Holy hell not with that insane contract that will last longer than time itself.
- MBFlyerfan

That possible cap recapture penalty is insane. If he retires 1 year early, I think it's like a $26M cap penalty on Nashville.

Sure - but that kind of lightning can hit any team. Flyers had some career or near-career year guys this year, too. Not enough and not enough of a supporting cast though.

Definite huge kudos to the management and coaching staff - they are getting the team to play 100% every night and it is paying off nicely. The players have worked hard and earned their spot in the conference finals. No fluke here. That said, should they win the Cup it won't be on the level of the '67 Flyers (or any of the other 5 teams that joined that season) or the '91 Sharks had they won the Cup in their inaugural years (despite how the NHL will market it should they win it all).
- Scoob

Yeah, agree with your original premise for sure. They've gotten a leg up on available talent.

I also wonder how much being left off has motivated these players and there isn't a 'back to reality' situation next season. I'm not saying there will be, but I honestly wonder if there is.

This x 100.

I think you can get close to just as good a player at 14/19, if you're good scouting (and the Flyers are) while doubling your chances. Who exactly is worth moving up for -- it has to be a fit too where that player has the potential to blossom? Unless it's top 5 or something, and those don't get traded. I want this staff to have 2 top 20 picks in a draft with some underrated players in that range.
- Mononoke

I know you're high on him, but I haven't read your writeup for him.....

Jonatan Berggren

Denisenko?
- YuenglingJagr

DENISENKO:

For whatever reason, he has shown basically no growth in his MHL numbers from last year. 22 points in 31 games is mediocre for a dynamic, potential high pick. Loko Yaroslavl is one of the top teams and scoring teams in the MHL, so that's not a reason (he plays ~2nd line and PP1 from my viewings). His WJAC holds a lot of weight. I'm not sure anyone has explained it besides chalking it up to "inconsistency." Then you have to explain why you're confident it will go away. Drafting smaller, mercurial players high is a risky proposition, exponentially so when they aren't doing the primary thing they should: scoring. He really doesn't strike me as a player the Flyers would pick anyway. But I'm curious to see where he goes on draft day and if he falls.

For an undersized finesse player I don't demand you be a defensive wizard or physical presence.........but I would expect you to routinely dominate your shifts offensively. He doesn't do it quite enough. But I don't think he's remotely low IQ. I think his positioning is generally fine off puck, and he understands how to cycle pretty well. He's willing to cycle. Though sometimes it feels like he moves them TOO quick, as in he could do more with his ability but isn't attacking enough.

Low motor? Warmer. He does have an air of passivity at times; no one would confuse him with "gritty." On big ice that can fly better than small ice. He can be a bit disengaged off the puck, little too reach happy instead of using his body, sometimes too perimeter........but not enough where it's a no-go because he does show it in spurts, and with the puck he can come alive. It's why I don't dislike him. He shows you the pieces. I hate dumb players outright; he's NOT dumb. As it goes with him, you just don't know what you'll get shift to shift, let alone game to game. It doesn't feel like he always plays with the puck enough (usually a telltale sign for skilled guys) or control his shifts to me. There's your "inconsistency." But he looks terrific when he's going.

I look at a guy like Jonatan Berggren, and as much as people rave about Denisenko for his high end skill, Berggren is no less skilled, has a higher compete level, engages more physically with a better build, is another summer birthday, and every shift shows you his dynamic skill to impact the game -- and he put up the numbers. I don't see why Denisenko is better than Berggren. That said, I still have Denisenko in the mid teens. After Berggren, Farabee, Kravtsov, Kaut......he probably is my next forward. But it has to do with the others after him too. If I didn't like him or saw red flags, I'd say so. He's still on my board in our range. His tape is better than the numbers, and he does have the brain/skill. But not without risk.

NOTE: all his games are on YouTube, if you wanted.

I have him in the low 20s as of now. Not uninterested in him, but he's a gamble. I would prefer others at 19. But if some team wants to take that gamble, I do get it.

