Prospect Info: Round 1, 22nd overall: Oliver Bonk, RHD, London (OHL)

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Flyers shouldn’t have taken Michkov. Don’t they know not every player has to be a star?!

Should’ve aimed lower.

Yes because that is obviously what I meant. I suppose a strategy to only draft high ceiling guys would work but you could also wind up with a lot of busts. I'm fine taking swings. But I'm also fine taking a guy thay projects to be more of a solid player than a great player. At 22 the guy you're picking isn't likely to be a star. I would have taken Perrault but I think it is far more likely that he busts than Bonk. And while you can pretend that it isn't true, having a guy like what Bonk projects to be is likely a key component to a contender down the road. I know, I know you can find those guys elsewhere in the draft but you also can find a version of whomever you wanted at 22 elsewhere in the draft.

 

[Rebels57]

McKenzie had him 28

Intrigue and excitement in the Year of Connor Bedard at the NHL Draft | TSN

The 2023 NHL Draft is about so much more than just the phenom who will go first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks in Nashville, Bob McKenzie writes. Scouts are very enthused about the depth of this year’s class.

www.tsn.ca

London Knight defenceman Oliver Bonk, son of former NHL forward Radek Bonk, is a solid consensus late first-rounder at No. 28. Only two scouts who had him outside of the first round but not very far out of the first.

Weird. On eliteprospects.com they had his average ranking by all of the different publications as well outside of the 1st round. Smaht Scouting had him at like 86 I believe. That was the latest I saw. Doesn't show it anymore though now that he's been drafted.

 

[Striiker]

What?

Every GM's aim at the draft is NHL regular, because most players don't even get that far. GMs don't have 10+ years to keep "swinging." There are swings to take, yes, but no - most GMs go for NHL players. And certainly will not swing on every pick.

I’m aware that most GMs are risk-averse idiots, yes.

 

[renberg]

Except there were better D prospects available, so it wasn't necessarily a sensible selection. Believing that Flyers scouts, with their checkered history of drafting defensemen, are right on Bonk when everyone else had him as a 2nd round or later talent, is certainly a choice.

It’s debatable as to whether or not there were better prospects available at 22; time will tell. Perrault made it to 23 making him a slider in the draft who had issues for other clubs. Gulyayev was there at 22. He has speed and offensive skills but his size and questionable defense was there as well. It looks like the Flyers graded out Bonk as having better defensive ability. Add in that he’s a righty.
He’ll probably end up as a solid second pair guy. Which right now is a good thing for this organization.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Except there were better D prospects available, so it wasn't necessarily a sensible selection. Believing that Flyers scouts, with their checkered history of drafting defensemen, are right on Bonk when everyone else had him as a 2nd round or later talent, is certainly a choice.

Can't wait to see the development process destroy his upside in favor of shitty Dead Puck Era style safety.

 

[Rebels57]

It’s debatable as to whether or not there were better prospects available at 22; time will tell. Perrault made it to 23 making him a slider in the draft who had issues for other clubs. Gulyayev was there at 22. He has speed and offensive skills but his size and questionable defense was there as well. It looks like the Flyers graded out Bonk as having better defensive ability. Add in that he’s a righty.
He’ll probably end up as a solid second pair guy. Which right now is a good thing for this organization.

Based off of the information available at the time of the Draft, it's not really debatable. Even Tanner Molendyk, selected 2 picks later by the defense factory Preds, is a more intriguing prospect than Bonk. Unfortunately for us, he's a Lefty and that's not allowed anymore.

I hope Bonk proves to be a great pick, not just a good player.

He has an elite name, so i'm pulling for him.

 

[Curufinwe]

Only the fourth dman picked by the Flyers in the second half of the first round since 2000. Yes, I know that's an arbitrary cutoff, but it's an interesting contract to the nine forwards taken late in first rounds.

2001 - Woywitka #27
2008 - Sbisa #19
2014 - Sanheim #17
2022 - Bonk #22

2003 - Richards #24
2005 - Downie #29
2006 - Giroux #22
2012 - Laughton #20
2015 - Konecny #24
2016 - Rubtsov #22
2017 - Frost #27
2018 - O'Brien #19
2020 - Foerster #23

List of all the Philadelphia Flyers Draft Picks | Hockey-Reference.com

Get the list of all the Philadelphia Flyers Draft Picks on Hockey-Reference.com

www.hockey-reference.com

 

[FLYguy3911]

Higher upside guys tend to have higher floors than some of their “safe” counterparts.

Weird. On eliteprospects.com they had his average ranking by all of the different publications as well outside of the 1st round. Smaht Scouting had him at like 86 I believe. That was the latest I saw. Doesn't show it anymore though now that he's been drafted.

McKenzie’s rankings are based off of 10 scouts who work for NHL teams. They are going to lean more towards the traditional Hockey Guy - size, defense, bloodlines. I used a consensus list of 90 rankings that put Bonk closer to 40. The more analytically driven folks view him less favorably. Scouching didn’t even rank him at all.

 

[Striiker]

Trade him

 

[Magua]

I didn’t account for this upside.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

 

[Chicken N Raffls]

Maybe he'll come in like a Bonking ball

 

[Young Sandwich]

I just turned the prospect scrimmage on for 10 seconds and saw Bonk toe drag around someone. Stud confirmed.

 

[BernieParent]

What does everyone make of the fact that Bonk spelled backwards is Knob?

 

[Chicken N Raffls]

What does everyone make of the fact that Bonk spelled backwards is Knob?

Well, every party needs a pooper. Congratulations

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

What does everyone make of the fact that Bonk spelled backwards is Knob?

I'm pretty sure that you don't want to hear my answer to that question.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Trade him

If you want to feel old, these kids were like 3 when this song dropped.

 

[Chicken N Raffls]

That's why they like it. That was their kids bop or whatever.

Edit: Do they even know who Jay-Z is?

 

[Magua]

If you want to feel old, these kids were like 3 when this song dropped.

*looks up songs from when I was about that age*

“Wannabe,” “MMMBop,” “Semi-Charmed Life.”

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

*looks up songs from when I was about that age*

“Wannabe,” “MMMBop,” “Semi-Charmed Life.”

* looks up songs from when I was about that age *

"Proud Mary," "Imagine," "Riders on the Storm"

* jumps in front of train *

 

[Magua]

* looks up songs from when I was about that age *

"Proud Mary," "Imagine," "Riders on the Storm"

* jumps in front of train *

 

[Legion of Gloom]

There are two types of Flyers fans. Team Hagg and Team Ghost.

Team Hagg loves this pick. Team Ghost hates it.

I am on Team ManDog

 

[Don Nachbaur 26]

What does everyone make of the fact that Bonk spelled backwards is Knob?

As in Kris KNOBlauch? Head Coach of the Flyers confirmed when Torts is bumped upstairs. Thanks Bernie!!

 

[Snotbubbles]

* looks up songs from when I was about that age *

"Proud Mary," "Imagine," "Riders on the Storm"

* jumps in front of train *

You're so old your Social Security Number is 000-00-0001

 

[Flyer lurker]

What does everyone make of the fact that Bonk spelled backwards is Knob?

44 backwards is 44