End to End: Who's the better fit for Flyers, Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick?

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title => "End to End: Who's the better fit for Flyers, Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick?"
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article_body => "Throughout the offseason, we\u2019ll ask questions about the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> to our resident hockey analysts and see what they have to say.   Going End to End today are CSNPhilly.com producers\/reporters Tom Dougherty, Jordan Hall and Greg Paone.   The topic: Who would be a better fit for the Flyers, Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier?<\/em>   Dougherty<\/strong> I don\u2019t believe either one would necessarily be a better fit than the other for the Flyers. This is a case where either player matches what the orange and black need: a top-six centerman. It\u2019s safe to say with either Hischier or Patrick, they will come away from Chicago with a substantial piece they can add to their puzzle. I\u2019ve felt they needed another lottery forward.   They\u2019re getting one now, but which player would I prefer to see as a Flyer? That would be Patrick because, for me, he\u2019s the safer bet who is closer to the NHL than Hischier. Now, I don\u2019t believe the Flyers should draft based on who will be here quicker. That would be asinine. But it sure wouldn\u2019t hurt to see either one of them in Philadelphia next season.   Patrick has been atop the rankings for this class for two years now. He dominated the WHL as a 17-year-old two years ago, and despite injuries last season, he still ruled play. Plus it\u2019s hard not to be enamored with Patrick\u2019s size. At 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, he\u2019s a big right-handed pivot. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds. He\u2019ll have to get stronger.   That\u2019s not saying Patrick doesn\u2019t need to add more muscle to his frame, but at 6-3, 198, he has a solid frame that should be able to handle the wear-and-tear of an NHL season. Sure, he does have some durability questions, but it\u2019s not to the Joel Embiid level of concern.   Both players play a solid 200-foot game, which is something GM Ron Hextall preaches. Neither is deficient in his own zone. Patrick is more of a physical player than Hischier. The Brandon center has a solid combination of speed, power and skill, which is attractive.   Hischier has many of the same traits as Patrick, but he\u2019s the flashier of the two. Ultimately, this is a discussion for the Devils more than the Flyers. New Jersey has to decide which one they want, and then the Flyers get the other. From afar, Hischier seems more of a fit to what the Devils need and factor in his rise over the last few months, I think he\u2019ll be a Devil.   And that means Patrick will be a Flyer. Which is perfectly fine with me.<\/p>\nHall<\/strong> If I had to pick, I think the Flyers need more of a player like Hischier than Patrick.   The good thing is they can't go wrong with either 18-year-old.   Hischier seems to come with a higher ceiling offensively and greater potential to put up star numbers at the center position. The playmaking ability is what changes games and the teams that score are the teams that win.   \"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Cam Russell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, said <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/halifax-gm-cam-russell-nico-hischier-youre-getting-star-long-time\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck.\"   What's really appealing about Patrick is you know what you're getting: a proven two-way center that focuses on defense just as much as offense. He'll bring everything to the table and he looks to be the safer pick.   He has \"elite\" potential, too, in his own right.   \"He won't let anybody down,\" Grant Armstrong, the general manager of Patrick's junior club, the Brandon Wheat Kings, said <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. \"I just think he's an elite talent with an elite sense for the game. At some point, he'll be a great two-way centerman in the league.\"   So, the Flyers are in an excellent spot. I'd like to see Hischier fall to the Flyers, but Patrick should excite fans, as well.   And the funny thing is the Flyers won't have to decide between the two.<\/p>\nPaone<\/strong> Let's get this part out of the way before I go deeper into this question: Both Patrick and Hischier are great fits for the Flyers.<\/p>\nBoth are impact forwards who should be able to help sooner rather than later. And with the way the Flyers struggled offensively last season, that's just what the doctor ordered. So they really can't go wrong here and, as I said on Sunday, I do feel it comes down to simplest terms <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/end-end-it-really-2-player-race-atop-nhl-draft\">as the Flyers should take whomever New Jersey doesn't<\/a> out of Patrick and Hischier.<\/p>\nBut this question is about the better fit between the two.<\/p>\nLet's think about it this way: We all have a bunch of T-shirts that fit, but we all have that one T-shirt that fits just right. And when we're in a pinch and need something to wear, we always go back to that T-shirt that fits just right.<\/p>\nAnd the \"just right\" fit here for the Flyers is Hischier.<\/p>\nThe guy just brings an energy to the ice when you see him play. He has a dynamic way to him that when you watch him play, your eyes are just drawn to him. So many times last season the Flyers seemed so lethargic and slogged through periods and games. They needed an energy boost. Hischier can help bring that needed jolt.<\/p>\nOn top of that, the high offensive ceiling for Hischier has to appeal to the Flyers, as Jordan said above. That's just what they need. Nothing against Patrick, seen as more of the two-way player. But the two-way center has been the Flyers' preferred way of thinking for so long now. Nothing against a two-way center, but the Flyers need more of a dynamic, playmaking center and Hischier is that. It's time for something different.<\/p>\nThe Flyers are going to get a darn good player at No. 2 no matter what, but Hischier is the better fit here and now.<\/p>\n"
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Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>As they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>Nolan was dead-on.<\/p>\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>Maybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>It's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460861\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"4\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"4\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>James Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>Later on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>And when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460851\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"3\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"3\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Both James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>Hockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>James said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>Along with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>In fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460841\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"1\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"1\"}}]] AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Every now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>It's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>But \u2026<\/p>\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>[video:https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?q=Nolan+Patrick]<\/p>James is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>But he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>Nolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>In 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>This past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>Now fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460876\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"6\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"6\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>The draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>James said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>Because of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>Looking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>It's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>James, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>His advice is simple.<\/p>\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>","summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"In the basement of his Buffalo home, James Patrick was watching a hockey game with his brother and young nephew.<\/p>\nBetween James and his brother Steve Patrick were 1,530 games of NHL experience. Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>\nAs they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\n\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>\nNolan was dead-on.<\/p>\n\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>\nMaybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\n\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>\nIt's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>\nThe <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460861--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"4\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJames Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\n\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>\nLater on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\n\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>\nAnd when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\n\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460851--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sunjpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"3\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nBoth James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\n\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>\nHockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\n\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>\nJames said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\n\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>\nAlong with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\n\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\nIn fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\n\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460841--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabresjpg\">ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nEvery now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>\nIt's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\n\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\n\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>\nBut \u2026<\/p>\n\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-filter\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/embed\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?autostart=false\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"video-filter video-nhl vf-nhltonightnolanpatrickt277350912c52125203\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\nJames is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\n\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>\nBut he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\n\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\n\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>\nNolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\n\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>\nIn 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>\nThis past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\n\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>\nNow fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\n\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\n\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\n\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460876--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nThe draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>\nJames said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\n\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>\nBecause of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\n\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\n\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>\nLooking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>\nIt's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>\nJames, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>\nHis advice is simple.<\/p>\n\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-19 13:30:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"460931","uid":"156","filename":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/18\/ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"267846","status":"1","timestamp":"1497844083","origname":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","format":null,"safe_value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","metadata":{"height":325,"width":645},"height":"325","width":"645","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story","format":null,"safe_value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"19271"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"531471"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: Nolan Patrick's story"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, James Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick Flyers, Nolan Patrick NHL draft, Nolan Hischier, Flyers top prospects, Flyers draft Nolan Patrick, Flyers draft, NHL draft Chicago"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"520661","entity":{"vid":"543041","uid":"156","title":"Halifax GM Cam Russell on Nico Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"520661","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1494875055","changed":"1498289468","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1494875100","revision_timestamp":"1498289468","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>Certainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>Russell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>Hischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>Oh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>At the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>Hischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>Russell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>Hischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>Russell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>The Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>Flyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>There had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>So, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>Hischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>Hischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>Russell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>As for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>","summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>\nCertainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>\nRussell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\n\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>\nHischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\nOh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>\nAt the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>\nHischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>\nRussell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\n\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>\nHischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>\nRussell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\n\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>\nThe Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>\nFlyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\n\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>\nThere had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>\nSo, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\n\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>\nHischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\n\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\n\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>\nHischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\n\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>\nRussell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>\nAs for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\n\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\n\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-15 19:05:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"HalifaxMooseheads.ca","format":null,"safe_value":"HalifaxMooseheads.ca"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"432871","uid":"266","filename":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-7.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/05\/28\/halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-7.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"297160","status":"1","timestamp":"1496001098","origname":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-7.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"[current-page:title] | [current-page:pager][site:name]","default":"[current-page:title] | [current-page:pager][site:name]"},"description":{"value":"CSN Philadelphia, your source for all Phillies, Eagles, Sixers and Flyers news, updates and more!","default":"CSN Philadelphia, your source for all Phillies, Eagles, 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GM on Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'","format":null,"safe_value":"Halifax GM on Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18251"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"518796"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Nico Hischier to Flyers? 'You're getting a star'"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nico Hischier, Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, NHL draft prospect Nico Hischier, Cam Russell, Nico Hischier scouting report"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"520246","entity":{"vid":"542586","uid":"266","title":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"520246","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1494714412","changed":"1495068540","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1494770400","revision_timestamp":"1495068540","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"On April 29, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>\u2019 fortune changed 10 years after the same event dealt them a blow that may have altered the team\u2019s narrative over the last decade. This time, they won.<\/p>The Flyers, by the fruit of blind luck, jumped 11 spots in the draft lottery to No. 2. It was the largest hurdle in lottery history. It could be a moment we look back on as a game-changer. It could be many things. What it\u2019s not is what happened on April 10, 2007, when the Flyers, who finished with an NHL-worst 56 points in 2006-07, lost the lottery to the Blackhawks.<\/p>Ten years ago, the lottery operated under a different system. Until 2013, the lottery consisted of the five teams with the fewest points in the standings. No team could move up more than four spots, and the team with the fewest points (the Flyers) could only pick either No. 1 or 2 in the draft. The Flyers had a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick.<\/p>We know the story. Chicago, which had an 8.1 percent chance at the top pick, won the lottery, and the Flyers, who had the worst season in franchise history, got sloppy seconds. The lottery system changed in 2013. Now, any team that does not qualify for the playoffs is eligible to win the lottery, which paved the avenue for the Flyers\u2019 climb last month.<\/p>\"I'm not sure it really matters,\" Paul Holmgren, then-Flyers' GM and now team president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/holmgren-speaks-with-media-after-draft-lottery\/c-435748\" target=\"_blank\">told NHL.com<\/a> on April 12, 2007, of losing the lottery. \"The thing about having the first pick is you get the first pick. Now, we don't, but I'm confident we're still going to get a good player. As I've said all along, I'm not sure there's an immediate impact guy there anyway.\"<\/p>That is where the 2007 and 2017 similarities come into play. Ten years later, we know how the 2007 draft panned out, with Patrick Kane, the top pick, being head and shoulders atop the class, and James van Riemsdyk, whom the Flyers drafted No. 2, now playing in Toronto.<\/p>There was an immediate impact player in the 2007 draft, which is where Holmgren was wrong, and it was Kane, who scored at a 0.89 points per game clip in his rookie season, finishing with 72 points in 82 games.<\/p>van Riemsdyk never developed into an impact player with the Flyers. In 2013, the Flyers traded van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs, where he\u2019s matured into a solid complementary scoring winger with a 30-goal season under his belt and two 60-plus-point campaigns.<\/p>\u201cWe were both put in different situations and we were both in different stages, I guess of our hockey development,\u201d van Riemsdyk told <a href=\"http:\/\/prev.dailyherald.com\/story\/?id=384121\" target=\"_blank\">The Daily Herald<\/em><\/a>, a Chicago-area newspaper, May 27, 2010. \u201cI did what I thought was best for me to be a better player, and he was obviously ready to make that jump right after the draft. He made it happen right away.\u201d<\/p>If we go back to 2007, it was not considered to be a slam dunk atop the draft. It was a three-player race between Kane, van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris, who went No. 3 to Arizona. There was thought that even if the Flyers had the top pick, \u201cJVR\u201d would have been the pick. <\/p>\u201cAll three of these kids were very close. Very close,\u201d Holmgren told Kevin Kurz, now with NBC Sports Bay Area, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/staying-close-to-home\/c-435817\" target=\"_blank\">after the draft<\/a> on June 23, 2007. \u201cWe\u2019d have been happy with any of them, but you have to make a decision and James ended up on top.\u201d<\/p>Fast forward to this year. The Flyers\u2019 luck shifted. They finished with 88 points, seven points out of a playoff spot. Without the lottery, they would have picked 13th in what general manager Ron Hextall has described as \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">an average draft<\/a>\u201d \u2014 like it was in 2007, a draft that generated five All-Stars, including the Flyers\u2019 Jakub Voracek, who was drafted seventh overall by Columbus, and van Riemsdyk is not one of them. There were several big misses in the draft.<\/p>This year, it's widely considered a two-player draft, with Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier as the cream of this year\u2019s crop. Barring any unforeseen surprises, the Flyers will come away with either Patrick or Hischier come June 23. It really is as simple as whoever New Jersey does not take at No. 1.<\/p>But that is where we see the difference between 2007 and 2017 for the Flyers. Ten years ago, the Flyers played their way into a top-two pick and rotten luck cost them the top pick. Their choice was between the two players Chicago didn\u2019t take \u2014 van Riemsdyk and Turris.<\/p>In van Riemsdyk, the Flyers were drafting a player who came up in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and still needed years to develop. He decided to play at the University of New Hampshire before turning pro after his sophomore season.