(Photo: Kate Frese)
By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Flyers wrapped up their annual prospect development camp on Monday. While the purpose of the camp is not for evaluation and for simply honing skills and improving in certain areas of the game, it is an opportunity to see many of the team’s prospects and get a look at what skills they possess.
In the second part of our three-part series, reviewing the Flyers prospects at development camp, we look at the defensemen.
Phil Myers – Phil Myers was a man among boys at this year’s development camp. His skating is above-average, he’s in great physical shape and can outwork and outmuscle anyone in the camp. And that’s as it should be. There was nothing worked on during camp that Myers wasn’t going to excel in with a year of pro hockey under his belt. The test for him comes in training camp, when he’s competing against top-notch NHLers and trying to get a spot there. Myers did sit out the on-ice portion of camp on Sunday and Monday, but his work in the first few days already showed he is far above the rest of the prospect class.
Mark Friedman – Friedman isn’t on the NHL radar like Myers is, but don’t overlook him. He effectively balances out stability in his own zone with puck-moving skills to be an active mobile defenseman. Outside of Myers, he was the best defenseman at camp and showed similar qualities to Myers based on the experience of being at camps. As another right-handed shooting defenseman, his stock is high in the minors entering the upcoming season.
David Drake – Another camp veteran, he was good in drills and showed his size and physicality off well. Getting a full season in with the Phantoms will provide a lot more information on his upside and potential.
James De Haas – De Haas got in some time with the Phantoms last season and played well. He also showed off some offensive skills in addition to his decent size and strength in camp. There were moments where he had a scorer’s touch and could really place his shot well. He’s not somebody who jumps out on the radar right now, but as someone who will be with the Phantoms next season, he’s one to keep an eye on.
David Bernhardt – Another big-bodied Swedish defenseman, he’s got all the makings of a stay-at-home guy. He’s very much what Robert Hagg showed early in his development.
Linus Hogberg – Again, a Swedish defenseman, but Hogberg has some good puck movement skills and mobility, certainly better than most in camp. He got limited time with the Swedish World Junior team last season.
Wyatt Kalynuk – A late-round pick whose name certainly doesn’t jump off the page, this defenseman had an interesting combination of physicality and offensive instinct. He’s fairly elusive for a defenseman, while still being sturdy and difficult to move off the puck. He was kind of an unknown entering camp, even as a draft pick from 2017, but some of his skills brought some attention his way.
Adam Ginning – The Flyers second pick from this year’s draft is a mixed bag of sorts. His skating was not near what was advertised — it was claimed he needed a lot of improvement there. He does need to improve, but not on a huge level that makes him more of a project. That said, he’s got the stay-at-home qualities, but needs to work on footwork in coverage. The drills that seemed to get him were one-on-one drills where the focus is on covering a forward.
Jack St. Ivany – St. Ivany has solid size and is a strong skater, just not overly fast and able to be beat by more experienced prospects at camp. He’s more of a work in progress, but those tend to be found in the middle rounds.
Wyatte Wylie – Wylie was profiled as a defensive-minded defenseman with good mobility. It’s easy to see his mobility early, as he skating is strong and fluid. He needs to bulk up, as he was easily worked off the puck at times, but he’s got much better offensive skills than advertised — good puck control skills, a decent shot and good instincts.
