Wheeler has the Flyers system at #18 in his latest review.
Graduated Michkov and Brink, and Rizzo and Desnoyers aged out.
Bonk, Jett are first tier.
Andrae, Zavragin, Barkey second tier
Bjarnason, Kolosov, Berglund, Gill, Powell, Grans, McDonald, Bump, Tuomaala, Knuble
[think he overrates Powell, underates Ciernak, his final cut, Ruohonen and Sotheran]
With Michkov and (Gauthier) gone, and Drysdale graduated, it's thin at the top, but good depth in terms of depth players with a shot at bottom six/third pair roles. I suspect they'll be top 10, top 5 if they trade Risto/Laughton for more picks, in his August rankings.
Bonk: He just looks like he’s going to be a solid two-way defenseman who can influence play and potentially help out on both special teams even if he’s not a natural power-play quarterback or your prototypical penalty killer. He projects as a No. 3-5 defenseman.
Jett: He’s got really good balance, posture and mechanics and while I wouldn’t call his upper-echelon skating elite, it’s a definite asset and he’s got some pull-away speed. . . . But it’s the consistency of his reads, paths and decisions that define his game. He makes the right play with the puck almost always and he’s extremely unselfish. . . . He’s got a chance to be a reliable, fast, intelligent all-situations center but I don’t see a ton of offense in his game in terms of a top-of-the-lineup NHL outlook . . . He’s got quieter tools and habits that should help him (the routes, the pressure points, the penalty killing upside, the strength, the skating, good poise on the puck and vision) but he doesn’t have loud elements that really scream NHL skill player.
Barkey: (has him at 5'10 171) Despite his size, Barkey can play center as well as the wing and wins his fair share of battles through his skating, motor and pure determination. He can play in all situations, is a highly effective penalty killer and has a way of setting the tone on his line and dragging everyone else into the fight. He’s got hustle, jump and skill in between. I think he’s got a chance to surprise some people and make it as an up-and-down-the-lineup NHLer as a smaller player. (noted a slow start, but didn't mention having mono, may not have realized that).
Berglund: Berglund can make some plays in the offensive zone and off the cycle, holds onto and protects pucks well and is generally impactful along the wall. He’s got size (6-foot-4, over 200 pounds), can play the middle or the wing, controls pucks off his hips quite well and has shown some offensive zone instincts over the last two seasons. His skating is quite unnatural, though, . . . He’ll need to work on his acceleration and stride in order to play in the NHL. Otherwise, there’s a lot of pro quality in his game as a potential bottom-sixer.
Gill: He’s not a strong athlete or skater and needs to get stronger, which is where the development will start. He relies on his offensive smarts and calm. He does have a lanky, long 6-foot-4 frame to fill out, though, and some puck skill and offensive intuition (he’s also an August birthday). He sees the ice well, shapes passes and shots through coverage, manages the umbrella really well and plays hard defensively (including on the penalty kill) for the Oceanic despite still having work to do on his skating. He’s a very good two-way D at the junior level already and it feels like he’s got some real development in front of him still.
Grans: There’s still some rawness to his even-strength play and he can look a little stilted on his pivots, but his game has some form defensively. . . . Grans has the potential to be a bottom-pairing defenseman with some two-way value and size. . . . I’d rather see him looking to make things happen than playing passively, though there have been some benefits to a shift towards the latter. He’s not a perfect player but he’s an option and I think he’s got more to give and should continue to figure out who he is.
McDonald: Big (6-foot-4, over 200 pounds) and strong left-shot defenseman. . . He plays hard, defends firmly and confidently, skates well, has a good stick and brings a physical element. His upside will be limited by his puck play but he has a good first pass and . . . moving pucks in the flow of play just fine. . . He’s got the utility/shot-blocking/penalty-killing role down and knows who he is. He could become a No. 6-8 D for them.
Bump: He’s not a penalty killer or a go-to defensive guy in college and that could limit the number of possible jobs for him to win in the NHL but Bump’s a strong, 6-foot-2, 200-pound winger with a natural release and skill who can make plays. . . He needs to work to add more speed and pace to his game as well but he’s a good athlete who is strong on his feet. If he can round out his game and improve his skating, he’ll have a chance. If he doesn’t, he’s probably still good organizational depth to have in the AHL.
Knuble: Knuble’s a stocky and strong 5-foot-11 forward whose game is defined by its pro habits, work ethic, drive and instincts on and off the puck. He works, involves himself in all three zones and has proven he can drive play and results at two different levels now. . . I wouldn’t be surprised to see him work his way into call-up territory or find a niche as a hardworking fourth-liner. He plays to the Flyers’ identity.