<\/p>With either Patrick or Hischier \u2014 it seems to be a pick-your-poison situation \u2014 the Flyers will be getting a player closer to making an immediate impact than they did in 2007. Neither will have the impacts we have seen from the No. 2 picks from the last two drafts \u2014 Jack Eichel and Patrik Laine. <\/p>When asked about Patrick and Hischier\u2019s NHL readiness on May 8, Hextall <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">refused to tip his hat<\/a> about his views on the prospects, sticking to his mantra that any kid has to earn a spot.<\/p>\u201cWe would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do \u2026 you make an educated judgment and then you go from there,\u201d Hextall said. \u201cA player has to come in and prove that he\u2019s ready, and at this age, not many are.\u201d<\/p>Patrick has three years of experience in the Western Hockey League, and there is some belief he will not benefit from a fourth season in the WHL. Despite battling groin and abdominal injuries last season, he still produced above a point-per-game pace (1.39). <\/p>As a 17-year-old two years ago, Patrick put up 102 points in 72 regular-season games and led the Wheat Kings to a WHL championship with 30 points in 21 playoff games. He still will have to prove his worth to either the Flyers or Devils, but one has to believe the likelihood of him making an immediate impact is far greater than him going back to junior.<\/p>Hischier broke out during the world junior championships for Switzerland, scoring four goals and three assists in five games. With Halifax during his rookie season in the QMJHL, Hischier finished as a 1.5 points-per-game player, putting up 86 points in 57 games and earning the league\u2019s Rookie of the Year award. Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, describes the Swiss center as \u201cdefinitely worth the price of admission.\u201d<\/p>There are a plethora of reasons why 2007 and 2017 are different for the Flyers. Luck is atop the list. But the player they\u2019ll be getting this June is one they should be able to reap immediate benefits from, something they weren\u2019t getting in 2007.<\/p>","summary":"Unlike 2007 with James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers should get an immediate impact player in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick in 2017. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"On April 29, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>\u2019 fortune changed 10 years after the same event dealt them a blow that may have altered the team\u2019s narrative over the last decade. This time, they won.<\/p>\nThe Flyers, by the fruit of blind luck, jumped 11 spots in the draft lottery to No. 2. It was the largest hurdle in lottery history. It could be a moment we look back on as a game-changer. It could be many things. What it\u2019s not is what happened on April 10, 2007, when the Flyers, who finished with an NHL-worst 56 points in 2006-07, lost the lottery to the Blackhawks.<\/p>\nTen years ago, the lottery operated under a different system. Until 2013, the lottery consisted of the five teams with the fewest points in the standings. No team could move up more than four spots, and the team with the fewest points (the Flyers) could only pick either No. 1 or 2 in the draft. The Flyers had a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick.<\/p>\nWe know the story. Chicago, which had an 8.1 percent chance at the top pick, won the lottery, and the Flyers, who had the worst season in franchise history, got sloppy seconds. The lottery system changed in 2013. Now, any team that does not qualify for the playoffs is eligible to win the lottery, which paved the avenue for the Flyers\u2019 climb last month.<\/p>\n\"I'm not sure it really matters,\" Paul Holmgren, then-Flyers' GM and now team president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/holmgren-speaks-with-media-after-draft-lottery\/c-435748\" target=\"_blank\">told NHL.com<\/a> on April 12, 2007, of losing the lottery. \"The thing about having the first pick is you get the first pick. Now, we don't, but I'm confident we're still going to get a good player. As I've said all along, I'm not sure there's an immediate impact guy there anyway.\"<\/p>\nThat is where the 2007 and 2017 similarities come into play. Ten years later, we know how the 2007 draft panned out, with Patrick Kane, the top pick, being head and shoulders atop the class, and James van Riemsdyk, whom the Flyers drafted No. 2, now playing in Toronto.<\/p>\nThere was an immediate impact player in the 2007 draft, which is where Holmgren was wrong, and it was Kane, who scored at a 0.89 points per game clip in his rookie season, finishing with 72 points in 82 games.<\/p>\nvan Riemsdyk never developed into an impact player with the Flyers. In 2013, the Flyers traded van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs, where he\u2019s matured into a solid complementary scoring winger with a 30-goal season under his belt and two 60-plus-point campaigns.<\/p>\n\u201cWe were both put in different situations and we were both in different stages, I guess of our hockey development,\u201d van Riemsdyk told <a href=\"http:\/\/prev.dailyherald.com\/story\/?id=384121\" target=\"_blank\">The Daily Herald<\/em><\/a>, a Chicago-area newspaper, May 27, 2010. \u201cI did what I thought was best for me to be a better player, and he was obviously ready to make that jump right after the draft. He made it happen right away.\u201d<\/p>\nIf we go back to 2007, it was not considered to be a slam dunk atop the draft. It was a three-player race between Kane, van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris, who went No. 3 to Arizona. There was thought that even if the Flyers had the top pick, \u201cJVR\u201d would have been the pick. <\/p>\n\u201cAll three of these kids were very close. Very close,\u201d Holmgren told Kevin Kurz, now with NBC Sports Bay Area, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/staying-close-to-home\/c-435817\" target=\"_blank\">after the draft<\/a> on June 23, 2007. \u201cWe\u2019d have been happy with any of them, but you have to make a decision and James ended up on top.\u201d<\/p>\nFast forward to this year. The Flyers\u2019 luck shifted. They finished with 88 points, seven points out of a playoff spot. Without the lottery, they would have picked 13th in what general manager Ron Hextall has described as \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">an average draft<\/a>\u201d \u2014 like it was in 2007, a draft that generated five All-Stars, including the Flyers\u2019 Jakub Voracek, who was drafted seventh overall by Columbus, and van Riemsdyk is not one of them. There were several big misses in the draft.<\/p>\nThis year, it's widely considered a two-player draft, with Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier as the cream of this year\u2019s crop. Barring any unforeseen surprises, the Flyers will come away with either Patrick or Hischier come June 23. It really is as simple as whoever New Jersey does not take at No. 1.<\/p>\nBut that is where we see the difference between 2007 and 2017 for the Flyers. Ten years ago, the Flyers played their way into a top-two pick and rotten luck cost them the top pick. Their choice was between the two players Chicago didn\u2019t take \u2014 van Riemsdyk and Turris.<\/p>\nIn van Riemsdyk, the Flyers were drafting a player who came up in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and still needed years to develop. He decided to play at the University of New Hampshire before turning pro after his sophomore season.<\/p>\nWith either Patrick or Hischier \u2014 it seems to be a pick-your-poison situation \u2014 the Flyers will be getting a player closer to making an immediate impact than they did in 2007. Neither will have the impacts we have seen from the No. 2 picks from the last two drafts \u2014 Jack Eichel and Patrik Laine. <\/p>\nWhen asked about Patrick and Hischier\u2019s NHL readiness on May 8, Hextall <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">refused to tip his hat<\/a> about his views on the prospects, sticking to his mantra that any kid has to earn a spot.<\/p>\n\u201cWe would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do \u2026 you make an educated judgment and then you go from there,\u201d Hextall said. \u201cA player has to come in and prove that he\u2019s ready, and at this age, not many are.\u201d<\/p>\nPatrick has three years of experience in the Western Hockey League, and there is some belief he will not benefit from a fourth season in the WHL. Despite battling groin and abdominal injuries last season, he still produced above a point-per-game pace (1.39). <\/p>\nAs a 17-year-old two years ago, Patrick put up 102 points in 72 regular-season games and led the Wheat Kings to a WHL championship with 30 points in 21 playoff games. He still will have to prove his worth to either the Flyers or Devils, but one has to believe the likelihood of him making an immediate impact is far greater than him going back to junior.<\/p>\nHischier broke out during the world junior championships for Switzerland, scoring four goals and three assists in five games. With Halifax during his rookie season in the QMJHL, Hischier finished as a 1.5 points-per-game player, putting up 86 points in 57 games and earning the league\u2019s Rookie of the Year award. Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, describes the Swiss center as \u201cdefinitely worth the price of admission.\u201d<\/p>\nThere are a plethora of reasons why 2007 and 2017 are different for the Flyers. Luck is atop the list. But the player they\u2019ll be getting this June is one they should be able to reap immediate benefits from, something they weren\u2019t getting in 2007.<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Unlike 2007 with James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers should get an immediate impact player in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick in 2017. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-14 14:00:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images\/HalifaxMooseheads.ca","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images\/HalifaxMooseheads.ca"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"440076","uid":"266","filename":"ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/05\/13\/ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"290425","status":"1","timestamp":"1494716035","origname":"ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"metadata":{"height":360,"width":640},"height":"360","width":"640","alt":"","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2","format":null,"safe_value":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"15101"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"518706"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, Flyers draft lottery, 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, Ron Hextall, Flyers top prospects, Flyers prospects, Paul Holmgren, James van Riemsdyk, Patrick Kane, Patrick Kane Flyers"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"526256","entity":{"vid":"550081","uid":"156","title":"Nolan Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at NHL combine","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"526256","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1496452468","changed":"1496548719","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1496452200","revision_timestamp":"1496548719","revision_uid":"266","body":{"und":[{"value":"BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 Nolan Patrick took a timeout toward the end of his shift with reporters on Friday at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>The top-ranked draft prospect was feeling the heat inside the NHL's Centennial Museum track and had to remove his jacket before answering the last few questions.<\/p>Patrick is not sweating his draft status after meeting with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> and a dozen other teams this week and reaffirming his health heading into Saturday's fitness testing.  <\/p>\"I'm not going to try to prove anything,\" Patrick said. \"I'm just going to try and do the tests to the best of my abilities.\"<\/p>Along with Swiss skater Nico Hischier, the Winnipeg-born Patrick is one of two 18-year-old centers the Flyers are expected to select with the No. 2 pick in the June 23-24 draft. The New Jersey Devils hold the first pick and have not yet revealed their plans.<\/p>Patrick said he informed teams this week that he has recovered from a misdiagnosed double sports hernia injury that limited him during his last season of junior hockey. He had surgery on his right groin muscle last July, but a similar injury on his left side went undetected and did not heal until after the season.<\/p>After leading Brandon to the Western Hockey League championship in 2016, Patrick missed more than half of this past season, including all four WHL playoff games, with various injuries. He has been medically cleared for combine testing and expects to be able to participate in an NHL training camp in September.<\/p>\"Obviously, it wasn't the ideal season for me,\" Patrick said. \"I don't think any hockey player wants something like that, especially in your draft year.\"<\/p>But now that he is healthy, Patrick believes the injury helped his development.<\/p>\"I don't think it was the worst thing for me,\" he said. \"I think a little adversity for a young kid makes you stronger as a player. I didn't talk about it during the year in the media, that I was misdiagnosed. This is the first time I've really said anything about it.\"<\/p>The 6-foot-2, 198-pound Patrick still produced 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 33 games last season and won the Top Prospect Award as the best draft-eligible player in the Canadian Hockey League. Hischier, who played in Halifax, was also a finalist for the award.<\/p>The NHL teams try to get to know them better this week, while the consensus top two prospects in the draft have spent time getting to know each other.<\/p>\"It's good to see that he's a really good guy,\" Patrick said of Hischier.<\/p>Patrick said he got no \"vibes\" from his meeting with the Devils on which player they were leaning toward with the No. 1 pick.<\/p>Does Patrick believe he should be the one?<\/p>\"That's not up for to decide, so I guess I'll see what the NHL teams think,\" Patrick said. \"Obviously, that would be a huge honor. \u2026 But I'd be honored to go anywhere.\"<\/p>Patrick is also unconcerned with the perception that the top prospects in this year's draft are not as good as the prizes from 2015 (Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel) or 2016 (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine).<\/p>\"At the end of the day, I'm just trying to make the NHL and contribute as much I can,\" Patrick said. \"I'm not putting any added pressure on myself. \u2026 I try not to compare myself to those guys. I don't expect to come in and put 40 goals up, or score four goals in my first game. I don't think that happens very often.\"<\/p>Patrick's father, Steve, played 250 games for the Sabres, Rangers and Nordiques from 1980-86. His uncle, James, played 1,280 games with the Rangers, Whalers, Flames and Sabres from 1983-2006 and was an assistant coach for the Stars the past four seasons.<\/p>Patrick said his father and uncle have taught him that how he carries himself off the ice will be as important to his success and his skills on the ice.<\/p>\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" he said.<\/p>Unfamiliar with Philadelphia, Patrick does have a friend on the Flyers.<\/p>\"I've never been there, but one of my good buddies, Ivan Provorov, plays there,\" Patrick said. \"I've talked to him a bit and he loves it.\"<\/p>","summary":"Nolan Patrick, who could be the Flyers' draft pick at No. 2, talked his health, mindset and more on Friday at the NHL combine. By Jonah Bronstein<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 Nolan Patrick took a timeout toward the end of his shift with reporters on Friday at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\nThe top-ranked draft prospect was feeling the heat inside the NHL's Centennial Museum track and had to remove his jacket before answering the last few questions.<\/p>\nPatrick is not sweating his draft status after meeting with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> and a dozen other teams this week and reaffirming his health heading into Saturday's fitness testing.  <\/p>\n\"I'm not going to try to prove anything,\" Patrick said. \"I'm just going to try and do the tests to the best of my abilities.\"<\/p>\nAlong with Swiss skater Nico Hischier, the Winnipeg-born Patrick is one of two 18-year-old centers the Flyers are expected to select with the No. 2 pick in the June 23-24 draft. The New Jersey Devils hold the first pick and have not yet revealed their plans.<\/p>\nPatrick said he informed teams this week that he has recovered from a misdiagnosed double sports hernia injury that limited him during his last season of junior hockey. He had surgery on his right groin muscle last July, but a similar injury on his left side went undetected and did not heal until after the season.<\/p>\nAfter leading Brandon to the Western Hockey League championship in 2016, Patrick missed more than half of this past season, including all four WHL playoff games, with various injuries. He has been medically cleared for combine testing and expects to be able to participate in an NHL training camp in September.<\/p>\n\"Obviously, it wasn't the ideal season for me,\" Patrick said. \"I don't think any hockey player wants something like that, especially in your draft year.\"<\/p>\nBut now that he is healthy, Patrick believes the injury helped his development.<\/p>\n\"I don't think it was the worst thing for me,\" he said. \"I think a little adversity for a young kid makes you stronger as a player. I didn't talk about it during the year in the media, that I was misdiagnosed. This is the first time I've really said anything about it.\"<\/p>\nThe 6-foot-2, 198-pound Patrick still produced 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 33 games last season and won the Top Prospect Award as the best draft-eligible player in the Canadian Hockey League. Hischier, who played in Halifax, was also a finalist for the award.<\/p>\nThe NHL teams try to get to know them better this week, while the consensus top two prospects in the draft have spent time getting to know each other.<\/p>\n\"It's good to see that he's a really good guy,\" Patrick said of Hischier.<\/p>\nPatrick said he got no \"vibes\" from his meeting with the Devils on which player they were leaning toward with the No. 1 pick.<\/p>\nDoes Patrick believe he should be the one?<\/p>\n\"That's not up for to decide, so I guess I'll see what the NHL teams think,\" Patrick said. \"Obviously, that would be a huge honor. \u2026 But I'd be honored to go anywhere.\"<\/p>\nPatrick is also unconcerned with the perception that the top prospects in this year's draft are not as good as the prizes from 2015 (Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel) or 2016 (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine).<\/p>\n\"At the end of the day, I'm just trying to make the NHL and contribute as much I can,\" Patrick said. \"I'm not putting any added pressure on myself. \u2026 I try not to compare myself to those guys. I don't expect to come in and put 40 goals up, or score four goals in my first game. I don't think that happens very often.\"<\/p>\nPatrick's father, Steve, played 250 games for the Sabres, Rangers and Nordiques from 1980-86. His uncle, James, played 1,280 games with the Rangers, Whalers, Flames and Sabres from 1983-2006 and was an assistant coach for the Stars the past four seasons.<\/p>\nPatrick said his father and uncle have taught him that how he carries himself off the ice will be as important to his success and his skills on the ice.<\/p>\n\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" he said.<\/p>\nUnfamiliar with Philadelphia, Patrick does have a friend on the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"I've never been there, but one of my good buddies, Ivan Provorov, plays there,\" Patrick said. \"I've talked to him a bit and he loves it.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nolan Patrick, who could be the Flyers' draft pick at No. 2, talked his health, mindset and more on Friday at the NHL combine. By Jonah Bronstein<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1796"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-03 01:10:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Tim Smith | Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"Tim Smith | Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"452316","uid":"156","filename":"tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"268180","status":"1","timestamp":"1498209153","origname":"tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"Nolan Patrick","format":null,"safe_value":"Nolan Patrick"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"Nolan Patrick","metadata":{"height":377,"width":640},"height":"377","width":"640","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Possible Flyers pick Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at combine","format":null,"safe_value":"Possible Flyers pick Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at combine"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18766"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"13406"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"526206"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Nolan Patrick talks injury history, mindset at NHL combine"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, 2017 NHL Scouting Combine"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"524586","entity":{"vid":"548076","uid":"156","title":"A healthy Nolan Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"524586","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1495928611","changed":"1498289443","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1495986900","revision_timestamp":"1498289443","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"As he met with general manager Grant Armstrong, Nolan Patrick had just finished an injury-marred junior season.<\/p>The 18-year-old missed the WHL playoffs and was limited to 33 games because of two separate injuries. He underwent sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, a major impediment to his summer training. He never quite \"caught up to the year,\" as Armstrong put it.<\/p>\"I don't think he really ever got himself into a situation where he was 100 percent,\" the Brandon Wheat Kings GM said in a phone interview last week with CSNPhilly.com.<\/p>But none of that was about to crack Patrick's confidence.<\/p>\"When we had our exit meetings, he told me he was going to play in the NHL,\" Armstrong said. \"I wished him the best of luck and I expect that's where he'll be next year.\"<\/p>Where he could be is Philadelphia sporting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> orange. Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top two picks for the June 23-24 NHL entry draft. The Flyers, of course, thanks to a stroke of good luck, will be happily sitting at No. 2 overall. The Devils will make Ron Hextall's decision much easier when they pick at No. 1.<\/p>The Canadian Patrick and Swiss-born Hischier are both centers. Coming into the season, Patrick was viewed as the draft's top dog, but his health and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/halifax-gm-cam-russell-nico-hischier-youre-getting-star-long-time\">Hischier's rise<\/a> have tightened the race.<\/p>Will the injuries cause apprehension?<\/p>\"I think there's no concern at all,\" Armstrong said. \"Injuries are a part of the game and I don't see it being an issue for Nolan at all. He trains well, he works hard at it and rehabs properly. I don't see it being an issue and currently, I think he's at 100 percent.\"<\/p>Despite the hampered summer and shortened season, Patrick showed why he's so heralded, compiling 46 points in 33 games for the Wheat Kings, his third year with the junior club. He scored 20 goals and collected 26 assists. Why that might not be mind-blowing is because Patrick had 102 points in 2015-16 on 41 goals and 61 assists for an astounding plus-51 rating. He went on to record 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 21 playoff games, leading Brandon to its first WHL title in 20 years alongside current Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>Similar to Provorov, Patrick's hockey smarts belie his age.