Speculation: First overall

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

does Klotz have a brother in this draft
if so them him.

 

[Appleyard]

Hell No. No way is Ekblad better than jones.
We are not in contention for number 1 anyway. Buffalo is going to be running away with this thing especially by the end of the year once they dump Vanek and Miller.

In my mind Ekblad and Jones are pretty damn close, either could be given the edge depending at that stage (draft) in their career depending on how Ekblad does this season. Jones is obviously the better play at this moment, and was last year, and is ofc more of a 'sure thing' as he has shown he can play to a high level in the NHL.

But there is also 17 months between them in age. When they were both 15 Ekblad was scoring at a higher pace in the OHL than Jones was in Texas Midget. (but while that is a nice stat... it means nothing really!)

I really cannot wait to see how Ekblad does over a whole year this year, just to get a better comparison.

It is hard to compare the two directly due to Jones only playing 1 year of junior, but in last years playoffs both were beastly to an equal level.

Also I personally believe from the limited viewing of both in junior that Ekblad is better defensively but Jones will put up more points. If Ekblad hits 55 points in 68 games this year (after 43 last year factored) that could be an indicator he has that extra offensive ability though... but probably not as good as Jones in that regard even if he does.

You can compare Nurse and Ekblad though... and last year Ekblad was already better than a guy who went 7th overall in this years draft, but obviously that is neither here nor there.

I doubt we are near #1 anyway though... so it is a moot point really!

 

[BernieParent]

Flyers' 1st overall pick:

Flyers' 2nd round pick:

 

[Prongo]

I sure as hell hope we don't get the first overall or even top 10 because I want to use this pick as trade bait for a prime offensive defenseman. We need another good young forward prospect, but defensive wise we are good with prospects. Kimmo and mez coming off the books next year, we probably will try and acquire a young offensive defenseman. Who that is I have no clue though.

 

[Flyersfan731]

I sure as hell hope we don't get the first overall or even top 10 because I want to use this pick as trade bait for a prime offensive defenseman. We need another good young forward prospect, but defensive wise we are good with prospects. Kimmo and mez coming off the books next year, we probably will try and acquire a young offensive
defenseman. Who that is I have no clue though.

Phenuf!!

 

[Sam Spade]

Hell No. No way is Ekblad better than jones.
We are not in contention for number 1 anyway. Buffalo is going to be running away with this thing especially by the end of the year once they dump Vanek and Miller.

Yep.

There are no game breakers in the 2014 draft. NEXT season teams are going to be tripping over themselves to suck though. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Pens lose 82 games.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Phenuf!!

NO! AGHH!


No way to Phaneuf.

 

[Flyersfan731]

NO! AGHH!


No way to Phaneuf.

He is not an upgrade??

 

[Curufinwe]

Too expensive (likely $7m a year) and is going to get worse, not better.

 

[FlyersFanz]

Who would u want the flyers to pick if we do end up with the first pick

Sam or Arron

Hopefully the Flyers get scoring so they don't have to be in this situation.

 

[Cyborg LeClair]

Ekblad or Kasperi Kapanen

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

NO! AGHH!


No way to Phaneuf.

exactly. if Coburn is hated around here think how much that goes up with Phaneuf.

 

[PALE PWNR]

Yep.

There are no game breakers in the 2014 draft. NEXT season teams are going to be tripping over themselves to suck though. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Pens lose 82 games.

Yea, can't we just suck next year and be good this one? McDavid is going to be a Crosby or Ovechkin level talent.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

He is not an upgrade??

I'm not the biggest fan of him but I will say he's become pretty underrated amongst NHL fans. The guy gets crapped on by virtually everybody for every little thing.

I wouldn't be totally against going after him depending on the terms.

 

[OrangeAndBlackMetal]

Hell No. No way is Ekblad better than jones.
We are not in contention for number 1 anyway. Buffalo is going to be running away with this thing especially by the end of the year once they dump Vanek and Miller.

If you can't admit that they are extremely close then id have to question how much you've watched them. Ekblad was better than jones was in his younger seasons and he's playing on a much much worse team.

 

[Psuhockey]

Ekblad or Leon Draisaitl, listed as a center but plays left wing too.

