Flyers Draft Recap

In the 2016 NHL draft which was held oh Friday and Saturday the Flyers had 10 picks in this star studded draft. The main concern would be stockpiling on towards rather then they did in the last few drafts with defenseman. They would do just that and pick up some valuable prospects that hopefully will have a big impact on the Flyers in the near future.

Here is a recap on who the Flyers took in this years draft:

1st Round (trade with Jets to move down to 22): Center German Rubtsov
He is powerful center who can play very well defensively also. He played on the U-18 Russian team last year. Look for him to be in the CHL next year then possibly the AHL in a few. He will eventually make it up onto the Flyers roster in hopefully just a few years. He should be a pleasure to watch on the ice.

Second Round pick 36: Right Wing Pascal Laberge
He was projected to be a first round draft pick by most mock drafts, but fell to the Flyers early in the second round. He has great size and definitely has the ability to be a top goal scorer one day. Though he does need to work on his speed and play making ability. He played for the Victoriaville Tigres last year and had 58 points in 56 games.

Second Round pick 48: Goalie Carter Hart
Carter Hart was the first goalie selected in this year’s draft and probably for good reason. He had a remarkable season last year for the Everrett Silvertips of the WHL. He racked up 35 wins with a 2.14 GAA and a .918 save percentage and also had six shutouts. Scouts say even know he is on the shorter size for goalies he has great feet is great with both his blocker and glove.

Second Round pick 52: Right Wing Wade Allison
We all knew Hextall’s plan going into the 2016 draft was to build up the offensive system. And theu definitely helped it out with this pick of Wade Allison. He would be considered a true Power Foward. Allison is 6’2″ and weighs in at 205 pounds and is very good with the puck and compares to Wayne Simmonds when he is in front of the net. Look for him to make his presence known within the next few years.

Third Round pick 82: Left Wing Carsen Twarynski
He made his name known last season when he played next to fellow Flyer’s prospects Travis Sanheim and Radel Fazleev on the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. He had 45 point last season while scoring 20 goals. Calgary wasn’t really known as having any stand out towards but Twarynski prove that theory wrong and showed that he could emerge as a top foward. Definitely stay tuned on this guy as he could be a real steal in the next few years.

Fourth Round pick 109: Center Connor Bunnaman
I believe he is a future third line center/penalty killer. He is the kind of forward that provides depth and would stabilize a line and prove that you can rely on him in his position. But although he isn’t going to make any splashes he is a good puck mover and can be relied on as a good teammate.

Fifth Round pick 139: Defenseman Linus Hogberg
He played in the SHL for just a few games last season as he is just 17 years old and just a few mere days old enough to be eligible for this draft. I believe this is a good pick for the Flyers as he has a lot of time to fix any mistakes in his games and improve to a good enough level to be NHL ready in a few years. Look for the Flyers to give him the appropriate time to develop before moving him up anytime soon.

Sixth Round pick 169: Center Tanner Laczynski
He put up 63 points last season between Lincoln and Chicago in the USHL. He shows great play making ability. He is committed to Ohio State so it will be awhile before we hear any talk of him in Orange and
Black. But this could be a good thing as he will have time to mold his game and develop even more.

Sixth Round pick 172: Center Anthony Salinitri
Another young prospect as he is only 17 years old. He is on the shorter side as he comes in at 5″10′ and 168 pounds but he makes it up for his great speed and play making. Salinitri also plays defense very well making him a strong two-way forward which is something the Flyer’s definitely needed to work on in the system. Although he will have a lot of time to fix the flaws he does have since he is still so young.

Seventh Round pick 199: Defenseman David Bernhardt
Coming in at 6″3′ and 203 pounds Bernhardt had 38 points in 45 games in the Swedish Juniors. Scouts refer to him as a great puck handler. He also needs to improve his skating in skating in many areas.