<\/p>\"His presence on the ice, he just thinks the game, he puts himself in positions to be successful all the time,\" Armstrong said. \"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect. He sees the game so well, he's a student of the game, he understands and puts himself in positions of success. That hasn't changed, it's only getting better for him.<\/p>\"He's a difference-maker.\"<\/p>Armstrong joined the Wheat Kings last summer but had scouted and seen plenty of Patrick as Armstrong worked the previous four seasons for the WHL's Victoria Royals.<\/p>\"He's a very elite player with a tremendous hockey sense,\" Armstrong said. \"I think that's his biggest attribute is he thinks the game so well, he thinks it ahead of what's really happening on the ice a lot of the times. He's a player that's really starting to come into his own. <\/p>\"This next season will be a real opportunity for him to showcase his elite hockey sense and his athleticism and all the things that combine to make him a great player.\"<\/p>It appears Patrick, who has great size at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, is ready to showcase those traits at the NHL level. His future club will ultimately decide that in training camp.<\/p>\"We would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-flyers-moving-lottery-it-changes-things-lot\">Hextall said earlier this month<\/a>. \"You make an educated judgment and then you go from there. A player has to come in and prove that he's ready and at this age not many are, so we'll wait and see which way [the player] goes from there.\"<\/p>Armstrong said there's constant communication between Brandon and NHL teams throughout a season and that it escalates this time of year as the draft nears.<\/p>What about with the Flyers?<\/p>\"The Flyers are a great organization and obviously we have ties to their GM,\" Armstrong said. \"It's a good fit and they know what's going on.<\/p>\"They're dialed into what's going on and they have all kinds of ways to communicate with people.\"<\/p>While Patrick may not jump off the charts with Connor McDavid-like scoring ability, he prides himself on being complete. Armstrong said Patrick models his game after Kings center Anze Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2015-16 Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's top defensive forward.<\/p>It's the do-it-all mentality Armstrong believes was special, night in and night out.<\/p>\"Just the way he makes small plays in a game that would set up a teammate,\" he said. \"He plays a 200-foot game, he's coming back hard and supporting the D in the defensive zone. Switching to offense, he's quick and he does things that make him such a great player.<\/p>\"I think everybody thinks that a No. 1 or 2 centerman is going to be completely focused on the offensive side, but no, he's very committed to the defensive side of the puck \u2014 I think that's one thing that's a little bit misunderstood about him. He's got such an ability to play in any situation \u2014 killing penalties, late in the game, taking big faceoffs, that's his game.\"<\/p>Armstrong extolled Patrick for making everyone around him better on the Wheat Kings.<\/p>If that's with the Flyers next, Armstrong believes you won't be disappointed.<\/p>\"I think they just have to be patient and allow the player to grow. He won't let anybody down,\" Armstrong said. \"I just think he's an elite talent with an elite sense for the game. At some point, he'll be a great two-way centerman in the league. He'll put up offensive numbers. They won't be in the elite category, but he'll be a guy that'll chip away at his game, he'll produce. You just have to take your time and be patient.\"<\/p>","summary":"Brandon Wheat Kings GM Grant Armstrong said a healthy Nolan Patrick would be an elite, difference-making talent for the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"As he met with general manager Grant Armstrong, Nolan Patrick had just finished an injury-marred junior season.<\/p>\nThe 18-year-old missed the WHL playoffs and was limited to 33 games because of two separate injuries. He underwent sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, a major impediment to his summer training. He never quite \"caught up to the year,\" as Armstrong put it.<\/p>\n\"I don't think he really ever got himself into a situation where he was 100 percent,\" the Brandon Wheat Kings GM said in a phone interview last week with CSNPhilly.com.<\/p>\nBut none of that was about to crack Patrick's confidence.<\/p>\n\"When we had our exit meetings, he told me he was going to play in the NHL,\" Armstrong said. \"I wished him the best of luck and I expect that's where he'll be next year.\"<\/p>\nWhere he could be is Philadelphia sporting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> orange. Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top two picks for the June 23-24 NHL entry draft. The Flyers, of course, thanks to a stroke of good luck, will be happily sitting at No. 2 overall. The Devils will make Ron Hextall's decision much easier when they pick at No. 1.<\/p>\nThe Canadian Patrick and Swiss-born Hischier are both centers. Coming into the season, Patrick was viewed as the draft's top dog, but his health and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/halifax-gm-cam-russell-nico-hischier-youre-getting-star-long-time\">Hischier's rise<\/a> have tightened the race.<\/p>\nWill the injuries cause apprehension?<\/p>\n\"I think there's no concern at all,\" Armstrong said. \"Injuries are a part of the game and I don't see it being an issue for Nolan at all. He trains well, he works hard at it and rehabs properly. I don't see it being an issue and currently, I think he's at 100 percent.\"<\/p>\nDespite the hampered summer and shortened season, Patrick showed why he's so heralded, compiling 46 points in 33 games for the Wheat Kings, his third year with the junior club. He scored 20 goals and collected 26 assists. Why that might not be mind-blowing is because Patrick had 102 points in 2015-16 on 41 goals and 61 assists for an astounding plus-51 rating. He went on to record 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 21 playoff games, leading Brandon to its first WHL title in 20 years alongside current Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>\nSimilar to Provorov, Patrick's hockey smarts belie his age.<\/p>\n\"His presence on the ice, he just thinks the game, he puts himself in positions to be successful all the time,\" Armstrong said. \"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect. He sees the game so well, he's a student of the game, he understands and puts himself in positions of success. That hasn't changed, it's only getting better for him.<\/p>\n\"He's a difference-maker.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong joined the Wheat Kings last summer but had scouted and seen plenty of Patrick as Armstrong worked the previous four seasons for the WHL's Victoria Royals.<\/p>\n\"He's a very elite player with a tremendous hockey sense,\" Armstrong said. \"I think that's his biggest attribute is he thinks the game so well, he thinks it ahead of what's really happening on the ice a lot of the times. He's a player that's really starting to come into his own. <\/p>\n\"This next season will be a real opportunity for him to showcase his elite hockey sense and his athleticism and all the things that combine to make him a great player.\"<\/p>\nIt appears Patrick, who has great size at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, is ready to showcase those traits at the NHL level. His future club will ultimately decide that in training camp.<\/p>\n\"We would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-flyers-moving-lottery-it-changes-things-lot\">Hextall said earlier this month<\/a>. \"You make an educated judgment and then you go from there. A player has to come in and prove that he's ready and at this age not many are, so we'll wait and see which way [the player] goes from there.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong said there's constant communication between Brandon and NHL teams throughout a season and that it escalates this time of year as the draft nears.<\/p>\nWhat about with the Flyers?<\/p>\n\"The Flyers are a great organization and obviously we have ties to their GM,\" Armstrong said. \"It's a good fit and they know what's going on.<\/p>\n\"They're dialed into what's going on and they have all kinds of ways to communicate with people.\"<\/p>\nWhile Patrick may not jump off the charts with Connor McDavid-like scoring ability, he prides himself on being complete. Armstrong said Patrick models his game after Kings center Anze Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2015-16 Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's top defensive forward.<\/p>\nIt's the do-it-all mentality Armstrong believes was special, night in and night out.<\/p>\n\"Just the way he makes small plays in a game that would set up a teammate,\" he said. \"He plays a 200-foot game, he's coming back hard and supporting the D in the defensive zone. Switching to offense, he's quick and he does things that make him such a great player.<\/p>\n\"I think everybody thinks that a No. 1 or 2 centerman is going to be completely focused on the offensive side, but no, he's very committed to the defensive side of the puck \u2014 I think that's one thing that's a little bit misunderstood about him. He's got such an ability to play in any situation \u2014 killing penalties, late in the game, taking big faceoffs, that's his game.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong extolled Patrick for making everyone around him better on the Wheat Kings.<\/p>\nIf that's with the Flyers next, Armstrong believes you won't be disappointed.<\/p>\n\"I think they just have to be patient and allow the player to grow. He won't let anybody down,\" Armstrong said. \"I just think he's an elite talent with an elite sense for the game. At some point, he'll be a great two-way centerman in the league. He'll put up offensive numbers. They won't be in the elite category, but he'll be a guy that'll chip away at his game, he'll produce. You just have to take your time and be patient.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Brandon Wheat Kings GM Grant Armstrong said a healthy Nolan Patrick would be an elite, difference-making talent for the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-28 15:55:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"460851","uid":"266","filename":"tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"246725","status":"1","timestamp":"1498209642","origname":"tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"[current-page:title] | 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healthy Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says","format":null,"safe_value":"A healthy Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18631"},{"tid":"18626"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"531846"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"If Flyers draft Nolan Patrick, 'he won't let anybody down'"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, Jordan Hall, Grant Armstrong, 2017 NHL draft"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"524716","entity":{"vid":"548221","uid":"621","title":"Nico Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock as Flyers do their homework","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"524716","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1496001098","changed":"1496224532","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1496062800","revision_timestamp":"1496224532","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"WINDSOR, Ontario -- Ever since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\" target=\"_blank\">Flyers<\/a> shot up the selection order at last month\u2019s NHL draft lottery, prospect and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier has been familiarizing himself with the Flyers' organization.<\/p>The Flyers entered the lottery with just a 2.2 percent shot at the first overall pick after finishing the season with a 39-33-10 record but climbed 11 spots from the 13th selection to No. 2 in the draft, which takes place June 23-24 in Chicago.<\/p>\u201cI know it\u2019s a sports city \u2014 they have the NHL, NBA and all those sports,\u201d Hischier said Saturday at the Memorial Cup. \u201cIt\u2019s a really nice city and I know Mark Streit played there and Jakub Voracek played in Halifax as well.\u201d<\/p>The Flyers' brass has wasted no time familiarizing themselves with the 18-year-old, who spent this season playing with the Mooseheads in the QMJHL.<\/p>\u201cWe had already a little meeting together, but I think at combine we\u2019ll see each other again,\u201d said Hischier, who is ranked second amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. \u201cIt was just that they want to know me better as a person. They asked me some personal questions and that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>A native of Naters, Switzerland, Hischier grew up playing soccer. He was also an avid skier and snowboarder before his older brother, Luca, turned him on to hockey.<\/p>\u201cI used to ski a lot,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cFirst skiing, and then snowboarding, but my brother played hockey, he\u2019s four years older than me, then I just wanted to play hockey as well.\u201d<\/p>Last season, Hischier followed his brother to Bern, where he played 15 games in the Swiss pro league with several former NHLers while he was coached by current Senators bench boss Guy Boucher.<\/p>The six-foot, 174-pound center registered one assist in his brief stint with the club but gained valuable experience in the process.<\/p>\u201cI think that helped me a lot because they\u2019re all older guys and they gave me some good tips, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI really could learn from them and it\u2019s great that I could play with them.<\/p>\u201cI think I learned a lot (from Boucher). He brought Canadian hockey to Switzerland, I think. His practices were hard and I could really learn from him.\u201d<\/p>Halifax used the sixth selection at last year\u2019s CHL import draft to pick Hischier, and after a little convincing, the lanky forward made the decision to make the move to North America.<\/p>\u201cI just came to Canada to try to become a better hockey player and I worked hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI had great teammates, and Halifax is a great organization.\u201d<\/p>Adjusting to the smaller rinks in North America admittedly took time for Hischier, but he adapted well leading all CHL rookies in scoring with 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games. On Saturday, he was named the CHL\u2019s rookie of the year <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/top-nhl-draft-prospects-nolan-patrick-nico-hischier-get-chl-awards\" target=\"_blank\">(see story)<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\u201cI think I improved my game in the corners,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cYou have to dump more pucks over here on North American ice, and chase the puck more behind the net. At the end, I would say my play in the corners (improved the most).\u201d<\/p>Growing up, Hischier watched former Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk closely, trying to model his game after the Russian forward.<\/p>He spent time this season playing both the wing and center positions and isn\u2019t afraid to go to the net hard despite his slender frame. His offensive talents coupled with his ability to play both ends of the ice is what caused his draft stock jump from 26th on ISS Hockey\u2019s rankings in November to a top-three position in January.<\/p>Internationally, Hischier made a splash at this year\u2019s Under-20 world junior tournament in Toronto and Montreal, scoring a team-leading four goals and seven points in five games.<\/p>The highlight came in the quarterfinals where Hischier nearly single-handedly upset the Americans, scoring two goals in a 3-2 loss.<\/p>The performance led to a glowing review from U.S. coach Bob Motzko.<\/p>\u201cHe was the best player we\u2019ve seen in this tournament,\u201d Motzko said following the game. \u201cWe tried all four lines against him and I thought he was playing every shift because every time he got out there, the ice was tilted. It was the first thing we said when we got into the locker room: \u2018That\u2019s the best player we\u2019ve seen in the tournament.\u2019\u201d<\/p>After the Mooseheads' first-round playoff exit, Hischier once again donned his country\u2019s colors, registering one assist in five games at the U-18 tournament.<\/p>However, he skipped out on an opportunity to represent Switzerland at the senior men\u2019s tournament in favor of relaxation.<\/p>\u201cIt was really important (to recover),\u201d he said. \u201cI went a couple days away from Switzerland to the beach (in Italy) and just relaxed. It was really great. Had to refill my tank and it was just great.\u201d<\/p>Hischier will get another opportunity to meet with the Flyers\u2019 front office this week in Buffalo at the NHL\u2019s scouting combine. It\u2019s believed Hischier could make the jump to the NHL in the fall, but he knows he still has some work to do this summer to make his dream come true.<\/p>\u201cGet some pounds on, I want to get stronger,\u201d said Hischier. \u201cI think that\u2019s the most important thing and I work hard towards that.\u201d<\/p>","summary":"Nico Hischier, a possibility for the Flyers at No. 2 overall, recounts his meteoric rise in the hockey world. By Dhiren Mahiban<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"WINDSOR, Ontario -- Ever since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\" target=\"_blank\">Flyers<\/a> shot up the selection order at last month\u2019s NHL draft lottery, prospect and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier has been familiarizing himself with the Flyers' organization.<\/p>\nThe Flyers entered the lottery with just a 2.2 percent shot at the first overall pick after finishing the season with a 39-33-10 record but climbed 11 spots from the 13th selection to No. 2 in the draft, which takes place June 23-24 in Chicago.<\/p>\n\u201cI know it\u2019s a sports city \u2014 they have the NHL, NBA and all those sports,\u201d Hischier said Saturday at the Memorial Cup. \u201cIt\u2019s a really nice city and I know Mark Streit played there and Jakub Voracek played in Halifax as well.\u201d<\/p>\nThe Flyers' brass has wasted no time familiarizing themselves with the 18-year-old, who spent this season playing with the Mooseheads in the QMJHL.<\/p>\n\u201cWe had already a little meeting together, but I think at combine we\u2019ll see each other again,\u201d said Hischier, who is ranked second amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. \u201cIt was just that they want to know me better as a person. They asked me some personal questions and that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>\nA native of Naters, Switzerland, Hischier grew up playing soccer. He was also an avid skier and snowboarder before his older brother, Luca, turned him on to hockey.<\/p>\n\u201cI used to ski a lot,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cFirst skiing, and then snowboarding, but my brother played hockey, he\u2019s four years older than me, then I just wanted to play hockey as well.\u201d<\/p>\nLast season, Hischier followed his brother to Bern, where he played 15 games in the Swiss pro league with several former NHLers while he was coached by current Senators bench boss Guy Boucher.<\/p>\nThe six-foot, 174-pound center registered one assist in his brief stint with the club but gained valuable experience in the process.<\/p>\n\u201cI think that helped me a lot because they\u2019re all older guys and they gave me some good tips, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI really could learn from them and it\u2019s great that I could play with them.<\/p>\n\u201cI think I learned a lot (from Boucher). He brought Canadian hockey to Switzerland, I think. His practices were hard and I could really learn from him.\u201d<\/p>\nHalifax used the sixth selection at last year\u2019s CHL import draft to pick Hischier, and after a little convincing, the lanky forward made the decision to make the move to North America.<\/p>\n\u201cI just came to Canada to try to become a better hockey player and I worked hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI had great teammates, and Halifax is a great organization.\u201d<\/p>\nAdjusting to the smaller rinks in North America admittedly took time for Hischier, but he adapted well leading all CHL rookies in scoring with 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games. On Saturday, he was named the CHL\u2019s rookie of the year <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/top-nhl-draft-prospects-nolan-patrick-nico-hischier-get-chl-awards\" target=\"_blank\">(see story)<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\u201cI think I improved my game in the corners,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cYou have to dump more pucks over here on North American ice, and chase the puck more behind the net. At the end, I would say my play in the corners (improved the most).\u201d<\/p>\nGrowing up, Hischier watched former Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk closely, trying to model his game after the Russian forward.<\/p>\nHe spent time this season playing both the wing and center positions and isn\u2019t afraid to go to the net hard despite his slender frame. His offensive talents coupled with his ability to play both ends of the ice is what caused his draft stock jump from 26th on ISS Hockey\u2019s rankings in November to a top-three position in January.<\/p>\nInternationally, Hischier made a splash at this year\u2019s Under-20 world junior tournament in Toronto and Montreal, scoring a team-leading four goals and seven points in five games.<\/p>\nThe highlight came in the quarterfinals where Hischier nearly single-handedly upset the Americans, scoring two goals in a 3-2 loss.<\/p>\nThe performance led to a glowing review from U.S. coach Bob Motzko.<\/p>\n\u201cHe was the best player we\u2019ve seen in this tournament,\u201d Motzko said following the game. \u201cWe tried all four lines against him and I thought he was playing every shift because every time he got out there, the ice was tilted. It was the first thing we said when we got into the locker room: \u2018That\u2019s the best player we\u2019ve seen in the tournament.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\nAfter the Mooseheads' first-round playoff exit, Hischier once again donned his country\u2019s colors, registering one assist in five games at the U-18 tournament.<\/p>\nHowever, he skipped out on an opportunity to represent Switzerland at the senior men\u2019s tournament in favor of relaxation.<\/p>\n\u201cIt was really important (to recover),\u201d he said. \u201cI went a couple days away from Switzerland to the beach (in Italy) and just relaxed. It was really great. Had to refill my tank and it was just great.\u201d<\/p>\nHischier will get another opportunity to meet with the Flyers\u2019 front office this week in Buffalo at the NHL\u2019s scouting combine. It\u2019s believed Hischier could make the jump to the NHL in the fall, but he knows he still has some work to do this summer to make his dream come true.<\/p>\n\u201cGet some pounds on, I want to get stronger,\u201d said Hischier. \u201cI think that\u2019s the most important thing and I work hard towards that.\u201d<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nico Hischier, a possibility for the Flyers at No. 2 overall, recounts his meteoric rise in the hockey world. 