Prospect Info: 2016-17 Flyers Prospects - Top 20 SKATERS, #5

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Yeah, he's going to be a player too. We're blessed with a bunch of prospects with star potential. NAK, Lindblom, Rubstov, Laberge, Allison and Vorobyov could all end up being top-6 level forwards, if they develop to their potential and stay healthy (along with Konecny).

What is the profile on NAK, his strengths, etc? I haven't read much about him in a long time and I haven't been able to watch much of him.

 

[Larry44]

What is the profile on NAK, his strengths, etc? I haven't read much about him in a long time and I haven't been able to watch much of him.

NAK is solidly built (square like Zezel), fast and offensively talented.
I only saw him in Jr but he was reportedly good in his Phantom call up. NHL body and skills, needs to improve 2-way game like most kids. I can see him with the big club for sure with a middle six floor. In his draft year he reminded me of Justin Williams: always generating scoring chances out of nothing. Clever, creative and tenacious.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

NAK is solidly built (square like Zezel), fast and offensively talented.
I only saw him in Jr but he was reportedly good in his Phantom call up. NHL body and skills, needs to improve 2-way game like most kids. I can see him with the big club for sure with a middle six floor. In his draft year he reminded me of Justin Williams: always generating scoring chances out of nothing. Clever, creative and tenacious.

That seems a bit much. Seems like that's probably his ceiling. I don't think there's too many people out there projecting him to be a top liner. Seems like 2nd/3rd is where he is going to wind up at best (barring something unexpected...technically any of these guys could wind up on the top line).

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

NAK is solidly built (square like Zezel), fast and offensively talented.
I only saw him in Jr but he was reportedly good in his Phantom call up. NHL body and skills, needs to improve 2-way game like most kids. I can see him with the big club for sure with a middle six floor. In his draft year he reminded me of Justin Williams: always generating scoring chances out of nothing. Clever, creative and tenacious.

Thanks for that Larry. If he ends up as good and tenacious (and clutch) as Justin Williams or Peter Zezel, that would be pretty ****ing cool

 

[Hiesenberg]

So I guess by my logic if I thought Lindblom should've #4, I have to keep voting until he gets that spot? lol

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

It seems like Button doesn't really track kids all that much when they head off to the AHL unless they're really torching it. A lot of kids who were playing their last year of juniors two years ago were rated highly on his list but fell off this year when in the minors for the first year (Morin being one of them amongst others).

 

[Broad Street Elite]

I can remember when the 5th overall Flyers prospect would be a debate between highly flawed prospects, one dimensional players, or guys who were best suited as third line grinders. Flyers have got to be in the conversation for one of the best non-NHL prospect pools anywhere.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I remember a time when guys like David Laliberte, Jared Ross, Kevin Marshall, Ben Holmstrom, etc. were the first ones in line for call ups.

 

[Hiesenberg]

I remember a time when guys like David Laliberte, Jared Ross, Kevin Marshall, Ben Holmstrom, etc. were the first ones in line for call ups.

**shivers**

 

[Tripod]

I remember a time when guys like David Laliberte, Jared Ross, Kevin Marshall, Ben Holmstrom, etc. were the first ones in line for call ups.

Hell....look at Corey Proman's top 10 list from just 4 years ago. Normally, we would complain about his list, but man, not much to work with.

1. Scott Laughton, Center
2. Eric Wellwood, Center
3. Shayne Gostisbehere, Defense
4. Nick Cousins, Center
5. Brandon Manning, Defense
6. Jason Akeson, Center
7. Matt Mangene, Center
8. Oliver Lauridsen, Defense
9. Niko Hovinen, Goaltender
10. Marcel Noebels, Left Wing

The Next Five

11. Anthony Stolarz, Goaltender: "Stolly the goalie" is a 6'5'', 200-pound giant who moves very well and has intriguing athletic goals. He's raw as heck, though, after being drafted out of the NAHL, and is at least four or five years away.

12. Valeri Vasilyev, Defense: Vasilyev is the first Russian the Flyers have taken since Denis Bodrov in the 2006 draft. He's a very physical player with good mobility and while he only had two points this season, he does have some ability with the puck. His campaign was shortened by a shoulder injury.

13. Blake Kessel, Defense: Kessel has some impressive puck-moving skills and offensive hockey sense, but looked quite unimpressive in his own end this season.

14. Nicholas Luukko, Defense: Luukko has fine size and wingspan to go along with good defensive hockey sense. Luukko missed a big chunk of the season due to mono.

15. Ben Holmstrom, Center: Holmstrom is a very hard worker with just enough tools to play some minutes in the NHL, but could end up and may already be a replacement player.

The Sleeper: Reece Wilcox, Defense

Wilcox is a mobile defender with size who can make a good first pass. He has enough tools to his game to make him intriguing to follow as he heads to Cornell.

