undrafted goaltender earlier in the year, who had been struggling on the Prince Albert Raiders, to be the back-up goalie. Steven Stanford slowly climbed his way up to the starting position, and though he doesn’t have spectacular numbers, he is still winning games. Morrison’s numbers have taken a severe nose-dive, but he is young. He has plenty of time to regroup and come back out next season as a stronger goaltender. He certainly has the talent to do so, but he seems to be a streaky goaltender who relies a lot on his own confidence.
4. Dave Labrecque -- C
Age: 20
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 6th round (#153) in 2009
Potential: Secondary skilled scorerThe Flyers picked up center Dave Labrecque late in the 2009 out of the QMJHL because of his offensive explosion in 2008-09. Almost out of nowhere because of more playing time, Labrecque scored 13 goals and added 48 assists for 61 points in 59 games. He had developed into a very talented playmaking center with some great skating for the Shawinigan Cataractes.
Labrecque is another talented offensive weapon who will look to better his overall game in the AHL next season.
This year Labrecque has 4 less points in the same amount of games, but he is improving in other areas. This offseason he focused on his goal-scoring, and it seems to have paid off. He jumped from 13 goals to 22 goals and has become a more balanced offensive weapon.
Labrecque is still growing, but he’s going to have a hard time jumping into the fray at the AHL level immediately. He had a very impressive camp this past offseason with the Flyers, but his defensive liabilities are not something the organization can just ignore.
Like Pither and Harper, Labrecque is a talented scorer who is going to take a little work before he can hopefully emerge as an NHLer. He is another forward that will also likely join the Phantoms next season.
5. Nicola Riopel -- G
Age: 21
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 5th round (#142) in 2009
Potential: Average starting goaltenderNicola Riopel seemed to be a QMJHL late bloomer when he stumbled on the best season that any QMJHL goaltender has ever had. The Flyers, thin at the goaltending position, decided to take a chance on the athletic Riopel in the 6th round. I mean, why not? He only had a 2.05 GAA, 0.930 save percentage, and 43 wins over the course of 59 games played in 2008-09.
Riopel is an extremely athletic and quick goaltender dominating the highest scoring league on the planet.
Well, Riopel joined the Phantoms early this season and performed poorly the back-up while the Phantoms were struggling. Johan Backlund, a free-agent the Flyers brought in on a one-year deal to see if he had what it takes to survive in North America, ended up the AHL starter. Backlund’s performance meant that the raw Riopel was not seeing a large chunk of the workload.
Because of this, Riopel was sent back down to the Moncton Wildcats in the highest scoring league on the planet and is doing well. In fact, to say he is doing well might be a gross understatement. In 21 games since his return, he has an absolutely unbelievable 1.93 GAA, a 0.920 save percentage, and 18 wins.
Since it’s looking more like Backlund will not be returning to the Phantoms next season, it’s very possible that Riopel could end up the starter in the AHL. He will need to work out some of the kinks, but he definitely has the talent and athleticism to handle an AHL position after he gets in rhythm. If he can dominate the highest scoring league in the world, like he has been for two years straight, there may be nothing completely out of reach for Riopel.
6. Andrei Popov -- RW
Age: 21
Acquired: Draft
Draft: 7th round (#205) in 2006
Potential: Power-forward secondary scorerAndrei Popov is another surprise for the Flyers’ organization. They picked him up as a long-shot in the last round round way back in 2006. The following year he had his debut with Chelyabinsk Traktor of the Russian league, which would soon become the famous KHL.
Popov hit a massive offensive explosion during his fourth season in Russia's highest league but has slowed down considerably since an injury benched him for 6 games.
Popov got off to a really slow start offensively. The power-forward suffered from poor offensive outputs for three straight seasons before 2009-10 rolled around. Suddenly, and without warning, Popov hit an offensive explosion nobody seemed to expect. He was averaging nearly a point-per-game at the beginning of the season and was keeping up with many of the KHL stars.
Things slowed down to a grinding halt though when Popov was injured. He spent some time out of the lineup to heal, but when he returned, the offense had disappeared. He slowly floated down the KHL leader boards and was overtaken by two other players on his team despite missing only 6 games.
Even so, 15 goals and 11 assists for 26 points in 48 points is a career year for Popov by a large margin. He has tripled his career high in goals and more than doubled his career high in points. He’s got the potential to be a viable power-forward at the NHL level even though his skating could use some work. The unfortunate reality is that it may be hard to ever get Popov to the States so that the Flyers can get a better look at him. He would likely top out on the 3rd line with the Flyers, but in the KHL, he has the opportunity to be a high-paid star.
7. Tyler Hostetter -- D
Age: 19
Acquired: Signed as a Free-Agent
Draft: Undrafted
Potential: Offensive defensemanThe Flyers signed the Pennsylvania native Tyler Hostetter after he was skipped over in the 2009 draft.
As the 153rd ranked North American skater in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, it is odd that Tyler Hostetter did not get picked up. He is a really good skater, can move the puck pretty well, and is unafraid to join the rush. Like many offensive defenseman though, his one draw-back is his reliability in the defensive zone.
The Flyers managed to sign him to an ELC after the draft in order to secure another depth defenseman at the AHL level with some NHL potential for next season. It was a good signing, but like Matsumoto, at some point Hostetter is going to be fighting a numbers game with other talented, young blueliners competing for ice-time and eventually an NHL role.
That hasn’t stopped Hostetter from working hard with the Otters in the OHL. He has improved on his offenisve production even though he is a defenseman. In 57 games played he has scored 2 goals and added another 23 assists for 25 points. He will likely be with the Phantoms next season.