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Flyers do homework, Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock ","format":null,"safe_value":"As Flyers do homework, Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock "}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"4621"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"524096"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Nico Hischier, Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers Nolan Patrick, NHL draft, NHL draft Flyers"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"mbowker","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"516201","entity":{"vid":"537661","uid":"266","title":"2017 NHL draft prep: Options for Flyers at No. 2","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"516201","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1493532228","changed":"1494697282","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1493559000","revision_timestamp":"1494697282","revision_uid":"266","body":{"und":[{"value":"The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>' long-term landscape changed Saturday night with a stroke of luck.<\/p>Facing long odds, the Flyers nearly won the NHL draft lottery, but will have to settle for the No. 2 pick <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Considering where they were projected to pick, this is a major win for the Flyers.<\/p>\"We had a lot of bad luck this year,\" Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said Saturday night. \"And I'm hoping this is a turning point. This is a big point for our franchise.\"<\/p>The Flyers came into the lottery most likely to draft 13th at 84.3 percent. Lottery rules dictated that they could only draft in the top three, stay at 13 or fall to 14 or 15th. They had a 2.2 percent chance at the top pick, 2.4 percent at the second pick and 2.7 at the third pick.<\/p>And the hockey gods were on the Flyers' side Saturday. Because of their current prospect picture \u2014 heavy on defensemen and goaltenders \u2014 the Flyers will have an opportunity to add an impact forward to their prospect pool, an immediate hole they will be able to fill.<\/p>Here are five prospects the Flyers could target with the No. 2 pick come June 23-24 at the NHL draft in Chicago.<\/p>(Note: Because the Flyers are heavy on defensive prospects, we're not including Miro Heiskanen, the consensus top defenseman in this year's draft class.)<\/em><\/p>Nolan Patrick, C, 18, 6-2\/198, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Patrick finished as the top-rated skater by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, a spot he has been in all year long despite dealing with a groin\/abdominal injury throughout the 2016-17 season. He is touted as a two-way, right-handed center who does everything well but doesn't possess any one specific elite skill. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/sportsnets-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-march\/\">Sportsnet's Jeff Marek<\/a> wrote in March, \"think Jonathan Toews-lite.\" Patrick has NHL blood in his veins, as his father, Steve Patrick (250 games), and uncle, James Patrick (1,280 games), both have played in the league. In 33 games with the Wheat Kings this season, Patrick scored 20 goals and 46 points. He missed 39 games. During the 2015-16 season, Patrick registered 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games. He played two seasons in Brandon with Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106898&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He has more than proven over the last three years that he is the real deal and will be an impact NHL player. The poise, the presence, the attention to detail, the way he processes and executes plays \u2014 everything has been far more precise, far more accurate and a lot quicker this season.\"<\/p>Nico Hischier, C, 18, 6-1\/176, Halifax (QMJHL)<\/strong> With Patrick the projected top pick in June's draft, Hischier checks in as the early favorite to become a Flyer on June 23. Hischier had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTL_BYWD2Ro\">a breakout performance<\/a> as an underage player \u2014 he was 17 at the time \u2014 for Team Switzerland during the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships, posting four goals and three assists in five games. He will likely become the highest-drafted Swiss-born player in league history. Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall, 2010) currently holds that title. In his first season in the QMJHL, Hischier led all rookies with 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points in 57 games, earning himself the league's Rookie of the Year award and winning the Mike Bossy Trophy, awarded to the league's best pro prospect.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107219&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Hischier is definitely worth the price of admission. He has a high skill level, but what's most impressive is the way he competes, his drive and work ethic. He is a player who is first on the forecheck forcing a turnover and when the play transitions, he's the first player back. He's in that category as a special player.\"<\/p>Gabriel Vilardi, C, 17, 6-3\/202, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> Vilardi battled a knee injury and appendicitis in 2016-17 with Windsor but still finished more than a point-per-game player with the Spitfires. He recorded 61 points in 49 games this season. His 29 goals led Windsor and his 61 points were second on the club. Vilardi is an excellent puck-possession forward, which drives his and his linemates' scoring. Skating is an area he can improve upon. He is a right-handed shot with good size, something that could intrigue the Flyers. He compares his game to John Tavares, the New York Islanders' star captain. He finished as Central Scouting's fourth-best rated North American skater.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107429&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Vilardi is a high-end possession center with excellent hockey sense and puck-handling ability. He plays a very composed game with the puck, using his vision and playmaking ability to influence the game in all three zones. Vilardi excels below the dots in the offensive zone, where he utilizes his size and reach to control the play and generate scoring opportunities.\"<\/p>Owen Tippett, RW, 18, 6-0\/200, Mississauga (OHL)<\/strong> What would intrigue Flyers fans about Tippett is his shoot-first mentality, a trait not many current Flyers own. A right wing with size, Tippett positions himself in scoring areas and has a desirable shot. He's described as a strong skater with great breakaway speed. He led the Steelheads with 44 goals and 75 points in 60 games this season. His 44 goals were fifth in the Ontario Hockey League. With Patrick and Hischier the cream of this year's average crop, Tippett at No. 2 might be a reach, but he fits the mold of what the Flyers need.<\/p>Michael Rasmussen, C, 18, 6-6\/215, Tri-City (WHL)<\/strong> Rasmussen is a centerman with above average skating for a player his size and a knack for knowing how to use his size to his advantage. He suffered a wrist injury this season and played in just 50 of Tri-City's 72 games. He netted 32 goals and 55 points and led the Americans with 15 power-play goals, an attractive trait for the Flyers. He compares his game to Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and former Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin. He finished fifth among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106985&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He's playing with much more confidence this season. He's adapted to playing a bigger role and playing heavy minutes against opponents' top lines and defense. The game has slowed down for him a little bit and he's just that much more poised. He can take that extra bit of time and understands he can take that time to make plays and score goals.\"<\/p>","summary":"After the Flyers landed the No. 2 overall pick during Saturday's lottery, Tom Dougherty looks at five potential players whom the Flyers could select.<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>' long-term landscape changed Saturday night with a stroke of luck.<\/p>\nFacing long odds, the Flyers nearly won the NHL draft lottery, but will have to settle for the No. 2 pick <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Considering where they were projected to pick, this is a major win for the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"We had a lot of bad luck this year,\" Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said Saturday night. \"And I'm hoping this is a turning point. This is a big point for our franchise.\"<\/p>\nThe Flyers came into the lottery most likely to draft 13th at 84.3 percent. Lottery rules dictated that they could only draft in the top three, stay at 13 or fall to 14 or 15th. They had a 2.2 percent chance at the top pick, 2.4 percent at the second pick and 2.7 at the third pick.<\/p>\nAnd the hockey gods were on the Flyers' side Saturday. Because of their current prospect picture \u2014 heavy on defensemen and goaltenders \u2014 the Flyers will have an opportunity to add an impact forward to their prospect pool, an immediate hole they will be able to fill.<\/p>\nHere are five prospects the Flyers could target with the No. 2 pick come June 23-24 at the NHL draft in Chicago.<\/p>\n(Note: Because the Flyers are heavy on defensive prospects, we're not including Miro Heiskanen, the consensus top defenseman in this year's draft class.)<\/em><\/p>\nNolan Patrick, C, 18, 6-2\/198, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Patrick finished as the top-rated skater by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, a spot he has been in all year long despite dealing with a groin\/abdominal injury throughout the 2016-17 season. He is touted as a two-way, right-handed center who does everything well but doesn't possess any one specific elite skill. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/sportsnets-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-march\/\">Sportsnet's Jeff Marek<\/a> wrote in March, \"think Jonathan Toews-lite.\" Patrick has NHL blood in his veins, as his father, Steve Patrick (250 games), and uncle, James Patrick (1,280 games), both have played in the league. In 33 games with the Wheat Kings this season, Patrick scored 20 goals and 46 points. He missed 39 games. During the 2015-16 season, Patrick registered 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games. He played two seasons in Brandon with Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106898&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He has more than proven over the last three years that he is the real deal and will be an impact NHL player. The poise, the presence, the attention to detail, the way he processes and executes plays \u2014 everything has been far more precise, far more accurate and a lot quicker this season.\"<\/p>\nNico Hischier, C, 18, 6-1\/176, Halifax (QMJHL)<\/strong> With Patrick the projected top pick in June's draft, Hischier checks in as the early favorite to become a Flyer on June 23. Hischier had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTL_BYWD2Ro\">a breakout performance<\/a> as an underage player \u2014 he was 17 at the time \u2014 for Team Switzerland during the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships, posting four goals and three assists in five games. He will likely become the highest-drafted Swiss-born player in league history. Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall, 2010) currently holds that title. In his first season in the QMJHL, Hischier led all rookies with 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points in 57 games, earning himself the league's Rookie of the Year award and winning the Mike Bossy Trophy, awarded to the league's best pro prospect.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107219&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Hischier is definitely worth the price of admission. He has a high skill level, but what's most impressive is the way he competes, his drive and work ethic. He is a player who is first on the forecheck forcing a turnover and when the play transitions, he's the first player back. He's in that category as a special player.\"<\/p>\nGabriel Vilardi, C, 17, 6-3\/202, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> Vilardi battled a knee injury and appendicitis in 2016-17 with Windsor but still finished more than a point-per-game player with the Spitfires. He recorded 61 points in 49 games this season. His 29 goals led Windsor and his 61 points were second on the club. Vilardi is an excellent puck-possession forward, which drives his and his linemates' scoring. Skating is an area he can improve upon. He is a right-handed shot with good size, something that could intrigue the Flyers. He compares his game to John Tavares, the New York Islanders' star captain. He finished as Central Scouting's fourth-best rated North American skater.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107429&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Vilardi is a high-end possession center with excellent hockey sense and puck-handling ability. He plays a very composed game with the puck, using his vision and playmaking ability to influence the game in all three zones. Vilardi excels below the dots in the offensive zone, where he utilizes his size and reach to control the play and generate scoring opportunities.\"<\/p>\nOwen Tippett, RW, 18, 6-0\/200, Mississauga (OHL)<\/strong> What would intrigue Flyers fans about Tippett is his shoot-first mentality, a trait not many current Flyers own. A right wing with size, Tippett positions himself in scoring areas and has a desirable shot. He's described as a strong skater with great breakaway speed. He led the Steelheads with 44 goals and 75 points in 60 games this season. His 44 goals were fifth in the Ontario Hockey League. With Patrick and Hischier the cream of this year's average crop, Tippett at No. 2 might be a reach, but he fits the mold of what the Flyers need.<\/p>\nMichael Rasmussen, C, 18, 6-6\/215, Tri-City (WHL)<\/strong> Rasmussen is a centerman with above average skating for a player his size and a knack for knowing how to use his size to his advantage. He suffered a wrist injury this season and played in just 50 of Tri-City's 72 games. He netted 32 goals and 55 points and led the Americans with 15 power-play goals, an attractive trait for the Flyers. He compares his game to Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and former Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin. He finished fifth among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106985&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He's playing with much more confidence this season. He's adapted to playing a bigger role and playing heavy minutes against opponents' top lines and defense. The game has slowed down for him a little bit and he's just that much more poised. He can take that extra bit of time and understands he can take that time to make plays and score goals.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"After the Flyers landed the No. 2 overall pick during Saturday's lottery, Tom Dougherty looks at five potential players whom the Flyers could select.<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":[],"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-04-30 13:30:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"190391","uid":"156","filename":"ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2018\/06\/10\/ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"275864","status":"1","timestamp":"1528687727","origname":"ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":null,"format":null,"safe_value":""}]},"field_file_image_title_text":{"und":[{"value":null,"format":null,"safe_value":""}]},"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"metadata":{"height":391,"width":640},"height":"391","width":"640","alt":"","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Who are the top options for the Flyers with the No. 2 pick?","format":null,"safe_value":"Who are the top options for the Flyers with the No. 2 pick?"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"17946"},{"tid":"17956"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"17951"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"509206"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"2017 NHL draft: Flyers targets at No. 2"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, Flyers land No. 2 pick, Flyers draft lottery, Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, Gabriel Vilardi, Owen Tippett, Michael Rasmussen, Future Flyers Report, Flyers prospects, Flyers draft 2017"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"528411","entity":{"vid":"552866","uid":"156","title":"2017 NHL draft prep: 2nd-round options for Flyers","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"528411","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1497060545","changed":"1497299015","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1497191040","revision_timestamp":"1497299015","revision_uid":"621","body":{"und":[{"value":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>In fact, they have 10 more picks after the first round and five in the first four rounds. Needless to say, this is a crucial draft for the Flyers. GM Ron Hextall already set himself up for one before landing the No. 2 pick. Now comes time to execute months of scouting.<\/p>\"We have a lot of picks here and we have to hit,\" Hextall recently told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/video\/hextall-on-draft-pt-3\/t-289469110\/c-51978303\">the Flyers' website<\/a>. \"We can't just hit on No. 2 and then be satisfied.\"<\/p>Because we have an idea of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/2017-nhl-draft-prep-options-flyers-no-2\">whom the pick will be at No. 2<\/a>, we decided to take a look at some potential targets for the Flyers in the second round.<\/p>Grant Mismash, LW, 18, 6-0\/186, USNTDP<\/strong> Mismash may not be around when the Flyers are on the board in the second round. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native is projected to go anywhere between late first round and middle of the second. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107068&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">24th-rated North American skater<\/a> by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. The 6-foot, 186-pound winger styles his game after Corey Perry and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h5GeQhmos5w\">enjoys the physical side<\/a> of the game. He's a product of the USNTDP, where he scored 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 games playing for the program's U-18 team. In 26 USHL games, he tallied eight goals and 24 helpers. He was part of the U.S. gold-medal team at the 2017 U-18 world championship, a tournament in which he registered three goals and eight points.<\/p>In the fall, he'll begin his college career at the University of North Dakota, a storied program that has produced many hockey greats, including Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews. In fact, Mismash also played one season, in 2014-15, at Shattuck-St. Mary's, a private high school, in Faribault, Minnesota, where Parise also played as a teenager. After Mismash committed to UND in 2015, Shattuck coach Tom Ward told the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.grandforksherald.com\/sports\/und-hockey\/3712084-und-mens-hockey-und-lands-commitment-coveted-shattuck-prospect\">Grand-Forks Herald<\/a><\/em> that Mismash \"doesn't play like an Edina (Minnesota) kid. He plays like a kid who grew up in the country, playing like a farm boy, which is a compliment.\"<\/p>Jesper Boqvist, C, 18, 6-0\/179, Bryn\u00e4s IF (SHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are likely familiar with Boqvist from keeping tabs on Oskar Lindblom, their 2015 fifth-round pick who's coming overseas next season with great anticipation. Boqvist plays both center and wing with a quick first step, good puck skills and a scoring touch. After breaking onto the scene in the junior ranks in 2015-16, he scored a combined 33 points in 50 games this past season in the SHL, Division 2 and the J20 SuperElit league.<\/p>Whether it's fair or not, Boqvist will ultimately be compared to other Swedish players such as Nicklas Backstrom and Jakob Silfverberg, who both also played for Bryn\u00e4s. Mats Backlin, the Bryn\u00e4s J20 coach, told Swedish newspaper <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dt.se\/ishockey\/shl\/hedemorasonen-jesper-boqvist-hyllas-stort-av-tranaren-lika-bra-som-nicklas-backstrom-var\">Dalarnas Tidningar<\/a><\/em> Boqvist is \"as good as those in this age. He's incredibly talented and you can compare him with them at this age.\" He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107234&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">10th-rated European skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's a left-handed shot who compares his play to Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expressen.se\/sport\/hockey\/shl\/de-kan-lamna-brynas-efter-sm-finalforlusten\/\">Expressen<\/a><\/em>, Boqvist may leave Bryn\u00e4s for another SHL team if he's promised an expanded role.<\/p>Matthew Strome, LW, 18, 6-4\/206 (Hamilton, OHL)<\/strong> If his last name rings familiarity, it should. Strome's older brothers, Ryan and Dylan, were both top-five draft picks in the last six years. The Islanders drafted Ryan Strome fifth overall in 2011, while Arizona selected Dylan Strome with the third pick in 2015. The youngest Strome brother is not taking the same path to the NHL as his brothers, however. Matthew Strome still could squeak into the first round but projects to be a second-rounder. Whether he falls to the 43-44 range is unforeseen, but the biggest knock on him is skating.<\/p>An Ontario-based <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/hamilton-bulldogs-winger-matthew-strome-wont-top-2017-nhl-draft-pick\/\">NHL scout told Sportsnet<\/a> last November of Strome's skating: \"Technically it's sort of painful to watch. He has a short, choppy stride.\" There is still plenty to like about Strome's game. He's a big, physical winger who's not afraid to head to the dirty areas to score. Strome, who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107434&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">33rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, led Hamilton with 34 goals this season. But his skating might be a problem going forward, which may<\/em> be enough for him to slip into the Flyers' range in the second round.<\/p>Scott Reedy, C, 18, 6-2\/204, USNTDP<\/strong> Another product of the USNTDP and Shattuck-St. Mary's, Reedy, a Prior Lake, Minnesota, native, is committed to play at the University of Minnesota in the fall. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107059&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">40th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, a seven-slot climb from the midterm rankings. At 6-foot-2, he has good size, playmaking ability and a high compete level. His versatility is a bonus. He can play both the pivot and the wing. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/Scott-Reedy\/\">Future Considerations<\/a><\/em> calls him a \"supreme skater who is just as agile, quick and mobile as he is smart.\"<\/p>Reedy, who likens his game to Islanders center John Tavares, notched 22 goals and 42 points in 60 games with the USNTDP U-18 team in 2016-17, and 10 goals and 14 points in 21 USHL contests. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3cEOyt8w4aI\">scoring a hat trick<\/a> against Arizona State on Feb. 25, Reedy showcased the willingness to create havoc in front of the net and get to the slot for easy scoring chances. He figures to go around the middle of the second round, where the Flyers pick.<\/p>Morgan Frost, C, 18, 5-11\/170, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/strong> One common theme with Frost that comes to mind is his hockey intelligence. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107492&tab=scr\">Central Scouting<\/a>, which rated him 31st among North American skaters, describes him as a \"smart and skilled center with very good offensive hockey sense \u2014 excellent vision and anticipation to quickly take advantage of opportunities.\" He's a playmaking center who projects to play wing in the NHL until he adds more muscle, which he could do by the time his drafting team decides he's ready. He's a creative, plus passer who could benefit from shooting the puck more.