A Productive Weekend

I have to think the Flyers will be pretty pleased the way this draft weekend turned out.  Predicting the draft is usually a fool's errand, as teams' true preferences are never known and one trade can have large domino effects.  All indications, however, is that the Flyers got their man.

Ivan Provorov

Last week, I tweeted an article about how the Flyers really wanted Provorov.  It also looked like the Flyers were interested in trading up to assure they secured Provorov.  After a few edgy moments where the Devils could've once again been the thorn in the Flyers side, the Devils took Zacha with the #6 pick, leaving Provorov available for the Flyers at #7.

With Provorov now in the fold, the Flyers have a second defensemen in the system who projects as a top pair NHLer.  The Flyers have had Morin, Ghost and Hagg in the system (along with lesser prospects like Manning, Alt, etc...), but none of those guys really project as defensive corps cornerstones.  The ceiling is much higher for Sanheim and Provorov, and Provorov is probably now the best prospect in the system.

The scouting reports on Provorov say he could be a little taller (he's only 6'1"), and that he doesn't have great top end speed.  Aside from that, he can pretty do much the rest.  He's a good skater who has a knack for controlling the game.  He is a threat to score on the PP, will kill penalties, and can answer the bell physically when appropriate.  He says his best asset is his hockey sense, likening himself to Lidstrom.  I've seen him compared to Mark Giordano as well.  Here's his best goal, and some scouting reports (1, 2, 3).

I'm going to presume he won't be on the Flyers this coming season until I hear something else, so until he arrives I need to get used to saying pro-VOR-ov, not PROV-or-ov.

Travis Konecny

One also has to think the Flyers will be pretty pleased with their second first round selection, Travis Konecny.  They liked him enough to trade up a few spots seeing that he was still available late in the first round.

Before the season, he was often seen as a top-10 pick, but his draft status fell a bit after a poor first half of the junior season playing through a concussion, and a very deep draft class.  As it was, he entered the draft ranked #14 by central scouting.

I suppose it could be said he slipped a little bit in this draft, but in the Flyers favor.  His size works against him (he's 5'9" or 5'10"), and TSN says his skating needs to improve.  That is odd, because other scouting reports praise his skating, and an OHL coaches poll rated him the best skater in the eastern conference of the OHL.

Either way, he's a skilled and spirited forward.  He's generally a team leader wherever he plays (captain of OHL team and Canada's U-18 squard, McGuire award for player who 'best exemplifies the commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness and athleticism'), and won MVP of the OHL top prospects game.  He finished the season strong (.87/ppg in 1st half of season, 1.4/ppg in 2nd half), including 10 points in 5 playoff games.  Check out this goal, and this assist. 

Rest of Draft

I'd be talking out of my ass to say anything qualitative about the Flyers remaining 8 picks.  All I can really say is that the Flyers used them to stock the cupboard in areas of need, forward and goal.

Grossmann Trade

As soon as the draft was over, the Flyers traded Nick Grossmann in a salary cap move.  Trading Grossmann should not be a surprise.  They also sent Chris Pronger's contract over, in return for Sam Gagner.  On the surface, the Flyers send over $8.421m in cap dollars, and take back $3.2m.  It's not quite that simple though, because the Flyers will retain $500k of Grossman's cap hit, and the Pronger's cap hit was always subject to long term injured reserve exceptions.  If you simply assumed the Flyers could claim an exception for the full amount of Pronger's contract (a dubious assumption), this trade actually HURTS the Flyers cap situation (Grossmann $3.5 < Grossmann $0.5 + Gagner $3.2).  As it is, this trade will save the Flyers the LTIR gymnastics, which aren't always so simple.

Now the Flyers have about $64m and change committed to next season's roster (out of $71.4m salary ceiling), although they still need a backup goalie, a contract for Del Zotto, and another forward or two.  It is also not a sure thing Gagner sticks around.

Gagner is a player of some talent, as he was drafted sixth in 2007 (one pick before Jake Voracek).  His career looked to be building, as he recorded an 8 point game in 2012, and scored 38 points in 48 games in 2012-2013.  The last two seasons have been a disappointment.  He is now nominally on his 4th team in 15 months, and it will be 5 if the Flyers send him on.  He is on the verge of becoming tainted goods in the NHL.

