Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Sandstrom, Alumni and More

Thanks Bill!
Good to see Sandstrom start the preseason strong. Would be awesome for the Flyers to actually have two good goalies.

Based on Sandstrom's performance last night he's clearly the goalie of the future. Trade Hart now while you can get something for him.

Pronman ranked flyers prospects #12 on the Athletic.

Pronman ranked flyers prospects #12 on the Athletic.
- arichardson22

Should be noted he heavily weighs high end upside in his rankings and imo doesn’t factor in depth enough

Should be noted he heavily weighs high end upside in his rankings and imo doesn’t factor in depth enough
- YuenglingJagr

So there are 11 NHL teams who have more prospects with high end upside than the Flyers?

I saw Pronman's rankings too. Didn't read much from him when he was at ESPN, but apparently he values high-end talent way more than depth, and the rankings are based on the number of legit NHL stars in the system. He even says at the beginning that the Flyers' system could produce the most NHL players. A few of his valuations were low compared to writers who solely cover the Flyers (Hart, Allison, Farabee). He also had the Flyers rated #1 last year, so I guess having guys like Provy, TK, Patrick become NHL players bumped us down a bit.

Bill,

Do you think Sandstrom will get a shot to unseat Hart or is the gap too big? Do you think the "loser" of this unofficial competition then becomes trade bait when needed or is the hope these two guys can co-exist in a tandem?

These rankings don’t mean much at all. Interesting to read during the offseason as someone’s opinion, nothing more nothing less.

At the end of the day how the organization develops these players into final products is what will count. Let’s see it through.

Bill,

Do you think Sandstrom will get a shot to unseat Hart or is the gap too big? Do you think the "loser" of this unofficial competition then becomes trade bait when needed or is the hope these two guys can co-exist in a tandem?
- BigPhillyStyle

Sandström lost most of last season due to a hiatal hernia, so he fell a bit further behind Hart, but there still isn't a huge gap. Everything starts anew each time a player moves up a level. Sandström is spending one SHL additional season (on loan to HV71) in part because the Phantoms have a logjam of goalies and in part because he needs the playing time after missing so much of last season and being in a split-time role to begin with for BIF.

an over-looked Mt Suckmore nominee:

Chris Gratton aka Baby Shanahan

Yawn...oh well, one day closer to the season

Sandström lost most of last season due to a hiatal hernia, so he fell a bit further behind Hart, but there still isn't a huge gap. Everything starts anew each time a player moves up a level. Sandström is spending one SHL additional season (on loan to HV71) in part because the Phantoms have a logjam of goalies and in part because he needs the playing time after missing so much of last season and being in a split-time role to begin with for BIF.
- bmeltzer

IMO, you can't have too many top notch goal prospects in the system. Predicting the success rate for goal prospects in the NHL is far from an exact science. I don't care if it's Hart, Sandstrom or even Ustimenko, I just want at least one of these guys to turn out to be a top notch NHL starter.

an over-looked Mt Suckmore nominee:

Chris Gratton aka Baby Shanahan
- KINGKENZO

Not over looked. Shouldn't be there. His one full NHL season with the Flyers resulted in a 22 goal, 40 assist, 62 point season. Not sure how that qualifies as sucking.

an over-looked Mt Suckmore nominee:

Chris Gratton aka Baby Shanahan
- KINGKENZO

So Chris Gratton was one of the 4 worst Flyers of all time? Really?

Not even close.

If the Flyers prospect with the highest upside for position is Hart, Pronman clearly ranks Hart lower than most analysts so it is not surprising that based on his value system, the Flyers dropped. I don’t know if he just doesn’t value goaltending as much or if he requires longer to see them (AHL) because they typically take more time to develop.

If the Flyers prospect with the highest upside for position is Hart, Pronman clearly ranks Hart lower than most analysts so it is not surprising that based on his value system, the Flyers dropped. I don’t know if he just doesn’t value goaltending as much or if he requires longer to see them (AHL) because they typically take more time to develop.
- NC Flyers Fan

If there are 11 teams with a better prospect base than the Flyers, the NHL is going to be one hell of a league in 2-3 years.

If there are 11 teams with a better prospect base than the Flyers, the NHL is going to be one hell of a league in 2-3 years.
- MJL

Although the NHL is continuously getting more competitive and skilled, I don’t think there is 11 teams with better farm systems than the Flyers. Ranking is all about what you value. I think maybe 11 teams have at least 1 guy that is NHL ready and potentially impactful for the 2018-19 season.