<\/p>The Sault Ste. Marie forward scored 20 goals and 62 points in 67 games during the regular season and added 11 points in 11 postseason games. He styles his game after Minnesota center Mikael Granlund. He projects to go in the second round and very well could be an option for the Flyers when they're on the clock.<\/p>Ivan Lodnia, RW, 17, 5-10\/182, Erie (OHL)<\/strong> Lodnia has a Flyers connection \u2014 the Flyers <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/flyers-hire-kris-knoblauch-assistant-coach-replace-fired-joe-mullen\">hired Erie coach Kris Knoblauch<\/a> as an assistant last Wednesday \u2014 but would have been on this list regardless. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107443&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">36th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's regarded as a highly skilled forward who bounced around the Otters' lineup this season in different roles largely because of Erie's loaded lineup. Lodnia largely was a staple on Erie's shutdown third line as the season progressed and the playoffs rolled around, which explains the dip in production.<\/p>During the regular season, Lodnia collected 57 points in 66 games with Erie. In his first 32 games, he registered 34 points but compiled just 22 in the final 34 games of the season. He had just two points in 22 playoff games but did add five in five Memorial Cup games. Lodnia's size might scare off teams, but in today's NHL there is a place for smaller players. One concern with Lodnia may be his skating. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/ohlprospects.blogspot.com\/2017\/02\/midseason-mediascout-top-10-for-2017.html\">OHL Prospects' Brock Otten<\/a>, Lodnia's \"not explosive, nor does he possess high-end speed.\" Still, Lodnia is described by <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/ivan-lodnia\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> as \"despite his size he is a very difficult player to take off the puck.\"<\/p>Marcus Davidsson, C, 18, 6-0\/191, Djurg\u00e5rdens IF (SHL)<\/strong> With the Flyers finally appearing to be placing an increased importance on speed and skill, Davidsson could be an intriguing option should he be available when the Orange and Black are on the clock. Davidsson's skating stride produces great speed. Central Scouting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107235&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">rated him the 12th-best European skater<\/a>, a position he's been in both the midterm and final rankings. A two-way, playmaking pivot, Davidsson tries to emulate fellow Swede and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/marcus-davidsson\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> says of Davidsson: \"Not physical, but will step into an opponent to separate the puck as well as battle for position deep in the offensive zone.\" He's still a project, though, who has to develop consistency, but that should be expected from a teenager dabbling in the SHL.<\/p>This season, Davidsson skated on a line with his older brother, Jonathan Davidsson, and Lukas Vejdemo, Montreal's 2015 third-round pick, for Djurg\u00e5rdens IF of the SHL. He registered just five goals and nine points with Djurg\u00e5rdens \u2014 he had six goals and 10 points in nine games with Djurg\u00e5rdens' junior club \u2014 but played 45 games in one of the best professional leagues in the world outside of the NHL as an 18-year-old.<\/p>Jonah Gadjovich, LW, 18, 6-2\/209, Owen Sound (OHL)<\/strong> The numbers are impressive: 46 goals, 28 assists, 74 points in 60 games with the Attack during the 2016-17 campaign, but are those numbers inflated from playing with projected first-round pick Nick Suzuki? That is one of the questions surrounding Gadjovich. He jumped up from the 60th-rated North American skater in Central Scouting's midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106926&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">39th-rated skater<\/a>. From his second year in the OHL to his third, he saw a 50-point increase and produced more than a point-per-game rate.<\/p>Gadjovich is projected to go anywhere between the middle of the second round and even the third or fourth rounds. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eliteprospects.com\/player.php?player=252476\">Elite Prospects<\/a> describes him as \"a feisty two-way winger that uses his size and speed to open up space for himself and teammates.\" He's a gritty, team-first player who has potential to either hit or flop. He may be a reach for where the Flyers will be drafting in the second round, though. He carries some risk.<\/p>Other names to watch<\/strong><\/p>Henri Jokiharju, D, 17, 6-0\/180, Portland (WHL)<\/strong> Jokiharju is projected to go anywhere between late in the first round or early second. Probably isn't an option for the Flyers in the early teens of the second but if he falls, it'd be hard to pass up. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107810&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">19th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D, 17, 6-2\/161, Charlottetown (QMJHL)<\/strong> A puck-moving defenseman with size who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107765&tab=prf\">27th-rated North American skater<\/a> in Central Scouting's final rankings. He had six goals and 39 points in 62 games with Charlottetown this season. Like Jokiharju, Joseph likely will be gone before the Flyers pick.<\/p>Michael DiPietro, G, 18, 6-0\/200, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are high on Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom, so goaltender is probably not something they'll look for in the second round, but if they do, DiPietro is an option. Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=3&dpid=107446&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">fourth-rated North American goalie<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>Stelio Mattheos, C, 17, 6-1\/192, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Mattheos fell from the 23rd-rated North American skater by Central Scouting in the midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106980&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">38th-rated skater<\/a> in the final rankings. He models his game after Jeff Carter. Scored 26 goals and 61 points in 69 games this season with Brandon.<\/p>Alexander Chmelevski, C, 18, 6-0\/190, Ottawa (OHL)<\/strong> Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107395&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">43rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Had 43 points in 58 games with Ottawa this season. Should be available when the Flyers pick but likely goes later in the second round or even the third.<\/p>Alex Formenton, LW, 17, 6-2\/165, London (OHL)<\/strong> Formenton finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107604&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">29th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Has good size and is a plus skater but still needs to add muscle to his frame. Had 34 points in 65 games in his first season with London, his second year in the OHL.<\/p>","summary":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the Flyers. So, let's take a look at second-round options. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\nIn fact, they have 10 more picks after the first round and five in the first four rounds. Needless to say, this is a crucial draft for the Flyers. GM Ron Hextall already set himself up for one before landing the No. 2 pick. Now comes time to execute months of scouting.<\/p>\n\"We have a lot of picks here and we have to hit,\" Hextall recently told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/video\/hextall-on-draft-pt-3\/t-289469110\/c-51978303\">the Flyers' website<\/a>. \"We can't just hit on No. 2 and then be satisfied.\"<\/p>\nBecause we have an idea of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/2017-nhl-draft-prep-options-flyers-no-2\">whom the pick will be at No. 2<\/a>, we decided to take a look at some potential targets for the Flyers in the second round.<\/p>\nGrant Mismash, LW, 18, 6-0\/186, USNTDP<\/strong> Mismash may not be around when the Flyers are on the board in the second round. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native is projected to go anywhere between late first round and middle of the second. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107068&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">24th-rated North American skater<\/a> by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. The 6-foot, 186-pound winger styles his game after Corey Perry and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h5GeQhmos5w\">enjoys the physical side<\/a> of the game. He's a product of the USNTDP, where he scored 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 games playing for the program's U-18 team. In 26 USHL games, he tallied eight goals and 24 helpers. He was part of the U.S. gold-medal team at the 2017 U-18 world championship, a tournament in which he registered three goals and eight points.<\/p>\nIn the fall, he'll begin his college career at the University of North Dakota, a storied program that has produced many hockey greats, including Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews. In fact, Mismash also played one season, in 2014-15, at Shattuck-St. Mary's, a private high school, in Faribault, Minnesota, where Parise also played as a teenager. After Mismash committed to UND in 2015, Shattuck coach Tom Ward told the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.grandforksherald.com\/sports\/und-hockey\/3712084-und-mens-hockey-und-lands-commitment-coveted-shattuck-prospect\">Grand-Forks Herald<\/a><\/em> that Mismash \"doesn't play like an Edina (Minnesota) kid. He plays like a kid who grew up in the country, playing like a farm boy, which is a compliment.\"<\/p>\nJesper Boqvist, C, 18, 6-0\/179, Bryn\u00e4s IF (SHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are likely familiar with Boqvist from keeping tabs on Oskar Lindblom, their 2015 fifth-round pick who's coming overseas next season with great anticipation. Boqvist plays both center and wing with a quick first step, good puck skills and a scoring touch. After breaking onto the scene in the junior ranks in 2015-16, he scored a combined 33 points in 50 games this past season in the SHL, Division 2 and the J20 SuperElit league.<\/p>\nWhether it's fair or not, Boqvist will ultimately be compared to other Swedish players such as Nicklas Backstrom and Jakob Silfverberg, who both also played for Bryn\u00e4s. Mats Backlin, the Bryn\u00e4s J20 coach, told Swedish newspaper <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dt.se\/ishockey\/shl\/hedemorasonen-jesper-boqvist-hyllas-stort-av-tranaren-lika-bra-som-nicklas-backstrom-var\">Dalarnas Tidningar<\/a><\/em> Boqvist is \"as good as those in this age. He's incredibly talented and you can compare him with them at this age.\" He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107234&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">10th-rated European skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's a left-handed shot who compares his play to Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expressen.se\/sport\/hockey\/shl\/de-kan-lamna-brynas-efter-sm-finalforlusten\/\">Expressen<\/a><\/em>, Boqvist may leave Bryn\u00e4s for another SHL team if he's promised an expanded role.<\/p>\nMatthew Strome, LW, 18, 6-4\/206 (Hamilton, OHL)<\/strong> If his last name rings familiarity, it should. Strome's older brothers, Ryan and Dylan, were both top-five draft picks in the last six years. The Islanders drafted Ryan Strome fifth overall in 2011, while Arizona selected Dylan Strome with the third pick in 2015. The youngest Strome brother is not taking the same path to the NHL as his brothers, however. Matthew Strome still could squeak into the first round but projects to be a second-rounder. Whether he falls to the 43-44 range is unforeseen, but the biggest knock on him is skating.<\/p>\nAn Ontario-based <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/hamilton-bulldogs-winger-matthew-strome-wont-top-2017-nhl-draft-pick\/\">NHL scout told Sportsnet<\/a> last November of Strome's skating: \"Technically it's sort of painful to watch. He has a short, choppy stride.\" There is still plenty to like about Strome's game. He's a big, physical winger who's not afraid to head to the dirty areas to score. Strome, who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107434&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">33rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, led Hamilton with 34 goals this season. But his skating might be a problem going forward, which may<\/em> be enough for him to slip into the Flyers' range in the second round.<\/p>\nScott Reedy, C, 18, 6-2\/204, USNTDP<\/strong> Another product of the USNTDP and Shattuck-St. Mary's, Reedy, a Prior Lake, Minnesota, native, is committed to play at the University of Minnesota in the fall. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107059&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">40th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, a seven-slot climb from the midterm rankings. At 6-foot-2, he has good size, playmaking ability and a high compete level. His versatility is a bonus. He can play both the pivot and the wing. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/Scott-Reedy\/\">Future Considerations<\/a><\/em> calls him a \"supreme skater who is just as agile, quick and mobile as he is smart.\"<\/p>\nReedy, who likens his game to Islanders center John Tavares, notched 22 goals and 42 points in 60 games with the USNTDP U-18 team in 2016-17, and 10 goals and 14 points in 21 USHL contests. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3cEOyt8w4aI\">scoring a hat trick<\/a> against Arizona State on Feb. 25, Reedy showcased the willingness to create havoc in front of the net and get to the slot for easy scoring chances. He figures to go around the middle of the second round, where the Flyers pick.<\/p>\nMorgan Frost, C, 18, 5-11\/170, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/strong> One common theme with Frost that comes to mind is his hockey intelligence. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107492&tab=scr\">Central Scouting<\/a>, which rated him 31st among North American skaters, describes him as a \"smart and skilled center with very good offensive hockey sense \u2014 excellent vision and anticipation to quickly take advantage of opportunities.\" He's a playmaking center who projects to play wing in the NHL until he adds more muscle, which he could do by the time his drafting team decides he's ready. He's a creative, plus passer who could benefit from shooting the puck more.<\/p>\nThe Sault Ste. Marie forward scored 20 goals and 62 points in 67 games during the regular season and added 11 points in 11 postseason games. He styles his game after Minnesota center Mikael Granlund. He projects to go in the second round and very well could be an option for the Flyers when they're on the clock.<\/p>\nIvan Lodnia, RW, 17, 5-10\/182, Erie (OHL)<\/strong> Lodnia has a Flyers connection \u2014 the Flyers <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/flyers-hire-kris-knoblauch-assistant-coach-replace-fired-joe-mullen\">hired Erie coach Kris Knoblauch<\/a> as an assistant last Wednesday \u2014 but would have been on this list regardless. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107443&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">36th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's regarded as a highly skilled forward who bounced around the Otters' lineup this season in different roles largely because of Erie's loaded lineup. Lodnia largely was a staple on Erie's shutdown third line as the season progressed and the playoffs rolled around, which explains the dip in production.<\/p>\nDuring the regular season, Lodnia collected 57 points in 66 games with Erie. In his first 32 games, he registered 34 points but compiled just 22 in the final 34 games of the season. He had just two points in 22 playoff games but did add five in five Memorial Cup games. Lodnia's size might scare off teams, but in today's NHL there is a place for smaller players. One concern with Lodnia may be his skating. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/ohlprospects.blogspot.com\/2017\/02\/midseason-mediascout-top-10-for-2017.html\">OHL Prospects' Brock Otten<\/a>, Lodnia's \"not explosive, nor does he possess high-end speed.\" Still, Lodnia is described by <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/ivan-lodnia\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> as \"despite his size he is a very difficult player to take off the puck.\"<\/p>\nMarcus Davidsson, C, 18, 6-0\/191, Djurg\u00e5rdens IF (SHL)<\/strong> With the Flyers finally appearing to be placing an increased importance on speed and skill, Davidsson could be an intriguing option should he be available when the Orange and Black are on the clock. Davidsson's skating stride produces great speed. Central Scouting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107235&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">rated him the 12th-best European skater<\/a>, a position he's been in both the midterm and final rankings. A two-way, playmaking pivot, Davidsson tries to emulate fellow Swede and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/marcus-davidsson\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> says of Davidsson: \"Not physical, but will step into an opponent to separate the puck as well as battle for position deep in the offensive zone.\" He's still a project, though, who has to develop consistency, but that should be expected from a teenager dabbling in the SHL.<\/p>\nThis season, Davidsson skated on a line with his older brother, Jonathan Davidsson, and Lukas Vejdemo, Montreal's 2015 third-round pick, for Djurg\u00e5rdens IF of the SHL. He registered just five goals and nine points with Djurg\u00e5rdens \u2014 he had six goals and 10 points in nine games with Djurg\u00e5rdens' junior club \u2014 but played 45 games in one of the best professional leagues in the world outside of the NHL as an 18-year-old.<\/p>\nJonah Gadjovich, LW, 18, 6-2\/209, Owen Sound (OHL)<\/strong> The numbers are impressive: 46 goals, 28 assists, 74 points in 60 games with the Attack during the 2016-17 campaign, but are those numbers inflated from playing with projected first-round pick Nick Suzuki? That is one of the questions surrounding Gadjovich. He jumped up from the 60th-rated North American skater in Central Scouting's midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106926&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">39th-rated skater<\/a>. From his second year in the OHL to his third, he saw a 50-point increase and produced more than a point-per-game rate.<\/p>\nGadjovich is projected to go anywhere between the middle of the second round and even the third or fourth rounds. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eliteprospects.com\/player.php?player=252476\">Elite Prospects<\/a> describes him as \"a feisty two-way winger that uses his size and speed to open up space for himself and teammates.\" He's a gritty, team-first player who has potential to either hit or flop. He may be a reach for where the Flyers will be drafting in the second round, though. He carries some risk.<\/p>\nOther names to watch<\/strong><\/p>\nHenri Jokiharju, D, 17, 6-0\/180, Portland (WHL)<\/strong> Jokiharju is projected to go anywhere between late in the first round or early second. Probably isn't an option for the Flyers in the early teens of the second but if he falls, it'd be hard to pass up. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107810&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">19th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>\nPierre-Olivier Joseph, D, 17, 6-2\/161, Charlottetown (QMJHL)<\/strong> A puck-moving defenseman with size who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107765&tab=prf\">27th-rated North American skater<\/a> in Central Scouting's final rankings. He had six goals and 39 points in 62 games with Charlottetown this season. Like Jokiharju, Joseph likely will be gone before the Flyers pick.<\/p>\nMichael DiPietro, G, 18, 6-0\/200, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are high on Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom, so goaltender is probably not something they'll look for in the second round, but if they do, DiPietro is an option. Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=3&dpid=107446&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">fourth-rated North American goalie<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>\nStelio Mattheos, C, 17, 6-1\/192, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Mattheos fell from the 23rd-rated North American skater by Central Scouting in the midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106980&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">38th-rated skater<\/a> in the final rankings. He models his game after Jeff Carter. Scored 26 goals and 61 points in 69 games this season with Brandon.<\/p>\nAlexander Chmelevski, C, 18, 6-0\/190, Ottawa (OHL)<\/strong> Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107395&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">43rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Had 43 points in 58 games with Ottawa this season. Should be available when the Flyers pick but likely goes later in the second round or even the third.<\/p>\nAlex Formenton, LW, 17, 6-2\/165, London (OHL)<\/strong> Formenton finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107604&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">29th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Has good size and is a plus skater but still needs to add muscle to his frame. Had 34 points in 65 games in his first season with London, his second year in the OHL.<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the Flyers. So, let's take a look at second-round options. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-11 14:24:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Aaron Bell, CHL Images\/Zack Hill, Philadelphia Flyers","format":null,"safe_value":"Aaron Bell, CHL Images\/Zack Hill, Philadelphia Flyers"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"456551","uid":"156","filename":"aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/10\/aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"305846","status":"1","timestamp":"1497127303","origname":"aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome","format":null,"safe_value":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome","metadata":{"height":325,"width":645},"height":"325","width":"645","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"What's after No. 2 overall? A look at 2nd-round draft options for Flyers","format":null,"safe_value":"What's after No. 2 overall? A look at 2nd-round draft options for Flyers"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"527791"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, 2017 NHL draft prospects, NHL draft second-round prospects"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true}]},"field_primary_display":[],"field_section":[],"field_show":[],"field_sport":[],"field_tags":[],"field_team":[],"field_author_reference":[],"field_archive":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_auto_mute":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_cont_play":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_media_file_title":[],"field_mc_vod_player_id":[],"field_media_file_id":[],"field_mediacard_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_display_desktop_large_only":[],"field_hide_on_mobile":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","entity_view_prepared":true},"#items":[{"value":"MANUAL_CONTENT_STRATEGY"}],"#formatter":"list_default","0":{"#markup":"Select content manually"}},"field_content_type":{"#theme":"field","#weight":7,"#title":"Content Type","#access":true,"#label_display":"above","#view_mode":"default","#language":"und","#field_name":"field_content_type","#field_type":"list_text","#field_translatable":"0","#entity_type":"bean","#bundle":"media_card","#object":{"label":"2017 NHL draft - 1 column","description":null,"title":"2017 NHL draft","type":"media_card","data":{"view_mode":"1col_eight_pack_headlines"},"delta":"2017-nhl-draft---1-column","view_mode":"1col_eight_pack_headlines","bid":"2356","vid":"11156","created":"1494716338","changed":"1497975234","log":"","uid":"156","default_revision":"1","revisions":[],"field_ad_hoc_group":[],"field_branded_header":[],"field_content_strategy":{"und":[{"value":"MANUAL_CONTENT_STRATEGY"}]},"field_content_type":{"und":[{"value":"article"},{"value":"headline"},{"value":"media_gallery"},{"value":"video_on_demand"}]},"field_dl_tabloid_headline":{"und":[{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""}]},"field_event":[],"field_genre_display":[],"field_league":[],"field_link":[],"field_links":[],"field_media_card_items":{"und":[{"target_id":"530976","entity":{"vid":"556191","uid":"266","title":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"530976","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1497836429","changed":"1519439858","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1497879000","revision_timestamp":"1519439858","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"In the basement of his Buffalo home, James Patrick was watching a hockey game with his brother and young nephew.