Where the front office projects players to be in a few years could also have an impact on what they do by Monday at 3 p.m.
There are a couple of lists that get updated by the Flyers’ front office throughout the season.
One, which gets the most publicity these days, is of who can help them from other teams and be a potential pickup before Monday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. Another is a tiered list of the team’s prospects who might be part of a trade package. Both lists were part of the meetings the team had over the last couple of weeks.
Assistant general manager Brent Flahr, who heads the team’s scouting operations, has the biggest voice in the prospect list as general manager and team president Chuck Fletcher steers the ship on what moves the organization makes.
“Chuck asks me to put my list together as far as rating them and guys you would trade or consider trading, guys you wouldn’t. Obviously certain deals call for different things,” Flahr explained. “Obviously, ideally you don’t want to trade your guys who you think are gonna be key players for you but at the same time, if it feels right you have to consider it. That’s essentially the way it works.”
Sounds like a simple concept but Flahr’s job is to identify moving targets. He has to predict, with the help of the Flyers’ development staff, what young players will ultimately project to be.
All of the team’s prospects, even the ones who already turned pro with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are still in their development phase.
“That’s the challenge,” Flahr said. “You think you know and even your top guys, not everybody’s gonna transition to the NHL and have success, even guys you think are going to for sure. That’s the way it works but at the same time we have an idea and with our development staff, we think we know where certain guys are. You try to project where they’re going to be in a couple years.”
Those meetings came to a close a couple weeks ago and Flahr, along with advisor Dean Lombardi, submitted the list. Of course, it’s always subject to change.
Flahr added his insight on this week’s prospect report, but did not reveal where those players fell among the tiers of trade availability.
all statistics through Saturday
Jay O’Brien, center/right wing, Penticton Vees (BCHL)
Age: 20
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 184 pounds
Acquired: 2018 first-round pick (19th overall)
This season: 46 games, 25 goals, 41 assists
The skinny: This was supposed to be a big year for O’Brien, who left Providence College after his freshman season and went back to junior hockey before next season when he’s set to join Boston University. A broken foot took him out of commission for a while and he ended up out of center and on right wing, which happened last season as well when he missed time with injuries at Providence.
Flahr’s take: “The injury was a bit of a setback but he’s healthy and they’ve got a good team so they should go on a good playoff run. … He’s one of the main cogs. He’s healthy and it looks like he’s having fun and some offensive success.”
Maksim Sushko, right wing, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)
Age: 21
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds
Acquired: 2017 fourth-round pick (107th overall)
This season: 50 games, 10 goals, 10 assists
The skinny: Two years ago, Sushko took a big step forward in development. After the Flyers drafted him he put up some pretty big numbers for OHL Owen Sound, was captain of Belarus’ team at the World Junior Championships and then played with the men at the World Championships. Last season the production dipped but as a rookie in the AHL this season, he’s progressed nicely.
Flahr’s take: “I think from the start of the season on he’s just getting better and better. He’s hockey strong. A lot of the details of his game are really good as far as playing in your own end and wall battles and things like that … It looks like he has a chance to be an NHL player down the road.”
Matt Strome, right wing, Reading Royals (ECHL)
Age: 21
Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 210 pounds
Acquired: 2017 fourth-round pick (107th overall)
This season: 18 games, 6 goals, 7 assists in ECHL; 19 games, 2 goals, 2 assists in AHL
The skinny: Skating has been the biggest knock on Strome since even before he was drafted but the Flyers saw a high hockey IQ. In his first year as a pro, it hasn’t come easily and recently Strome has been down in the ECHL with the Reading Royals.
Flahr’s take: “Part of it’s confidence. … We just wanted to make sure he goes down and feels good and the skating’s gonna have to come. Part of it is a big strength issue. He’s gonna have to have a big summer. We just wanted to make sure he wasn’t losing his confidence so he can get his puck touches. He’s getting some points down there, getting better.”
Carsen Twarynski, left wing, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)
Age: 22
Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 198 pounds
Acquired: 2016 third-round pick (82nd overall)
This season: 25 games, 5 goals, 5 assists in AHL; 15 games, 1 goal, 0 assists in NHL
The skinny: Twarynski is one of those fringe players that’s shown he could have a future in the NHL. He plays that power forward game but can do it in a bottom-six role at the top level which not everyone can do. An injury took him out of commission for six weeks, but he returned and has played in the Phantoms’ last five games.
Flahr’s take: “He’s been really good since he’s been back. He’s playing to his identity. … Right now he’s been heavy, playing in straight lines, scoring some goals and has been real effective since he’s gotten back.”
