Five Big Questions for 2024-25: A Mid-Summer Take

[mojo1917]

17 hours ago, radoran said:

So I'll say this: the Flyers aren't winning a Stanley Cup with Couturier/Konecny/Laughton as their C/A/A leadership group. They'll be lucky to win a round.

I think a lot of what you've said in this thread makes sense.

2 of those three guys listed are going to be on the Flyers for a long time.

I don't think they'll be lucky to win a round. I think they'll be 2nd round fodder with those guys.

That isn't the goal though, is it?

The length of the 11 and 14 deals makes it hard for me to see where the young guys can "take over".  Or depending on what happens with the salary cap...stay on the team.

I like both those players, I even like Scott Laughton but there needs to be turnover and right now, that's not happening nor does it look like it's going to happen.

So while I take issue with your "build around the guys who were here when it went to hell" trope, I do have a hard time imagining how the team moves on from them and to the next generation of players.

[radoran]

36 minutes ago, mojo1917 said:

So while I take issue with your "build around the guys who were here when it went to hell" trope, I do have a hard time imagining how the team moves on from them and to the next generation of players.

 

Right, but that's not my trope. That's the Flyers' trope. That's what they are actually saying.

 

Which is a fundamental reason I don't buy what they're selling.

 

I'm a hockey fan. My local team is the Flyers.

[GratefulFlyers]

On 8/23/2024 at 9:54 AM, radoran said:

That's what they are actually saying.

 

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I could agree if you'd include what I consider obvious, that they're not banking on only these 3, but unless I misread you, you seem disinclined to admit this.

 

btw I think you nailed it with the Eichel reference. I think even Danny would have to admit that's the strategy; find a veteran castoff (or 2 or 3) who can still play, contribute at a high level and then "go for it."

 

I suppose this is why I don't share all the doom n gloom about never tanking for high picks. Because I think this can work...never mind that it never has. To be a Flyers' fan, to be a fan of Philly sports means being somewhat delusional (have you followed the Phillies this summer?) and I qualify.

 

 

[SCFlyguy]

20 hours ago, GratefulFlyers said:

btw I think you nailed it with the Eichel reference. I think even Danny would have to admit that's the strategy; find a veteran castoff (or 2 or 3) who can still play, contribute at a high level and then "go for it."

Please explain the difference between this strategy and their strategy since 2013.

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

On 8/14/2024 at 5:46 PM, GratefulFlyers said:

Thanks @Howie58 interesting questions...

 

1) PP can't get any worse. Even if it drops to 1% we won't notice the difference. Last year Rocky "Balboa" Thompson focused on a QB and until he found one apparently the PP could just wait, as if all other options were off the table. Just dumb. Why he gets another year to run it is beyond me.

 

2) Couturier's value is high in the intangibles column, which is good. Not as good as scoring goals but I expect Couturier will improve production-wise next year ... provided Tortorella doesn't play him 20+ mins for 4-1/2 months straight. Chalk up another "just dumb" from the coaching staff.

 

3) I like Ersson the way I liked Bobrovsky way back when (talk about "just dumb" coaching...Laviolette). We'll know Ersson better once he gets past ~30 starts. At that point the Flyers will either have a good starter or a good backup. I don't see Ersson/Fedotov taking the Flyers very far.

Paging Alexei Kolosov...is this number still in service?

 

4) Drysdale has to play a full season. Until he does he's a question mark w/out an answer. Cam York should be even better next year. If he is the Flyers have their #1 D-man. What he lacks in size - 6'0" 197lbs - he makes up for in brains and poise. He's only 23, has 2 more years on a $1.6mil cap hit. Talk about ROI the Flyers struck gold with Cam York.

 

5) BIG surprises? I don't think so but I'd love to see Tippet, TK maybe Foerster too all have 30 goals by the TD. A working PP would help. Michkov already surprised us getting out of Russia; whatever he does this season is fine by me. If he stays stays healthy, makes a few friends on the team that's a huge win for the Flyers. I feel sure Tortorella has been told in no uncertain terms not to mess with him.

 

6) Big trades? Couturier (with the understanding he's got a job for life with the Flyers when he retires). Ristolainen for anyone ASAP, retain 50% just do it.

 

Joel Farabee is a talented 2-way scoring forward, perfect for a rebuilding team that isn't rebuilding (Flyers' fans understand). A 50-pt season last year should be a down year for him not his career high so far but he's been in Tortorella's doghouse. If they don't patch things up he has to be traded.