<\/p>Between James and his brother Steve Patrick were 1,530 games of NHL experience. Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>As they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>Nolan was dead-on.<\/p>\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>Maybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>It's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460861\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"4\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"4\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>James Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>Later on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>And when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460851\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"3\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"3\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Both James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>Hockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>James said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>Along with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>In fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460841\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"1\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"1\"}}]] AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Every now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>It's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>But \u2026<\/p>\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>[video:https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?q=Nolan+Patrick]<\/p>James is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>But he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>Nolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>In 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>This past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>Now fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460876\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"6\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"6\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>The draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>James said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>Because of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>Looking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>It's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>James, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>His advice is simple.<\/p>\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>","summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"In the basement of his Buffalo home, James Patrick was watching a hockey game with his brother and young nephew.<\/p>\nBetween James and his brother Steve Patrick were 1,530 games of NHL experience. Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>\nAs they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\n\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>\nNolan was dead-on.<\/p>\n\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>\nMaybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\n\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>\nIt's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>\nThe <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460861--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"4\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJames Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\n\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>\nLater on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\n\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>\nAnd when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\n\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460851--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sunjpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"3\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nBoth James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\n\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>\nHockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\n\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>\nJames said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\n\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>\nAlong with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\n\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\nIn fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\n\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460841--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabresjpg\">ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nEvery now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>\nIt's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\n\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\n\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>\nBut \u2026<\/p>\n\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-filter\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/embed\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?autostart=false\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"video-filter video-nhl vf-nhltonightnolanpatrickt277350912c52125203\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\nJames is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\n\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>\nBut he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\n\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\n\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>\nNolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\n\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>\nIn 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>\nThis past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\n\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>\nNow fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\n\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\n\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\n\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460876--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nThe draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>\nJames said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\n\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>\nBecause of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\n\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\n\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>\nLooking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>\nIt's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>\nJames, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>\nHis advice is simple.<\/p>\n\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-19 13:30:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"460931","uid":"156","filename":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/18\/ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"267846","status":"1","timestamp":"1497844083","origname":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","format":null,"safe_value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","metadata":{"height":325,"width":645},"height":"325","width":"645","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story","format":null,"safe_value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"19271"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"531471"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: Nolan Patrick's story"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, James Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick Flyers, Nolan Patrick NHL draft, Nolan Hischier, Flyers top prospects, Flyers draft Nolan Patrick, Flyers draft, NHL draft Chicago"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"520661","entity":{"vid":"543041","uid":"156","title":"Halifax GM Cam Russell on Nico Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"520661","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1494875055","changed":"1498289468","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1494875100","revision_timestamp":"1498289468","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>Certainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>Russell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>Hischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>Oh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>At the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>Hischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>Russell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>Hischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>Russell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>The Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>Flyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>There had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>So, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>Hischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>Hischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>Russell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>As for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>","summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>\nCertainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>\nRussell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\n\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>\nHischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\nOh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>\nAt the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>\nHischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>\nRussell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\n\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>\nHischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>\nRussell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\n\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>\nThe Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>\nFlyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\n\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>\nThere had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>\nSo, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\n\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>\nHischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\n\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\n\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>\nHischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\n\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>\nRussell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>\nAs for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\n\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\n\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-15 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Sixers and Flyers news, updates and 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GM on Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'","format":null,"safe_value":"Halifax GM on Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18251"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"518796"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Nico Hischier to Flyers? 'You're getting a star'"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nico Hischier, Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, NHL draft prospect Nico Hischier, Cam Russell, Nico Hischier scouting report"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"520246","entity":{"vid":"542586","uid":"266","title":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"520246","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1494714412","changed":"1495068540","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1494770400","revision_timestamp":"1495068540","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"On April 29, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>\u2019 fortune changed 10 years after the same event dealt them a blow that may have altered the team\u2019s narrative over the last decade. This time, they won.<\/p>The Flyers, by the fruit of blind luck, jumped 11 spots in the draft lottery to No. 2. It was the largest hurdle in lottery history. It could be a moment we look back on as a game-changer. It could be many things. What it\u2019s not is what happened on April 10, 2007, when the Flyers, who finished with an NHL-worst 56 points in 2006-07, lost the lottery to the Blackhawks.<\/p>Ten years ago, the lottery operated under a different system. Until 2013, the lottery consisted of the five teams with the fewest points in the standings. No team could move up more than four spots, and the team with the fewest points (the Flyers) could only pick either No. 1 or 2 in the draft. The Flyers had a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick.<\/p>We know the story. Chicago, which had an 8.1 percent chance at the top pick, won the lottery, and the Flyers, who had the worst season in franchise history, got sloppy seconds. The lottery system changed in 2013. Now, any team that does not qualify for the playoffs is eligible to win the lottery, which paved the avenue for the Flyers\u2019 climb last month.<\/p>\"I'm not sure it really matters,\" Paul Holmgren, then-Flyers' GM and now team president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/holmgren-speaks-with-media-after-draft-lottery\/c-435748\" target=\"_blank\">told NHL.com<\/a> on April 12, 2007, of losing the lottery. \"The thing about having the first pick is you get the first pick. Now, we don't, but I'm confident we're still going to get a good player. As I've said all along, I'm not sure there's an immediate impact guy there anyway.\"<\/p>That is where the 2007 and 2017 similarities come into play. Ten years later, we know how the 2007 draft panned out, with Patrick Kane, the top pick, being head and shoulders atop the class, and James van Riemsdyk, whom the Flyers drafted No. 2, now playing in Toronto.<\/p>There was an immediate impact player in the 2007 draft, which is where Holmgren was wrong, and it was Kane, who scored at a 0.89 points per game clip in his rookie season, finishing with 72 points in 82 games.<\/p>van Riemsdyk never developed into an impact player with the Flyers. In 2013, the Flyers traded van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs, where he\u2019s matured into a solid complementary scoring winger with a 30-goal season under his belt and two 60-plus-point campaigns.<\/p>\u201cWe were both put in different situations and we were both in different stages, I guess of our hockey development,\u201d van Riemsdyk told <a href=\"http:\/\/prev.dailyherald.com\/story\/?id=384121\" target=\"_blank\">The Daily Herald<\/em><\/a>, a Chicago-area newspaper, May 27, 2010. \u201cI did what I thought was best for me to be a better player, and he was obviously ready to make that jump right after the draft. He made it happen right away.\u201d<\/p>If we go back to 2007, it was not considered to be a slam dunk atop the draft. It was a three-player race between Kane, van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris, who went No. 3 to Arizona. There was thought that even if the Flyers had the top pick, \u201cJVR\u201d would have been the pick. <\/p>\u201cAll three of these kids were very close. Very close,\u201d Holmgren told Kevin Kurz, now with NBC Sports Bay Area, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/staying-close-to-home\/c-435817\" target=\"_blank\">after the draft<\/a> on June 23, 2007. \u201cWe\u2019d have been happy with any of them, but you have to make a decision and James ended up on top.\u201d<\/p>Fast forward to this year. The Flyers\u2019 luck shifted. They finished with 88 points, seven points out of a playoff spot. Without the lottery, they would have picked 13th in what general manager Ron Hextall has described as \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">an average draft<\/a>\u201d \u2014 like it was in 2007, a draft that generated five All-Stars, including the Flyers\u2019 Jakub Voracek, who was drafted seventh overall by Columbus, and van Riemsdyk is not one of them. There were several big misses in the draft.<\/p>This year, it's widely considered a two-player draft, with Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier as the cream of this year\u2019s crop. Barring any unforeseen surprises, the Flyers will come away with either Patrick or Hischier come June 23. It really is as simple as whoever New Jersey does not take at No. 1.<\/p>But that is where we see the difference between 2007 and 2017 for the Flyers. Ten years ago, the Flyers played their way into a top-two pick and rotten luck cost them the top pick. Their choice was between the two players Chicago didn\u2019t take \u2014 van Riemsdyk and Turris.<\/p>In van Riemsdyk, the Flyers were drafting a player who came up in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and still needed years to develop. He decided to play at the University of New Hampshire before turning pro after his sophomore season.<\/p>With either Patrick or Hischier \u2014 it seems to be a pick-your-poison situation \u2014 the Flyers will be getting a player closer to making an immediate impact than they did in 2007. Neither will have the impacts we have seen from the No. 2 picks from the last two drafts \u2014 Jack Eichel and Patrik Laine. <\/p>When asked about Patrick and Hischier\u2019s NHL readiness on May 8, Hextall <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">refused to tip his hat<\/a> about his views on the prospects, sticking to his mantra that any kid has to earn a spot.<\/p>\u201cWe would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do \u2026 you make an educated judgment and then you go from there,\u201d Hextall said. \u201cA player has to come in and prove that he\u2019s ready, and at this age, not many are.\u201d<\/p>Patrick has three years of experience in the Western Hockey League, and there is some belief he will not benefit from a fourth season in the WHL. Despite battling groin and abdominal injuries last season, he still produced above a point-per-game pace (1.39). <\/p>As a 17-year-old two years ago, Patrick put up 102 points in 72 regular-season games and led the Wheat Kings to a WHL championship with 30 points in 21 playoff games. He still will have to prove his worth to either the Flyers or Devils, but one has to believe the likelihood of him making an immediate impact is far greater than him going back to junior.<\/p>Hischier broke out during the world junior championships for Switzerland, scoring four goals and three assists in five games. With Halifax during his rookie season in the QMJHL, Hischier finished as a 1.5 points-per-game player, putting up 86 points in 57 games and earning the league\u2019s Rookie of the Year award. Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, describes the Swiss center as \u201cdefinitely worth the price of admission.\u201d<\/p>There are a plethora of reasons why 2007 and 2017 are different for the Flyers. Luck is atop the list. But the player they\u2019ll be getting this June is one they should be able to reap immediate benefits from, something they weren\u2019t getting in 2007.<\/p>","summary":"Unlike 2007 with James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers should get an immediate impact player in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick in 2017. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"On April 29, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>\u2019 fortune changed 10 years after the same event dealt them a blow that may have altered the team\u2019s narrative over the last decade. This time, they won.<\/p>\nThe Flyers, by the fruit of blind luck, jumped 11 spots in the draft lottery to No. 2. It was the largest hurdle in lottery history. It could be a moment we look back on as a game-changer. It could be many things. What it\u2019s not is what happened on April 10, 2007, when the Flyers, who finished with an NHL-worst 56 points in 2006-07, lost the lottery to the Blackhawks.<\/p>\nTen years ago, the lottery operated under a different system. Until 2013, the lottery consisted of the five teams with the fewest points in the standings. No team could move up more than four spots, and the team with the fewest points (the Flyers) could only pick either No. 1 or 2 in the draft. The Flyers had a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick.<\/p>\nWe know the story. Chicago, which had an 8.1 percent chance at the top pick, won the lottery, and the Flyers, who had the worst season in franchise history, got sloppy seconds. The lottery system changed in 2013. Now, any team that does not qualify for the playoffs is eligible to win the lottery, which paved the avenue for the Flyers\u2019 climb last month.<\/p>\n\"I'm not sure it really matters,\" Paul Holmgren, then-Flyers' GM and now team president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/holmgren-speaks-with-media-after-draft-lottery\/c-435748\" target=\"_blank\">told NHL.com<\/a> on April 12, 2007, of losing the lottery. \"The thing about having the first pick is you get the first pick. Now, we don't, but I'm confident we're still going to get a good player. As I've said all along, I'm not sure there's an immediate impact guy there anyway.\"<\/p>\nThat is where the 2007 and 2017 similarities come into play. Ten years later, we know how the 2007 draft panned out, with Patrick Kane, the top pick, being head and shoulders atop the class, and James van Riemsdyk, whom the Flyers drafted No. 2, now playing in Toronto.<\/p>\nThere was an immediate impact player in the 2007 draft, which is where Holmgren was wrong, and it was Kane, who scored at a 0.89 points per game clip in his rookie season, finishing with 72 points in 82 games.<\/p>\nvan Riemsdyk never developed into an impact player with the Flyers. In 2013, the Flyers traded van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs, where he\u2019s matured into a solid complementary scoring winger with a 30-goal season under his belt and two 60-plus-point campaigns.<\/p>\n\u201cWe were both put in different situations and we were both in different stages, I guess of our hockey development,\u201d van Riemsdyk told <a href=\"http:\/\/prev.dailyherald.com\/story\/?id=384121\" target=\"_blank\">The Daily Herald<\/em><\/a>, a Chicago-area newspaper, May 27, 2010. \u201cI did what I thought was best for me to be a better player, and he was obviously ready to make that jump right after the draft. He made it happen right away.\u201d<\/p>\nIf we go back to 2007, it was not considered to be a slam dunk atop the draft. It was a three-player race between Kane, van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris, who went No. 3 to Arizona. There was thought that even if the Flyers had the top pick, \u201cJVR\u201d would have been the pick. <\/p>\n\u201cAll three of these kids were very close. Very close,\u201d Holmgren told Kevin Kurz, now with NBC Sports Bay Area, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/staying-close-to-home\/c-435817\" target=\"_blank\">after the draft<\/a> on June 23, 2007. \u201cWe\u2019d have been happy with any of them, but you have to make a decision and James ended up on top.