Bill Meltzer: How Many Flyers Prospects Will Play in Next WJC?

Thanks for the update, Bill!

The future looks bright.

God the summer blows

Bill,

Probably hard to say right now since the forwards look to be already crowded but are there any dark horses that could make the team with a strong camp?

Bill Meltzer: How Many Flyers Prospects Will Play in Next WJC?
- bmeltzer

Did anybody post this yesterday?

Flyers prospect system ranked #1:
http://thehockeywriters.c...arm-systems-2017-ranking/

Did anybody post this yesterday?

Flyers prospect system ranked #1:
http://thehockeywriters.c...arm-systems-2017-ranking/


- Tomahawk

Being #1 is great, but seeing the Rags, Caps and Pens in the bottom 10 is almost as good!!

Their prospect depth, IMO, is greater than any point in team history. I can't remember any time when the club had so many blue chip prospects, let alone another large group that I would rate as very good. They may still be on the bubble for another year or 2, but after that, they should be a contender for quite a few years.

asdf

Being #1 is great, but seeing the Rags, Caps and Pens in the bottom 10 is almost as good!!

Their prospect depth, IMO, is greater than any point in team history. I can't remember any time when the club had so many blue chip prospects, let alone another large group that I would rate as very good. They may still be on the bubble for another year or 2, but after that, they should be a contender for quite a few years.
- BiggE

It's nice that when they become a playoff contender and not a bubble team they won't have to chase big money FA. They should just have to fill holes, kind of like Justin Williams types. They shouldn't have to pay big deals like Backes or Ladd.

Being #1 is great, but seeing the Rags, Caps and Pens in the bottom 10 is almost as good!!

Their prospect depth, IMO, is greater than any point in team history. I can't remember any time when the club had so many blue chip prospects, let alone another large group that I would rate as very good. They may still be on the bubble for another year or 2, but after that, they should be a contender for quite a few years.
- BiggE

It's very exciting to see where we are in terms of prospect depth. It just opens up so many doors for us, trades, offseason signings (due to players on ELCs - as well as being attractive to veteran FAs), makes training camp more competitive.

I do think, however, we need to pump the breaks, if only slightly. The prospects need to make the NHL first.

FWIW, here is my ranking of the Flyers top 20 prospects. It's based partially on what I think their top ceiling is and also on how NHL ready they are and how likely they will play in the NHL. What I really liked about making up this list, was that there was roughly half dozen or so guys that I think are good, solid prospects that didn't even make the list. The organizational depth is outstanding!

1. Patrick C
2. Sanheim D
3. Myers D
4. Rubtsov C/W
5. Lindblom W
6. Morin D
7. Hagg D
8. Sandstrom G
9. Hart G
10. Vecchione C
11. Stolarz G
12. Leier W
13. Frost C/W
14. Allison W
15. Friedman D
16. Ratcliffe W
17. Twarynski W
18. Lyon G
19. Bunnaman C
20. Vorobyev C

Other 6 that almost made the list: Ustimenko, Aube-Kubel, Fazleev, Laberge, Marody, and Laczynski

It's very exciting to see where we are in terms of prospect depth. It just opens up so many doors for us, trades, offseason signings (due to players on ELCs - as well as being attractive to veteran FAs), makes training camp more competitive.

I do think, however, we need to pump the breaks, if only slightly. The prospects need to make the NHL first.
- VladDrag

No doubt, but, when you have this many top prospects odds are pretty good that at least some of them will be impact players. Once you add that to the under 25 crew of Couturier, Provorov, Konecny, Weal and Ghost, it's pretty hard not to think that things are significantly looking up.

Did anybody post this yesterday?

Flyers prospect system ranked #1:
http://thehockeywriters.c...arm-systems-2017-ranking/


- Tomahawk

I looked through it last night. The rankings are probably true, but the article itself is pretty weak. I get it, it is just an overview, but it left a lot to be desired.

That said, I think he was right about the Flyers. Everything improved. Depth at all positions, prospect development, high end talent at important positions.

Hextall is picking players that even if they dont make it as NHLers, are at least progressing better than you might expect for a player drafted (in that respective round)

FWIW, here is my ranking of the Flyers top 20 prospects. It's based partially on what I think their top ceiling is and also on how NHL ready they are and how likely they will play in the NHL. What I really liked about making up this list, was that there was roughly half dozen or so guys that I think are good, solid prospects that didn't even make the list. The organizational depth is outstanding!