Serron Noel:
- Mononoke

wow thank you for all the insight and info man; it’s impressive! I’ve seen him picked at 19 in a few mocks and the few scouting reports I’ve seen have said hes a hell of a prize if he can put it all together and he’s mobile for his size. His size is intriguing (like Ratcliffe as mentioned) and I managed to catch a nice highlight compilation video. But as you know, those don’t include the down-parts of a player’s game. Thanks again!

I know you're high on him, but I haven't read your writeup for him.....

Jonatan Berggren
- VladDrag

I don't know if I have one. I probably wrote something conversationally from the u18s though. You know how to find them with a quick word search lol, but I'll find something.

Sure - but that kind of lightning can hit any team. Flyers had some career or near-career year guys this year, too. Not enough and not enough of a supporting cast though.

Definite huge kudos to the management and coaching staff - they are getting the team to play 100% every night and it is paying off nicely. The players have worked hard and earned their spot in the conference finals. No fluke here. That said, should they win the Cup it won't be on the level of the '67 Flyers (or any of the other 5 teams that joined that season) or the '91 Sharks had they won the Cup in their inaugural years (despite how the NHL will market it should they win it all).
- Scoob

So if the Knights win the Cup in a 30 team league it won't be on the level of the 67' Flyers who were eliminated in the first round in a 12 team league? Where are you coming up with this stuff?

Jonatan Berggren

I was fawning over Jonatan Berggren (Wing) back at the Hlinka tournament in August, calling him a big sleeper and saying he could’ve fooled me as a potential 1st round candidate, despite zero hype— and since he’s only led the SuperElit (u20 Swedish league) in points and is now leading Sweden's forwards at u18s (and is one of the younger players in the draft). I ranted back then how they stuck him with 4th liners and gave him little PP time, and yet he overcame it. Well, he’s still with grinder types at the u18s, but top 6 usage and PP1 time. Every time he was on/off ice, you felt his presence or lack thereof for Sweden.

He’s sub 6 ft but stocky and has really strong compete and fearlessness, not just physically on pucks but the confidence to try plays others might not or can't. And he has the dynamic skill to pull it off. I really believe he has top line/6 potential talent — skating, hands, creativity, vision — but also strong hockey sense and awareness. He always feels a step or two ahead making a play or seeing something others aren't. As a skater he's also very shifty with his hands and feet and head, and he gear changes effortlessly; if it looks like he's caught, he has a knack for weaving or finding another burst.

He’ll try too much at times individually forcing plays or soloing, but he can whip pucks and play a fast cycle game when he wants, unlike other junior types. Maturing his game is all it is, and it's not an issue to me. He doesn't exactly play with other skill players, so he has to do the heavy lifting. But his success rate on high skill plays is uncanny; it's not a case of making the highlight reel play and looking good 1/5 times. What he does on the highlight reel is shift in and shift out stuff. He's also, I believe, a potentially high end PP half wall QB -- total natural at it like few prospects. His vision and puck poise and all-around skill are just something else. Like I said, it's a little Gaudreau/Giroux-esque. People seem to be coming 'round on him as a late 1st now, but I think he's still a lot better than that. I have him top 10, and it's an easy choice. His upside is tremendous, and I don't see his floor as inherently risky either.

So if the Knights win the Cup in a 30 team league it won't be on the level of the 67' Flyers who were eliminated in the first round in a 12 team league? Where are you coming up with this stuff?
- PLindbergh31

Yes. That's exactly what he said.

Jonatan Berggren
- Mononoke

Fawn over me please




But seriously, where can we see your entire rankings/write ups?

Yes. That's exactly what he said.
- jmatchett383

Yeah had the Sharks who finished with 39 points in 1991 won the Cup it would be more impressive than what the Knights are doing. Well yeah no poop, that is a hypothetical that makes less than zero sense.

