Prospect Info: 2014 Flyers prospect ranking: #2

[FlyTimmo]

I voted Laughton at #1 because he's the most NHL ready, and I voted him here, too.

Where's Goulbourne??????????

Chill out, I'll add people.

 

[Schwarbomb]

Voted Sanheim. Most excited about him after Morin. Looks like a bit of a throw away vote now that he's in a distant 3rd though.

 

[Garbage Goal]

Really am befuddled at so many people thinking Laughton is ahead of Sanheim, Morin, and Ghost. That's just me though and I know what the rationale is, I just can't understand it really.

Anyhow, voted for Sanheim as I think he and Morin are top two, for now.

 

[sa cyred]

Chill out, I'll add people.

Haha its just BP. He's just messing.

 

[Ryker]

I wanted to vote Hagg

 

[McNasty]

Really am befuddled at so many people thinking Laughton is ahead of Sanheim, Morin, and Ghost. That's just me though and I know what the rationale is, I just can't understand it really.

Anyhow, voted for Sanheim as I think he and Morin are top two, for now.

For me Laughton vs Ghost comes down to safety vs ceiling. Ghost has an elite offensive game, but if he can't produce or can't adequately defend he won't have much of an NHL career. Laughton on the other hand is a pretty safe bet to be at the very least a top 9 forward, but his upside is likely limited to a 2nd line center.

Sanheim I think there is just a lack of hype because people haven't really followed him, Laughton beat out Morin last year likely due to the same reason.

 

[BernieParent]

Haha its just BP. He's just messing.

Not enough question marks or a sufficiently low-talent "prospect"?

Thanks for making these polls, by the way, Dream. Too much criticism and not enough appreciation for your initiative.

 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I voted Sanheim this time around. His game really took off in the second half of the WHL season and he was sensational during the U18 tournament. The fact that the rest of the nations participating had voted him the defenseman of the tournament was something that really stood right. Right now, the only thing Sanheim really needs to do is add weight/muscle and continue refining his game. He's got the IQ, mobility, skills and smarts to really be a top pairing defender and I also think there's a little less questions with regards to his upside than there are with Morin, Gostisbehere and Hagg.

 

[Broad Street Elite]

He's got the IQ, mobility, skills and smarts to really be a top pairing defender and I also think there's a little less questions with regards to his upside than there are with Morin, Gostisbehere and Hagg.

That is a very interesting statement to me. If anything, I would argue that lack of time (scrutiny) makes Sanheim a much greater question mark than those later three. I'm not arguing that he doesn't have that upside, but he's shown it for basically a half season and a tournament. I think there are considerably more questions about Sanheim all around than guys farther along in their respective development.

Generally speaking, the more scrutinized a player is, the less upside people suspect he has. Going into his draft year, MacKinnon was super-hyped and then almost got picked apart during his draft season to the point that people questioned whether he'd ultimately be the top pick. The same thing happened to Ekblad this year and Couturier in his draft year.

To me, Sanheim benefits from the fact that he has consistently exceeded expectations. While I like the player and certainly like the pick the Flyers made, Travis is going into this season with significant expectations now that he's a first round pick, so this will be very telling about how he progresses.

 

[Jack Straw]

I voted Laughton here but I think he, Ghost, Hagg, and Sanheim are all kind of grouped together.

 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

That is a very interesting statement to me. If anything, I would argue that lack of time (scrutiny) makes Sanheim a much greater question mark than those later three. I'm not arguing that he doesn't have that upside, but he's shown it for basically a half season and a tournament. I think there are considerably more questions about Sanheim all around than guys farther along in their respective development.

Generally speaking, the more scrutinized a player is, the less upside people suspect he has. Going into his draft year, MacKinnon was super-hyped and then almost got picked apart during his draft season to the point that people questioned whether he'd ultimately be the top pick. The same thing happened to Ekblad this year and Couturier in his draft year.

To me, Sanheim benefits from the fact that he has consistently exceeded expectations. While I like the player and certainly like the pick the Flyers made, Travis is going into this season with significant expectations now that he's a first round pick, so this will be very telling about how he progresses.

I get what you're saying. At the same time, I look at Sanheim and when I compare him to Morin, Gostisbehere, Hagg and Alt, in fairness, he doesn't have anywhere near the number of questions that they have. Now, I'm just basing this on personal opinion, but I really think that Sanheim showed more promise last season than Sam did in his draft year.

I'm with you though in seeing what Sanheim will do now that he's been selected in the first round and now that there's going to be some scrutiny and that teams are going to pay closer attention to him. If he pulls a Morin and really starts putting things together (I'll give big Sam that - he really put together a solid string of games last season and he started turning the corner in terms of putting the entire package together), then it's very nice scenario to have.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

went with Gostisbehere. well rounded defenseman and has good amount of skill. something this organization is lacking on the backend.

 

[sa cyred]

went with Gostisbehere. well rounded defenseman and has good amount of skill. something this organization is lacking on the backend.

Yea the whole "Ghost doesn't play defense" thing was like two years ago. Anyone who watched him during the tournament knows he can play it very well. He did very well against one of the best NCAA players in Johnny Hockey.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Travis Sanheim is the Ralph Nader of Flyers prospects. Laughton should be #2 (if not #1)!

 

[Roo Mad Bro]

Yea the whole "Ghost doesn't play defense" thing was like two years ago. Anyone who watched him during the tournament knows he can play it very well. He did very well against one of the best NCAA players in Johnny Hockey.

I am still concerned at his lack of physical play while defending in his own end.

In the two Phantoms games I don't think I saw him touch an opposing player while in the d zone.

He will need to play a little more physical IMO.

 

[BringBackHakstol]

Ghost easily. I think people are selling his upside short. Off the top of my head, I'm 99% sure we have never had a prospect that can skate like Ghost. He has elite skating, elite puck skills, elite shot, VERY good hockey sense. The only thing this kid lacks is size, and even then he isn't really THAT small.

I think this kid's potential is off the charts and he's really not that far from being NHL ready either.

 

[daynus]

voted laughton

twice, not in the same poll.

so should i get ready to vote for him in poll #3.

 

[FlyTimmo]

twice, not in the same poll.

so should i get ready to vote for him in poll #3.

I don't know it is tied right now. Since I don't know how to close the poll at 4PM EST I will go with who has more votes.

 

[Dumpster Flyers]

Ghost again, then Laughton.

To be honest, I don't really know a lot about Sanheim. I must have seen him play, but I was paying closer attention to other players (like Virtanen). Everything I'm hearing sounds good though

 

[Fragmuffin]

Hagg for me, really should have included him in this poll instead of Akeson