In Corey Pronman’s recent analysis of team needs regarding the 2020 NHL Draft, he said the Flyers needed “Impact talent.” I have to agree with this analysis. As Pronman correctly points out (try saying that sober, it just doesn’t sound right as a Flyer fan – LOL) the Flyers have a lot of good organizational talent to fill in the roster of a really good competitive team. Players like Allison, Laczynsky, Bunnaman, York, Zamula, Brink and even Frost and Patrick are good prospects to play 2nd, 3rd lines and pairings, and 4th line in Bunnaman’s case, and maybe even supporting roles in the top line. They really need a high end player to take the role that Giroux held all of these years as it appears he is no longer that guy, and if he was, will not be for much longer.
The problem says Pronman is that a player like that will not likely be there at 23. He recommends taking a shot at one of those Braden Point type draft profiles, a smaller highly skilled, high IQ, player who is rated lower because of average skating, or a Russian player or a player coming off of injury. Players who readily fit those descriptions are Mavrik Bourque (who profiles a lot like Giroux), Marat Khusnutdinov (highly skilled smallish Russian center) or Rodion Amirov (who is probably gone by 23), and Hendrix Lapierre (who has top 10 talent, but injury issues that will push him into the 20’s).
This is not a bad plan in my mind, however there is a player who has superstar potential based on skill, skating, and IQ who may slide to 23. That player is Jacob Perreault. Perreault has such high end potential, that the Flyers may want to consider trading up, coupling their pick at 23 with something else, maybe a prospect, other picks, or a player like Shayne Gostisbehere who a team like Toronto or Florida would likely covet. The issue with Ghost, who is on a nice contract, is other teams will probably have to offload someone with a $2-5 million contract to fit Ghost in under the stagnant cap, and the Flyers will need space to sign their own upcoming RFAs so they cant take on a 3-4 year $2 -5 million deal.
If I am the Flyers, Perreault is who I am targeting, but realizing there will be some real talent there at 23, I would be very careful with a trade.