If Ekblad is available, the flyers shouldn't even hesitate. Hopefully Hextall learned in LA that you build a defense corp first and foremost if you want to win a cup.

 

[Hockeypete49]

Wayyyy toooo earlyyyy!

This is a good draft for wingers this year though so regardless of where we're picking we should land one if the Flyers feel like that is their biggest need.

Yep. There are some really good ones and this is what they need long term.

 

[ORYX]

Not going to speculate as to 1st overall, thats silly at this stage in the season (look at how last season ended....here we were thinking we would pick top 5!)

I'd like the team, if in a high enough position, to draft an impact d-man. Whether that is Ekblad or another player.

At the same time, forward depth in terms of prospects who have high impact potential is ZERO. Cousins, Akeson, Noebels etc may turn into good players, but I believe we all agree these aren't top line potential players. They may surprise if given a chance, but arent the type scouts ooze over.

 

[Psuhockey]

Not going to speculate as to 1st overall, thats silly at this stage in the season (look at how last season ended....here we were thinking we would pick top 5!)

I'd like the team, if in a high enough position, to draft an impact d-man. Whether that is Ekblad or another player.

At the same time, forward depth in terms of prospects who have high impact potential is ZERO. Cousins, Akeson, Noebels etc may turn into good players, but I believe we all agree these aren't top line potential players. They may surprise if given a chance, but arent the type scouts ooze over.

If this team bottoms out in the top 5 territory, they will need a rather large rebuild. I know they need forward help but build the defense first. Forwards have a much more sudden impact, peek in their mid twenties and decline after. Defense take awhile to develop but stay at the top much longer. Build the defense first than add forwards in subsequent drafts. Blackhawks are the perfect build IMO. Start with Keith and Seabrook first, then draft the forwards.

 

[Beef Invictus]

He is not an upgrade??

He's a really frustrating defenseman.

 

[ILoveStephanieBrown]

Yep.

There are no game breakers in the 2014 draft. NEXT season teams are going to be tripping over themselves to suck though. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Pens lose 82 games.

How can you say that when Ekblad has been granted exceptional player status? In fact he's the first defenseman ever to have received that honor. Now there may not be many game changers, I don't know that much about this crop of prospects but there is at least one for sure.

 

[Jtown]

If you can't admit that they are extremely close then id have to question how much you've watched them. Ekblad was better than jones was in his younger seasons and he's playing on a much much worse team.

Ekblad could be as good as Dougie Hamilton.

Jones is already being used as a first pairing Defenseman, and already showing that he is suited for that role.

Right now after watching most of nashvilles games i come away more impressed with him than Weber. Jones is 6'4'' but does not play the role of big physical punisher instead he plays the mobile dman's game. He reminds me of a 6'4'' duncan keith.

What i am hoping for is that Jones makes Team USA ( which he deserves to make) and has a coming out party for all to see. What he has done in his short amount of time in the NHL already is so impressive.

 

[jabba2]

I imagine they'll draft anyone thats consensus #1, but a Center.

 

[OrangeAndBlackMetal]

Ekblad could be as good as Dougie Hamilton.

Jones is already being used as a first pairing Defenseman, and already showing that he is suited for that role.

Right now after watching most of nashvilles games i come away more impressed with him than Weber. Jones is 6'4'' but does not play the role of big physical punisher instead he plays the mobile dman's game. He reminds me of a 6'4'' duncan keith.

What i am hoping for is that Jones makes Team USA ( which he deserves to make) and has a coming out party for all to see. What he has done in his short amount of time in the NHL already is so impressive.

What does how jones is playing in the nhl after being drafted have to do with Ekblad now? Ekblads potential is that of a #1 franchise defenseman, just as much as jones' is. He received exceptional player status, the first to receive the honor since Tavares and the first defenseman in general. His ceiling is huge and both of their junior careers have been very similar, except that jones played for a powerhouse Portland team and Ekblad plays for a bad Barrie team.

They're actually very comparable players, with jones being slightly more adept in the offensive zone and Ekblad being a bit more efficient and calm in the defensive zone. They both project to have around the same impact on a team, and if jones is already playing this well, there's no reason Ekblad can't. IMO, Ekblad is more naturally talented.

 

[Jtown]

We will see. Id rather have jones over any D prospect that has come out in a long time.