 

I assume it's Tortorella being Tortorella but who knows. Farabee is 24, has 3 more years on a $5mil cap hit. There will be plenty of interest. Farabee has a ton of untapped potential. If he's not traded it most likely means he and Tortorella figured it out, which would be a Very Good Thing.

 

 

1) The PP shouldn't be as bad as it is. It's inexcusable how bad it is and Thompson should have been fired, especially when the team talks about 'accountability' and 'responsibility'. Thompson is the architect of the piss poor power play and he's getting a pass because "it's been bad previous years." For a coaching staff that demands players to buy in fully, it amazes me how far they go to protect one of their own. For once, I'd love to see a Tortorella guy throw Thompson under the bus. How would Tortorella react to that? 

 

2) I fully expect Couturier to either have a big bounce back year or he asks to be traded. There's going to be no middle ground here. When Tortorella ran him into the ground after not playing for nearly two years, it was astounding that not a single person from management called out Couturier's handling by the coaching staff. He's either going to get 65 to 70 points this year or he's going to be somewhere competing for a Cup.

 

3) I think Fedotov is going to bounce back big time. I'm not sold on Ersson at all as being a starter. His play is hit and miss and he's either extremely hot or extremely cold. I think Fedotov could have a Cechmanek-like effect in that he buys the team some time as they wait for a starter to develop. I think Ersson will become an all world backup like Bob Froese was, but I wouldn't bank on him being the starter.

 

4) No question that Drysdale needs to play a full season to shed the injury prone label and to see if he'll hit what was expected of him when he was drafted. As for York, I have no problems with a 6'0, 200 pound defenseman being the number one guy. My things is, can he do the job and can he perform? He's shown he can. Run with him. 

 

5) There's zero reason that Konecny, Foerster and Tippett can't be 30 goal scores. Same with Farabee. There are only two reasons that will prevent the for of them from hitting 30. Injuries and Tortorella being petty and benching or scratching guys. That's it. And that petty stuff needs to be called out by the front office. 

 

6) Big trades. I'd love to see a big trade, but I just don't think that they'll do what needs to be required to make a big trade. I can't see them moving a Brink or a Tuomaala or an Andrae. They'll love a Lyksell or someone like that and they'll move picks, but no way will they take a huge swing for someone. For me, with all the draft capital they have, guys like Cole Perfetti and Trevor Zegras should already be wearing orange, but it's all about optics right now. Never mind that with the draft capital to give up, you'd be getting a 23 and a 21 year old, so losing the picks doesn't really sting as much. But there's no outside the box thinking like that. They'd rather target a Peyton Krebs because he's stuck in Buffalo. That's how this group thinks. So no, I don't see a big trade coming. They should have been in on Askarov, but once again, crickets. 

 

Part of me hopes that things really blow up this year. I don't want to see a locker room mutiny because those get ugly. But I would love to see some bite back about how Tortorella is unwilling to compromise and only holds a small number of players accountable and his favourites get a break from him. I want to see some players call out the coaching staff and the lack of accountability with regards to the poor power play and how they're performing exactly what they're being coached.

 

I'm not ready for a full house cleaning yet because Briere has shown me something. I think part of the reason why a full on tear down and rebuild isn't being done is because some with high standing within the organization feel that a full on rebuild isn't required and Danny's hands are kind of being tied as a result. However, if things go off the track this year, that gives Danny the ammo he needs to say that the "retool/rebuild on the fly isn't working and a full tear down needs to be done" and he'll get the green light.

[radoran]

On 8/24/2024 at 4:32 PM, GratefulFlyers said:

Because I think this can work...never mind that it never has.

 

[RonJeremy]

On 8/25/2024 at 1:39 PM, BobbyClarkeFan16 said:

1) The PP shouldn't be as bad as it is. It's inexcusable how bad it is and Thompson should have been fired, especially when the team talks about 'accountability' and 'responsibility'. Thompson is the architect of the piss poor power play and he's getting a pass because "it's been bad previous years." For a coaching staff that demands players to buy in fully, it amazes me how far they go to protect one of their own. For once, I'd love to see a Tortorella guy throw Thompson under the bus. How would Tortorella react to that? 

 

2) I fully expect Couturier to either have a big bounce back year or he asks to be traded. There's going to be no middle ground here. When Tortorella ran him into the ground after not playing for nearly two years, it was astounding that not a single person from management called out Couturier's handling by the coaching staff. He's either going to get 65 to 70 points this year or he's going to be somewhere competing for a Cup.

