FLYERS HOCKEY IS ONLY A COUPLE DAYS AWAY!!!
Lets take a look at what the Flyers prospects were up to this weekend.
Michael Raffl was sent down to the Phantoms on Friday and was forced to miss Adirondack's first pre-season game. He made up for that in their second pre-season game of the weekend scoring the Phantoms only two goals of the game.
Petr Straka picked up the primary assist on both of Raffl's goals. On the first one Straka forced a turnover and then found an open Raffl. The assist was more of, I think, a text book Straka play where he entered the zone took a shot with Raffl cleaning up the rebound.The faster Straka makes an impact in the AHL the better shot he has at making it up to the Flyers.
Jason Akeson also had great weekend. He picked up a goal and an assist in the Phantoms first pre-season game skating on a line with Kris Newbury and Tye McGinn. Though he didn't get on the score sheet in the second game Sunday he apparently played very well.
How Raffl and Akeson have preformed in the pre-season could be a big deal. A lot of people think the Flyers are looking for another winger. There is still a chance that Scott Laughton only plays 9 games before being sent back to juniors. The Flyers have a short period at the start of the season where things are kind of in limbo. This opens the door for guys like Raffl and Akeson to play there way into the NHL with a few games in the AHL. Akeson has played this game before, starting last years lockout season in the ECHL.
Taylor Leier had another strong weekend with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL, After scoring a goal in a game tuesday, he picked up another goal in the Winterhawks game Saturday night. Possibly more important than the goal was the fact that before the game Leier was named Captain of the Winterhawks. Leadership is clearly something the Flyers look for in a player. The fact that he has been named captain of such a powerhouse team is a big deal. Leier has 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 4 games. Portland plays again Wednesday.
Anthony Stolarz had another strong game for the London Knights Friday night. He stopped 36 of 39 shots in a 6-3 win. Stolarz is starting to make a case for himself being the starter for the US World Junior team, but its still early and his main competition Jon Gillies hasn't even begun play this year. He didn't play in London's 6-3 loss Sunday. He currently leads all OHL goalies with a 1.50 GAA and a .957% Save percentage. London plays again Wednesday.
Tyrell Goulbourne had a minor weekend. He was a -1 in one game played and didn't drop the mitts. He did start the game, but he didn't factor in the scoring. Goulbourne, who I thought could take a step forward season, has yet to impact the score sheet or fight (what he was drafted to do). He and his Kelowna Rockets play again Wednesday.
Samuel Morin missed both of Rimouski's games this weekend and another game and their game Tuesday night with an injury. The injury, suffered in last Sunday's game against Quebec, isn't serious and he could be back in time for Rimouski's games next weekend.
In the USHL Fredric Larsson was a -2 with no points in two games for Youngstown. David Drake was even in a 4-0 loss for Des Moines. Terrance Amorosa is apparently being held out due to injury and has not yet played this season.
Merrick Madsen who was slated to to play with David Drake and the Des Moines Buccaneers but has since been demoted to the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL. It's a lower league, but it was the same league Anthony Stolarz was playing when he was drafted. I also don't know how long he'll stay in the NAHL considering how poor Des Moines goaltending has been so far this season. In his first game he gave up 2 goals on 20 shots.
Robert Hagg has had a slightly reduced role in his last two games with MODO. He has seen his ice time drop, but not significantly considering a handful of games his TOI has been boosted by playing in overtime. He didn't score over the weekend and remains with 2 points (2 assists) in 6 games. MODO plays again Tuesday.
Valeri Vasiliev is starting to get increased responsibility with Spartak Moscow. He picked up his first point of the season (an assist) in a game against Jakub Kovar and Avtomobilist Yekanterinburg. In his two games over the weekend he played over 16 minutes including multiple shirts in overtime in both games. That does mean he could see a drop in TOI when Spartak doesn't go into OT, but it also means he has more responsibility with the team. TOI may be hard to come by, Spartak usually dresses 7 or 8 defenseman with Deron Quint, arguably the best Defenseman in the KHL right now, gobbling up 25 to 30 minutes a night. Vasiliev is still regularly finishing 4th on his team in ice time and shifts. Vasiliev is currently playing HC Yugra and Vasiliev has skated just under 13 minutes, his minutes were probably reduced because of his Spartak trailing in one goal game. Spartak Moscow plays again Wednesday.
Jakub Kovar has gotten back to form after suffering a punishing loss to Barys Astana. In the two games since his 7 goal drubbing Kovar has allowed 3 goals in 50 shots. So far this season he has a .927 Save % and a 2.21 GAA. If you take out that one Barys game he has a .949 Save % and a 1.49 GAA. Kovar and Avtomobilist play later today and again Wednesday.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Flyers Prospect Weekend Recap: September 23rd-25th
With most AHL, Junior, and College games happening over the weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to do a Flyers prospect weekend recap. So here is the first weekend recap of the season.
Taylor Leier is off to a hot start with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL. Skating with familiar linemates Oliver Bjorkstrand and Chase De Leo; Leier has posted four points (all assists) in his first two games. Leier is also wearing an 'A' for the Winterhawks this season. Leier and the Winterhawks are back in action Tuesday.
Anthony Stolarz is also off to a good start with his Junior squad in London. After skating on his home rink with the Flyers earlier in the week his started in the Knights opener on Friday. Stolarz posted a 30 shot shut out, which is especially impressive considering the Knights were without most of their stars (namely First round pick defensemen Olli Maatta and Nikita Zadorov, as well as lottery picks Bo Horvat and Max Domi).
Tyrell Goulbourne didn't pick up a point in either of the Kelowna Rockets' games this weekend. Goulbourne, who was drafted for his pugilism, didn't get in a fight either. He was, however, a +2 for the weekend.
Sam Morin probably had the worst weekend out of the Flyers prospects currently playing in the CHL. He didn't score and was a -2 in a weekend where his Rimouski Oceanic went 0-2. He registered 6 shots on goal (5 in his first game back) and recorded 1 hit.
Robert Hagg was in action Saturday for MODO. He picked up an assist and skated for just over 18 minutes. In four games this season MODO has seen three go into extra time and two make it all the way to a shoot out. Hagg plays again Tuesday.