\u201d<\/p>\nFast forward to this year. The Flyers\u2019 luck shifted. They finished with 88 points, seven points out of a playoff spot. Without the lottery, they would have picked 13th in what general manager Ron Hextall has described as \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">an average draft<\/a>\u201d \u2014 like it was in 2007, a draft that generated five All-Stars, including the Flyers\u2019 Jakub Voracek, who was drafted seventh overall by Columbus, and van Riemsdyk is not one of them. There were several big misses in the draft.<\/p>\nThis year, it's widely considered a two-player draft, with Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier as the cream of this year\u2019s crop. Barring any unforeseen surprises, the Flyers will come away with either Patrick or Hischier come June 23. It really is as simple as whoever New Jersey does not take at No. 1.<\/p>\nBut that is where we see the difference between 2007 and 2017 for the Flyers. Ten years ago, the Flyers played their way into a top-two pick and rotten luck cost them the top pick. Their choice was between the two players Chicago didn\u2019t take \u2014 van Riemsdyk and Turris.<\/p>\nIn van Riemsdyk, the Flyers were drafting a player who came up in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and still needed years to develop. He decided to play at the University of New Hampshire before turning pro after his sophomore season.<\/p>\nWith either Patrick or Hischier \u2014 it seems to be a pick-your-poison situation \u2014 the Flyers will be getting a player closer to making an immediate impact than they did in 2007. Neither will have the impacts we have seen from the No. 2 picks from the last two drafts \u2014 Jack Eichel and Patrik Laine. <\/p>\nWhen asked about Patrick and Hischier\u2019s NHL readiness on May 8, Hextall <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">refused to tip his hat<\/a> about his views on the prospects, sticking to his mantra that any kid has to earn a spot.<\/p>\n\u201cWe would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do \u2026 you make an educated judgment and then you go from there,\u201d Hextall said. \u201cA player has to come in and prove that he\u2019s ready, and at this age, not many are.\u201d<\/p>\nPatrick has three years of experience in the Western Hockey League, and there is some belief he will not benefit from a fourth season in the WHL. Despite battling groin and abdominal injuries last season, he still produced above a point-per-game pace (1.39). <\/p>\nAs a 17-year-old two years ago, Patrick put up 102 points in 72 regular-season games and led the Wheat Kings to a WHL championship with 30 points in 21 playoff games. He still will have to prove his worth to either the Flyers or Devils, but one has to believe the likelihood of him making an immediate impact is far greater than him going back to junior.<\/p>\nHischier broke out during the world junior championships for Switzerland, scoring four goals and three assists in five games. With Halifax during his rookie season in the QMJHL, Hischier finished as a 1.5 points-per-game player, putting up 86 points in 57 games and earning the league\u2019s Rookie of the Year award. Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, describes the Swiss center as \u201cdefinitely worth the price of admission.\u201d<\/p>\nThere are a plethora of reasons why 2007 and 2017 are different for the Flyers. Luck is atop the list. But the player they\u2019ll be getting this June is one they should be able to reap immediate benefits from, something they weren\u2019t getting in 2007.<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Unlike 2007 with James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers should get an immediate impact player in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick in 2017. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-14 14:00:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images\/HalifaxMooseheads.ca","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images\/HalifaxMooseheads.ca"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"440076","uid":"266","filename":"ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/05\/13\/ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"290425","status":"1","timestamp":"1494716035","origname":"ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"metadata":{"height":360,"width":640},"height":"360","width":"640","alt":"","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2","format":null,"safe_value":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"15101"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"518706"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, Flyers draft lottery, 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, Ron Hextall, Flyers top prospects, Flyers prospects, Paul Holmgren, James van Riemsdyk, Patrick Kane, Patrick Kane Flyers"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"526256","entity":{"vid":"550081","uid":"156","title":"Nolan Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at NHL combine","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"526256","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1496452468","changed":"1496548719","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1496452200","revision_timestamp":"1496548719","revision_uid":"266","body":{"und":[{"value":"BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 Nolan Patrick took a timeout toward the end of his shift with reporters on Friday at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>The top-ranked draft prospect was feeling the heat inside the NHL's Centennial Museum track and had to remove his jacket before answering the last few questions.<\/p>Patrick is not sweating his draft status after meeting with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> and a dozen other teams this week and reaffirming his health heading into Saturday's fitness testing.  <\/p>\"I'm not going to try to prove anything,\" Patrick said. \"I'm just going to try and do the tests to the best of my abilities.\"<\/p>Along with Swiss skater Nico Hischier, the Winnipeg-born Patrick is one of two 18-year-old centers the Flyers are expected to select with the No. 2 pick in the June 23-24 draft. The New Jersey Devils hold the first pick and have not yet revealed their plans.<\/p>Patrick said he informed teams this week that he has recovered from a misdiagnosed double sports hernia injury that limited him during his last season of junior hockey. He had surgery on his right groin muscle last July, but a similar injury on his left side went undetected and did not heal until after the season.<\/p>After leading Brandon to the Western Hockey League championship in 2016, Patrick missed more than half of this past season, including all four WHL playoff games, with various injuries. He has been medically cleared for combine testing and expects to be able to participate in an NHL training camp in September.<\/p>\"Obviously, it wasn't the ideal season for me,\" Patrick said. \"I don't think any hockey player wants something like that, especially in your draft year.\"<\/p>But now that he is healthy, Patrick believes the injury helped his development.<\/p>\"I don't think it was the worst thing for me,\" he said. \"I think a little adversity for a young kid makes you stronger as a player. I didn't talk about it during the year in the media, that I was misdiagnosed. This is the first time I've really said anything about it.\"<\/p>The 6-foot-2, 198-pound Patrick still produced 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 33 games last season and won the Top Prospect Award as the best draft-eligible player in the Canadian Hockey League. Hischier, who played in Halifax, was also a finalist for the award.<\/p>The NHL teams try to get to know them better this week, while the consensus top two prospects in the draft have spent time getting to know each other.<\/p>\"It's good to see that he's a really good guy,\" Patrick said of Hischier.<\/p>Patrick said he got no \"vibes\" from his meeting with the Devils on which player they were leaning toward with the No. 1 pick.<\/p>Does Patrick believe he should be the one?<\/p>\"That's not up for to decide, so I guess I'll see what the NHL teams think,\" Patrick said. \"Obviously, that would be a huge honor. \u2026 But I'd be honored to go anywhere.\"<\/p>Patrick is also unconcerned with the perception that the top prospects in this year's draft are not as good as the prizes from 2015 (Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel) or 2016 (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine).<\/p>\"At the end of the day, I'm just trying to make the NHL and contribute as much I can,\" Patrick said. \"I'm not putting any added pressure on myself. \u2026 I try not to compare myself to those guys. I don't expect to come in and put 40 goals up, or score four goals in my first game. I don't think that happens very often.\"<\/p>Patrick's father, Steve, played 250 games for the Sabres, Rangers and Nordiques from 1980-86. His uncle, James, played 1,280 games with the Rangers, Whalers, Flames and Sabres from 1983-2006 and was an assistant coach for the Stars the past four seasons.<\/p>Patrick said his father and uncle have taught him that how he carries himself off the ice will be as important to his success and his skills on the ice.<\/p>\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" he said.<\/p>Unfamiliar with Philadelphia, Patrick does have a friend on the Flyers.<\/p>\"I've never been there, but one of my good buddies, Ivan Provorov, plays there,\" Patrick said. \"I've talked to him a bit and he loves it.\"<\/p>","summary":"Nolan Patrick, who could be the Flyers' draft pick at No. 2, talked his health, mindset and more on Friday at the NHL combine. By Jonah Bronstein<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 Nolan Patrick took a timeout toward the end of his shift with reporters on Friday at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\nThe top-ranked draft prospect was feeling the heat inside the NHL's Centennial Museum track and had to remove his jacket before answering the last few questions.<\/p>\nPatrick is not sweating his draft status after meeting with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> and a dozen other teams this week and reaffirming his health heading into Saturday's fitness testing.  <\/p>\n\"I'm not going to try to prove anything,\" Patrick said. \"I'm just going to try and do the tests to the best of my abilities.\"<\/p>\nAlong with Swiss skater Nico Hischier, the Winnipeg-born Patrick is one of two 18-year-old centers the Flyers are expected to select with the No. 2 pick in the June 23-24 draft. The New Jersey Devils hold the first pick and have not yet revealed their plans.<\/p>\nPatrick said he informed teams this week that he has recovered from a misdiagnosed double sports hernia injury that limited him during his last season of junior hockey. He had surgery on his right groin muscle last July, but a similar injury on his left side went undetected and did not heal until after the season.<\/p>\nAfter leading Brandon to the Western Hockey League championship in 2016, Patrick missed more than half of this past season, including all four WHL playoff games, with various injuries. He has been medically cleared for combine testing and expects to be able to participate in an NHL training camp in September.<\/p>\n\"Obviously, it wasn't the ideal season for me,\" Patrick said. \"I don't think any hockey player wants something like that, especially in your draft year.\"<\/p>\nBut now that he is healthy, Patrick believes the injury helped his development.<\/p>\n\"I don't think it was the worst thing for me,\" he said. \"I think a little adversity for a young kid makes you stronger as a player. I didn't talk about it during the year in the media, that I was misdiagnosed. This is the first time I've really said anything about it.\"<\/p>\nThe 6-foot-2, 198-pound Patrick still produced 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 33 games last season and won the Top Prospect Award as the best draft-eligible player in the Canadian Hockey League. Hischier, who played in Halifax, was also a finalist for the award.<\/p>\nThe NHL teams try to get to know them better this week, while the consensus top two prospects in the draft have spent time getting to know each other.<\/p>\n\"It's good to see that he's a really good guy,\" Patrick said of Hischier.<\/p>\nPatrick said he got no \"vibes\" from his meeting with the Devils on which player they were leaning toward with the No. 1 pick.<\/p>\nDoes Patrick believe he should be the one?<\/p>\n\"That's not up for to decide, so I guess I'll see what the NHL teams think,\" Patrick said. \"Obviously, that would be a huge honor. \u2026 But I'd be honored to go anywhere.\"<\/p>\nPatrick is also unconcerned with the perception that the top prospects in this year's draft are not as good as the prizes from 2015 (Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel) or 2016 (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine).<\/p>\n\"At the end of the day, I'm just trying to make the NHL and contribute as much I can,\" Patrick said. \"I'm not putting any added pressure on myself. \u2026 I try not to compare myself to those guys. I don't expect to come in and put 40 goals up, or score four goals in my first game. I don't think that happens very often.\"<\/p>\nPatrick's father, Steve, played 250 games for the Sabres, Rangers and Nordiques from 1980-86. His uncle, James, played 1,280 games with the Rangers, Whalers, Flames and Sabres from 1983-2006 and was an assistant coach for the Stars the past four seasons.<\/p>\nPatrick said his father and uncle have taught him that how he carries himself off the ice will be as important to his success and his skills on the ice.<\/p>\n\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" he said.<\/p>\nUnfamiliar with Philadelphia, Patrick does have a friend on the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"I've never been there, but one of my good buddies, Ivan Provorov, plays there,\" Patrick said. \"I've talked to him a bit and he loves it.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nolan Patrick, who could be the Flyers' draft pick at No. 2, talked his health, mindset and more on Friday at the NHL combine. By Jonah Bronstein<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1796"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-03 01:10:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Tim Smith | Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"Tim Smith | Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"452316","uid":"156","filename":"tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"268180","status":"1","timestamp":"1498209153","origname":"tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"Nolan Patrick","format":null,"safe_value":"Nolan Patrick"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"Nolan Patrick","metadata":{"height":377,"width":640},"height":"377","width":"640","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Possible Flyers pick Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at combine","format":null,"safe_value":"Possible Flyers pick Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at combine"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18766"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"13406"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"526206"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Nolan Patrick talks injury history, mindset at NHL combine"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, 2017 NHL Scouting Combine"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"524586","entity":{"vid":"548076","uid":"156","title":"A healthy Nolan Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"524586","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1495928611","changed":"1498289443","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1495986900","revision_timestamp":"1498289443","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"As he met with general manager Grant Armstrong, Nolan Patrick had just finished an injury-marred junior season.<\/p>The 18-year-old missed the WHL playoffs and was limited to 33 games because of two separate injuries. He underwent sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, a major impediment to his summer training. He never quite \"caught up to the year,\" as Armstrong put it.<\/p>\"I don't think he really ever got himself into a situation where he was 100 percent,\" the Brandon Wheat Kings GM said in a phone interview last week with CSNPhilly.com.<\/p>But none of that was about to crack Patrick's confidence.<\/p>\"When we had our exit meetings, he told me he was going to play in the NHL,\" Armstrong said. \"I wished him the best of luck and I expect that's where he'll be next year.\"<\/p>Where he could be is Philadelphia sporting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> orange. Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top two picks for the June 23-24 NHL entry draft. The Flyers, of course, thanks to a stroke of good luck, will be happily sitting at No. 2 overall. The Devils will make Ron Hextall's decision much easier when they pick at No. 1.<\/p>The Canadian Patrick and Swiss-born Hischier are both centers. Coming into the season, Patrick was viewed as the draft's top dog, but his health and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/halifax-gm-cam-russell-nico-hischier-youre-getting-star-long-time\">Hischier's rise<\/a> have tightened the race.<\/p>Will the injuries cause apprehension?<\/p>\"I think there's no concern at all,\" Armstrong said. \"Injuries are a part of the game and I don't see it being an issue for Nolan at all. He trains well, he works hard at it and rehabs properly. I don't see it being an issue and currently, I think he's at 100 percent.\"<\/p>Despite the hampered summer and shortened season, Patrick showed why he's so heralded, compiling 46 points in 33 games for the Wheat Kings, his third year with the junior club. He scored 20 goals and collected 26 assists. Why that might not be mind-blowing is because Patrick had 102 points in 2015-16 on 41 goals and 61 assists for an astounding plus-51 rating. He went on to record 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 21 playoff games, leading Brandon to its first WHL title in 20 years alongside current Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>Similar to Provorov, Patrick's hockey smarts belie his age.<\/p>\"His presence on the ice, he just thinks the game, he puts himself in positions to be successful all the time,\" Armstrong said. \"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect. He sees the game so well, he's a student of the game, he understands and puts himself in positions of success. That hasn't changed, it's only getting better for him.<\/p>\"He's a difference-maker.\"<\/p>Armstrong joined the Wheat Kings last summer but had scouted and seen plenty of Patrick as Armstrong worked the previous four seasons for the WHL's Victoria Royals.<\/p>\"He's a very elite player with a tremendous hockey sense,\" Armstrong said. \"I think that's his biggest attribute is he thinks the game so well, he thinks it ahead of what's really happening on the ice a lot of the times. He's a player that's really starting to come into his own. <\/p>\"This next season will be a real opportunity for him to showcase his elite hockey sense and his athleticism and all the things that combine to make him a great player.\"<\/p>It appears Patrick, who has great size at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, is ready to showcase those traits at the NHL level. His future club will ultimately decide that in training camp.<\/p>\"We would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-flyers-moving-lottery-it-changes-things-lot\">Hextall said earlier this month<\/a>. \"You make an educated judgment and then you go from there. A player has to come in and prove that he's ready and at this age not many are, so we'll wait and see which way [the player] goes from there.\"<\/p>Armstrong said there's constant communication between Brandon and NHL teams throughout a season and that it escalates this time of year as the draft nears.<\/p>What about with the Flyers?<\/p>\"The Flyers are a great organization and obviously we have ties to their GM,\" Armstrong said. \"It's a good fit and they know what's going on.<\/p>\"They're dialed into what's going on and they have all kinds of ways to communicate with people.\"<\/p>While Patrick may not jump off the charts with Connor McDavid-like scoring ability, he prides himself on being complete. Armstrong said Patrick models his game after Kings center Anze Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2015-16 Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's top defensive forward.<\/p>It's the do-it-all mentality Armstrong believes was special, night in and night out.<\/p>\"Just the way he makes small plays in a game that would set up a teammate,\" he said. \"He plays a 200-foot game, he's coming back hard and supporting the D in the defensive zone. Switching to offense, he's quick and he does things that make him such a great player.<\/p>\"I think everybody thinks that a No. 1 or 2 centerman is going to be completely focused on the offensive side, but no, he's very committed to the defensive side of the puck \u2014 I think that's one thing that's a little bit misunderstood about him. He's got such an ability to play in any situation \u2014 killing penalties, late in the game, taking big faceoffs, that's his game.\"<\/p>Armstrong extolled Patrick for making everyone around him better on the Wheat Kings.<\/p>If that's with the Flyers next, Armstrong believes you won't be disappointed.<\/p>\"I think they just have to be patient and allow the player to grow. He won't let anybody down,\" Armstrong said. \"I just think he's an elite talent with an elite sense for the game. At some point, he'll be a great two-way centerman in the league. He'll put up offensive numbers. They won't be in the elite category, but he'll be a guy that'll chip away at his game, he'll produce. You just have to take your time and be patient.\"<\/p>","summary":"Brandon Wheat Kings GM Grant Armstrong said a healthy Nolan Patrick would be an elite, difference-making talent for the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"As he met with general manager Grant Armstrong, Nolan Patrick had just finished an injury-marred junior season.<\/p>\nThe 18-year-old missed the WHL playoffs and was limited to 33 games because of two separate injuries. He underwent sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, a major impediment to his summer training. He never quite \"caught up to the year,\" as Armstrong put it.<\/p>\n\"I don't think he really ever got himself into a situation where he was 100 percent,\" the Brandon Wheat Kings GM said in a phone interview last week with CSNPhilly.com.<\/p>\nBut none of that was about to crack Patrick's confidence.<\/p>\n\"When we had our exit meetings, he told me he was going to play in the NHL,\" Armstrong said. \"I wished him the best of luck and I expect that's where he'll be next year.\"<\/p>\nWhere he could be is Philadelphia sporting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> orange. Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top two picks for the June 23-24 NHL entry draft. The Flyers, of course, thanks to a stroke of good luck, will be happily sitting at No. 2 overall. The Devils will make Ron Hextall's decision much easier when they pick at No. 1.<\/p>\nThe Canadian Patrick and Swiss-born Hischier are both centers. Coming into the season, Patrick was viewed as the draft's top dog, but his health and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/halifax-gm-cam-russell-nico-hischier-youre-getting-star-long-time\">Hischier's rise<\/a> have tightened the race.<\/p>\nWill the injuries cause apprehension?<\/p>\n\"I think there's no concern at all,\" Armstrong said. \"Injuries are a part of the game and I don't see it being an issue for Nolan at all. He trains well, he works hard at it and rehabs properly. I don't see it being an issue and currently, I think he's at 100 percent.