 

3) I think Fedotov is going to bounce back big time. I'm not sold on Ersson at all as being a starter. His play is hit and miss and he's either extremely hot or extremely cold. I think Fedotov could have a Cechmanek-like effect in that he buys the team some time as they wait for a starter to develop. I think Ersson will become an all world backup like Bob Froese was, but I wouldn't bank on him being the starter.

 

4) No question that Drysdale needs to play a full season to shed the injury prone label and to see if he'll hit what was expected of him when he was drafted. As for York, I have no problems with a 6'0, 200 pound defenseman being the number one guy. My things is, can he do the job and can he perform? He's shown he can. Run with him. 

 

5) There's zero reason that Konecny, Foerster and Tippett can't be 30 goal scores. Same with Farabee. There are only two reasons that will prevent the for of them from hitting 30. Injuries and Tortorella being petty and benching or scratching guys. That's it. And that petty stuff needs to be called out by the front office. 

 

6) Big trades. I'd love to see a big trade, but I just don't think that they'll do what needs to be required to make a big trade. I can't see them moving a Brink or a Tuomaala or an Andrae. They'll love a Lyksell or someone like that and they'll move picks, but no way will they take a huge swing for someone. For me, with all the draft capital they have, guys like Cole Perfetti and Trevor Zegras should already be wearing orange, but it's all about optics right now. Never mind that with the draft capital to give up, you'd be getting a 23 and a 21 year old, so losing the picks doesn't really sting as much. But there's no outside the box thinking like that. They'd rather target a Peyton Krebs because he's stuck in Buffalo. That's how this group thinks. So no, I don't see a big trade coming. They should have been in on Askarov, but once again, crickets. 

 

Part of me hopes that things really blow up this year. I don't want to see a locker room mutiny because those get ugly. But I would love to see some bite back about how Tortorella is unwilling to compromise and only holds a small number of players accountable and his favourites get a break from him. I want to see some players call out the coaching staff and the lack of accountability with regards to the poor power play and how they're performing exactly what they're being coached.

 

I'm not ready for a full house cleaning yet because Briere has shown me something. I think part of the reason why a full on tear down and rebuild isn't being done is because some with high standing within the organization feel that a full on rebuild isn't required and Danny's hands are kind of being tied as a result. However, if things go off the track this year, that gives Danny the ammo he needs to say that the "retool/rebuild on the fly isn't working and a full tear down needs to be done" and he'll get the green light.

I don't see Coots having a big comeback,  he might be a little better, but his age , slow skating and bad back are gonna continue to play a factor in his decline.

 

The PP can improve only because it's been the worst in the NHL three straight years. Michkov will help somewhat, but It won't improve that much be because we only have one creative center and we do not have a legit playmaking offensive threat from the blue line and we don't even have a dman with a big accurate point shot. Zamula was our best PP shooter,that shows you what a joke this team is. The PP all starts at the blueline and we have no one who can be a catalyst in that position. 

 

Drysdale is horrendous defensively , he doesn't have a big shot,  he may help rush the puck, but we don't have enough play driving creative guys to setup our finishers like Tippett and Foerster. York is listed as 6ft and 195, there is no way he's that big, he's more like 5ft 10, 180lbs. He is solid defensively,  he is not that great offensively and is a far cry from a #1 dman. The Flyers have miscast players for years and ruined their development by slotting them much higher than their skill dictates.

 

As far as big trades go, we don't have anyone to trade that is gonna get us the #1 center or defensemen we desperately need, so at best we can make a lateral trade. They talk about trading Farabee, the best we can get for him is another Farabee,so what's the point. He is also our only natural left wing ,so why trade from your second weakest offensive position. Konecny was worth the most in a trade, but it's obvious from the new contract they are keeping him.

 

As far as Krebs, he's a flop he's done nothing in three years, Perfetti is a right wing, which we don't need and Zegras is a one dimensional player ,Anaheim would want alot for him, they already fleeced us in the Gauthier trade I wouldn't trade for him. We are the last team that needs to be trading multiple assets for one guy.

 

Goaltending is a big question mark, Fedotov looked big and slow in the net, hopefully he improves. Ersson played well but wore down from overuse.

 

I do agree we should score more goals with Tippett, Brink,Farabee and Foerster improving and the addition of Michkov. I think the real problem will be the second pair defensemen. Seeler who was never more than a # 6-7 dman had a career season at thirty, in an UFA contract year while playing with Walker ,who helped make him look better than he is. I fully expect Seeler to return to the mediocre dman he always was and Drysdale is a horror defensively, he is not ready for second pair duty. I fully expect Risto to take Drysdales spot on the second pair within less than 20 games.