Valeri Vasiliev played his second and third game after returning from a shoulder injury. He skated for just over 13 minutes in a game against SKA St. Petersberg on Friday (I was watching that game and I don't think he saw any ice time against SKA's Ilya Kovalchuk) and he skated 16:29 in a game Sunday against Severstal Cherepovets. The game against Severstal was second time he saw the ice in OT after returning from his injury. Vasiliev is taking a decidedly defensive role so far, he has only recorded one shot all season (he recorded 17 in 16 games last season with Spartak's top club) but he is still seeing a good amount of ice time, usually finishing 4th on his team in shifts and TOI.
Jakub Kovar, after having a monster debut, came back to Earth Sunday following a 7 goal shelling at the hands of Barys Astana. His numbers for the season are still good, a .919 Save % and a 2.50 GAA, but I think we'll see a little more of this throughout the season. Kovar is playing behind a weak team.
David Drake didn't put up a point and was even in his season opener with the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL. Des Moines lost that opener 6-4.
Fredric Larsson skated in both games for the Youngstown Phantoms this weekend. The Phantoms dropped both games to the US National Development Team by a combined score of 16-9 (starting to get the impression this really isn't a goalie friendly league) and registered a -2. That's not bad considering only one of the US goals on the power play while a third of Youngstown's goals were scored with the man advantage.
Both defenseman Terrance Amorosa and goalie Merrick Madsen sat in the press box (or whatever the USHL equivalent to the press box is) for the openers for their respective teams. Both played high school hockey in New Hampshire last season. Both were considered reach picks even though they were taken later in the draft (Amorosa, like David Drake, wasn't even ranked by NHL Central Scouting). This probably isn't what the Flyers wanted. Remember Anthony Stolarz started last year riding the pine in the NCAA with Nebraska-Omaha and bailed to go to London in the OHL. Stolarz was being heavily courted by a power house team in the CHL, I don't think such offers will come along for Amorosa or Madsen. Madsen will probably see game action a little sooner than Amorosa, his goalie partners struggled in the season opener. Amorosa only skated in one of his Souix City Muskateers pre-season games. Either way both already have NCAA commitments. Amorosa to Providence College and Madsen to Harvard. Madsen I thought looked good at Flyers camp this summer.
The Adirondack Phantoms announced their training camp rosters Sunday. All the names you expect are on the list outside of players like Oliver Lauridsen and Michael Raffl who are still with the Flyers. A couple interesting names on the Phantoms camp roster are undersized wing Guillaume Asselin, a once top prospect (considered a first round pick early in his draft year who went undrafted) who averaged more than a point per game in each of his last seasons in the QMJHL, and big defenseman Mark Nemec, who played last season with the University of Maine and was rather impressive in the Flyers fall rookie camp and prospect game.
NCAA teams don't start playing until October 4th and even then it is essentially a pre-season with most teams playing exhibition games against Canadian colleges. Flyers draft picks Michael Parks (North Dakota) and Nick Luukko (Vermont) start playing at this time. Shayne Gostisbehere and Union College start play October 11th, while Ivy Leaguers Reece Willcox (Cornell) and Petr Placek (Harvard) don't start play until the weekend of October 25th.
Taylor Leier is off to a hot start with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL. Skating with familiar linemates Oliver Bjorkstrand and Chase De Leo; Leier has posted four points (all assists) in his first two games. Leier is also wearing an 'A' for the Winterhawks this season. Leier and the Winterhawks are back in action Tuesday.
Anthony Stolarz is also off to a good start with his Junior squad in London. After skating on his home rink with the Flyers earlier in the week his started in the Knights opener on Friday. Stolarz posted a 30 shot shut out, which is especially impressive considering the Knights were without most of their stars (namely First round pick defensemen Olli Maatta and Nikita Zadorov, as well as lottery picks Bo Horvat and Max Domi).
Tyrell Goulbourne didn't pick up a point in either of the Kelowna Rockets' games this weekend. Goulbourne, who was drafted for his pugilism, didn't get in a fight either. He was, however, a +2 for the weekend.
Sam Morin probably had the worst weekend out of the Flyers prospects currently playing in the CHL. He didn't score and was a -2 in a weekend where his Rimouski Oceanic went 0-2. He registered 6 shots on goal (5 in his first game back) and recorded 1 hit.
Robert Hagg was in action Saturday for MODO. He picked up an assist and skated for just over 18 minutes. In four games this season MODO has seen three go into extra time and two make it all the way to a shoot out. Hagg plays again Tuesday.
Valeri Vasiliev played his second and third game after returning from a shoulder injury. He skated for just over 13 minutes in a game against SKA St. Petersberg on Friday (I was watching that game and I don't think he saw any ice time against SKA's Ilya Kovalchuk) and he skated 16:29 in a game Sunday against Severstal Cherepovets. The game against Severstal was second time he saw the ice in OT after returning from his injury. Vasiliev is taking a decidedly defensive role so far, he has only recorded one shot all season (he recorded 17 in 16 games last season with Spartak's top club) but he is still seeing a good amount of ice time, usually finishing 4th on his team in shifts and TOI.
Jakub Kovar, after having a monster debut, came back to Earth Sunday following a 7 goal shelling at the hands of Barys Astana. His numbers for the season are still good, a .919 Save % and a 2.50 GAA, but I think we'll see a little more of this throughout the season. Kovar is playing behind a weak team.
David Drake didn't put up a point and was even in his season opener with the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL. Des Moines lost that opener 6-4.
Fredric Larsson skated in both games for the Youngstown Phantoms this weekend. The Phantoms dropped both games to the US National Development Team by a combined score of 16-9 (starting to get the impression this really isn't a goalie friendly league) and registered a -2. That's not bad considering only one of the US goals on the power play while a third of Youngstown's goals were scored with the man advantage.
Both defenseman Terrance Amorosa and goalie Merrick Madsen sat in the press box (or whatever the USHL equivalent to the press box is) for the openers for their respective teams. Both played high school hockey in New Hampshire last season. Both were considered reach picks even though they were taken later in the draft (Amorosa, like David Drake, wasn't even ranked by NHL Central Scouting). This probably isn't what the Flyers wanted. Remember Anthony Stolarz started last year riding the pine in the NCAA with Nebraska-Omaha and bailed to go to London in the OHL. Stolarz was being heavily courted by a power house team in the CHL, I don't think such offers will come along for Amorosa or Madsen. Madsen will probably see game action a little sooner than Amorosa, his goalie partners struggled in the season opener. Amorosa only skated in one of his Souix City Muskateers pre-season games. Either way both already have NCAA commitments. Amorosa to Providence College and Madsen to Harvard. Madsen I thought looked good at Flyers camp this summer.
