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2013 NHL Entry Draft: Mock Draft Two

By Jared Abbott
Posted on 05/09/2013 at 8:00 am

Breakdown by League: QMJHL – 8 OHL – 8 WHL – 7 USHL – 2 SM-liiga – 2 SEL – 2 KHL – 1 1. COL – Seth Jones, D, Portland Winterhawks (WHL) Jones is one of the most complete and exciting prospects we’ve seen in years. His combination of size, smarts, mobility, and puck-handling skills are unmatched by any player in this draft and previous drafts. He is a generational talent with the ability to anchor the blue line at an All-Star level for a decade. Jones is the closest thing to a sure bet as a prospect …

2013 NHL Entry Draft: Mock Draft One

By Tom Zulewski
Posted on 05/08/2013 at 9:00 am

With the NHL Draft lottery completed, Jared Abbott and I wanted to put out our first mock drafts of the first round . Here is his mock. Leading up to the draft we’ll be putting out several iterations of a first round mock. As the draft order becomes finalized and teams’ rosters begin to take shape it will surely effect the projected picks. Of course, there is always the possibility of trades as well, which could dramatically alter the mock. 1. Colorado- Seth Jones (D) Portland Winterhawks (WHL) What else is there to say? Jones is the best overall prospect in …

Future Flyers Report: Konan/Akeson finish season with Flyers, three prospects in 2013 IIHF World Championship, Titans finished, Canadian junior updates

By Craig F
Posted on 04/29/2013 at 9:00 am

Another pair of Philadelphia Flyers’ prospects made their NHL debut this week, as both Matthew Konan and Jason Akeson appeared in contests for the Orange and Black. Konan made his debut in the Flyers’ 2-1 win on Thursday against the New York Islanders at the Wells Fargo Center. He had two hits and a blocked shot in 13:09 of ice time. In Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators, both Konan and Akeson suited up for the Flyers. Konan had four shots on net, three hits, and one blocked shot in 18:42 TOI during his first NHL appearance. As for …

Future Flyers Report: Brandon Manning joins the Flyers, Leier’s Winterhawks nearly in WHL Finals, Straka and Baie-Comeau almost in QMJHL Finals

By Craig F
Posted on 04/22/2013 at 9:00 am

After Kent Huskins suffered a concussion from Ryan White’s illegal hit in the Philadelphia Flyers’ 7-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, yet another unexpected defenseman made an appearance on the Flyers’ blue line. This time it was Brandon Manning. Manning played in a few games for the Orange and Black last season, as he posted a plus-1 rating in four contests for Philly. He didn’t record a point with the Flyers last season, but the former Chilliwack Bruin played well in his first stretch at the NHL level. A day after Huskins’ injury, Manning appeared in his first …

Straka in his time with Rimouski Oceanic. Image courtesy of mrx.ca.

Future Flyers Report: Straka signs an entry-level deal, Gostisbehere named an All-American, Wellwood suffers major injury, OHL/WHL playoff updates

By Craig F
Posted on 04/15/2013 at 9:00 am

The Philadelphia Flyers’ organization signed forward Petr Straka this week. The 6’0″ 194-pound skater is currently helping Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL in their postseason run, as the club is set to take on Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the semifinals. Picked 55th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2010 NHL Draft, Straka had 41 goals and 41 assists in 55 games for Baie-Comeau during the regular season. He also eight goals and 10 helpers in Drakkar’s eight postseason games so far this postseason, which is good enough for third overall in the QMJHL playoffs. In the NCAA, Shayne Gostisbehere …

Sanctions will not tarnish Winterhawks’ season if they win the Memorial Cup

By Jared Abbott
Posted on 04/13/2013 at 11:00 am

Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of giving and appreciating the bounties accumulated over the past year. Less than a week after this gluttonous holiday, the Western Hockey League presented the Portland Winterhawks with a trip to the backyard deep fryer. WHL commissioner Ron Robison announced on November 28 that the league suspended the Winterhawks for a series of violations of WHL regulations. Over the past four seasons Portland has been skating by without penalty, but now that they are the best team in the WHL the sanctions emerge, seemingly at a peculiar time. The league found that Portland …

Image courtesy of Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Atlantic Watch: Flyers aren’t out yet, Pens clinch the division, Islanders sit in seventh, Devils endure long losing streak

By Craig F
Posted on 04/10/2013 at 11:00 am

The Philadelphia Flyers entered this week on a winning streak, but they left it on a losing skid and can now only hope they receive some help to make the postseason. With four of their final nine games coming up in the next week, the Orange and Black will likely find out if they will be heading to the playoffs by April 17th. The Flyers won their third straight game on Wednesday night with a 5-3 comeback decision over the Montreal Canadiens in Philly. Wayne Simmonds tied the game with a little over five minutes left before Erik Gustafsson’s first …

Will fate send Seth Jones to Colorado, or will Philadelphia find its future?

By Jared Abbott
Posted on 04/09/2013 at 1:00 pm

At first glace it would appear that Joe Sakic and Seth Jones have very little in common. Sakic was born in Burnaby, BC, with the sole purpose of playing ice hockey. Jones was born in Plano, TX to a former NBA player. Now an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets, Popeye Jones was a budding professional basketball player in 1993 when his career took him to Dallas. Coincidently, the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas, becoming the Stars that same year. Mike Modano provided scintillating performances for the new …

Future Flyers Report: Alt signs entry-level deal, Cousins and Alderson debut with Phantoms, Oshawa on the brink of elimination, Zolnierczyk traded

By Craig F
Posted on 04/08/2013 at 9:00 am

Mark Alt joined the Philadelphia Flyers’ organization just before the beginning of this shortened NHL season began back in the middle of January. In a deal that also brought Brian Boucher back to Philly, the Orange and Black also acquired Alt from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Luke Pither.Alt spent this season with the University of Minnesota, a squad that was upset by the Yale Bulldogs in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Over his three years with the Golden Gophers, Alt totaled seven goals, 32 assists, and 85 PIMs with a plus-39 rating in 117 games. The …

Future Flyers Report: Lauridsen in the NHL, Yale ruins Frozen Four dreams, OHL/WHL playoff updates

By Craig F
Posted on 04/01/2013 at 9:24 pm

Oliver Lauridsen experienced a sample size of professional hockey with the Adirondack Phantoms in the 2010-2011 season before spending the entire 2011-2012 campaign with the club. Due to several of the Philadelphia Flyers’ defensemen being out of action because of injuries, Lauridsen got his first taste of the NHL this weekend. At 6″6′, 229 pounds, Lauridsen is a gigantic blue liner that uses his size to his advantage by being a physical, stay-at-home defender. From 2008-2009 to 2010-2011, the defenseman spent most of his time with St. Cloud State University where he had seven goals and 15 assists along with …

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