Edited August 26 by radoran

[pilldoc]

2 hours ago, RonJeremy said:

The PP all starts at the blueline and we have no one who can be a catalyst in that position. 

 

Drysdale is horrendous defensively , he doesn't have a big shot,  he may help rush the puck, but we don't have enough play driving creative guys to setup our finishers like Tippett and Foerster. York is listed as 6ft and 195, there is no way he's that big, he's more like 5ft 10, 180lbs. He is solid defensively,  he is not that great offensively and is a far cry from a #1 dman. The Flyers have miscast players for years and ruined their development by slotting them much higher than their skill dictates.

 

As far as big trades go, we don't have anyone to trade that is gonna get us the #1 center or defensemen we desperately need, so at best we can make a lateral trade

 

So if this is all true ....(and BTW ... I am not questioning what you typed at all) ....then at the draft who do you choose?

 

Player A:  High-motor forward with natural athletic abilities and a knack for middle drives. Limited puck skills, but projects as a top-nine energy winger. Player A has great speed and agility and has a very strong first few steps in order to create separation quickly. If he wants to be a dual threat, he needs to work on his shot and make better decisions with his shot selection. Some could project him as a highly skilled, two-way centreman with top-six potential. Even if he’s a middle-six player, he’s one that you can rely on in any situation. There’s a lot that still needs to happen for Player A to get to that point.  Has the scoring upside of 20G 50A = 70 PTS

 

 

Player B: Has the potential to be a top-four defender in the NHL if he continues to focus on the little things in his game and progress at them. It’s unlikely he will make it into the NHL next season, and one more season at the junior level should benefit his development. Whichever team ends up taking him will have a future potential star on their hands.

 

In addition Player B's smooth skating is something that should get the attention of plenty of NHL teams, and he could be considered one of the strongest skaters in the draft class.... his speed and ability to move laterally while moving up the ice, and his speed with the puck on his stick is simply phenomenal. Player B is just as strong offensively as he is in his own end. For reference, Player B is producing at a 1.22 points-per-game pace, which is the highest for a defenceman in NCAA history.  Has the upside of scoring 20G 60A = 80PTS

 

 

Player C : When drafting 18-year-olds, NHL teams know that they are not getting a polished player. This is not the case with Player C. who who may be one of the most well-rounded prospects available in 2024. There is no question that Player C has a fantastic mind when it comes to offense.  This season, he’s on pace to set the highest total by a U18 player since Aleksander Barkov put up 48 points in 2012-13.  Player C uses his fantastic skating to create space, employing bursts of speed and quick changes in direction to open up lanes for him to make easy passes to his teammates. On defence, Player C is equally as smart. 

The only knock against him is that, of all these skills, none of them stand out above his competition. But when it comes to adding an impact player, no one impacts more areas than Player C. he can continue to be a center in the NHL. He is just so smart on the ice and can see the game several steps ahead of his competition, which makes him a valuable two-way player, and his ability to set up and read plays gives him the skill to center any line. He should be able to fit nicely into any second line or top line in the NHL and could end up becoming a 60 to 70-point scorer if not more.  Has the scoring upside of 25+G  55+A  80+ PTS

 

This High IQ, pro-ready 2-way forward has the potential to be superstar potential.

 

If you are looking at these 3 draft potentials, if you are the Flyers ...(knowing what you need), then based on the info above....who are you picking at #12 in the draft.

Its a game I have played before and you would be surprised at the results .......

[flyer4ever]

On 8/23/2024 at 9:15 AM, mojo1917 said:

I think a lot of what you've said in this thread makes sense.

2 of those three guys listed are going to be on the Flyers for a long time.

I don't think they'll be lucky to win a round. I think they'll be 2nd round fodder with those guys.

That isn't the goal though, is it?

The length of the 11 and 14 deals makes it hard for me to see where the young guys can "take over".  Or depending on what happens with the salary cap...stay on the team.

I like both those players, I even like Scott Laughton but there needs to be turnover and right now, that's not happening nor does it look like it's going to happen.

So while I take issue with your "build around the guys who were here when it went to hell" trope, I do have a hard time imagining how the team moves on from them and to the next generation of players.

These players have all given their best to the Flyers under trying circumstance. Sadly, they are also all 3 diminishing assets, 2 of them with albatross contracts. The Flyer way. Give us mediocre, or give us death.

