Who among the Flyers defensive prospects will become a legit #1

[Stizzle]

The answer to the poll has to be Sanheim. Even if we draft a defenseman at #7, the answer for me is still Sanheim. No one has this kids total package of physical tools and smarts.

Seen the same questions about him as there are about Ghost.

He's a very offensive d-man at the WHL level and if he tries that stuff in the NHL he'll get burned more often than not.

Seems to be a common consensus.

First off, I would love to read these "scouting reports".

Secondly, he curtailed his chance taking and constant pinching this year by an astounding rate from when I saw his WHL games late last season.

He just knows what he can get away with. In the WHL they aren't good enough to catch him pinching and go the other way on an odd man rush.

His game changes some when he plays against higher competition like the Subway Super Series, World Junior summer games, etc. He's smart enough and intuitive enough to know what is appropriate for each level. Hell, even in his one NHL preseason game he showed off his playmaking and instincts without risk.

I have zero questions on if his offense will translate. He's going to be an awesome 5 on 5 playmaker.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Seen the same questions about him as there are about Ghost.

He's a very offensive d-man at the WHL level and if he tries that stuff in the NHL he'll get burned more often than not.

Seems to be a common consensus.

The answer to the poll has to be Sanheim. Even if we draft a defenseman at #7, the answer for me is still Sanheim. No one has this kids total package of physical tools and smarts.



First off, I would love to read these "scouting reports".

Secondly, he curtailed his chance taking and constant pinching this year by an astounding rate from when I saw his WHL games late last season.

He just knows what he can get away with. In the WHL they aren't good enough to catch him pinching and go the other way on an odd man rush.

His game changes some when he plays against higher competition like the Subway Super Series, World Junior summer games, etc. He's smart enough and intuitive enough to know what is appropriate for each level. Hell, even in his one NHL preseason game he showed off his playmaking and instincts without risk.

I have zero questions on if his offense will translate. He's going to be an awesome 5 on 5 playmaker.

Yeah. I don't really see it and I wouldn't call it a consensus. Yeah he likes to join the rush, but he's a smart kid that knows how to pick his spots. He's not DeAngelo or Jordan Subban.

He can put up points in a variety of different ways and in all situations. He's just got too many things going for him. Unless he gets hurt, I don't see how his game doesn't translate in some form. Will he become a #1? That remains to be seen, but fans should be excited about him. He is a special player.

Can you elaborate on that? Has he had attitude issues?

Yeah. It's almost cliche at this point. He just doesn't have the "take the bull by the horns" attitude you want to see from a #1 guy. Doesn't mean he can't be a good player but it factors into the discussion for me.

 

[JayRosehillMVP]

Imo Ghost becomes Streit with wheels, or Letang without the strength. Morin becomes mean Coburn with improved puck skills. Sanheim will be the best one way or another. I see the Keith comparisons, but I'd like him to be more physical as he adds weight. Unlikely though. Players don't wake up and decide to start hitting. If he gets a mean streak he'll be an absolute force.

 

[beetee15]

Imo Ghost becomes Streit with wheels, or Letang without the strength. Morin becomes mean Coburn with improved puck skills. Sanheim will be the best one way or another. I see the Keith comparisons, but I'd like him to be more physical as he adds weight. Unlikely though. Players don't wake up and decide to start hitting. If he gets a mean streak he'll be an absolute force.

so basically what we all hoped Coburn would be, Ill take that.

 

[chupanibre]

someone vote for Hagg, he's so lonely up there

 

[sa cyred]

someone vote for Hagg, he's so lonely up there

Okaysss

 

[klutch]

Soon to be a toss up between Sanheim and Provorov.

 

[sa cyred]

Also side note. I dont think Hagg will be our top defender but it was nice to see the 19/20 yr old progress over the season. I had a bunch of friends who went to the games and they were stating he was really getting used to the game. Murray was easily playing him close to 25 mins a game.

I am excited to see how Hagg continues to progress.

 

[Ryker]

None of them, so I chose the fifth option.

 

[CodyTheHuman]

I think Sanheim has the best bet of becoming one, but I'd rather have Morin become one, if I could choose. Something about a 6'7", mean, #1 d-man is super appealing to me.

