PHILADELPHIA, Pa – There are certain realities in life: Death, taxes, and the Philadelphia Flyers drafting a center. Although the team has drafted defensemen in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft from 2013-2015, The Flyers have now taken a center with their first round pick the last two years in a row. This year it was Nolan Patrick, last season it was German Rubtsov.
The Flyers have always had a down-the-middle approach to building their team. Today we turn our attention to the top center prospects in the Flyers organization.
Nolan Patrick – The second overall pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft was the most NHL prospect in the draft. He was made to have the Flyers crest on his chest. Unless something happens between now and the start of the season he will start the season in South Philly.
German Rubtsov – The Flyers first round pick in 2016 did not have a good start to his season but he ended it with a bang. Once he came overseas, Rubtsov had nine goals in 16 games for Chicoutimi. If he has that kind of season in the Q, do not expect him to make a pit stop in Lehigh Valley and end up directly in the Flyers lineup in two years.
Mikhail Vorobyov – A fourth round pick in 2015, Vorobyov has Flyers brass drooling at his potential. The Russian native was playing in the World Junior Championship along with eight other Flyers prospects, the most of any NHL team in the tournament.
He is not a goal scorer but could find himself on the Flyers third or fourth line eventually but he has the potential to be on the second line with the right players around him.
Connor Bunnaman – Bunnaman as drafted in 2016 in the fourth round. He is currently playing for the Kitchener Rangers, is a solid scorer, and has improved every season including a 37-goal outburst this season. This will be his 4th year in juniors so expect Bunnaman to go pro next season and start in the AHL but could start his career at the ECHL level before being bumped up to the A.
Tanner Laczynski – Usually sixth round picks done get noticed in the Flyers organization but those days are gone in the Ron Hextall regime. The Ohio State Buckeyes also played at the World Juniors playing for Team USA. He has 10 goals in 34 games for Ohio State. Expect Laczynski to be at OSU for the next 3 years unless he decides to go pro a little sooner. When he does he will go straight to the AHL.
Honorable Mention: Pascal Leberge and Morgan Frost– The first of two second round picks in 2016, Leberge had a concussion and had a down year because of it but the Flyers think very highly of him. The Flyers are expecting big things from Leberge so be on the lookout for him in a Flyers sometime down the round, most likely in 2-3 years.
The Flyers traded away Brayden Schenn to move up into the first round to take Frost so you know the Flyers think very highly of his hockey IQ and his speed. Expect Philadelphia to be more than patient with him. Next season will be his third in juniors but could see the AHL after that and be fast tracked to the Flyers in two years.
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