The Adirondack Phantoms announced their training camp rosters Sunday. All the names you expect are on the list outside of players like Oliver Lauridsen and Michael Raffl who are still with the Flyers. A couple interesting names on the Phantoms camp roster are undersized wing Guillaume Asselin, a once top prospect (considered a first round pick early in his draft year who went undrafted) who averaged more than a point per game in each of his last seasons in the QMJHL, and big defenseman Mark Nemec, who played last season with the University of Maine and was rather impressive in the Flyers fall rookie camp and prospect game.
NCAA teams don't start playing until October 4th and even then it is essentially a pre-season with most teams playing exhibition games against Canadian colleges. Flyers draft picks Michael Parks (North Dakota) and Nick Luukko (Vermont) start playing at this time. Shayne Gostisbehere and Union College start play October 11th, while Ivy Leaguers Reece Willcox (Cornell) and Petr Placek (Harvard) don't start play until the weekend of October 25th.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Flyers Prospect Review: Pre-season
We saw the Flyers make their first round of cuts today, I think it would be a good time to re-cap how the Flyers prospects performed in camp.
Out front Michael Raffl and Scott Laughton are the only two forward prospects to stay with the Flyers. Erik Gustafsson and Oliver Lauridsen are the only D who have stuck with the team so far. Raffl I think was more impressive than Laughton so far in the pre-season, but I wouldn't be surprised if Raffl is sent to the AHL to start out the season while Laughton gets his free nine games (he can play 9 games before it counts as a year off his ELC). Laughton did a good job getting open and getting shots off but was unable to score. But he did have a nifty move in the shoot out in the Flyers second pre-season game against Toronto. Raffl did a great job pushing the tempo and creating chances in the Flyers two games in Philly.
Players who were very impressive for the Flyers during the pre-season.
Sam Morin had a couple very impressive games in Philadelphia. He still made some mistakes, and wasn't really playing against the toughest competition, but he played well. He signed his ELC and was sent back to junior. All talk of him sticking with the team was really insane. They have two very similar, and bigger, players in Lauridsen and Gill who are all around better and have smaller cap hits.
Anthony Stolarz got to play half a game in London in the Flyers first pre-season game. He played very well and had to make a couple awkward saves, but he made the saves. The Flyers left him in London, where he plays junior, after the game.
Jason Akeson was probably the biggest surprise cut from today's roster trimming. Akeson played great in the first game and followed that up with a very impressive effort in his second. He did have a bit of a defensive lapse that partially led to the the Rangers 3rd goal in the Flyers second home pre-season game, but a lot went wrong on that play. Akeson, I think, has definitely earned his shot in the NHL and could get a prolonged look at some point this season.
Nick Cousins had a great outing in the Flyers first pre-season game in London; picking up a goal and an assist. I think he played well in the Flyers second even though he didn't end up on the score sheet. My biggest question about Cousins going into this year is whether his OHL production would transfer to the AHL. Lots of CHL players who put up great numbers in junior struggle to put up even decent numbers in the AHL. Cousins performance made me feel better about his chances of scoring at the AHL level (then again Rinaldo was a few inches away from putting up a goal and an assist aswell).
Taylor Leier played his role well on the 4th line in the Flyers first home pre-season game. Mark Alt did a good job paired with Hal Gill in the Flyers second home pre-season game (though he and Gill both contributed to that 3rd Rangers goal). Oliver Lauridsen played very well in his two games against Toronto. If the Flyers are seriously considering Hal Gill they should be seriously considering Lauridsen, who I think has easily out played him. Especially in that first pre-season game when they where both on the ice. Marcel Noebels I think played pretty well in camp and look pretty good against the Maple Leafs regulars in their second game up north. He probably should have had the shoot out winner in that game, but he just missed the net after making a good move on the Toronto goalie.
Other player news
Valeri Vasiliev made his return much sooner than expected as he made it back to the line-up against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl earlier today. Vasiliev was thought to miss at least three weeks after injuring his shoulder in the season opener a little less than 2 weeks ago. He only played 14 minutes, but he did get a shift in the over time period.
Robert Hagg picked up his first point in his second game of the SHL season. He got the secondary assist on a power play goal. Hagg who skated over 18 minutes in his first game only played 14 minutes in his second game (granted MODO's first game went into OT which inflated Hagg's minutes).
Jakub Kovar who the Flyers drafted back in 2006 and still have the rights to, is off to a great start with Avtomobilist Yekaterinberg (the worst team in the KHL last season). In his 3 starts he has a win, a shoot out win, and a shoot out loss. Better than that he has a .946 Save % and a 1.66 GAA.
The Flyers have 4 players in the USHL this season, a season that will start this weekend. The USHL pre-season is already over and it might not be what the Flyers wanted to hear. 2012 5th round pick Terrance Amorosa only got into one pre-season game, while 6th round pick Merrick Madsen has gotten into a few more but has struggled, especially compared to his goalie partners. Madsen's team, Flyers 7th Round pick David Drake has faired much better. He has been the only defensemen to play in all five pre-season games for the Des Moines Buccaneers and he picked up a point. I should point out that Drake was the only of the Flyers 2013 draft picks to actually play in the USHL last season so his coaches probably have a better idea of what he can do which might explain why he has had better opportunities so far. Drake who was listed at 6'4 170lbs at the draft has appeared to put on significant weight. The USHL website lists him at 185lbs while Elite Prospects lists him at 220 lbs. I don't know which is right, but it's probably closer to 185lbs since he probably didn't put on 50 lbs in less than a year. Fredric Larsson is also off to a strong start, with a point and 26 penalty minutes in 3 games, but as an older player I expect him to do slightly better than fellow 6'4 defenseman Drake.
