Wade Allison in 56 regular season games put up 203 shots. In 11 playoff games, he had 55 shots. Kid loves to shoot. In his last 48 games, including playoffs, he had 57 points. That's very very good for a first time draft eligible in the USHL, a lower scoring league. He barely had any PP points either.

After watching his 13 minute highlight reel I posted (it includes a lot of his points, so it's certainly not cherry picking), I am really really coming around to this one. He seems to have a good top gear for a PWF with good burst too (still room for improvement with power skating), and with that and his ability to shield the puck, he can blow by defenders through the NZ. This kid is definitely a size, skating, skill pick. He is no garbage grundler who just camps the net.

Maybe it's just me who thinks it was a brilliant draft. We are never going to get a top line sniper picking mid to late first in the draft. Ad unless we want to give up an army of prospects or offer a huge albatross contract we won't get one in Fa. Get Smart hockey players with size speed puck handling who like going to dirty areas. Let our high end d prospects get the puck to the net and clean up constantly with gritty 2 way forwards. Devil's made a living off a similar model in the 90s. I love it.
- Tfaehner

If the Flyers want to play like the Devils you may as well shoot me.

(frank)ing trash boring hockey. My biggest fear.

He interests me the most for some reason.

Looking forward to the development of all the pics next season.

"Bunnaman plays a "heavy" game in the trenches and works hard without the puck on his stick. Two years ago, he was listed at 6-foot, 183 pounds but had a growth spurt and continued to fill out. The OHL site lists him even bigger (6-foot-3, 211 pounds) than the Flyers' post-draft report (cited above). He's not especially creative with the puck but is good at going north-south and winning battles for loose pucks without taking many penalties."
- wolfhounds

From the Hockey prospects "black book"

Bunnaman, Connor LC - Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 6'01" 207 HockeyProspect.com Ranking: 132

Bunnaman was selected in the second round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection Draft by the Kitchener Rangers out of the Guelph Jr. Gryphons Minor Midget program. Bunnaman made the team as a 16 year old and did an excellent job playing a bottom six role with the team and developed well last season. This year he didn't show the same progress as his first season but with most forwards returning he played a similar role this year.

Bunnaman has great size and although he doesn't possess much of a mean streak, he is a tenacious forechecker and will finish the hits required of him. He does a good job getting into passing lanes and taking away time and space. Positionally sound two-way forward. Bunnaman has an awkward skating stride but gets ok speed after his first few steps. He protects the puck well down low and is effective at cycling the puck. His positional awareness is very good. Bunnaman has a good shot but his overall offensive ability is average at best. Defensively Bunnaman plays his biggest impact. He gets down and blocks shots he takes away options and breaks up chances.

Connor has upside as a very solid two-way player at the NHL level. He does all the things right to be a role player but lacks the skill to be a big impact player. The team that selects Bunnaman at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft is getting a player who will be excellent on the cycle, take away passing lanes and can play an effective penalty killing role.

Quotable: “Not much feedback on his interviews with the exception of one scout who made a point of saying how good his interview was.” - HP Scout Mark Edwards

See the thing about Twarynski is that Calgary had NO forwards, so he was given some juicy usage. And he did ok if you just look at the raw numbers. But for a team so offense starved and reliant on more depth type players, his scoring rates were actually pretty meh given said usage.

Bunnaman, who we took a round later, had similar raw numbers (slightly less), but he was buried behind a deep Kitchener team. He finished ahead of players like McLeod, Pu, Smith, Gettinger, Bastian, Sokolov in ES primary points/60. Not far behind Katchouk, Nylander, Bitten, Kyrou. He was at 2 primary p/60 compared to 1.5 for Twarynski. That's a good amount. Maybe Bunnaman has some more to give if he can get better usage. Twarynski is the better skater though.

From the Hockey prospects "black book"

Bunnaman, Connor LC - Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 6'01" 207 HockeyProspect.com Ranking: 132

Bunnaman was selected in the second round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection Draft by the Kitchener Rangers out of the Guelph Jr. Gryphons Minor Midget program. Bunnaman made the team as a 16 year old and did an excellent job playing a bottom six role with the team and developed well last season. This year he didn't show the same progress as his first season but with most forwards returning he played a similar role this year.

