PHILADELPHIA, Pa – For years the Philadelphia Flyers virtually ignored drafting blue-chip defensemen at the NHL Entry Draft. Instead, they went after veteran defensemen through free agency and trades. Finally it took the 2013 draft to select a defenseman in the first round of the NHL Draft by taking Samuel Morin 11th overall. Before then the last time the Flyers took a blueliner in the first round was Luca Sbisa 
19th overall in 2008.
Eventually Sbisa would be traded in the Chris Pronger deal. Oddly enough, it was Pronger who scouted Morin and encouraged the Flyers to select him in the first round. Since then the Flyers have taken a defenseman in the first round twice.
Today we look at some of the Flyers top defensive prospects and take a look ahead to see when and where they should be in the near future.
Ivan Provorov – No shocker here. Provorov is the latest blueliner to be taken in the first round in 2015, 7th overall. Very rarely do the Flyers fast track anyone to the NHL level at such a young age but he become a staple of the Flyers blueline this season and will be for years to come.
Samuel Morin – As previously mentioned, Morin has been waiting his turn and has come close to making the big club in recent years. That should come to an end in October. Morin is one of the few defensive minded defenseman the Flyers have in their entire system and was drafted to become the next Pronger, something the Flyers has missed ever since he retired. Look for Morin to be patrolling the Flyers next season when training camp ends in October.
Travis Sandheim – The Flyers other first rounder taken in 2014, has been paired with Morin in the AHL. He is more of an offensive threat than Morin but is every bit as capable as any of the other Flyers prospects in terms of putting the puck in the net. His stats in juniors were very similar to Provorov’s. Pairing him with Morin should be a telltale sign of what they think of Sandheim and Morin on the Flyers blueline. Depending on whom you talk to, Sandheim might be the best of the Flyers defensive prospects.
Sandheim is a razors edge away from making the Flyers blueline next season but if he is not he is surely the first call-up. It is possible he will stay in the AHL for one more full season but given the current state of the Flyers blueline he might stay in the AHL at the start of the season but he will not be staying there for very long.
Our prediction is that Sandheim will be up with the big club no later than at the trade deadline. Once he is in South Philly, he will not be going back to Lehigh Valley.
Robert Hagg – Hagg was taken in the same draft as Morin, but despite being taken in the second round, he was projected to go in the first. Hagg had some trouble adjusting to the North American style of play in the AHL, but has improved his defensive game greatly. He is a steady defenseman and could become a mainstay on the Flyers blueline if given the chance.
The Flyers appear impressed enough that he will make the Flyers in training camp and he could stay there for a very long time. Hagg could also find himself on another franchise because of the Flyers depth chart. Ever since he was drafted, other prospects have since surpassed him talent wise but that does not mean the Flyers think any less of him.
If Sandheim does not make the Flyers next season, Hagg is the next logical choice to do so. If he does, he will have to make the most of his opportunity.
Philippe Myers – Talk about your pleasant surprises. Myers was not even drafted and was signed as a free agent. He played in the World Junior Championships for Team Canada and saw a lot of ice time. The bad news for Myers is he had two concussions this year and that’s never a good sign. That said, expect the Flyers to be very patient with him. Keep in mind that when people like Pierre Mcguire think he would have become a first round pick had Myers gone back into the draft, people take notice, especially the Flyers.
Look for Myers to be in the AHL this season and be in the Flyers lineup next season.
Honorable Mentions: David Bernhardt and Mark Friedman – The Swedish native was 1 of 9 Flyers prospects that played in the WJC. Bernhardt was tied for fourth on the team in plus/minus (+7). Not bad for a 7th round pick in 2016. Do not think that will turn off the Flyers from giving him a long look. In years past that would have been a problem but not under the Ron Hextall regime.
Look for him to be in Sweden another year before coming overseas and heading into the AHL. At worst, he will start in the ECHL level but do not expect him to stay there long if he does.
Friedman is a third round pick in 2014, and has turned heads having played in the USHL and at the college level for Bowling Green. He has never been a negative player in the plus/minus department. He doesn’t have great size at 5’ 10” so that might be a bit of an issue climbing the ladder will all of the Flyers top defensive prospects averaging over six feet. On any other franchise, he would get a longer look, but he will get a fair shot once he goes pro.
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