 

[Larry44]

Sanheim. He has everything that an elite #1 needs and he's still improving. Look at where he was at the start of his draft year compared to where he is now.... Who knows how he'll be in another year.

I think Ghost has the potential to be an elite offensive defensemen but his size could stop him from being a #1 where he's put out at the end of games to hold a lead and playing massive minutes.

Morin is still too raw to tell, he's made huge strides already and he's not done so we just have to be patient with him.

If you're watching the Ranger-Tampa series, the prototype is there. Sanheim isn't quite as big, but I can see him being able to skate the puck out of his end and lead the rush at will the way Hedman is. Now, Hedman's been in the league for several years. It takes time.

 

[renberg]

I think the only two that have even a sniff of a chance are Morin and Sanheim. Ghost and Hagg have a shot to be top four guys, I doubt either are ever top pairing guys. I went with Morin over Sanheim just because I think Sanheim's sample size is too small. This was really his breakout season, and while it looked very promising, I don't think there is enough to go on to say he has a better shot than Morin. Doesn't mean he won't be one, I would just say Morin has a better shot.

This is probably the best assessment of the guys in this thread. Morin and Sanheim have shots to be legitimate #1s. Despite Jtown using Morin as the fire hydrant on the block for the local dogs, the guy has tools and is competitive. One thing that you can never coach is size; either you have to or you don't. Sam does. In the last two training camps, his size alone allowed him to be able to fir in with the older guys. The skills are there. All that he needs teaching and experience.
Sanheim looks like he could be a Keith type player. Size, speed and vision. He needs to improve his shot. That is something that can be improved. One thing is for sure, he does know when to pop it. He is able to see the shooting alleys.
Ghost and Hagg will be second pairing guys. No shame in that. When I see him play I think of Brian Rafalski-small, speedy guy who really excelled when paired with Lidstrom. So you never know. Maybe he and Morin could be a top pair in five years.
With Hagg, I see a quiet player who sees the ice well. His so called "lack of emotion" isn't necessarily a bad thing. He can skate, pass, shoot, play positional defense and the like. All of this stuff about being nonchalant is ridiculous. If he didn't give a rip, why did he choose to come over to NA at the end of the 13-14 season to get some games in the A? He's worked on his game and will improve.
These guys are all young. They'd be going into their junior year if they went to college. Finished products they are not. There is a lot of growth for them. It may well be that the most critical job in the Flyers' system next season will be the coach for the defensemen at LV.

 

[uakena]

Where is Andrew MacDonald?

 

[Curufinwe]

Who among the Flyers defensive prospects will become a legit #1

28 year olds aren't prospects.

 

[Garbage Goal]

Sanheim has the best shot by a mile. His abilities as a player are so much more well-rounded then the rest of our prospects and it's not even close for the most part.

Morin is looking more and more like a shutdown D that can chip in offensively, but not carry the play offensively. Hagg doesn't really have number one potential in him. Ghost is always going to be hampered by his height to some degree as it's really just a natural disadvantage to defensive play at that height.

 

[CanuckistanFlyerfan]

Morin got some revenge last night on Anthony Duclair (who made him look pretty bad in the Q final) with a great open ice hit. He had his good moments in the game with several good hits and defensive plays, but still has his share of mistakes.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Morin has the ability to get there, if his offensive game develops, which is an unknown.

Sanheim has ALL the tools and Size, whether he reaches it is obviously a waiting game, but the kid can do everything.

 

[Bleed orange]

This is why at 7th overall I am not opposed to drafting a defenseman whatsoever. While I like our prospects and think they all have reasonably high upside, it's no gaurantee that the upside is reached. We as a fanbase are banking our future success on one of these guys becoming a number 1 ( which we've lacked since pronger) but what if none of them become a number 1? Were screwed.

