The 2019 NHL entry draft is Friday and Saturday in Vancouver, British Columbia. General manager Chuck Fletcher, assistant general manager Brent Flahr and the Flyers hold the 11th overall pick and eight selections in total.
"This draft's a little unique," Flahr said last week. "Especially in the top 15, there are a number of different types of players, which is interesting — some power wingers, some smaller scoring wingers, some centermen, there's a number of D, a goaltender.
"We've identified probably five or six guys that we think have a chance to be there at 11 and probably some of the other teams in front of us will dictate that. But we're really confident we're going to get a good player."
This week, we are breaking down options for the Flyers at No. 11.
Arthur Kaliyev
Position: Right winger
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 194
Shoots: Left
Team: Hamilton
Scouting report
NHL
Kaliyev might be the second-best goal-scorer in the draft behind only USNTDP product Cole Caufield.
There's a lot to like with the New York native, from his size to his shot. He understands angles and spacing as he scored 51 goals in 67 regular-season games for the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs. Kaliyev isn't just a finisher, either. He tallied 51 assists, giving him 102 points on the season.
This was an interesting tidbit on Kaliyev from TSN's Bob McKenzie:
Inconsistency of effort has created a polarizing effect among scouts. In the TSN survey of 10 scouts, one had Kaliyev in the top 10 and another had him outside the top 40. The others had him spread out in between, totaling six votes in the first round and four in the second. No other prospect ranked in the first round has such a wide variance.
NHL Central Scouting has Kaliyev ranked as the seventh-best North American skater, ahead of Caufield, Matthew Boldy and Peyton Krebs.
Fit with Flyers
Kaliyev has been a teammate of Flyers prospect Matthew Strome the past two seasons, so the club's development and scouting staff has likely seen a good bit of the winger.
It all comes down to what the Flyers think of Kaliyev (as well as the teams ahead of them).
There aren't a ton of flawless teenage prospects. Kaliyev will turn 18 years old next week and his game/effort in all three zones can be worked on over time.
There's no doubt a 51-goal scorer in just his second year of junior hockey is intriguing.
More on the 2019 NHL draft
• Flyers take one of draft's best D-men in this 1st-round mock
• Trading No. 11 pick? Draft dynamic? That and more here
• Could 72-goal scorer who broke Auston Matthews record drop to Flyers?
• Flyers could have shot to draft 'elite' skating, 6-foot-3 defenseman
• Flyers like 'unique' winger Boldy as option for No. 11 overall pick
• Impressive playmaking center Krebs could be there for Flyers at No. 11