Out front Michael Raffl and Scott Laughton are the only two forward prospects to stay with the Flyers. Erik Gustafsson and Oliver Lauridsen are the only D who have stuck with the team so far. Raffl I think was more impressive than Laughton so far in the pre-season, but I wouldn't be surprised if Raffl is sent to the AHL to start out the season while Laughton gets his free nine games (he can play 9 games before it counts as a year off his ELC). Laughton did a good job getting open and getting shots off but was unable to score. But he did have a nifty move in the shoot out in the Flyers second pre-season game against Toronto. Raffl did a great job pushing the tempo and creating chances in the Flyers two games in Philly.
Players who were very impressive for the Flyers during the pre-season.
Sam Morin had a couple very impressive games in Philadelphia. He still made some mistakes, and wasn't really playing against the toughest competition, but he played well. He signed his ELC and was sent back to junior. All talk of him sticking with the team was really insane. They have two very similar, and bigger, players in Lauridsen and Gill who are all around better and have smaller cap hits.
Anthony Stolarz got to play half a game in London in the Flyers first pre-season game. He played very well and had to make a couple awkward saves, but he made the saves. The Flyers left him in London, where he plays junior, after the game.
Jason Akeson was probably the biggest surprise cut from today's roster trimming. Akeson played great in the first game and followed that up with a very impressive effort in his second. He did have a bit of a defensive lapse that partially led to the the Rangers 3rd goal in the Flyers second home pre-season game, but a lot went wrong on that play. Akeson, I think, has definitely earned his shot in the NHL and could get a prolonged look at some point this season.
Nick Cousins had a great outing in the Flyers first pre-season game in London; picking up a goal and an assist. I think he played well in the Flyers second even though he didn't end up on the score sheet. My biggest question about Cousins going into this year is whether his OHL production would transfer to the AHL. Lots of CHL players who put up great numbers in junior struggle to put up even decent numbers in the AHL. Cousins performance made me feel better about his chances of scoring at the AHL level (then again Rinaldo was a few inches away from putting up a goal and an assist aswell).
Taylor Leier played his role well on the 4th line in the Flyers first home pre-season game. Mark Alt did a good job paired with Hal Gill in the Flyers second home pre-season game (though he and Gill both contributed to that 3rd Rangers goal). Oliver Lauridsen played very well in his two games against Toronto. If the Flyers are seriously considering Hal Gill they should be seriously considering Lauridsen, who I think has easily out played him. Especially in that first pre-season game when they where both on the ice. Marcel Noebels I think played pretty well in camp and look pretty good against the Maple Leafs regulars in their second game up north. He probably should have had the shoot out winner in that game, but he just missed the net after making a good move on the Toronto goalie.
Other player news
Valeri Vasiliev made his return much sooner than expected as he made it back to the line-up against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl earlier today. Vasiliev was thought to miss at least three weeks after injuring his shoulder in the season opener a little less than 2 weeks ago. He only played 14 minutes, but he did get a shift in the over time period.
Robert Hagg picked up his first point in his second game of the SHL season. He got the secondary assist on a power play goal. Hagg who skated over 18 minutes in his first game only played 14 minutes in his second game (granted MODO's first game went into OT which inflated Hagg's minutes).
Jakub Kovar who the Flyers drafted back in 2006 and still have the rights to, is off to a great start with Avtomobilist Yekaterinberg (the worst team in the KHL last season). In his 3 starts he has a win, a shoot out win, and a shoot out loss. Better than that he has a .946 Save % and a 1.66 GAA.
The Flyers have 4 players in the USHL this season, a season that will start this weekend. The USHL pre-season is already over and it might not be what the Flyers wanted to hear. 2012 5th round pick Terrance Amorosa only got into one pre-season game, while 6th round pick Merrick Madsen has gotten into a few more but has struggled, especially compared to his goalie partners. Madsen's team, Flyers 7th Round pick David Drake has faired much better. He has been the only defensemen to play in all five pre-season games for the Des Moines Buccaneers and he picked up a point. I should point out that Drake was the only of the Flyers 2013 draft picks to actually play in the USHL last season so his coaches probably have a better idea of what he can do which might explain why he has had better opportunities so far. Drake who was listed at 6'4 170lbs at the draft has appeared to put on significant weight. The USHL website lists him at 185lbs while Elite Prospects lists him at 220 lbs. I don't know which is right, but it's probably closer to 185lbs since he probably didn't put on 50 lbs in less than a year. Fredric Larsson is also off to a strong start, with a point and 26 penalty minutes in 3 games, but as an older player I expect him to do slightly better than fellow 6'4 defenseman Drake.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Robert Hagg on the Verge of a Special Season?
Flyers 2013 2nd round pick Robert Hagg and his teammates at MODO begin play in the Swedish Hockey League on Saturday against the Vaxjo Lakers HC. Hagg, who was originally projected to be a mid to late first round pick, has the chance to make himself one of the top defensive prospects in the NHL with the opportunities presented to him this season.
Hagg, who played half of last season on MODO's top team, has made a huge impact to the teams so far in the pre-season. In seven pre-season games Hagg picked up 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 7 games. While some of those points came against weaker opponents (a goal against Timra of the lower tier Allsvenskan and an assist against last years Allsvenskan champion Leksand who are now without there top player Michael Raffl) some points came against some of the top teams in Europe (a goal against Finnish champs Assat and an assist against Swedish champions Skelleftea).
Hagg picked up most of those points on the power play. Which could mean great things for his production. Most young defensemen don't get this great chance to rack up points. On top of that Hagg has been, and likely will be, skating on MODO's top defensive pairing. Most young defensemen aren't put in these kind of pressure situations at such a young age. A good season could launch Hagg into the prospect stratosphere.
Recently top Swedish defensive prospects playing in the SHL get between 8 and 13 points in their post draft seasons. Tim Erixon got 13 points in 45 games, Jonas Brodin had 8 points in 49 games, David Rundblad had 13 points in 37 games, and Erik Karlsson only had 10 points in 45 games in his post draft year. Some more recent players 2011 1st Round pick Oscar Klefbom, a more defensive defenseman, had 2 points in 33 games and 2012 2nd Round pick (43rd Overall) Ludwig Bystrom had 6 points in 30 games. Lottery picks like Hampus Lindholm, Adam Larsson, and Victor Hedman jumped straight to North America. Oliver Ekman-Larsson was slightly older when we was drafted and played in the lower Allsvenskan which could explain why he racked up 33 points in 52 games in his post draft season.
