Laughton remains top prospect in Philadelphia Flyers' 2014 Fall Top 20

[sa cyred]

Cousins a strong two-way player? I'd say his play away from the puck is the weakest part of his game.

Stolarz's development hasn't gone as expected? He had the best save percentage in the OHL and the second best GAA. London was a strong team, but they were worse than they were the year before, and he was able to improve his save percentage. His GAA went up a little, but that was to be expected. I'm not sure what else you want from him.

I like Adam and I do think he knows people but it makes me feel like he didnt watch the Phantoms. Cousins STRUGGLED really bad defensively.

 

[Roo Mad Bro]

Mind explaining his potential to be elite? His numbers don't exactly show it..

If you just look at his numbers from last season at face value, they don't look elite.

But if you delve deeper and start reading about him, you understand why his overall statline wasn't that special last seasons.

Sanheim's 2013-2014 WHL season was pretty nuts.

He only potted 2 assists in his first 31 games. That's it. He was barely on teams radars early in the year. He was playing bottom pairing minutes and 0 PP time. It was his first year in the WHL and it took time for him to get adjusted to the league. He played well for them in the pre-season, but struggled when the seasons started. Even got benched a few games.

Then he put up 27 points the next 36 games. Had a strong playoff run. Made Canada's U-18 team and was the highest scoring dman in the tourney. Tied with Virtanen with the most points on team Canada.

He'll be one of the top guys on Calgary next year. He'll get loads of special teams play and will rack up the points. He's going to have a breakout year next season. Wouldn't surprise me if he was around 0.8-1.0 PPG next year.

 

[tymed]

Why are people complaining about Laughton being 1st on here? It's a compliment for one and he's been ranked our top prospect on any list this summer I've seen other than the polls here.

 

[Larry44]

Why are people complaining about Laughton being 1st on here? It's a compliment for one and he's been ranked our top prospect on any list this summer I've seen other than the polls here.

Beats me. Laughton is a very good prospect, and could very well end up being at top 6 forward despite the reservations some have. He's smart, skilled, tough and very fast. I see him as an Adam Henrique type, not huge but could play anywhere in the lineup. Raffl is kind of like that too. Can't have enough fast, smart players with decent size who play with an edge, IMHO.

 

[Jack de la Hoya]

Why are people complaining about Laughton being 1st on here? It's a compliment for one and he's been ranked our top prospect on any list this summer I've seen other than the polls here.

Well, I don't think anyone is anti-Laughton. Most see him as projecting to a strong 3C role (with low-end 2C upside). A few might be more more bullish on him, but I think that's where the majority is at. There's nothing wrong with that--it is a valuable role, and it fits a long-term organizational need.

That said, if you assume he's the top prospect, it suggests that the four defensive prospects all have, more or less, a 2nd pairing ceiling at best. I think many see our defensive prospects differently than that, and, honestly, if the Flyers don't have at least one guy in the system with top-pairing upside, it is a problem.

(Obviously there's ceiling vs. NHL readiness as well, which is why I think the choice of Laughton is defensible, even if you don't think he's "only" going to be an excellent 3C. But I get the pushback. It has been a while since this team had a cupboard of high-end defensive prospects.)

 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

I don't understand why people are so down on Laughton. He's done nothing but get better year after year after year and he's been able to do so while maintaining his high defensive awareness. His offensive skill has been rated very high by GMs in the OHL and while it isn't a given that that will translate to the NHL, it's certainly great to know that Laughton has good vision, he's a deft goal scorer, he's got soft hands, he sees the ice well, has a very good hockey IQ and he's got a great shot. That doesn't even factor in his incredible work ethic, which will be his calling card in the NHL.

In terms of his offensive game this year and putting up great numbers, it all started the year before after his 5 game trial in Philadelphia. He got back to Oshawa and he was a completely different player - he played like a man possessed and his offensive numbers and tore it up. 23 points in 17 games and then another 13 points in 7 playoff contests. His season in 2013 - 2014 was a pick up from there.