Yeah had the Sharks who finished with 39 points in 1991 won the Cup it would be more impressive than what the Knights are doing. Well yeah no poop, that is a hypothetical that makes less than zero sense.
- PLindbergh31

Yeah...except that's not what he said at all.

What he said was, had the Flyers won the Cup in 1967 or had the Sharks won the Cup in 1991, given the expansion rules and league composition at the time, it would have been more impressive than if the Knights win this year.

I don't know if I have one. I probably wrote something conversationally from the u18s though. You know how to find them with a quick word search lol, but I'll find something.
- Mononoke

Who are some high-impact sleeper picks that the Flyers could grab in the back end of the 7th round?

Yeah had the Sharks who finished with 39 points in 1991 won the Cup it would be more impressive than what the Knights are doing. Well yeah no poop, that is a hypothetical that makes less than zero sense.
- PLindbergh31

So if the Knights win the Cup in a 30 team league it won't be on the level of the 67' Flyers who were eliminated in the first round in a 12 team league? Where are you coming up with this stuff?
- PLindbergh31

RIF - I said if VGK wins the Cup it wouldn't be nearly as impressive if any of the '67 expansion teams, or the '91 Sharks, won the Cup in their inaugural years. VGK had a much better starting point than any other expansion team in history.

Yeah had the Sharks who finished with 39 points in 1991 won the Cup it would be more impressive than what the Knights are doing. Well yeah no poop, that is a hypothetical that makes less than zero sense.
- PLindbergh31

wow

Yeah...except that's not what he said at all.

What he said was, had the Flyers won the Cup in 1967 or had the Sharks won the Cup in 1991, given the expansion rules and league composition at the time, it would have been more impressive than if the Knights win this year.
- jmatchett383

thank you

Fawn over me please
- Nucker101

You don't need to beg me to fawn over you. But I like that you did.

But seriously, where can we see your entire rankings/write ups?

Rankings are in progress. I tweak it constantly. Especially into the 40s-50s. I did a top 62 last year, trying to do the same again. But I don't like ranking guys I haven't seen (there aren't many) or ranking guys I don't like. It gets hard to really get 62 names I know intimately, not just highlights. I'm at like 52, without goalies. But I'll figure it out. I'll post it here before the draft. I can share my thoughts on players whenever though, if you want my opinion. As some know, I write this poop on the Flyers draft thread at HFBoards (they have a search feature).

In 1987, the Flyers drafted a player named Marc Strapon.

In 1987, the Flyers drafted a player named Marc Strapon.
- jmatchett383

lol

thank you
- Scoob

I really question some people's inability (or unwillingness) to read on here sometimes.

Including myself.

Who are some high-impact sleeper picks that the Flyers could grab in the back end of the 7th round?
- jmatchett383

-Coznesster Smiff
-Elipses Corter
-Nyquillus Dillwad
-Bismo Funyuns
-Decatholac Mango
-Mergatroid Skittle
-Quiznatodd Bidness
-D'Pez Poopsie
-Quackadilly Blip
-Goolius Boozler
-Bisquiteen Trisket
-Fartrell Cluggins
-Blyrone Blashinton
-Cartoons Plural

Which two young players should I begin to study that we will be likely taking in the first round in your collective opinions??

You don't need to beg me to fawn over you. But I like that you did.



Rankings are in progress. I tweak it constantly. Especially into the 40s-50s. I did a top 62 last year, trying to do the same again. But I don't like ranking guys I haven't seen (there aren't many) or ranking guys I don't like. It gets hard to really get 62 names I know intimately, not just highlights. I'm at like 52, without goalies. But I'll figure it out. I'll post it here before the draft. I can share my thoughts on players whenever though, if you want my opinion. As some know, I write this poop on the Flyers draft thread at HFBoards (they have a search feature).
- Mononoke

Alright, I'll look you up.

I'm mostly curious about how you feel about the cluster of dmen in the next tier after Dahlin. Hughes, Boqvist, Bouchard, and Dobson.

In 1987, the Flyers drafted a player named Marc Strapon.
- jmatchett383