Those stats are great but they aren't the be all end all. In 08-09 Victor Hedman had double the points that Erik Karlsson did (Hedman 21/Karlsson 10) in fewer games. In the NHL Hedman's best season is as good as Erik Karlsson worst season. so nothing is guaranteed.
Hagg may not be able to keep up his somewhat insane pre-season point per game average for the whole season, he could and probably should out produce his recent counterparts.
Hagg has been playing in the pro game for a long time. He made his pro debut when he was only 13 years old in Division-2 in Sweden. It's a low level league but Hagg was still competing against men twice his age. When he was 14 he averaged .5 points per game in Division 2. The next year he scored 11 points in Division-1 before getting snapped up by MODO and put in their junior system. He finally got back to the pro ranks with MODO at age 17. All tallied up Hagg has played more than 100 games against bigger, stronger, pro hockey players. This is probably why he has NHL ready size. His 203 lbs on his 6'2 frame is actually slightly above average height/weight ratio for similarly sized and skilled defensemen.
He will have the best chances to put up points. He wont get overwhelmed playing against pro players. He has already scored against some of the best competition on that continent. It's the perfect storm for big production numbers. Hopefully big numbers will get him a more offensive role with the Swedish world junior team. Hagg could have a great post draft season as a precursor to a great pro career. A high scoring season could be hard for the Flyers to pass up for the 13-14 season.
Other Notes
Mark Alt returned to the ice today at Flyers training camp after suffering a concussion Monday in the Prospect Game against Washington. He may not be ready for game play, so we might not see him in one of the Flyers early pre-season games, but I don't know. I think he will probably play on Monday when the Flyers will have a split squad day (because they have 2 games on the same night).
Most people know it takes goalies a longer time to develop into NHLers. It will usually take goalies 4-6 years post draft just to get a crack at the NHL. Something that really stood out watching Anthony Stolarz at Flyers training camp. Stolarz was almost unbeatable at both 2013 prospect camps but he was regularly picked apart by regular NHLers at pro training camp, including a guy like Sean Couturier who is pretty close to Stolarz's age. I still think Stolarz has a great chance at becoming an NHL goalie and a decent chance at becoming an above average NHL goalie. This time in pro camp will almost definitely help him when he returns to OHL after camp.
Michael Raffl seams to be in the lead for that final roster spot. Other serious contenders for that spot include Jason Akeson, Scott Laughton , Marcel Noebels and Tye McGinn. Akeson who I think is the most skilled and most NHL ready of that group will probably be pushed out by Raffl because of Raffl's speed and defensive abilities which is something they want on that 3rd line. I still think Akeson deserves a shot. Noebels probably needs more seasoning in the AHL and McGinn doesn't have the defensive (or really offensive skill) to be on that third line. His role will probably be on the 4th line, and if they think Talbot is the right guy for the 3rd line McGinn may get the call. Laughton is probably right behind Raffl for that final spot. I don't think that's right, not that Laughton can't play at that level, just that I think he can get better going back to junior for another season, but more on that later. I think Laughton will play some if not all of the 9 games allowed to junior eligible players before they burn a year of there ELC.
Hagg, who played half of last season on MODO's top team, has made a huge impact to the teams so far in the pre-season. In seven pre-season games Hagg picked up 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 7 games. While some of those points came against weaker opponents (a goal against Timra of the lower tier Allsvenskan and an assist against last years Allsvenskan champion Leksand who are now without there top player Michael Raffl) some points came against some of the top teams in Europe (a goal against Finnish champs Assat and an assist against Swedish champions Skelleftea).
Hagg picked up most of those points on the power play. Which could mean great things for his production. Most young defensemen don't get this great chance to rack up points. On top of that Hagg has been, and likely will be, skating on MODO's top defensive pairing. Most young defensemen aren't put in these kind of pressure situations at such a young age. A good season could launch Hagg into the prospect stratosphere.
Recently top Swedish defensive prospects playing in the SHL get between 8 and 13 points in their post draft seasons. Tim Erixon got 13 points in 45 games, Jonas Brodin had 8 points in 49 games, David Rundblad had 13 points in 37 games, and Erik Karlsson only had 10 points in 45 games in his post draft year. Some more recent players 2011 1st Round pick Oscar Klefbom, a more defensive defenseman, had 2 points in 33 games and 2012 2nd Round pick (43rd Overall) Ludwig Bystrom had 6 points in 30 games. Lottery picks like Hampus Lindholm, Adam Larsson, and Victor Hedman jumped straight to North America. Oliver Ekman-Larsson was slightly older when we was drafted and played in the lower Allsvenskan which could explain why he racked up 33 points in 52 games in his post draft season.
Those stats are great but they aren't the be all end all. In 08-09 Victor Hedman had double the points that Erik Karlsson did (Hedman 21/Karlsson 10) in fewer games. In the NHL Hedman's best season is as good as Erik Karlsson worst season. so nothing is guaranteed.
Hagg may not be able to keep up his somewhat insane pre-season point per game average for the whole season, he could and probably should out produce his recent counterparts.
Hagg has been playing in the pro game for a long time. He made his pro debut when he was only 13 years old in Division-2 in Sweden. It's a low level league but Hagg was still competing against men twice his age. When he was 14 he averaged .5 points per game in Division 2. The next year he scored 11 points in Division-1 before getting snapped up by MODO and put in their junior system. He finally got back to the pro ranks with MODO at age 17. All tallied up Hagg has played more than 100 games against bigger, stronger, pro hockey players. This is probably why he has NHL ready size. His 203 lbs on his 6'2 frame is actually slightly above average height/weight ratio for similarly sized and skilled defensemen.
He will have the best chances to put up points. He wont get overwhelmed playing against pro players. He has already scored against some of the best competition on that continent. It's the perfect storm for big production numbers. Hopefully big numbers will get him a more offensive role with the Swedish world junior team. Hagg could have a great post draft season as a precursor to a great pro career. A high scoring season could be hard for the Flyers to pass up for the 13-14 season.
Other Notes
Mark Alt returned to the ice today at Flyers training camp after suffering a concussion Monday in the Prospect Game against Washington. He may not be ready for game play, so we might not see him in one of the Flyers early pre-season games, but I don't know. I think he will probably play on Monday when the Flyers will have a split squad day (because they have 2 games on the same night).
