Flyers look for offense in the seventh spot Is Crouse to be a Flyer?

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Flyers missed the playoffs in the NHL two of the last three seasons. The team is once again cash strapped and for the first time since 2011 the Flyers have a pick in the top 10 (7^th) in the upcoming NHL entry draft. That year the Flyers took center Sean Couturier 8^th overall and took another centerman the next season with Scott Laughton 20^th overall.

The Flyers head into this seasons draft with the usual best-player-available mentality but because of their past oversight for not taking scoring wingers (Anthony Mantha, Alex Tuch) and blue chip defensemen (Dougie Hamilton, Olli Maatta) when they had the chance, Philly must consider taking a best-player-available-at-a-position-of-need mentality this time around.

As we go full steam ahead into PHN’s NHL Mock Draft, let’s takes a look at where the team is on offense and defense heading into the draft and who we think the Flyers could and should take with the 7^th overall pick in this year’s draft.

Later on in the draft the Flyers hold Tampa Bay’s first round pick thanks to the Braydon Coburn trade.

Offense – The Flyers normally have balanced scoring throughout their lineup. This year the Flyers paid the price for not having secondary scoring, especially on the left wing. The team had four Players with 20 or more goals led by Wayne Simmonds with 28. That is the good news. Sending James Van Reimsdyk to Toronto has easily gone down as one of the worst trades in team history. Letting Jaromir Jagr walk away to New Jersey and the RJ Umberger/Scott Hartnell hasn’t helped either.

The center position is currently at a logjam. Too many centers and not enough salary cap space is killing the growth of some of their younger, cheaper players such as Laughton so look for at least one trade to be made that will involve a center come draft day.

The Flyers are solid at right wing and could draft another right winger that could cause Jakub Voracek to move to left wing to balance out the lines.

Defense – For the first time in a long time the Flyers have an abundance of riches on defense. If you include Michael Del Zotto the Flyers will have 10 players under contract. Oh, and to make matters worse (or better depending on your point of view) four of the Flyers top five prospects are defensemen and it could grow by one on draft day (which we will discuss later).

Luke Schenn and Nicklas Grossman are heading into the last year of their contracts so they will be used as trade bait. Schenn will get the most suitors because of his age and salary cap hit, but because the Flyers need cap space Grossman should be the first one out the door. Don’t expect anything back except draft picks or prospects back in return. A package for Luke and his brother Brayden will get back at least one first round pick back in return, even if it is not in this year’s draft.

Still, Schenn has improved his play and like Del Zotto he is slowly turning into the kind of player a former first round pick should play like. The rest of the bunch on the current roster reads a bit like a who’s-who of less than blue chip quality talent, but the outlook of their top defensive prospects have Flyers fans giddy these days of the possibilities.

Travis Sanheim, Samual Morin, Shayne Gostisbehere, Brandon Manning, and Robert Hagg. The list could grow by one with the potential adding highly touted prospect Ivan Provorov who is Russian born but played in the WHL for Brandon with 15 goals and 46 assists in 60 games could very well be sitting at seven for the Flyers taking. He is considered the most NHL ready defenseman in the draft and his two-way skills along with the collection of top prospects listed above has

Because he is Russian drafting him might be an issue for the Flyers but not in this case. It shouldn’t scare them off this time around. The only real reason the Flyers might not take him is simple: The Flyers NEVER draft European’s high. The only rare exception was Joni Pitkanen in 2002, unless you want to count Luca Sbisa (2008).

However, Provorov is the best player available on anyone’s draft the board, regardless of who’s picking. Just thinking of a future blueline of Provorov, Sanheim, Gostisbehere, Morin, Hagg, and Del Zotto is scary. If you’re a Flyers fan just the thought of it should make even the most cynical Flyers fan giddy. It would and should make opponents envious at the thought.

If the Flyers decide to go for offense, which looks like it will most likely going to be the case, the team will have several options to choose from.

Lawson Crouse – LW Mikko Rantanen – RW Kyle Connor – LW Timo Meier – RW Mathew Barzel – C

Crouse was probably born with a Flyers crest on his chest, he fits the Flyers mold, but if the Flyers really want to take the best scorer available the pick should be Timo Meier. An argument could very well be make for Connor or Barzel, with Connor given a slight edge because he is an LW.

Draft outlook: At the end of the day the Flyers have to make a choice. Will they add to an already crowded blueline, or do they go for need with a scorer on offense. Expect to hear General Manager Ron Hextall make the following announcement on draft day.

“With the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, the Flyers are proud to select, from the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League, forward Lawson Crouse.”

The Columbus Blue Jackets are now on the clock.