Organizational Ranking: 30th

http://www.hockeyprospectus.com/puck/article.php?articleid=1376

So from that top 15 list, 4 have made the NHL and 1(Stolarz)....maybe 2(Wilcox) have hope to still make it.

Pretty ugly list.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

I remember a time when guys like David Laliberte, Jared Ross, Kevin Marshall, Ben Holmstrom, etc. were the first ones in line for call ups.

Oh god the pain. I remember him getting 3 points in his first 2 games and some people insisted he could be a quality NHLer. Never scored another point, I believe.

Of course I thought Marcel Noebels could be a checking line guy, so I'm not much better.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Organizational Rank 30?? Jesus Christ.

 

[Tripod]

Organizational Rank 30?? Jesus Christ.

Yes...we were dead last in the league. And looking at that list, well deserved. Only 1 guy in 4 years that turned into a top 4 D or top 6 F.

So glad we have turned the page on prospect lists like this.

 

[Hiesenberg]

I agree, it was bad. Real bad.

 

[Stizzle]

Interesting, Bill Meltzer went with NAK.

I don't even have NAK in my top 10. Voting him 5th seems a bit nuts. That's passing on quite a few guys with way more potential.

 

[PEI Flyers Fan]

Went with Philippe Myers, since I have watched him play and not Rubtsov. BTW when did he start going by Phil?

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I don't even have NAK in my top 10. Voting him 5th seems a bit nuts. That's passing on quite a few guys with way more potential.

To be fair, I think once you get past the clear top 3, there are a handful of players you can make arguments for slotting above others in the 4-10 range.

But I agree in that I have NAK at roughly 11. Really curious to see how he plays in the AHL.

 

[kammy]

Lindblom is the next Giroux.. he should be #1 on this list!! whats wrong with you guys!!!!!

 

[briererocks]

My tiers

1-3
Provorov
Sanheim
Konency
---------
4-7
Myers
Lindblom
Rubtsov
Morin
--------
8-13
Aube Kubel
Laberge
Vorobyov
Allison
Hagg
Friedman
-----
14-
Alt
Barderau
Martel
Marody
Kase
Fazleev
Leier
Wilcox
....

 

[Larry44]

To be fair, I think once you get past the clear top 3, there are a handful of players you can make arguments for slotting above others in the 4-10 range.

But I agree in that I have NAK at roughly 11. Really curious to see how he plays in the AHL.

I am being optimistic, deliberately, about all these kids. When Giroux was drafted, he was small but had a good Prospects game and playoffs. No one thought he was going to be a franchise player, we hoped he'd make it. All of the top prospects show glimpses of brilliance, especially in hockey IQ. Let's see how they continue to develop, if a couple of them really blossom, it could be quite a squad.

 

[Rick Deckard]

Just to fortify the case for Lindblom in the following polls.

I listed the first pro experience for every Flyers forward since the 05/06 season, who had a pro stint after his junior/college/european season was done:

Usually those players don't do much, many don't even play a game. Only two of the listed skaters had a better PPG ratio than Lindblom, and both were NHL players the following season.

I think this shows at best how good Lindblom already is.

 

[deadhead]

Small sample size indeed, JVR never made it, did he?

I think the more telling data on Lindblom is how well he played in the SHL at age 19, especially because his game fits NA hockey better than European hockey - which shows how much he improved his skating, it was doubts about his skating that dropped him to the 5th round.

(including 3 playoff games)
51 games - 9-19 28 +5 in the SHL
8 games 2-5 7 +1 in the AHL
Given the SHL is probably a notch above the AHL, and he's playing against much older players at age 19, that's pretty impressive.

 

[Bill_Meltzer]

I don't even have NAK in my top 10. Voting him 5th seems a bit nuts. That's passing on quite a few guys with way more potential.

All he's ever been missing is consistency, which he showed in 2nd half of this past season in Q. Great hands, very dangerous from blueline in. Just as important, he is a draft+2 player, and I tend to rate pro-ready players above just-drafted or draft+1 guys on a "right now" rating basis.

 

[Stizzle]

All he's ever been missing is consistency, which he showed in 2nd half of this past season in Q. Great hands, very dangerous from blueline in. Just as important, he is a draft+2 player, and I tend to rate pro-ready players above just-drafted or draft+1 guys on a "right now" rating basis.

That explanation has never made much sense to me. I could see it if 2 players would project to have similar impact in the end. Then choose the one closer to contributing for the big club. But you are passing over guys who are better prospects, and have more value because of the position they play (2-way center & RHD), amongst other reasons.

 

[Jack de la Hoya]

Really not sure how Rubtsov is running away with this, given how little most of us have seen of him.