[RonJeremy]

1 hour ago, pilldoc said:

 

So if this is all true ....(and BTW ... I am not questioning what you typed at all) ....then at the draft who do you choose?

 

Player A:  High-motor forward with natural athletic abilities and a knack for middle drives. Limited puck skills, but projects as a top-nine energy winger. Player A has great speed and agility and has a very strong first few steps in order to create separation quickly. If he wants to be a dual threat, he needs to work on his shot and make better decisions with his shot selection. Some could project him as a highly skilled, two-way centreman with top-six potential. Even if he’s a middle-six player, he’s one that you can rely on in any situation. There’s a lot that still needs to happen for Player A to get to that point.  Has the scoring upside of 20G 50A = 70 PTS

 

 

Player B: Has the potential to be a top-four defender in the NHL if he continues to focus on the little things in his game and progress at them. It’s unlikely he will make it into the NHL next season, and one more season at the junior level should benefit his development. Whichever team ends up taking him will have a future potential star on their hands.

 

In addition Player B's smooth skating is something that should get the attention of plenty of NHL teams, and he could be considered one of the strongest skaters in the draft class.... his speed and ability to move laterally while moving up the ice, and his speed with the puck on his stick is simply phenomenal. Player B is just as strong offensively as he is in his own end. For reference, Player B is producing at a 1.22 points-per-game pace, which is the highest for a defenceman in NCAA history.  Has the upside of scoring 20G 60A = 80PTS

 

 

Player C : When drafting 18-year-olds, NHL teams know that they are not getting a polished player. This is not the case with Player C. who who may be one of the most well-rounded prospects available in 2024. There is no question that Player C has a fantastic mind when it comes to offense.  This season, he’s on pace to set the highest total by a U18 player since Aleksander Barkov put up 48 points in 2012-13.  Player C uses his fantastic skating to create space, employing bursts of speed and quick changes in direction to open up lanes for him to make easy passes to his teammates. On defence, Player C is equally as smart. 

The only knock against him is that, of all these skills, none of them stand out above his competition. But when it comes to adding an impact player, no one impacts more areas than Player C. he can continue to be a center in the NHL. He is just so smart on the ice and can see the game several steps ahead of his competition, which makes him a valuable two-way player, and his ability to set up and read plays gives him the skill to center any line. He should be able to fit nicely into any second line or top line in the NHL and could end up becoming a 60 to 70-point scorer if not more.  Has the scoring upside of 25+G  55+A  80+ PTS

 

This High IQ, pro-ready 2-way forward has the potential to be superstar potential.

 

If you are looking at these 3 draft potentials, if you are the Flyers ...(knowing what you need), then based on the info above....who are you picking at #12 in the draft.

It’s a game I have played before and you would be surprised at the results .......

I’m assuming this is Helenius , Buim and Luchenko.  I actually like the Luchenko pick based on his age and how much younger he is than most guys in the draft. In a perfect world , I would have traded Drysdale for a first rounder and taken,  Buim and Luchenko.

[flyercanuck]

18 minutes ago, RonJeremy said:

I’m assuming this is Helenius , Buim and Luchenko.

 

Reverse the order and I think you've got it.

[pilldoc]

17 minutes ago, RonJeremy said:

I’m assuming this is Helenius , Buim and Luchenko.  I actually like the Luchenko pick based on his age and how much younger he is than most guys in the draft. In a perfect world , I would have traded Drysdale for a first rounder and taken,  Buim and Luchenko.

You are correct in that assumption.

Player A is actually Luchanko.

Player B is indeed Buium.

Player C is Helenius.

 

I get the love folks are now having with Jett, but I subscribe to the BPA strategy.

 I’m slowly coming around on that pick … 

I preferred Buium … he has the makings of Makar 2.0 and could have QB’d the PP for years to come.

 

 I’m curious to see both Jett and Helenius stats in 3 years to see if they made the right choice or not.

[pilldoc]

10 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 

Reverse the order and I think you've got it.

Bingo!

[RonJeremy]

28 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 

Reverse the order and I think you've got it.

I probably had it right initially but since I can’t retain a thought in my head for more than a minute, I couldn’t remember the order by the time I started typing. 

[RonJeremy]

20 minutes ago, pilldoc said:

You are correct in that assumption.

Player A is actually Luchanko.

Player B is indeed Buium.

Player C is Helenius.

 

I get the love folks are now having with Jett, but I subscribe to the BPA strategy.

 I’m slowly coming around on that pick … 

I preferred Buium … he has the makings of Makar 2.0 and could have QB’d the PP for years to come.