Most people know it takes goalies a longer time to develop into NHLers. It will usually take goalies 4-6 years post draft just to get a crack at the NHL. Something that really stood out watching Anthony Stolarz at Flyers training camp. Stolarz was almost unbeatable at both 2013 prospect camps but he was regularly picked apart by regular NHLers at pro training camp, including a guy like Sean Couturier who is pretty close to Stolarz's age. I still think Stolarz has a great chance at becoming an NHL goalie and a decent chance at becoming an above average NHL goalie. This time in pro camp will almost definitely help him when he returns to OHL after camp.
Michael Raffl seams to be in the lead for that final roster spot. Other serious contenders for that spot include Jason Akeson, Scott Laughton , Marcel Noebels and Tye McGinn. Akeson who I think is the most skilled and most NHL ready of that group will probably be pushed out by Raffl because of Raffl's speed and defensive abilities which is something they want on that 3rd line. I still think Akeson deserves a shot. Noebels probably needs more seasoning in the AHL and McGinn doesn't have the defensive (or really offensive skill) to be on that third line. His role will probably be on the 4th line, and if they think Talbot is the right guy for the 3rd line McGinn may get the call. Laughton is probably right behind Raffl for that final spot. I don't think that's right, not that Laughton can't play at that level, just that I think he can get better going back to junior for another season, but more on that later. I think Laughton will play some if not all of the 9 games allowed to junior eligible players before they burn a year of there ELC.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Flyers Rookie Game/Camp review
Yesterday we saw the Flyers rookies take on the Capitals rookies in a game at the Capitals practice facility in Virginia. The game was the culmination of the Flyers four day pre-season rookie camp. While not all the Flyers prospects were present we got a good look at a good portion of the future Flyers.
The Flyers rookies beat the Caps prospects 1-0 in what was an an unusually brutal prospects game. The Flyers lone goal came of the stick of 2012 4th Round draft pick Taylor Leier (who actually signed his Entry Level Contract earlier in the day). It was a beautiful goal. Leier charged up the right wing then cut to the high slot and ripped a shot over the glove of the Capitals goalie and tapping the bottom of the cross bar. The Caps defense lapsed allowing Leier to skate so freely in the offensive zone, but Leier showed great vision exploiting there holes and taking one hell of a shot.
The Flyers goaltending was another huge part of the win. 2012 2nd Round pick Anthony Stolarz faced a ton of tough shots and swallowed them all up with ease. Carsen Chubak came in half way through the game and kept up the stellar play in net.
Another big story from the game is how rough it was. The game saw four fights (though two of them were kind of lack luster). First we saw Flyers heavy weight prospect 2011 7th Round pick Derek Mathers squared off against one of the Caps heavy weights Jaynen Rissling. Both the Caps announcers and I thought Mathers won the fight; seeing how Mathers came out relatively unscathed while Rissling came up bloody. Next we saw 2013 3rd Round Pick Tyrell Goulbourne take on the Caps top prospect Tom Wilson. The 6'4 Wilson has drawn a lot of comparisons to the Bruins Milan Lucic but it was the 5'10 Goulbourne who got the upper hand and took down the giant Wilson. Wilson showed his Lucic like play when he hit defensive prospect Mark Alt into the boards late in the 2nd period. I didn't get a good look at the hit, it happened slightly off screen on the live stream and there were no replays so I could get a good look at it. It resulted in Alt getting a concussion and the Flyers going after Wilson the rest of the game. Mathers was trying to get him to fight afterwards but couldn't get him to drop the mitts. Next we saw a fight (or more appropriately a hugging match) between 2012 UFA signing Matt Mangene and the Capitals Australian camp invitee Nathan Walker. It wasn't much of a fight, they basically grabbed each other, held on, and fell over. Then things took another nasty turn. Wilson had another big hit later in the game, this prompted Scott Laughton to return with an arguably cheap hit on a Caps player. He then briefly tangled with Wilson before he lost his footing and fell to the ice. All around it was a pretty nasty game.
A lot of players were impressive in both the game and in rookie camp.
Mark Alt was probably the most impressive skater on the ice yesterday before leaving with a concussion. He quarterbacked the first power play unit (something he might do in Adirondack this year) and played strong defensively paired with Sam Morin. He was equally as impressive in camp where he shined in all aspects of the game. Hopefully he recovers from his concussion quickly and can make an impact with the Phantoms.
Anthony Stolarz was the best player in the game yesterday. Following a very impressive camp Stolarz convincingly shut the door on the Caps yesterday. He seems to have changed up his stance a little bit, standing slightly shorter and slightly wider using more of his big frame.
Taylor Leier, I thought, had a great camp and a great game outside of scoring the only goal. I thought Leier kind of blended in at camp back in July but I definitely noticed his offensive abilities at camp this past weekend. His role will be as a 3rd/4th line depth grinder and he showcased that skill in the Caps game, back checking hard, getting in passing lanes, and forcing a couple turnovers.
Marcel Noebels stood out in both the game and camp. Playing on a line with Scott Laughton and Petr Straka Noebels made a bunch of really nice plays. He was able to create with his regular linemates as well as his power play line mates Kyle Flanagan and Andrew Johnston. I was surprised he wasn't used on the penalty kill as he is a good defensive player, but he had a great game coming off a very impressive camp.
Brandon Alderson was probably the most surprising player both at camp and during the game. Alderson probably created more scoring chances than any of the other Flyers. I thought Alderson played well on Sunday, playing on a line with his old partner Nick Cousins, but he continued to create playing on a regular line with Flanagan and Andrew Johnston in the game Monday. He's got an uphill battle this season, he's behind fellow power forwards Tye McGinn and Marcel Noebels but if he continues to play this well he could quickly move up the charts.
Carsen Chubak probably surprised people with his performance in the game yesterday. He has a much lower profile than somebody like Anthony Stolarz and Cal Heeter and he's only signed to a minor league contract, but Chubak had a great season in the NCAA and was one of the final ten candidates for the Hobey Baker Award (NCAA MVP) so his strong play against similar aged players probably shouldn't be that surprising.
