1. Shane Wright (C)
Shane Wright is the bonafide 1st overall pick in this year’s NHL draft and his stats back it up. Since Wright was drafted 1st overall in the 2019 OHL draft to the Kingston Frontenacs he has lit up the league.
Wright won OHL Rookie of the Year in his first season, while simultaneously producing a better PPG total (1.14) than Conor McDavid in his first OHL season.
This year Shane finished with 32 goals and 62 assists in 63 games (94 points for all non-math guys). He is labeled as a strong two-way forward with high IQ, a lethal wrist shot and a strong work ethic. Although he excels in almost all facets of the game, he still needs to work on being more consistent offensively.
Overall he is probably the most well-rounded prospect in this draft and will most likely start immediately in the NHL.
In my opinion Shane Wright has all the intangibles to be a dominant two-way threat in the NHL and he seems like the exact type of player the Flyers enjoy drafting, a complete two-way hockey player.
If the Flyers end up winning the lottery I would not pass on this guy.
2. Logan Cooley (C)
Easily the top American prospect in this year’s draft, Logan Cooley is a hell of a hockey player and if it weren’t for Shane Wright he would have a shot at 1st overall with the likes of other players in this ranking.
Like Wright he is a two-way forward and had 75 points in 51 games this season on the United States National Team. His hockey profile portrays him as a solid two-way player with great puck handling, creativity and a strong work ethic.
At 5’10 he isn’t the tallest player and he also currently lacks strength, so building up muscle will be a major focal point for him as he looks to make an NHL roster.
Cooley literally has the coolest name in this year’s draft and better yet he’s an American. I wouldn’t be mad at all if this is who the Flyers drafted. Keep in mind he would not play in the NHL immediately as he is set to play college hockey at the University of Minnesota next season.
3). Matthew Savoie (C)
Here’s another guy that’s been lighting up his junior league, Savoie is a right-handed center who played for the Winnipeg Ice of the WHL. He put up similar numbers to Shane Wright this season, netting 35 goals and 55 assists in 65 games (1.38PPG).
Compared to the other top centers of this draft (Wright and Cooley), Savoie is said to be the most offensively gifted even though he is the shortest of the three centers at 5’9”. He is labeled as an elite playmaker with silky mitts; however, he has a tendency to pass first even though he has a lethal shot. Hmm – where have I heard that before?
Savoie has fallen out of favor with Central Scouts recently, as they have placed Cutter Gauthier (sick name) behind Wright and Cooley in their final rankings. I think I like this guy more than the consensus, but what do I know. I just drink and tweet about Flyers hockey.
4. Joakim Kemell (RW)
Joakim Kemell is a player that has been rumored to be high on the Flyers radar this draft. He is a right-handed winger from Finland who has been playing very well the past few seasons in Liiga, which is the top professional hockey league in Finland.
This season specifically he started out red hot, potting 18 points in his first 16 games. At that point in the season many scouts believed he could go as high as 2nd overall after Shane Wright.
The rest of the season did not go as well, finishing with 23 points in 39 games. Although his play dipped throughout the second half of his season, he did rack up a few injuries which may be the leading cause of his struggles.
Kemell’s prospect profile portrays him as an elite scorer and some have dubbed him the best scorer in the draft. His skating and puck skills aren’t too bad either as he’s labeled as a well-rounded offensive talent.
The main concern with Kemell is his point production falling off during the second half of his season.
The Flyers REALLY like this guy and I would not be surprised if this is who they take during the draft. The point production drop off is a concern, but when it comes to projecting him as an NHL talent I would focus on how he was lighting up the top professional Finnish league to start the season as a 17 (now 18) year old.
5). Simon Nemec (D)
In some people’s opinion, Simon Nemec is the top defensive prospect in this year’s draft (David Jiricek is another option for top defenseman). Nemec is a right-handed Slovakian standing at 6’1”, 192lbs. He is a very strong skating and poised defensemen and is highly coveted because of his right-handed shot.
Some of the negatives about his game include his inconsistent puck control at times and his tendency to take the occasional risk, which some may see as a positive. Overall, Nemec is a very solid player and will be one of the first defenseman taken off the board.
I am really starting to fall in love with this guy. If the Flyers are going to go after a big name offensive player this offseason I think taking a defenseman in the draft would be a big brain idea. He’s right-handed and has already shown himself to be an extremely composed hockey player at his young age.
Honorable Mention – Juraj Slafkovsky (LW)
Slafkovsky is a BIG man, standing at 6’4” and 218lbs. He is a left-handed winger out of Slovakia and is still growing. Many scouts believe he has the potential to be a very good power forward in this league because of his offensive skill and brute strength and physicality.
His size is obviously one of his strengths as he uses it to his advantage and is extremely good along the boards. Some would even say his board play and puck possession are Jagr-esque. Some things he needs to improve on are his speed and skating ability.
If the Flyers want to add size and strength to their roster this would not be a bad pick at all. He is very skilled offensively and isn’t afraid to use his body.
Although he is not in my Top 5 rankings, I still believe Slaf has the chance to be drafted high in this draft. Maybe even as early as 3rd overall.
Keep in mind these are my rankings based on their scouting profiles at this point in time. Draft rankings are always fluid and can change at any time. After the NHL Draft Lottery on May 10th we will have a better idea on who will be available when the Flyers make their draft selection.
Look out for another article before the draft as I provide my top picks for the Flyers!
Sources: EliteProspects and TheHockeyWriters
Photo: NHL.com
Drunk Gritty is a writing contributor at HW Hockey and a co-host on the Tie My Skates Podcast
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