 

 I’m curious to see both Jett and Helenius stats in 3 years to see if they made the right choice or not.

Me too, I think considering the age of Luchenko,we may have made a good pick, he had pretty good stats against older players. We just have to develop him properly and not turn him into another Danuis Zubrus .

[pilldoc]

33 minutes ago, RonJeremy said:

We just have to develop him properly

… and therein lies the problem….

 

this organization has not one iota of a clue on how to do that…..

 

I simply don’t trust them….

Edited August 27 by pilldoc

[flyercanuck]

9 hours ago, pilldoc said:

You are correct in that assumption.

Player A is actually Luchanko.

Player B is indeed Buium.

Player C is Helenius.

 

I get the love folks are now having with Jett, but I subscribe to the BPA strategy.

 I’m slowly coming around on that pick … 

I preferred Buium … he has the makings of Makar 2.0 and could have QB’d the PP for years to come.

 

 I’m curious to see both Jett and Helenius stats in 3 years to see if they made the right choice or not.

 

I really like Luchanko as a player. He's a good pick IF Buium doesn't fall into our lap, just like Michkov did. Buium may not quite be the talent Michkov is but he is a better talent,at this point, than Luchanko. 

 

It's sad how far this franchise has fallen, when we have to pick players who we hope will want to come play for us. Management has turned us into Arizona. 

[flyer4ever]

2 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

 

I really like Luchanko as a player. He's a good pick IF Buium doesn't fall into our lap, just like Michkov did. Buium may not quite be the talent Michkov is but he is a better talent,at this point, than Luchanko. 

 

It's sad how far this franchise has fallen, when we have to pick players who we hope will want to come play for us. Management has turned us into Arizona. 

Lets all pray together that the crowd sizes this coming season resemble Arizona. It is exactly what the Flyers hockey ops deserves.

[radoran]

34 minutes ago, flyer4ever said:

Lets all pray together that the crowd sizes this coming season resemble Arizona. It is exactly what the Flyers hockey ops deserves.

 

Michkov alone will inflate numbers. If they are at all competitive - and they were last year - people will come out.

 

It'll be another 2-3 years before folks get the middling bubble playoff team picture.

[OccamsRazor]

4 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

Buium may not quite be the talent Michkov is but he is a better talent,at this point, than Luchanko. 

 

Just your opinion. Zero proof of that.

 

But he should be he is 8 months older than Jett.

 

So yeah we can guage again once they've been in the NHL a year or 2.

[flyercanuck]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

Just your opinion. Zero proof of that.

 

But he should be he is 8 months older than Jett.

 

So yeah we can guage again once they've been in the NHL a year or 2.

 

Not just my opinion...the guy was rated a top 10 talent by just about everyone. Luchanko wasn't by anyone. 

 

I think it will take longer than a year or two to gauge who's better. I think Buium makes it next year...I think Luchanko takes longer. 

 

Hey, I hope he ends up better, I like the kids game. 

[radoran]

30 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

I think Buium makes it next year...I think Luchanko takes longer. 

 

Theoretically the goal was to take longer with the pick. They can have him start his ELC in a couple years rather than burning them at his age. He also has time to develop his game further in Junior.

 

Until he inevitably makes the roster out of training camp, of course.

 

[flyercanuck]

5 minutes ago, radoran said:

 

Theoretically the goal was to take longer with the pick. They can have him start his ELC in a couple years rather than burning them at his age. He also has time to develop his game further in Junior.

 

Until he inevitably makes the roster out of training camp, of course.

 

 

He's certainly more of a project. His game isn't honed, he's just starting to break out (we hope). As OR mentioned, he's one of the youngest guys from the draft, so there's no rush. I've already got Oct 26 circled on my calendar when Guelph comes to town. 

 

IF he isn't already a 1st pairing dman on the Flyers of course.

[radoran]

2 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

he's one of the youngest guys from the draft, so there's no rush.

 

When has there being "no rush" ever figured into the Flyers' player development plans?

 

[OccamsRazor]

4 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

Not just my opinion...the guy was rated a top 10 talent by just about everyone.

 

Still opinion. You just share with others.

 

If you look hard enough there are many who love the pick.

 

However once again just opinion.

 

We'll know more in about 2-3 years

 

4 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

I think it will take longer than a year or two to gauge who's better.

 

Either way won't change the fact that Buium is almost a full year older than him.

 

If it doesn't result in the Flyers winning a Cup it doesn't even matter right now...