1. Patrick C
2. Sanheim D
3. Myers D
4. Rubtsov C/W
5. Lindblom W
6. Morin D
7. Hagg D
8. Sandstrom G
9. Hart G
10. Vecchione C
11. Stolarz G
12. Leier W
13. Frost C/W
14. Allison W
15. Friedman D
16. Ratcliffe W
17. Twarynski W
18. Lyon G
19. Bunnaman C
20. Vorobyev C

Other 6 that almost made the list: Ustimenko, Aube-Kubel, Fazleev, Laberge, Marody, and Laczynski
- BiggE

i think you accidentally mixed up the "ski's"

FWIW, here is my ranking of the Flyers top 20 prospects. It's based partially on what I think their top ceiling is and also on how NHL ready they are and how likely they will play in the NHL. What I really liked about making up this list, was that there was roughly half dozen or so guys that I think are good, solid prospects that didn't even make the list. The organizational depth is outstanding!

1. Patrick C
2. Sanheim D
3. Myers D
4. Rubtsov C/W
5. Lindblom W
6. Morin D
7. Hagg D
8. Sandstrom G
9. Hart G
10. Vecchione C
11. Stolarz G
12. Leier W
13. Frost C/W
14. Allison W
15. Friedman D
16. Ratcliffe W
17. Twarynski W
18. Lyon G
19. Bunnaman C
20. Vorobyev C

Other 6 that almost made the list: Ustimenko, Aube-Kubel, Fazleev, Laberge, Marody, and Laczynski
- BiggE

I think you meant Laczynski(ohio state) instead of Twarynski(Hitmen).

Also I am not sure Leier is in top 20 anymore. I would think even a guy like Vorobreyv is ahead of him just because of upside. Leier is pretty much what he is. AHL/NHL tweener.

It's nice that when they become a playoff contender and not a bubble team they won't have to chase big money FA. They should just have to fill holes, kind of like Justin Williams types. They shouldn't have to pay big deals like Backes or Ladd.
- J35Bacher

I think that remains to be seen. At some point when you become a better team and start getting lower draft picks, and the prospect pool has either graduated to the NHL or failed to make it, it becomes harder to keep that going. Most teams go all in when they have a legitimate chance and I wouldn't expect Hextall and the Flyers to be any different.

Is there the same 9 game rule for AHL that Rubstov can play 9 then get sent back to Juniors?
Hope NAK makes a big jump this year too his learning year in the A seemed a bit bumpy

Is there the same 9 game rule for AHL that Rubstov can play 9 then get sent back to Juniors?
Hope NAK makes a big jump this year too his learning year in the A seemed a bit bumpy
- Konalover

His contract can still slide if doesn't play 9 games (unless its playoffs)

I think that remains to be seen. At some point when you become a better team and start getting lower draft picks, and the prospect pool has either graduated to the NHL or failed to make it, it becomes harder to keep that going. Most teams go all in when they have a legitimate chance and I wouldn't expect Hextall and the Flyers to be any different.
- MJL

There's a difference between going all in and signing bad deals in FA. The more guys that are homegrown and develop should allow you to fill holes not have to go out and spend bad money.

ttt

Thanks Bill,

Love the updates on the kids

FWIW, here is my ranking of the Flyers top 20 prospects. It's based partially on what I think their top ceiling is and also on how NHL ready they are and how likely they will play in the NHL. What I really liked about making up this list, was that there was roughly half dozen or so guys that I think are good, solid prospects that didn't even make the list. The organizational depth is outstanding!

1. Patrick C
2. Sanheim D
3. Myers D
4. Rubtsov C/W
5. Lindblom W
6. Morin D
7. Hagg D
8. Sandstrom G
9. Hart G
10. Vecchione C
11. Stolarz G
12. Leier W
13. Frost C/W
14. Allison W
15. Friedman D
16. Ratcliffe W
17. Twarynski W
18. Lyon G
19. Bunnaman C
20. Vorobyev C

Other 6 that almost made the list: Ustimenko, Aube-Kubel, Fazleev, Laberge, Marody, and Laczynski
- BiggE

You could've made a top 26 list and avoided hurt feelings.

You could've made a top 26 list and avoided hurt feelings.
- Scoob

Being #1 is great, but seeing the Rags, Caps and Pens in the bottom 10 is almost as good!!

Their prospect depth, IMO, is greater than any point in team history. I can't remember any time when the club had so many blue chip prospects, let alone another large group that I would rate as very good. They may still be on the bubble for another year or 2, but after that, they should be a contender for quite a few years.
- BiggE

Although, much harder to follow the depth of a team in the 80's and 90's, even in 2000's, I never followed any of the up n comers: carter, richards, nitty et al while they were in the A.
Since RH, I have been loving having extra Flyers information to learn about these young kids and follow their progression.