Photo Credit: Zachary Peters
Let’s face it- the Philadelphia Flyers’ past two seasons have left a lot to be desired but, believe it or not, recently there has been a bright side to things. With the losses quickly piling up and the outcome of the season now a forgone conclusion, Flyers’ management have finally done something right: They have made it a point to insert youth into the lineup. Earlier in the season the Flyers were the third oldest team in the NHL; Now, they find their average age rapidly plummeting. This comes from a multitude of reasons, including trades, signings, and recent call ups. First, the team traded away their longtime captain, Claude Giroux and in exchange they were able to receive 23-year-old Owen Tippet from the Florida Panthers. Now that he’s been given a shot to be a mainstay in the Flyers’ roster, Tippett has been able to showcase his offensive prowess by way of capitalizing on the multitude of chances that he has been able to rack up on a nightly basis while playing alongside Kevin Hayes. Then, there is the newly signed Bobby Brink and Noah Cates who have hit the ice running since making the jump from the NCAA to the pros. Brink looks to have instant chemistry with the Flyers’ leading goal scorer last year- Joel Farabee, and Cates is showing off his versatility, racking up points on the fourth line.
This should not be the last of the youth movement to happen in Philadelphia though. The Flyers have two more promising prospects who will look to turn pro next season: Connor McClennon and Elliot Desnoyers. In saying that if the Flyers want to contend sooner rather than later, they should draft from a position of familiarity.
Connor McClennon/Matthew Savoie
The Flyers’ 2020 6th round pick Connor McClennon who is now 19-years-old has been putting on quite the show for Winnipeg Ice fans this year. He will have to sign an entry-level contract by June 1, 2022 or he becomes a free agent. McClennon also has nothing else to prove in Juniors, so with him turning 20-years-old in June it makes more sense for him to turn pro.
McClennon, who has become known as a finisher during his time in Winnipeg, has totaled 43 goals and 37 assists this season for 80 points in just 62 games played. That’s a 1.29 point-per-game average that he has been able to pair with a +42 plus/minus rating this year. While Connor’s success this season has been admirable, a large part of that success is because of his 5’9 linemate- Matthew Savoie- who may just be available when the Flyers pick in the first round.
Seen as a top-five talent in this year’s draft, Savoie is projected to be even better than his brother Carter who just helped the University of Denver win a National Championship in the Frozen Four Tournament a few weeks ago. Matthew, who has an amazing 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 points this season for the Ice, is currently operating on a 1.38 point-per-game pace and is a +54 to boot. Savoie has the type of speed, stick handling, and playmaking abilities that could see him sign an NHL deal immediately after being drafted this summer, which would allow him to join the Flyers as soon as next season. Having both of these players who already have such great chemistry together (not to mention a combined 170 points this season) potentially joining forces for the Flyers next year would not only add to the team’s current youth movement, but it would provide both McClennon and Savoie with the kind of familiarity that should help them propel each other into NHL stardom sooner rather than later.
Elliott Desnoyers/Jordan Dumais
Not to be outdone, the Flyers’ 2020 5th round pick Elliot Desnoyers looks ready to make the jump to the pro level next season as well. This season, while serving as captain for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Hockey Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), Desnoyers has been able to score 33 goals and 40 assists for 73 points thus far in just 55 games played. If you’re keeping track, that’s a 1.32 point-per-game pace. But, like McClennon, Desnoyers cannot take all the acclaim for his success: His linemate Jordan Dumais who is projected to be picked somewhere in the second to third round range of this year’s draft has had a lot to do with it. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “But Lance, the Flyers don’t have a second-round pick this year” and you would be right. But, if the Flyers wanted to move up and draft Dumais for the purpose of having him and Desnoyers to continue to build upon their success in juniors, then they most certainly could. How would they do this? Well, the Flyers could move a number of NHL-roster players that they may deem less-than-impressive the past couple of seasons. JVR and Konecny are just a few names that have been mentioned in the rumor mill the past couple of seasons. The more likely way though is Philadelphia trading a couple of picks away for a second rounder this year. The Flyers now have three third round picks next year and a couple of fourth round picks slated for the 2023 draft as well that they could use to garner a second this year if they so choose. Therefore, let’s get back to Dumais. This season, Jordan has netted (the exact same totals as Savoie) 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 points while playing with Desnoyers. Even though he is just 5’9 and will need to put on weight to play at the next level, Jordan’s adept skillset has scouts currently predicting his ceiling to be a top-six player in the NHL one day. Desnoyers and Dumais have a combined 163 points this season and they have both developed the utmost respect for each other. Being able to pair them together again one day soon at the pro level would only give them time to further expand their chemistry.
The days where size and brute strength ruled the NHL are going away. They are being replaced by smaller, much faster players who are far more skilled and able to skate right by the leftover behemoths of the league. For the most part, the Flyers have been behind in this trend. Only now are they reaping the benefits of this with their recent signing of a 5’8 Bobby Brink to their roster: A compact player who not only pulled off being the top scorer this season in the rough and rugged NCAA but in a very short amount of time has been able to become a surprising contributor in the NHL for the Flyers. So, as far as Savoie and Dumais goes, the sky is the limit for these diminutive players as well. They both have the type of skillsets that could help bring the Flyers out of the dark abyss they currently find themselves in. To expedite this process, all management has to do is take my advice and draft from a position of familiarity.
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Their focus should begin and end with their first-ever drafting of a Norris Trophy caliber defenseman who can play 30 minutes a night in every situation. That player is Simon Nemec, RHD from Slovakia who will be available for them to grab at #5 at this year’s NHL draft. They have NEVER had this type of player in their 56 year history, and it has sorely shown itself the last 47 years. Draft your franchise defenseman. FIRST! Next year they can draft the generational forward in Connor Bedard.