Flyers Offseason Preview: Draft Day

By Jeff Quake, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 

Flyers GM Ron Hextall has always said from the beginning that he plans to build from within the draft from the time he became GM in 2014. Since then he has drafted Travis Sanheim, Oskar Lindblom, Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny, Felix Sandstrom, Mikhail Vorobyov, German Rubtsov, Carter Hart, Tanner Laczynski, Nolan Patrick, Morgan Frost, and Matthew Strome.

Those are just a handful of current and future NHL players that could make a big difference for Philadelphia.

Now for the 2018 NHL Draft, they currently have nine picks going into the draft, which takes place on June 22 and 23. Among those picks are ones acquired from St. Louis (14th overall), Arizona (127th overall) and Montreal (190th overall). The Flyers also sent their third-round pick to Detroit in the Petr Mrazek trade, so they will not select in the third round unless they acquire a pick during the weekend.

With that being said the Flyers have the 14th and 19th overall pick in the first round and have some possibilities to consider.

Scenario 1: Keep Both Picks

Scenario 1 will be a strong possibility. This is reportedly a deep draft class, mostly focusing on a rich pool of defensemen prospects, however the Flyers could draft a defenseman with one pick and a forward with the other in the first round.

Although the Flyers do not necessarily need another defensive prospect, it still would not hurt to grab one more.

When it comes to selecting a forward, it all depends on who the Flyers like best, but more importantly who is still available by the time that they are on the clock. With the 14th overall pick, there are a few prospects that would fit the team’s needs very well.

If they pick a defenseman with their first pick, one name to watch is K’Andre Miller. Miller, whose upside is "too much to ignore when you consider the size, skating ability, and athleticism" according to Sportsnet, has cleaned-up his game from the start of the season. The 6'2", 206-pound defenseman for USNTDP has good speed for a player with skill like him. He is ranked in various spots among the top 25 prospects in the draft, with some posting him as high as 16th overall.

Miller has committed to playing for the University of Wisconsin for 2018-19. In USHL, Miller played in 22 games and finished tied for fourth in total points among defenseman with 16, two goals and 14 assists.

On a more interesting note, Miller has been playing much stronger as a defenseman since he first converted from being a forward. The switch was made in 2015 due to the team’s needs for more defenseman.

"I was a forward my whole life," Miller said in an article for USA Hockey. "I started playing D two years ago. My coach back in Minnesota, he was looking for an extra guy to build a team. He wanted to know if I wanted to try it for a few games. I ended up liking it a lot and was able to get up in the rush."

Another name that is said to land around the 14th overall pick is Joel Farabee. The 6'0" 164-pound left winger from the USHL put up an impressive 60 points in 51 games played with 26 goals and 34 assists as he was a plus-30.

Joe Veleno, a center from Montreal, has a lot of potential and brings a lot to the table. If this player slips down to 14, it would not be much of a surprise if the Flyers go after him.

"There is so much to like about Joe Veleno," Curtis Joe writes for Elite Prospects. "He's a hard-nosed workhorse that makes the players around him better. The fleet-footed center is unselfish and will primarily look to make a play at top speed; however, when the chance arises to put it in the pot himself, he will capitalize. He sees the ice well and is rarely caught out of position. His defensive game is refined and he actively pursues puck control. Transitioning to offence is natural, smooth, and quick. All-in-all, a well-rounded two-way forward that skates well and can be the catalyst a team needs to turn a game in its favor. If he can find the consistency in refusing to let himself get taken out of plays, especially if he doesn't start them, he will thrive and exceed expectations."

Veleno notched 16 goals and 48 points in 33 games with five goals and 11 points in 10 playoff games for the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

With the 19th overall pick, Rasmus Kupari could fit the Flyers needs. Kupari has been regularly ranked among the Top-15 prospects in the draft and possesses plenty of skill. He is a "slick Finnish forward, very dangerous with the puck on his stick, always a threat offensively," according to ISS Hockey and has been called a "mix of Jesse Puljujärvi and Sebastian Aho."

Scenario 2: Trade Both Picks to Move Into The Top 10

Scenario 2 is the other option that could realistically happen based on the prospects within the Top 10. If the Orange and Black decide to trade both picks and move up in the draft, the furthest that they would go is right in the 8-10th overall range. That's not a substantial jump, but it would be enough to make a difference on the name Hextall announces.

Two players that could be drafted are Oliver Wahlstrom and Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

If he is still on the board, Wahlstrom could help the Flyers out in a big way not only with his size, but with his skill as well.

"A sensational scoring threat, Oliver Wahlstrom is a fierce competitor that preys on weak play," Curtis Joe writes for Elite Prospects. "He exploits gaps in the neutral zone; his positioning allows him to carry the puck forward immediately or shift up and into stride off of an outlet pass. He promptly takes easy lanes away from the opposition along his own blue line, but could stand to be more proactive defensively. Offensively, he might be described as uncontainable: the confidence he has in his individual puck skill, paired with a high level of thinking, makes him a difficult cog to take out of alignment. He is able to create opportunities for himself, as well as teammates, out of nothing; this, in turn, translates to energy on the ice and in the building as a whole. All-in-all, Oliver Wahlstrom is an instinct-driven hockey player gifted with the size, skating, skill, and smarts that coaches yearn for."

The 6-foot-1, 188 pounds Finland center is "a smart forward with a dangerous shot, Kotkaniemi possesses a high hockey IQ and determination with the skills to back it up," Matias Strozyk writes for Elite Prospects. "Positions himself well and often seems to be a step ahead of plays. Stickhandling and creativity allow him to split professional defenses as a teenager. Decent size and frame, yet a very capable skater."

Whichever scenario the Flyers choose, they should like their chances to get one, if not two, solid prospects on the first night of the draft.