Cause I'm bored, Flyers Mt. Puckmore for various categories:

TEAM EXECS:
Ed Snider, Keith Allen, Joe Scott, Bob Clarke
-the first 2 are gimmes, the team never gets off the ground without help from Joe Scott and say what you want about Clarke as a GM, he still built teams that went to the finals 3 times and, overall, were generally pretty successful

COACHES:
Fred Shero, Pat Quinn, Mike Keenan, Ken Hitchcock
-Shero and Keenan were easy. I always liked Quinn when he was head coach here and I think they pulled the plug on him way too early. The job he did in completely turning around the team from the mess they were in late 78-79 to the powerhouse they were in 79-80 was masterful. Hitch edged Lavi for the last spot, but it was close.

GOALIES:
Bernie Parent, Pelle Lindbergh, Ron Hextall, Pete Peeters
-the first 3 are obvious. I gave the last spot to Peeters over Cechmanek due to Peeters having better success in the post season and because Cechmanek was a douche.

DEFENSE:
Mark Howe, Eric Desjardins, Kimmo Timonen, Jimmy Watson
-Gave Watson the last spot because he's still the best homegrown Dman in team history. However, I can see both Ghost and Provorov passing him in the next few years. Bob Dailey, Barry Ashbee and Ed Van Impe all got consideration, as did Brad McCrimmon. If Pronger had played here a few more seasons, he would have easily been the 4th.

CENTER:
Bobby Clarke, Eric Lindros, Rick Macleish, Claude Giroux
-Macleish makes it because he, along with Danny Briere, were the 2 best clutch playoff performers I ever saw play for the Flyers and he was instrumental in both Cup runs. And yeah, I know Giroux played LW last year, but his overall body of work at center merits his earning the last spot

LEFT WING:
Bill Barber, Brian Propp, John Leclair, Simon Gagne
-The first 3 are obvious. Gagne edged out Ross Lonsberry and Scott Hartnell for the last spot.

RIGHT WING:
Reggie Leach, Tim Kerr, Rick Tocchet, Jake Voracek
-Kerr is a no brainer and Leach deserves to be on the list just for what he did in 75-76, 61 goals in the reg season followed by 19 in the playoffs, his combined total of 80 goals in a season is a Flyers record that will likely never be broken. Tocchet was the best pure power forward in team history so he makes the list. Voracek's work last year was just enough to put him on the statue. Also getting a lot of consideration were Gary Dornhoefer, Paul Holmgren and Mark Recchi.

FIGHTERS:
Dave Schultz, Behn Wilson, Dave Brown, Donald Brashear
-Schultz has to be on the list. Brown was one of the best punchers I've ever seen and Wilson was downright scary. Brashear narrowly edged Tocchet for the last spot.

If the Flyers prospect with the highest upside for position is Hart, Pronman clearly ranks Hart lower than most analysts so it is not surprising that based on his value system, the Flyers dropped. I don’t know if he just doesn’t value goaltending as much or if he requires longer to see them (AHL) because they typically take more time to develop.
- NC Flyers Fan

I take all these lists with a grain of salt.

Agreed. Although, I have really come to appreciate all Hart has done to prepare himself for the NHL. I am pulling for him and can't wait to see it happen. But, as a Flyer sufferer, I don't care who's in net as long as they stop the puck.

Not over looked. Shouldn't be there. His one full NHL season with the Flyers resulted in a 22 goal, 40 assist, 62 point season. Not sure how that qualifies as sucking.
- MJL

Taking in the circumstances, expectations, and the cost to get/sign him..... it does for me.

So Chris Gratton was one of the 4 worst Flyers of all time? Really?

Not even close.
- BiggE

see above

see above
- KINGKENZO

I hear ya, but compared to guys like Billy Tibbets, Marc Bureau, Ulf Samuelsson, Alexandre Daigle etc..., guys that not only sucked when they were here but were complete and total pieces of shi!t both on and off the ice too, I don't think Gratton even comes close.

I hear ya, but compared to guys like Billy Tibbets, Marc Bureau, Ulf Samuelsson, Alexandre Daigle etc..., guys that not only sucked when they were here but were complete and total pieces of shi!t both on and off the ice too, I don't think Gratton even comes close.
- BiggE

Daigle is more akin to my line of thinking on Gratton. Picking no talent schlubs is easy. Have to go 2nd level hahahaha