Not trying to go off topic, but if provorov/werenski were there at 7 and flyers management feels that a D is BPA, I'm all for it. You can never have too many D prospects. Better yet, if Arizona and Toronto both take Marner/strome and hanifin is there at 5, package both Schenns and 7 for skinner and 5. We all gush over this Defensive prospect pool as it is now. Imagine it with Hanifin or even provorov? Absurd

To answer the original OP, I agree with most that sanheim has the best chance. He seems to have the closest to a complete package of the 4. Though I do think if all 4 pan out we will have a fantastic variety of different skill sets for defenders

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

This is why at 7th overall I am not opposed to drafting a defenseman whatsoever. While I like our prospects and think they all have reasonably high upside, it's no gaurantee that the upside is reached. We as a fanbase are banking our future success on one of these guys becoming a number 1 ( which we've lacked since pronger) but what if none of them become a number 1? Were screwed.

Not trying to go off topic, but if provorov/werenski were there at 7 and flyers management feels that a D is BPA, I'm all for it. You can never have too many D prospects. Better yet, if Arizona and Toronto both take Marner/strome and hanifin is there at 5, package both Schenns and 7 for skinner and 5. We all gush over this Defensive prospect pool as it is now. Imagine it with Hanifin or even provorov? Absurd

To answer the original OP, I agree with most that sanheim has the best chance. He seems to have the closest to a complete package of the 4. Though I do think if all 4 pan out we will have a fantastic variety of different skill sets for defenders

I don't think I would go that far (not to mention that drafting a defenseman at #7 doesn't really do much for us in terms of having a #1 guy, other than just another possibility). It would suck, and frankly it is more likely than not that none of these guys become actual #1 defenders, but I don't think we would be screwed. We have four highly touted prospects with very real chances to be NHL mainstays for a long time. Even if only 2/4 become NHL regulars, we are far from screwed. If all four bust entirely, that is a problem. But if we have a Morin/Ghost second pairing for the next decade (or something along those lines), that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Not ideal, but far from screwed.

 

[sobrien]

Voted none because of how difficult it is to project a true #1

Sanheim has the best chance though, and all 4 of them should become good #2-4 guys at least...plus Friedman and Wilcox

 

[Embiid]

I thought Morin wouldn't be totally blown away by Sanheim in this poll but then again Sanheim does have all those potential intangibles and the skillset to be highly successful in today's game. He fits the #1 D man definition. It is so evident with what we are seeing in the final 4...especially with Keith and Hedman.

As far as Hagg....I probably shouldn't have included him in the poll despite the two token pity votes...lol. But if we keep him he should be a pretty solid 2nd pairing D man.

oh and I too would like the Flyers to use the 7th pick on a Dman if they do feel he is the BPA....

 

[FLYguy3911]

I thought Morin wouldn't be totally blown away by Sanheim in this poll

Well I imagine a good bit of that is a what have you done for me lately.

 

[Tripod]

Well I imagine a good bit of that is a what have you done for me lately.

Especially when at the draft, he was seen as a guy that was furthest way from his upside because he was so raw. So we really should not be surprised if he is behind others at his draft.

But guess what...he isn't that far behind anymore. The gap has closed.

And as we said last night, he was 4th in the QMJHL in PPG by Dmen this year despite not getting #1PP time all year. He had a great year.

 

[Bleed orange]

I don't think I would go that far (not to mention that drafting a defenseman at #7 doesn't really do much for us in terms of having a #1 guy, other than just another possibility). It would suck, and frankly it is more likely than not that none of these guys become actual #1 defenders, but I don't think we would be screwed. We have four highly touted prospects with very real chances to be NHL mainstays for a long time. Even if only 2/4 become NHL regulars, we are far from screwed. If all four bust entirely, that is a problem. But if we have a Morin/Ghost second pairing for the next decade (or something along those lines), that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Not ideal, but far from screwed.

Your right maybe screwed is the wrong word. It wouldn't be ideal however IMO if we still don't have a true #1 in 5 years time.

The point I'm trying to make is basically this: the worst case scenario for the flyers is that they pass on a D they think is BPA for a forward simply on the premiss of "sanheim morin ghost and hagg is enough"
Then none of them become #1s. That is my worst case scenario

I just think you can never have too many good D prospects and having a true #1 is too important in today's game, especially for long playoff runs

 

[Evergreen]

Sanheim
Morin

Gostisbehere

Hagg