Maybe it's just me, but I think to mark Laughton in a 3rd line, two-way only role is selling him short. He's got some legitimate skill, a fantastic and ethusiastic work ethic, as well as a demeanor about him in that he can succeed in any role he's put in. I really think there's more to his game and that he can be more than an Adam Henrique type player. I think the Flyers might have a Patrice Bergeron type player on their hands.

 

[Appleyard]

I think the reason people are 'down' on Laughton is that while he is a very good player with a skillset that mean he is virtually certain to be an NHLer, his production at junior level indicates that he will likely be between a 30 and 50 point middle sixer.

Whereas most can envisage the top 4 defensive prospects being top 4 defencemen at NHL level, which is understandable due to their skillsets. With the realistic possiblity that at least one has first pairing ability in his future.

Combine that with the Flyers production line of Forwards over the last 25 years; with virtually every high pick hitting at NHL level, leading to almost an expectation that our forward picks will be valuable NHLers whatever, contrasted with the awful history of Dmen, means that there is more fervour about the potential we could actually develop a decent D man!

Couturier
JVR
Giroux
Downie
Carter
Richards
Williams
Gagne
Zubrus
Sittler
Forsberg
Ricci

are the 12 forwards drafted since 1990, before Laughton, in the 1st round by the Flyers. 11 hits, Sittler is the only miss and his career was over due to not being able to see properly after his eye was damaged, and before that having no knees or shoulders left by the age of 20.

 

[Curufinwe]

Didn't we just vote for Laughton as the top prospect?

Yes, he won in a landslide.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1468857&highlight=prospects

 

[Larry44]

I don't understand why people are so down on Laughton. He's done nothing but get better year after year after year and he's been able to do so while maintaining his high defensive awareness. His offensive skill has been rated very high by GMs in the OHL and while it isn't a given that that will translate to the NHL, it's certainly great to know that Laughton has good vision, he's a deft goal scorer, he's got soft hands, he sees the ice well, has a very good hockey IQ and he's got a great shot. That doesn't even factor in his incredible work ethic, which will be his calling card in the NHL.

In terms of his offensive game this year and putting up great numbers, it all started the year before after his 5 game trial in Philadelphia. He got back to Oshawa and he was a completely different player - he played like a man possessed and his offensive numbers and tore it up. 23 points in 17 games and then another 13 points in 7 playoff contests. His season in 2013 - 2014 was a pick up from there.

Maybe it's just me, but I think to mark Laughton in a 3rd line, two-way only role is selling him short. He's got some legitimate skill, a fantastic and ethusiastic work ethic, as well as a demeanor about him in that he can succeed in any role he's put in. I really think there's more to his game and that he can be more than an Adam Henrique type player. I think the Flyers might have a Patrice Bergeron type player on their hands.

It would be great for the Flyers if he could turn out as effective at both ends of the ice as Bergeron is. What remains to be seen is if he's the type who plays better with better players at the NHL level. He has the hockey sense, so it' very possible. Even in his few NHL games a couple years ago, he showed the speed to get around D to the outside - that will only get better as he gets stronger.

 

[Stizzle]

Didn't we just vote for Laughton as the top prospect?

Yes, he won in a landslide.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1468857&highlight=prospects

That was last years voting. Morin won this year. Laughton beat Ghost by something like 1 vote for 2nd.

 

[Curufinwe]

You're right, here's the thread.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1705603&highlight=prospect

 

[Willis88]

He grew something like 9 inches over the last year.It was his first year in the WHL, most of the other top prospects were on there 2nd. He was on a really, really good team in Calgary. Most of the defensemen were 20/19 years old. Once he solidified his spot in the lineup Sanheim played on the 3rd pair with another 17 year old. As the season progressed that pair exploded. By the end of the playoffs they were using him versus Reinhart because the older defensemen couldn't handle him. He was the only one that did well vs Reinhart.

At the U-18 tournament it was the 1st time he was asked to play super heavy minutes. He played amazingly and was named one of the most outstanding players. This week during 2 games at the WJC summer series he looked very good also, playing amongst the best players in his age group and a year older.

