Photo credit: Terry Wilson / OHL Images
By Pat White (@patwhite9126)
Many hockey pundits regard the 2013 NHL Draft class the deepest since 2003. There are talented players galore from top to bottom.
Philadelphia Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren has hinted that he would like to draft an impact defenseman, something the Flyers haven’t done in years. Holmgren’s “take the best player available” approach has been criticized for years when defense was a clear need. But with the depth of the draft, taking the best player available may be the right approach.
On my draft board, as well as many others in the hockey world, Seth Jones, Nathan McKinnon, Jonathan Drouin and Aleksander Barkov are consensus top-four picks. Beyond those guys, the rest of the first round is unpredictable.
There is a plethora of talented skaters that can help the Flyers within the next few years. Whether that player is a forward or defenseman, we don’t know yet. What we do know, is that Holmgren is not afraid to pull the trigger on some surprising blockbuster moves. There is still some uncertainty about what teams ahead of the Flyers will do. Every year there are teams that reach for players and players that fall into other team’s laps.
It is no secret that defense has been an area of concern for the Flyers. With the addition of Mark Streit, the Flyers are spending more than $26 million on their projected six blue-liners. Nick Grossmann, Luke Schenn, Brayden Coburn and Streit all have at least three years left on their contracts, while Andrej Meszaros and Kimmo Timonen have one year left.
The problem the Flyers have had isn’t talent evaluation, but patience in developing the players. The Flyer’s can’t get cute and base their decision on if a defenseman is NHL-ready. With a logjam on defense and some cap constraints, bringing along a defenseman slowly would be the best plan. Also, don’t forget about that Erik Gustafsson guy. He has taken strides the past few years, and deserves a shot this season.
Holmgren has expressed interest in Sault Ste. Marie defenseman and nephew of former Eagles quarterback, Donovan McNabb. Nurse’s 6’4 frame and punishing playing style has the Flyers’ brass salivating. Two questions I have are: 1.) Will Nurse be there at No. 11? 2.) Is Holmgren tipping his hand with Nurse to other GM’s because he has interest in someone else?
Those answers we won’t know until Sunday. Here are some potential prospects the Flyers could target with the 11th pick.
On the defensive end, two guys on the Flyers radar are Rasmus Ristolainen of TPS of SM-Liiga of Finland and Ryan Pulock from the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL. Much like Nurse, Ristolainen is another big (6’3) physical defenseman who needs offensive development. Pulock is smaller in stature (6’1, 209 lbs.), but is offensively gifted. Pulock can quarterback a power play and has arguably the best slap shot in the draft. With Timonen in the twilight of his career, Pulock could step in and take over on the power play in a year or two. He also delivers some bone-jarring hits and reminds me of a young Dion Phaneuf. That is high praise, but not completely out of the question.
Don’t count out Holmgren looking at a forward with No. 11. There has been talk of Sean Monahan from the Ottawa ‘67’s of the OHL sliding down in the draft. The center plays a great two-way game, but proved he has offensive skill, tallying 78 points last season to lead Ottawa. His hockey IQ and leadership qualities make him very intriguing. He is somewhat similar to Scott Laughton, the Flyers’ first round pick last year,
Anthony Mantha of the Val d’Or Foreurs of the QMJHL is another intriguing name. Claude Giroux needs a big, scoring winger that has many people calling the Flyers to trade for Anaheim’s Bobby Ryan. At 6’4, 187 lbs. Mantha could be that guy. He was the only 50 goal-scorer in the “Q” last season and has a nose for the net. For his size, Mantha is a good skater which allows him to create space to let his wicked wrist fly. Picking him at No. 11 may be a little high, so trading down a few spots to take Mantha and accruing a few more picks would add scoring and some more picks in the deep draft.
A player that may be off the radar a bit, but the Flyers should look at is Fredrick Gauthier from the Rimouski Oceanic. He is a big center at 6’5, 216 lbs. and is an extremely cerebral player. Gauthier scored 60 points in 62 games and would give the Flyers that big center they lack. He doesn’t project as a prolific scorer, but he is responsible on both ends and would add tremendous depth at center with Giroux, Sean Couturier, and Brayden Schenn or Laughton. Gauthier needs to improve on his 46% faceoff percentage, but that could come with time.
The position the Flyers should avoid with the 11th pick is one that has eluded them since Ron Hextall: goaltender.
Holmgren has expressed interest in Zachary Fucale of the Memorial Cup champion Halifax Mooseheads. Fucale could be a solid NHL starter one day, but with the Flyers’ luck with goaltending, using a first-round pick on a goaltender would be a waste. Holmgren can’t panic about the goaltending fiasco and waste this pick. The Flyers took Anthony Stolarz in the second-round last year, and is coming along slowly. There is also goaltending value late in the draft such as Spencer Martin of Mississauga, Tristan Jarry from Edmonton, and Cal Petersen and Eamon McAdam from Waterloo of the USHL.
The Flyers have many holes to fill, so taking the best player available will benefit them. Holmgren can’t fall in love with a player and throw away picks to move up a few spots. Staying at No. 11 will net them a solid prospect. There is talent galore in this draft. Now, they need to change the culture of player development and take a slow approach.
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