Sam Morin. Some of you know I've been critical of Morin as both a pick and a player since he came into the organization. That said I think Morin played a pretty strong game yesterday. He was strong in front of the net and along the boards. He played great while paired with Alt and continued his strong play while skating with Maxim Lamarche who took the spot on the top D pairing after Alt went down. Morin did have some puck handling errors and he didn't overwhelm any players that we already knew he could dominate, but it's a step in the right direction.
Matt Konan had strong defensive game and an strong offensive camp. If Konan keeps getting stronger all around we might be seeing him in the NHL sooner rather than later.
While I don't think any players who played bad there were some players that were slightly disappointing.
Scott Laughton had another strong camp, but he didn't stand out much in the game. Paired with Straka and Noebels the Laughton line was easily the Flyers best line but they couldn't really get going against a younger, inexperienced, and weaker Capitals team. I've always thought it would be best for Laughton to go back to the OHL; this shows that while he could probably play in the NHL he wont have a huge impact, not enough of an impact to play over other players already at the pro level. I'm a big believer in Laughton's offensive upside and I think a season in the OHL will help him more than a season on the 4th line in the pros.
Petr Straka also had a pretty strong camp but didn't stand out as much in the game as maybe he should have. He shot well in camp but didn't shoot the lights out like he did in July. One positive thing I noticed in camp was his smart play making ability skating with Laughton and Noebels (not that he didn't do it the game, it just really stood out to me in camp). Hopefully he can get back to his scoring ways in the AHL.
Nick Cousins had kind of a sloppy game. He missed a wide open net in the first period and had a weak clear in third that led to a turn over. I've noticed before that Cousins can be slightly snake bitten or gun shy when he is first in a pressure situation (his first prospect camp, this game, why he only has 1 point in his 8 AHL games). He might not come out of the gate on fire in the AHL but he usually returns to form before long.
Stephen Harper didn't have a disappointing game against the Caps, he didn't even get an opportunity. Harper, who skated on a line with Cousins and Alderson in camp on Sunday, was in the line up for the Flyers Monday afternoon. This probably means that the Flyers aren't going to sign him, at least not this year. I thought Harper was impressive in camp this past weekend and thought he would get a great opportunity in the game against the Caps rookies but it wasn't to be. Hopefully the Flyers give some sort of try out contract and he plays with them in the pre-season. Harper can be an impact player in the NHL someday, hopefully the Flyers try to hold onto him.
Other Notes
Valeri Vasiliev will miss at least three weeks with a shoulder injury. Hopefully he wont miss more but this is the second time injuring his shoulder in three years so he might be out longer.
Robert Hagg has 3 points (2 G, 1 A) in 5 pre-season games for Modo. He is currently in a pre-season game against last years SHL champions Skelleftea AIK. AIK is leading 3-0 after the first period as I'm writing this. Hagg is once again on the top pair (as he has been pretty much all pre-season) and wasn't on the ice for any of the goals against.
Jakub Kovar, who the Flyers drafted in 2006 and still own the rights to, is off to a great start in the KHL. In his first two games with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (the worst team in the KHL last season) Kovar has a shoot out win and a shoot out loss. He has a .930 Save percentage and a 1.91 GAA. I don't think his numbers will stay that stellar for the whole season, but if he plays well he could make the Czech Olympic team and could easily be on the Flyers radar for next season. Kovar's contract is up after this season.
The Dan Cleary situation could have major ramifications for Flyers prospects. Cleary has been offered a Try out contract with the Flyers and, so far, not the 3 year contract that was reported last night. Cleary is now in a competition with Scott Laughton, Jason Akeson, Michael Raffl, and possibly Tye McGinn for the final roster spot. Next year Akeson, Raffl, McGinn, and Kyle Flanagan are free agents (all RFA's). If Cleary makes the team or is signed for more than one year we could see more than one of them leave the organization. Raffl would likely have no problem finding an NHL offersheet or a European contract. Akeson and Flanagan, if they have good AHL season could be in the same boat. If they don't think they have a future with the Flyers I could easily see them leaving. I think they all have potential, especially Akeson and Raffl, and I'd hate to see them leave the organization.
The Flyers rookies beat the Caps prospects 1-0 in what was an an unusually brutal prospects game. The Flyers lone goal came of the stick of 2012 4th Round draft pick Taylor Leier (who actually signed his Entry Level Contract earlier in the day). It was a beautiful goal. Leier charged up the right wing then cut to the high slot and ripped a shot over the glove of the Capitals goalie and tapping the bottom of the cross bar. The Caps defense lapsed allowing Leier to skate so freely in the offensive zone, but Leier showed great vision exploiting there holes and taking one hell of a shot.
The Flyers goaltending was another huge part of the win. 2012 2nd Round pick Anthony Stolarz faced a ton of tough shots and swallowed them all up with ease. Carsen Chubak came in half way through the game and kept up the stellar play in net.
Another big story from the game is how rough it was. The game saw four fights (though two of them were kind of lack luster). First we saw Flyers heavy weight prospect 2011 7th Round pick Derek Mathers squared off against one of the Caps heavy weights Jaynen Rissling. Both the Caps announcers and I thought Mathers won the fight; seeing how Mathers came out relatively unscathed while Rissling came up bloody. Next we saw 2013 3rd Round Pick Tyrell Goulbourne take on the Caps top prospect Tom Wilson. The 6'4 Wilson has drawn a lot of comparisons to the Bruins Milan Lucic but it was the 5'10 Goulbourne who got the upper hand and took down the giant Wilson. Wilson showed his Lucic like play when he hit defensive prospect Mark Alt into the boards late in the 2nd period. I didn't get a good look at the hit, it happened slightly off screen on the live stream and there were no replays so I could get a good look at it. It resulted in Alt getting a concussion and the Flyers going after Wilson the rest of the game. Mathers was trying to get him to fight afterwards but couldn't get him to drop the mitts. Next we saw a fight (or more appropriately a hugging match) between 2012 UFA signing Matt Mangene and the Capitals Australian camp invitee Nathan Walker. It wasn't much of a fight, they basically grabbed each other, held on, and fell over. Then things took another nasty turn. Wilson had another big hit later in the game, this prompted Scott Laughton to return with an arguably cheap hit on a Caps player. He then briefly tangled with Wilson before he lost his footing and fell to the ice. All around it was a pretty nasty game.