Bunnaman has great size and although he doesn't possess much of a mean streak, he is a tenacious forechecker and will finish the hits required of him. He does a good job getting into passing lanes and taking away time and space. Positionally sound two-way forward. Bunnaman has an awkward skating stride but gets ok speed after his first few steps. He protects the puck well down low and is effective at cycling the puck. His positional awareness is very good. Bunnaman has a good shot but his overall offensive ability is average at best. Defensively Bunnaman plays his biggest impact. He gets down and blocks shots he takes away options and breaks up chances.

Connor has upside as a very solid two-way player at the NHL level. He does all the things right to be a role player but lacks the skill to be a big impact player. The team that selects Bunnaman at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft is getting a player who will be excellent on the cycle, take away passing lanes and can play an effective penalty killing role.

Quotable: “Not much feedback on his interviews with the exception of one scout who made a point of saying how good his interview was.” - HP Scout Mark Edwards
- ob18

Thank you, sir. Big body, defensively sound, but not much else at this point in his game. Sounds like a bottom six, but we'll have to wait and see what happens.

Random thought: in 2 years we're going to see kids born in 2000 drafted into the NHL.

Wade Allison in 56 regular season games put up 203 shots. In 11 playoff games, he had 55 shots. Kid loves to shoot. In his last 48 games, including playoffs, he had 57 points. That's very very good for a first time draft eligible in the USHL, a lower scoring league. He barely had any PP points either.

After watching his 13 minute highlight reel I posted (it includes a lot of his points, so it's certainly not cherry picking), I am really really coming around to this one. He seems to have a good top gear for a PWF with good burst too (still room for improvement with power skating), and with that and his ability to shield the puck, he can blow by defenders through the NZ. This kid is definitely a size, skating, skill pick. He is no garbage grundler who just camps the net.
- Mononoke

Scott hartnell. That's what I see

If Bunnaman's nickname isn't Echo I'd be disappointed.

Listening to interviews with guys like Allison, Hart...Laberge is old beyond his years. They really drafted some good, mature, character kids on and off-the-ice.

Carter Hart gave the best interview I saw on NHLN all weekend.

Sabres got kulikov?

Really hard to dislike what Hexy did with this draft...

And I like taking Carter Hart, despite the goalies they took in last year's draft.

If Bunnaman's nickname isn't Echo I'd be disappointed.



Carter Hart gave the best interview I saw on NHLN all weekend.
- Feanor

Why Echo? Ruble for Rubtsov.

Why Echo? Ruble for Rubtsov.
- wolfhounds

LMGTFY: https://en.wikipedia.org/...iki/Echo_%26_the_Bunnymen

Sabres got kulikov?
- MikesPillBottle

Yeah for 2 second rounders, a third and Mark Pysyk. Pysyk is a bit of an analytics darling, but has struggled to claim a place in Buffalo. Florida is going deep into analytics and using them as a primary tool.

If Bunnaman's nickname isn't Echo I'd be disappointed.



Carter Hart gave the best interview I saw on NHLN all weekend.
- Feanor

In all future posts I shall do this

See the thing about Twarynski is that Calgary had NO forwards, so he was given some juicy usage.
- Mononoke

I agree. I raise this point whenever people get on Sanheim or Bean. If one of those guys was not leading the attack, the Hitmen pretty much had no offense. Made it hard for them to "play the right way" for defensemen.

Man, I'm no scout, but the Laberge video (thanks Tomahawk) clearly shows good hands, projectable frame, an ability to make plays, willingness to shoot, and most of all, a nasty little wrist shot

If that kid wants to play, he's gonna make it -- too many tools to just not get there

Columbus fans seem pretty upset right now. No moves to make space for Seth Jone's big extension, Rychel lost for almost nothing, and Peeke was a big reach in a draft where they only had five picks somehow.

I like PLD a lot, but surely the smart thing to do was trade down from 3 if you weren't going to take Puljujarvi?

LMGTFY: https://en.wikipedia.org/...iki/Echo_%26_the_Bunnymen
- johndewar

Ahh, I went there - only famous Echo I know - but didn't put it all together. Should have said Bunnymen out loud, would've clicked.

Thanks.

Off to drink more coffee.

OK, I will be the lone dissenting poster, but honestly I'm not thrilled with this draft. It's funny, but I can't help but wonder what the prevailing opinion would be if Holmgren picked this same draft pool. Big, gritty two-way forwards with 3rd line upside? Yup, typical Flyers draft.

Here's the reality. There are two dynamic forwards - G and TK, who can truly create offense for themselves and their linemates. Two. And I worry about TK and his size relative to his playing style. And G is going to be three years older before this team can really compete.