He pocesses awesome physical tools and a great frame that aren't close to being the end product. Considering his relative lack of experience, his hockey IQ and vision are mind blowing. His upside and continuing upward trajectory can't be ignored. I said it in the prospects thread this week, but I'll repeat myself. He's the best prospect the Flyers have, and it might not be close.

Hahahah what?

 

[EasyMac]

Isn't it nice to be able to argue over the top prospect? Only two years ago this was the list:

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/78757/scott-laughton-new-top-prospect-for-philadelphia-flyers/

Mind you that was after Schenn/Couterier graduated but still. The future is a lot brighter

 

[RJ8812*]

Isn't it nice to be able to argue over the top prospect? Only two years ago this was the list:

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/78757/scott-laughton-new-top-prospect-for-philadelphia-flyers/

Mind you that was after Schenn/Couterier graduated but still. The future is a lot brighter

well, this is the first time since we had Richards, Carter, etc. on that list that I can look at it and actually be excited

 

[Stizzle]

Hahahah what?

I should have worded that better. But yes, he grew a ton in the year prior to his first WHL season.

 

[Appleyard]

Sanheim almost 2 months after being drafted to the WHL...

He looks about 12 there.

 

[The Rage Kage]

Holy **** he looks even more like a child than he does now... If he matured sooner and had more than one year in the WHL I think he would've been a top ten pick in the draft

 

[HighOFFHockey]

Holy **** he looks even more like a child than he does now... If he matured sooner and had more than one year in the WHL I think he would've been a top ten pick in the draft

So far that is the word. There are plenty of players that have been late bloomers that turned out to be elite players (we all know the big names). Hopefully we found one in Sanheim.

 

[Willis88]

I should have worded that better. But yes, he grew a ton in the year prior to his first WHL season.

Haha, gotcha no worries. I thought that was an actual quoted size and I almost lost my **** thinking someone grew 9 inches in a year.

 

[Stizzle]

Haha, gotcha no worries. I thought that was an actual quoted size and I almost lost my **** thinking someone grew 9 inches in a year.

Ha, actually I did read or hear that somewhere. I do not recall where, though. My guess is either a draft guide or an interview with a scout on 'The Pipeline Show'. That would make him sprout up from 5'6 to 6'3 in a year. That is a lot. Who knows if that is true.

 

[born bad]

Morin - 8.0C
Laughton - 7.5B

That's how I see it, ish.

Just my thoughts to this:
Every player should get 2 ratings, the floor and the dream rating.
Morin is for me a 6.5 A to 8.5 F, a typical raw prospect and the sky is the limit. 6.5 A is the physical 3rd pairing stayathome defender ...
8.5 A the next Pronger/Chara
Laughton is 7.0 A to 7.5 C as the extreme counterpart.

 

[shartnell]

Just my thoughts to this:
Every player should get 2 ratings, the floor and the dream rating.
Morin is for me a 6.5 A to 8.5 F, a typical raw prospect and the sky is the limit. 6.5 A is the physical 3rd pairing stayathome defender ...
8.5 A the next Pronger/Chara
Laughton is 7.0 A to 7.5 C as the extreme counterpart.

Tangentally speaking, I always found funny the (perceived, maybe?) discrepancy on HF between the super high value placed on prospects and the super low projections of their abilities. They'll talk about how amazing Team X will be in 3 years once their first overall pick hits his prime, and then they'll put his prime at "eh, maybe he'll score 40 points".

 

[Jack Straw]

Ha, actually I did read or hear that somewhere. I do not recall where, though. My guess is either a draft guide or an interview with a scout on 'The Pipeline Show'. That would make him sprout up from 5'6 to 6'3 in a year. That is a lot. Who knows if that is true.

Unless he's actually a giraffe I think it's safe to say that it's not true.

 

[Funf]

It might not be that far off. When I was like, 15 or 16 I jumped up from about 5'3"-5'4" to 6'0" in one summer.

 

[PALE PWNR]

Yea same, I was 5'3" my sophomore year of highschool and was 6'1" at the start of my junior year. That summer was fun...the amount of shoes, clothes and food I went through? lol.