A lot of players were impressive in both the game and in rookie camp.
Mark Alt was probably the most impressive skater on the ice yesterday before leaving with a concussion. He quarterbacked the first power play unit (something he might do in Adirondack this year) and played strong defensively paired with Sam Morin. He was equally as impressive in camp where he shined in all aspects of the game. Hopefully he recovers from his concussion quickly and can make an impact with the Phantoms.
Anthony Stolarz was the best player in the game yesterday. Following a very impressive camp Stolarz convincingly shut the door on the Caps yesterday. He seems to have changed up his stance a little bit, standing slightly shorter and slightly wider using more of his big frame.
Taylor Leier, I thought, had a great camp and a great game outside of scoring the only goal. I thought Leier kind of blended in at camp back in July but I definitely noticed his offensive abilities at camp this past weekend. His role will be as a 3rd/4th line depth grinder and he showcased that skill in the Caps game, back checking hard, getting in passing lanes, and forcing a couple turnovers.
Marcel Noebels stood out in both the game and camp. Playing on a line with Scott Laughton and Petr Straka Noebels made a bunch of really nice plays. He was able to create with his regular linemates as well as his power play line mates Kyle Flanagan and Andrew Johnston. I was surprised he wasn't used on the penalty kill as he is a good defensive player, but he had a great game coming off a very impressive camp.
Brandon Alderson was probably the most surprising player both at camp and during the game. Alderson probably created more scoring chances than any of the other Flyers. I thought Alderson played well on Sunday, playing on a line with his old partner Nick Cousins, but he continued to create playing on a regular line with Flanagan and Andrew Johnston in the game Monday. He's got an uphill battle this season, he's behind fellow power forwards Tye McGinn and Marcel Noebels but if he continues to play this well he could quickly move up the charts.
Carsen Chubak probably surprised people with his performance in the game yesterday. He has a much lower profile than somebody like Anthony Stolarz and Cal Heeter and he's only signed to a minor league contract, but Chubak had a great season in the NCAA and was one of the final ten candidates for the Hobey Baker Award (NCAA MVP) so his strong play against similar aged players probably shouldn't be that surprising.
Sam Morin. Some of you know I've been critical of Morin as both a pick and a player since he came into the organization. That said I think Morin played a pretty strong game yesterday. He was strong in front of the net and along the boards. He played great while paired with Alt and continued his strong play while skating with Maxim Lamarche who took the spot on the top D pairing after Alt went down. Morin did have some puck handling errors and he didn't overwhelm any players that we already knew he could dominate, but it's a step in the right direction.
Matt Konan had strong defensive game and an strong offensive camp. If Konan keeps getting stronger all around we might be seeing him in the NHL sooner rather than later.
While I don't think any players who played bad there were some players that were slightly disappointing.
Scott Laughton had another strong camp, but he didn't stand out much in the game. Paired with Straka and Noebels the Laughton line was easily the Flyers best line but they couldn't really get going against a younger, inexperienced, and weaker Capitals team. I've always thought it would be best for Laughton to go back to the OHL; this shows that while he could probably play in the NHL he wont have a huge impact, not enough of an impact to play over other players already at the pro level. I'm a big believer in Laughton's offensive upside and I think a season in the OHL will help him more than a season on the 4th line in the pros.
Petr Straka also had a pretty strong camp but didn't stand out as much in the game as maybe he should have. He shot well in camp but didn't shoot the lights out like he did in July. One positive thing I noticed in camp was his smart play making ability skating with Laughton and Noebels (not that he didn't do it the game, it just really stood out to me in camp). Hopefully he can get back to his scoring ways in the AHL.
Nick Cousins had kind of a sloppy game. He missed a wide open net in the first period and had a weak clear in third that led to a turn over. I've noticed before that Cousins can be slightly snake bitten or gun shy when he is first in a pressure situation (his first prospect camp, this game, why he only has 1 point in his 8 AHL games). He might not come out of the gate on fire in the AHL but he usually returns to form before long.
Stephen Harper didn't have a disappointing game against the Caps, he didn't even get an opportunity. Harper, who skated on a line with Cousins and Alderson in camp on Sunday, was in the line up for the Flyers Monday afternoon. This probably means that the Flyers aren't going to sign him, at least not this year. I thought Harper was impressive in camp this past weekend and thought he would get a great opportunity in the game against the Caps rookies but it wasn't to be. Hopefully the Flyers give some sort of try out contract and he plays with them in the pre-season. Harper can be an impact player in the NHL someday, hopefully the Flyers try to hold onto him.
Other Notes
Valeri Vasiliev will miss at least three weeks with a shoulder injury. Hopefully he wont miss more but this is the second time injuring his shoulder in three years so he might be out longer.
Robert Hagg has 3 points (2 G, 1 A) in 5 pre-season games for Modo. He is currently in a pre-season game against last years SHL champions Skelleftea AIK. AIK is leading 3-0 after the first period as I'm writing this. Hagg is once again on the top pair (as he has been pretty much all pre-season) and wasn't on the ice for any of the goals against.
Jakub Kovar, who the Flyers drafted in 2006 and still own the rights to, is off to a great start in the KHL. In his first two games with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (the worst team in the KHL last season) Kovar has a shoot out win and a shoot out loss. He has a .930 Save percentage and a 1.91 GAA. I don't think his numbers will stay that stellar for the whole season, but if he plays well he could make the Czech Olympic team and could easily be on the Flyers radar for next season. Kovar's contract is up after this season.
The Dan Cleary situation could have major ramifications for Flyers prospects. Cleary has been offered a Try out contract with the Flyers and, so far, not the 3 year contract that was reported last night. Cleary is now in a competition with Scott Laughton, Jason Akeson, Michael Raffl, and possibly Tye McGinn for the final roster spot. Next year Akeson, Raffl, McGinn, and Kyle Flanagan are free agents (all RFA's). If Cleary makes the team or is signed for more than one year we could see more than one of them leave the organization. Raffl would likely have no problem finding an NHL offersheet or a European contract. Akeson and Flanagan, if they have good AHL season could be in the same boat. If they don't think they have a future with the Flyers I could easily see them leaving. I think they all have potential, especially Akeson and Raffl, and I'd hate to see them leave the organization.
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