There are zero true snipers in the entire organization. None. The forwards crew at both the NHL level and in the pool are a mix of power forwards, gritty forwards, and defensive-minded forwards. So naturally we draft a lot more of the same because a team full of White's and VDV's is gonna get it done.

Last year I mildly questioned the wisdom of drafting so many goalies when the system was truly lacking in forwards with 1st/2nd line potential, but with the high of landing Provorov and Konecny still kicking in I let it go. But I just can't get excited about this draft. I get it - Hextall has forgotten more about hockey then I'll ever know, and I'm not suggesting that he's a bad GM or anything remotely like that. But neither will I be a lemming who will blindly accept everything as gospel either.

Columbus fans seem pretty upset right now. No moves to make space for Seth Jone's big extension, Rychel lost for almost nothing, and Peeke was a big reach in a draft where they only had five picks somehow.

I like PLD a lot, but surely the smart thing to do was trade down from 3 if you weren't going to take Puljujarvi?
- Feanor

I think the Kekelainen Era is not long for this league, personally

Too many holes, competition around them still fierce. Even with the Rags declining, they're still better positioned than them and with a much better coach. Hard to argue any of the other teams in the division are worse

Wonder if Vegas can sign players this year.
Sign some undated kids and stash them in the minors to get a jump start on the prospect pipeline

OK, I will be the lone dissenting poster, but honestly I'm not thrilled with this draft. It's funny, but I can't help but wonder what the prevailing opinion would be if Holmgren picked this same draft pool. Big, gritty two-way forwards with 3rd line upside? Yup, typical Flyers draft.

Here's the reality. There are two dynamic forwards - G and TK, who can truly create offense for themselves and their linemates. Two. And I worry about TK and his size relative to his playing style. And G is going to be three years older before this team can really compete.

There are zero true snipers in the entire organization. None. The forwards crew at both the NHL level and in the pool are a mix of power forwards, gritty forwards, and defensive-minded forwards. So naturally we draft a lot more of the same because a team full of White's and VDV's is gonna get it done.

Last year I mildly questioned the wisdom of drafting so many goalies when the system was truly lacking in forwards with 1st/2nd line potential, but the high of landing Provorov and Konecny. But I just can't get excited about this draft. I get it - Hextall has forgotten more about hockey then I'll ever know, and I'm not suggesting that he's a bad GM or anything remotely like that. But neither will I be a lemming who will blindly accept everything as gospel either.
- TheGreat28

Sounds like you're leaning towards a hexit.

OK, I will be the lone dissenting poster, but honestly I'm not thrilled with this draft. It's funny, but I can't help but wonder what the prevailing opinion would be if Holmgren picked this same draft pool. Big, gritty two-way forwards with 3rd line upside? Yup, typical Flyers draft.

Here's the reality. There are two dynamic forwards - G and TK, who can truly create offense for themselves and their linemates. Two. And I worry about TK and his size relative to his playing style. And G is going to be three years older before this team can really compete.

There are zero true snipers in the entire organization. None. The forwards crew at both the NHL level and in the pool are a mix of power forwards, gritty forwards, and defensive-minded forwards. So naturally we draft a lot more of the same because a team full of White's and VDV's is gonna get it done.

Last year I mildly questioned the wisdom of drafting so many goalies when the system was truly lacking in forwards with 1st/2nd line potential, but the high of landing Provorov and Konecny. But I just can't get excited about this draft. I get it - Hextall has forgotten more about hockey then I'll ever know, and I'm not suggesting that he's a bad GM or anything remotely like that. But neither will I be a lemming who will blindly accept everything as gospel either.
- TheGreat28

Not attacking your post; I can see your points. I wish there was a LW in the system who screamed "first-line difference maker"

But I guess, from what I saw and understood, outside of the first three picks, that kind of offensive talent wasn't there. While certainly there were others with offensive ability, I guess I didn't see anyone other than the 5-7 kid who dripped offense and I guess I am skeptical about that kid making it. Everyone else had clear red flags, from what I read

I liked what they did, from what I understood of the picks. I don't think that makes me or anyone else a lemming. They needed size and people who could move. Guys who, if they work out, can get in on a forecheck and take away time and space.

And I'm one of those people who believes you take goalies where you have them rated. So I guess I just don't have the issues with this draft, but I do understand your points. Time will tell