The Flyers could buy him out, or trade him.  The Coyotes GM has recently stated that he doesn't think Gagner has what it takes to be an NHL center, so his NHL career may hinge on his ability to transition to the wing.  That should be okay with the Flyers, as they have centers to spare.  Gagner was not on he waiver wire today in preparation for a buyout, so we'll have to wait and see how this story ends.


Other Moves Around the League

-The Flames picked up Dougie Hamilton for barely more picks than they would have received anyway had he simply walked.  It looks like a steal to me, and a tough one to figure out for Boston, particularly after seeing how they used those picks.

-The Kings are in the process of buying out Richards at a costly cap hit that will last for 10 years.  LA GM Lombardi has called his decision to give Richards a second chance, instead of buying him out with no cap penalty last summer, the worst decision of his career.  Anybody still have doubts about that Richards trade a few years ago?

-The Rangers traded Cam Talbot for 2nd, 3rd, and 7th picks.  Earlier, it had been reported that the Rangers had turned down offers of a 1st round pick, or 2 2nd round picks.  Sounds like the Rangers mishandled that one a bit.
 

Flyers Add Mobile Russian Dman

For the second time this week, I’ve had to do some serious googling to figure out who the Flyers just added.   While the Flyers were previously rumored to be interested in a young Russian defensemen (Nikita Zaitsev), they went ahead and signed a veteran to 1 year, $3 million deal.

Yevgeni Medvedev is 32 year old, 6’3” defensemen.  Eliteprospects.com says: "[he's] a large, yet very mobile and smooth skating defensemen...he sees the ice well and has good hockey sense...he can pass really well but also possesses a good shot...could play a more physical and aggressive game given his size."  Maybe the Flyers could use him a shootout too!

A large, yet very mobile and smooth skating defenseman. Medvedev sees the ice well and has good hockey sense. He can pass really well, but also possesses a hard shot.

Could play a more physical and aggressive game given his size. - See more at: http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=16728#sthash.doOY8WLJ.dpuf

He's been a regular at AK Bars Kazan the last 8 years.  He’s won two championships there, and has been a KHL all-star selection the last 3 years.  He’s also been a regular on the Russian national team, winning medals on their last few World Championship teams, as well as playing in Sochi.  On the Sochi squad, Medvedev was their #3 defensemen in terms of ice time, behind Andrei Markov and just barely behind Slava Voynov, but ahead of NHL regulars Fedor Tyutin and Nikita Nikitin.

It appears that he is a well-regarded, mobile defensemen.  The big question for him will be adjusting to the smaller NHL rink and the more physical game, as he spent his whole career in Russia.  If he can do that, he will likely be a top-4 defensemen next season.

This leaves the Flyers with more defensemen than they need.  Presuming they re-sign Del Zotto, they’ll have 9 defensemen.
-Del Zotto
-Streit
-MacDonald
-Schenn
-Schultz
-Grossmann
-Manning
-Medvedev
-Gudas

This list doesn’t even include all their young defensemen such as Gostisbehere, Morin, Hagg or Sanheim.  For the moment, I’d have to presume that Ghost, Morin and Hagg will all be in the AHL next season as they all have something to gain by more time there, and the Flyers have no room for them.  Sanheim had a fantastic season last year, so I’m not sure he has much to gain from another year in junior (and by rule he can’t play in the AHL), but Hextall doesn’t seem inclined to rush any 19-year-olds.

So what to do with all these defensemen?  The Flyers will almost certainly trade at least one.  That should be either Schenn or Grossmann.  The Flyers have no need for two big, slow, stay at home defensemen.  I’m just not sure which one.  Schenn is younger but less reliable, and both players will be free agents after this season.  Schenn is also one of the only right hand shots on defense.

If the Flyers send Manning back down and ship out Schenn/Grossmann, they're left with a 7-deep corps with which they can enter the season.  If however, they still are interested in Zaitsev, or want Manning to stick, they’ll be back up to an unwieldy 8.  In such case, there is no obvious answer as to what the right move would be to ship someone else out.