Grading The 2016 Philadelphia Flyers Draft (Spoiler Alert: It Was Good And Not Bad)
Ron Hextall is just like you and I. He wakes up every morning and puts his pants on one leg at a time. The only difference is that he needs to tape his dick to his leg before putting on his pants or else it will hang out of the bottom. And he put that massive hang down on display this past weekend when instead of taking the Flyers’ pick at 18, he decided to trade down with the Winnipeg Jets in return for their 22nd overall pick and the 36th pick in exchange for #79. There were still some pretty big names left on the board at 18. Time will tell if passing up on Kieffer Bellows was the right call for Hexy to make or not. There’s a lot to love about Bellows. His dad was an animal and a fucking superstar, and it seems like he has the potential to be just as good. But instead, Hextall opted to wait. And with that 22nd overall pick, he went with big 2-way centerman German Rubtsov out of Russia.
There were plenty of people, myself included, who thought that Julien Gauthier would be the pick at 22 but there’s a reason why I’m an idiot blogger and Ron Hextall is an NHL General Manager. Now you’re not going to see German Rubtsov in a Flyers jersey this upcoming year. There’s a chance you may not see him the year after that either. But by the time you see Rubtsov in Philadelphia, Matt Read will be gone. I have to imagine Scott Laughton will be gone by that time as well. The Flyers top 6 will be Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, Schenn, Couturier and Konecny. Which leaves a 3rd line of German Rubtsov centering Nick Cousins and Michael Raffl. That is a team who has the depth to go out there and win a Cup. Obviously prospects like Bellows and Gauthier would also give this team the depth they need. But everything I’ve read about Rubtsov seems like he’s the better pick to center that future 3rd line than bringing in high scoring wingers like Bellows or Gauthier. His hockey IQ and game sense has been been compared to Datsyuk. His extremely confident and careful with the puck. And since he was a member of that Russian U18 team, he’s spent the past few years basically doing nothing but eating steroids for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I like that. 3 gold stars to Ron Hextall.
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The big prize from the trade with Winnipeg came early in the 2nd round when the Flyers were able to grab Pascal Laberge at #36. Laberge and 3rd overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois were the two most impressive performers at the CHL Top Prospects Game this past January. He’s a 6’1″ RW who had 68 points through 56 games in the QMJHL last season with Victoriaville. Again, Hextall had a pretty tough decision to make on this one because still available at 36 was also Alex DeBrincat. The tiny American who has scored over 100 goals and 200 points over the past two seasons in the OHL with the Erie Otters. Now plenty of people will be quick to point out that DeBrincast has benefited from playing alongside Connor McDavid and Dylan Strome in Erie. It’s quick to dismiss some of those poin totals when that’s the type of talent you’re playing with. But Alex DeBrincat has the ability to have Briere levels of success in this league as a little man. He’s well suited for Chicago’s style of play, but not so much Philly’s. Which is why I have to give Ron Hextall another 3 gold stars for going with Laberge over DeBrincat at 36. A power forward who is looking to go to the net every time the puck is on his stick. Just like that, the prospect pool in Philly gets even deeper.
Ever since the Flyers traded Zac Rinaldo to the Bruins, they’ve been significantly lacking heart. Well with their 2nd pick in the 2nd round, the Flyers filled that void by drafted goaltender Carter Hart of the Everett Silvertipps in the WHL. Obviously Hextall wasn’t about to let a draft go by without showing some love to the goalies and Hart was the first goalie taken off the board at 48. So now in the Flyers organization there is Steve Mason, Michal Neuvirth, Anthony Solarz, Alex Lyon, Felix Sandstrom and now Carter Hart all between the pipes. It’s statistically proven that one of these guys are bound to be elite. So between playing his numbers and picking up some much needed Hart, let’s give Ron Hextall yet another gold star.
Claude Giroux. Jake Voracek. Sean Couturier. Wade Allison. Are the Philadelphia Flyers monopolizing all thee top gingers in the world? Sure as heck seems that way. Who knows when Wade Allison will finally be able to make the jump to the pros. All I do know is that I can get down with any kid who grew up on a farm in Canada. Because if Bobby Hull is any indication, this kid is going to be an absolute monster one day.
Between keeping up with the theme of red-headed superstars and picking up a good ol’ farm boy, Ron Hextall gets another gold star for the Wade Allison pick at 52.
So that’s 8 gold stars through 4 picks in this year’s draft. To be perfectly honest, I know absolutely zero things about the other 6 picks made after the 2nd round. So let’s just agree to round up here and give Sexy Hexy an even 10 gold stars on the weekend. The man is doing God’s work on Broad Street. He has a vision and this team is finally starting to piece together the way he wants it to. The Flyers have one of the deepest prospect pools in the league and eventually, you’ll see Hextall’s patience start to pay off. Maybe not next year. Possibly not even the year after that. But just like Winter, the Flyers time is coming.
P.S. – Eric Lindros better get voted into the Hall of Fame today or else we riot. Same goes for Recchi.
P.P.S. – Filip Forsberg signing for 6-years at $6 million AAV should do well to keep the price for Brayden Schenn down. Forsberg is youngerand more productive than Schenn. Anything over $4.5 million for Brayden and the Flyers may need to walk about from the table.