\"<\/p>\nDespite the hampered summer and shortened season, Patrick showed why he's so heralded, compiling 46 points in 33 games for the Wheat Kings, his third year with the junior club. He scored 20 goals and collected 26 assists. Why that might not be mind-blowing is because Patrick had 102 points in 2015-16 on 41 goals and 61 assists for an astounding plus-51 rating. He went on to record 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 21 playoff games, leading Brandon to its first WHL title in 20 years alongside current Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>\nSimilar to Provorov, Patrick's hockey smarts belie his age.<\/p>\n\"His presence on the ice, he just thinks the game, he puts himself in positions to be successful all the time,\" Armstrong said. \"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect. He sees the game so well, he's a student of the game, he understands and puts himself in positions of success. That hasn't changed, it's only getting better for him.<\/p>\n\"He's a difference-maker.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong joined the Wheat Kings last summer but had scouted and seen plenty of Patrick as Armstrong worked the previous four seasons for the WHL's Victoria Royals.<\/p>\n\"He's a very elite player with a tremendous hockey sense,\" Armstrong said. \"I think that's his biggest attribute is he thinks the game so well, he thinks it ahead of what's really happening on the ice a lot of the times. He's a player that's really starting to come into his own. <\/p>\n\"This next season will be a real opportunity for him to showcase his elite hockey sense and his athleticism and all the things that combine to make him a great player.\"<\/p>\nIt appears Patrick, who has great size at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, is ready to showcase those traits at the NHL level. His future club will ultimately decide that in training camp.<\/p>\n\"We would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-flyers-moving-lottery-it-changes-things-lot\">Hextall said earlier this month<\/a>. \"You make an educated judgment and then you go from there. A player has to come in and prove that he's ready and at this age not many are, so we'll wait and see which way [the player] goes from there.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong said there's constant communication between Brandon and NHL teams throughout a season and that it escalates this time of year as the draft nears.<\/p>\nWhat about with the Flyers?<\/p>\n\"The Flyers are a great organization and obviously we have ties to their GM,\" Armstrong said. \"It's a good fit and they know what's going on.<\/p>\n\"They're dialed into what's going on and they have all kinds of ways to communicate with people.\"<\/p>\nWhile Patrick may not jump off the charts with Connor McDavid-like scoring ability, he prides himself on being complete. Armstrong said Patrick models his game after Kings center Anze Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2015-16 Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's top defensive forward.<\/p>\nIt's the do-it-all mentality Armstrong believes was special, night in and night out.<\/p>\n\"Just the way he makes small plays in a game that would set up a teammate,\" he said. \"He plays a 200-foot game, he's coming back hard and supporting the D in the defensive zone. Switching to offense, he's quick and he does things that make him such a great player.<\/p>\n\"I think everybody thinks that a No. 1 or 2 centerman is going to be completely focused on the offensive side, but no, he's very committed to the defensive side of the puck \u2014 I think that's one thing that's a little bit misunderstood about him. He's got such an ability to play in any situation \u2014 killing penalties, late in the game, taking big faceoffs, that's his game.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong extolled Patrick for making everyone around him better on the Wheat Kings.<\/p>\nIf that's with the Flyers next, Armstrong believes you won't be disappointed.<\/p>\n\"I think they just have to be patient and allow the player to grow. He won't let anybody down,\" Armstrong said. \"I just think he's an elite talent with an elite sense for the game. At some point, he'll be a great two-way centerman in the league. He'll put up offensive numbers. They won't be in the elite category, but he'll be a guy that'll chip away at his game, he'll produce. You just have to take your time and be patient.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Brandon Wheat Kings GM Grant Armstrong said a healthy Nolan Patrick would be an elite, difference-making talent for the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-28 15:55:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"460851","uid":"266","filename":"tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"246725","status":"1","timestamp":"1498209642","origname":"tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"[current-page:title] | 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healthy Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says","format":null,"safe_value":"A healthy Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18631"},{"tid":"18626"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"531846"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"If Flyers draft Nolan Patrick, 'he won't let anybody down'"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, Jordan Hall, Grant Armstrong, 2017 NHL draft"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"524716","entity":{"vid":"548221","uid":"621","title":"Nico Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock as Flyers do their homework","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"524716","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1496001098","changed":"1496224532","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1496062800","revision_timestamp":"1496224532","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"WINDSOR, Ontario -- Ever since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\" target=\"_blank\">Flyers<\/a> shot up the selection order at last month\u2019s NHL draft lottery, prospect and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier has been familiarizing himself with the Flyers' organization.<\/p>The Flyers entered the lottery with just a 2.2 percent shot at the first overall pick after finishing the season with a 39-33-10 record but climbed 11 spots from the 13th selection to No. 2 in the draft, which takes place June 23-24 in Chicago.<\/p>\u201cI know it\u2019s a sports city \u2014 they have the NHL, NBA and all those sports,\u201d Hischier said Saturday at the Memorial Cup. \u201cIt\u2019s a really nice city and I know Mark Streit played there and Jakub Voracek played in Halifax as well.\u201d<\/p>The Flyers' brass has wasted no time familiarizing themselves with the 18-year-old, who spent this season playing with the Mooseheads in the QMJHL.<\/p>\u201cWe had already a little meeting together, but I think at combine we\u2019ll see each other again,\u201d said Hischier, who is ranked second amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. \u201cIt was just that they want to know me better as a person. They asked me some personal questions and that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>A native of Naters, Switzerland, Hischier grew up playing soccer. He was also an avid skier and snowboarder before his older brother, Luca, turned him on to hockey.<\/p>\u201cI used to ski a lot,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cFirst skiing, and then snowboarding, but my brother played hockey, he\u2019s four years older than me, then I just wanted to play hockey as well.\u201d<\/p>Last season, Hischier followed his brother to Bern, where he played 15 games in the Swiss pro league with several former NHLers while he was coached by current Senators bench boss Guy Boucher.<\/p>The six-foot, 174-pound center registered one assist in his brief stint with the club but gained valuable experience in the process.<\/p>\u201cI think that helped me a lot because they\u2019re all older guys and they gave me some good tips, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI really could learn from them and it\u2019s great that I could play with them.<\/p>\u201cI think I learned a lot (from Boucher). He brought Canadian hockey to Switzerland, I think. His practices were hard and I could really learn from him.\u201d<\/p>Halifax used the sixth selection at last year\u2019s CHL import draft to pick Hischier, and after a little convincing, the lanky forward made the decision to make the move to North America.<\/p>\u201cI just came to Canada to try to become a better hockey player and I worked hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI had great teammates, and Halifax is a great organization.\u201d<\/p>Adjusting to the smaller rinks in North America admittedly took time for Hischier, but he adapted well leading all CHL rookies in scoring with 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games. On Saturday, he was named the CHL\u2019s rookie of the year <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/top-nhl-draft-prospects-nolan-patrick-nico-hischier-get-chl-awards\" target=\"_blank\">(see story)<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\u201cI think I improved my game in the corners,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cYou have to dump more pucks over here on North American ice, and chase the puck more behind the net. At the end, I would say my play in the corners (improved the most).\u201d<\/p>Growing up, Hischier watched former Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk closely, trying to model his game after the Russian forward.<\/p>He spent time this season playing both the wing and center positions and isn\u2019t afraid to go to the net hard despite his slender frame. His offensive talents coupled with his ability to play both ends of the ice is what caused his draft stock jump from 26th on ISS Hockey\u2019s rankings in November to a top-three position in January.<\/p>Internationally, Hischier made a splash at this year\u2019s Under-20 world junior tournament in Toronto and Montreal, scoring a team-leading four goals and seven points in five games.<\/p>The highlight came in the quarterfinals where Hischier nearly single-handedly upset the Americans, scoring two goals in a 3-2 loss.<\/p>The performance led to a glowing review from U.S. coach Bob Motzko.<\/p>\u201cHe was the best player we\u2019ve seen in this tournament,\u201d Motzko said following the game. \u201cWe tried all four lines against him and I thought he was playing every shift because every time he got out there, the ice was tilted. It was the first thing we said when we got into the locker room: \u2018That\u2019s the best player we\u2019ve seen in the tournament.\u2019\u201d<\/p>After the Mooseheads' first-round playoff exit, Hischier once again donned his country\u2019s colors, registering one assist in five games at the U-18 tournament.<\/p>However, he skipped out on an opportunity to represent Switzerland at the senior men\u2019s tournament in favor of relaxation.<\/p>\u201cIt was really important (to recover),\u201d he said. \u201cI went a couple days away from Switzerland to the beach (in Italy) and just relaxed. It was really great. Had to refill my tank and it was just great.\u201d<\/p>Hischier will get another opportunity to meet with the Flyers\u2019 front office this week in Buffalo at the NHL\u2019s scouting combine. It\u2019s believed Hischier could make the jump to the NHL in the fall, but he knows he still has some work to do this summer to make his dream come true.<\/p>\u201cGet some pounds on, I want to get stronger,\u201d said Hischier. \u201cI think that\u2019s the most important thing and I work hard towards that.\u201d<\/p>","summary":"Nico Hischier, a possibility for the Flyers at No. 2 overall, recounts his meteoric rise in the hockey world. By Dhiren Mahiban<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"WINDSOR, Ontario -- Ever since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\" target=\"_blank\">Flyers<\/a> shot up the selection order at last month\u2019s NHL draft lottery, prospect and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier has been familiarizing himself with the Flyers' organization.<\/p>\nThe Flyers entered the lottery with just a 2.2 percent shot at the first overall pick after finishing the season with a 39-33-10 record but climbed 11 spots from the 13th selection to No. 2 in the draft, which takes place June 23-24 in Chicago.<\/p>\n\u201cI know it\u2019s a sports city \u2014 they have the NHL, NBA and all those sports,\u201d Hischier said Saturday at the Memorial Cup. \u201cIt\u2019s a really nice city and I know Mark Streit played there and Jakub Voracek played in Halifax as well.\u201d<\/p>\nThe Flyers' brass has wasted no time familiarizing themselves with the 18-year-old, who spent this season playing with the Mooseheads in the QMJHL.<\/p>\n\u201cWe had already a little meeting together, but I think at combine we\u2019ll see each other again,\u201d said Hischier, who is ranked second amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. \u201cIt was just that they want to know me better as a person. They asked me some personal questions and that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>\nA native of Naters, Switzerland, Hischier grew up playing soccer. He was also an avid skier and snowboarder before his older brother, Luca, turned him on to hockey.<\/p>\n\u201cI used to ski a lot,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cFirst skiing, and then snowboarding, but my brother played hockey, he\u2019s four years older than me, then I just wanted to play hockey as well.\u201d<\/p>\nLast season, Hischier followed his brother to Bern, where he played 15 games in the Swiss pro league with several former NHLers while he was coached by current Senators bench boss Guy Boucher.<\/p>\nThe six-foot, 174-pound center registered one assist in his brief stint with the club but gained valuable experience in the process.<\/p>\n\u201cI think that helped me a lot because they\u2019re all older guys and they gave me some good tips, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI really could learn from them and it\u2019s great that I could play with them.<\/p>\n\u201cI think I learned a lot (from Boucher). He brought Canadian hockey to Switzerland, I think. His practices were hard and I could really learn from him.\u201d<\/p>\nHalifax used the sixth selection at last year\u2019s CHL import draft to pick Hischier, and after a little convincing, the lanky forward made the decision to make the move to North America.<\/p>\n\u201cI just came to Canada to try to become a better hockey player and I worked hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI had great teammates, and Halifax is a great organization.\u201d<\/p>\nAdjusting to the smaller rinks in North America admittedly took time for Hischier, but he adapted well leading all CHL rookies in scoring with 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games. On Saturday, he was named the CHL\u2019s rookie of the year <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/top-nhl-draft-prospects-nolan-patrick-nico-hischier-get-chl-awards\" target=\"_blank\">(see story)<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\u201cI think I improved my game in the corners,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cYou have to dump more pucks over here on North American ice, and chase the puck more behind the net. At the end, I would say my play in the corners (improved the most).\u201d<\/p>\nGrowing up, Hischier watched former Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk closely, trying to model his game after the Russian forward.<\/p>\nHe spent time this season playing both the wing and center positions and isn\u2019t afraid to go to the net hard despite his slender frame. His offensive talents coupled with his ability to play both ends of the ice is what caused his draft stock jump from 26th on ISS Hockey\u2019s rankings in November to a top-three position in January.<\/p>\nInternationally, Hischier made a splash at this year\u2019s Under-20 world junior tournament in Toronto and Montreal, scoring a team-leading four goals and seven points in five games.<\/p>\nThe highlight came in the quarterfinals where Hischier nearly single-handedly upset the Americans, scoring two goals in a 3-2 loss.<\/p>\nThe performance led to a glowing review from U.S. coach Bob Motzko.<\/p>\n\u201cHe was the best player we\u2019ve seen in this tournament,\u201d Motzko said following the game. \u201cWe tried all four lines against him and I thought he was playing every shift because every time he got out there, the ice was tilted. It was the first thing we said when we got into the locker room: \u2018That\u2019s the best player we\u2019ve seen in the tournament.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\nAfter the Mooseheads' first-round playoff exit, Hischier once again donned his country\u2019s colors, registering one assist in five games at the U-18 tournament.<\/p>\nHowever, he skipped out on an opportunity to represent Switzerland at the senior men\u2019s tournament in favor of relaxation.<\/p>\n\u201cIt was really important (to recover),\u201d he said. \u201cI went a couple days away from Switzerland to the beach (in Italy) and just relaxed. It was really great. Had to refill my tank and it was just great.\u201d<\/p>\nHischier will get another opportunity to meet with the Flyers\u2019 front office this week in Buffalo at the NHL\u2019s scouting combine. It\u2019s believed Hischier could make the jump to the NHL in the fall, but he knows he still has some work to do this summer to make his dream come true.<\/p>\n\u201cGet some pounds on, I want to get stronger,\u201d said Hischier. \u201cI think that\u2019s the most important thing and I work hard towards that.\u201d<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nico Hischier, a possibility for the Flyers at No. 2 overall, recounts his meteoric rise in the hockey world. By Dhiren Mahiban<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1741"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-29 13:00:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Halifaxmooseheads.ca","format":null,"safe_value":"Halifaxmooseheads.ca"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"432896","uid":"266","filename":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-2.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/05\/29\/halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-2.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"197640","status":"1","timestamp":"1496030490","origname":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-2.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"[current-page:title] | 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Flyers do homework, Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock ","format":null,"safe_value":"As Flyers do homework, Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock "}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"4621"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"524096"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Nico Hischier, Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers Nolan Patrick, NHL draft, NHL draft Flyers"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"mbowker","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"516201","entity":{"vid":"537661","uid":"266","title":"2017 NHL draft prep: Options for Flyers at No. 2","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"516201","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1493532228","changed":"1494697282","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1493559000","revision_timestamp":"1494697282","revision_uid":"266","body":{"und":[{"value":"The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>' long-term landscape changed Saturday night with a stroke of luck.<\/p>Facing long odds, the Flyers nearly won the NHL draft lottery, but will have to settle for the No. 2 pick <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Considering where they were projected to pick, this is a major win for the Flyers.<\/p>\"We had a lot of bad luck this year,\" Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said Saturday night. \"And I'm hoping this is a turning point. This is a big point for our franchise.\"<\/p>The Flyers came into the lottery most likely to draft 13th at 84.3 percent. Lottery rules dictated that they could only draft in the top three, stay at 13 or fall to 14 or 15th. They had a 2.2 percent chance at the top pick, 2.4 percent at the second pick and 2.7 at the third pick.<\/p>And the hockey gods were on the Flyers' side Saturday. Because of their current prospect picture \u2014 heavy on defensemen and goaltenders \u2014 the Flyers will have an opportunity to add an impact forward to their prospect pool, an immediate hole they will be able to fill.<\/p>Here are five prospects the Flyers could target with the No. 2 pick come June 23-24 at the NHL draft in Chicago.<\/p>(Note: Because the Flyers are heavy on defensive prospects, we're not including Miro Heiskanen, the consensus top defenseman in this year's draft class.)<\/em><\/p>Nolan Patrick, C, 18, 6-2\/198, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Patrick finished as the top-rated skater by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, a spot he has been in all year long despite dealing with a groin\/abdominal injury throughout the 2016-17 season. He is touted as a two-way, right-handed center who does everything well but doesn't possess any one specific elite skill. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/sportsnets-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-march\/\">Sportsnet's Jeff Marek<\/a> wrote in March, \"think Jonathan Toews-lite.\" Patrick has NHL blood in his veins, as his father, Steve Patrick (250 games), and uncle, James Patrick (1,280 games), both have played in the league. In 33 games with the Wheat Kings this season, Patrick scored 20 goals and 46 points. He missed 39 games. During the 2015-16 season, Patrick registered 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games. He played two seasons in Brandon with Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106898&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He has more than proven over the last three years that he is the real deal and will be an impact NHL player. The poise, the presence, the attention to detail, the way he processes and executes plays \u2014 everything has been far more precise, far more accurate and a lot quicker this season.\"<\/p>Nico Hischier, C, 18, 6-1\/176, Halifax (QMJHL)<\/strong> With Patrick the projected top pick in June's draft, Hischier checks in as the early favorite to become a Flyer on June 23. Hischier had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTL_BYWD2Ro\">a breakout performance<\/a> as an underage player \u2014 he was 17 at the time \u2014 for Team Switzerland during the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships, posting four goals and three assists in five games. He will likely become the highest-drafted Swiss-born player in league history. Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall, 2010) currently holds that title. In his first season in the QMJHL, Hischier led all rookies with 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points in 57 games, earning himself the league's Rookie of the Year award and winning the Mike Bossy Trophy, awarded to the league's best pro prospect.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107219&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Hischier is definitely worth the price of admission. He has a high skill level, but what's most impressive is the way he competes, his drive and work ethic. He is a player who is first on the forecheck forcing a turnover and when the play transitions, he's the first player back. He's in that category as a special player.\"<\/p>Gabriel Vilardi, C, 17, 6-3\/202, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> Vilardi battled a knee injury and appendicitis in 2016-17 with Windsor but still finished more than a point-per-game player with the Spitfires. He recorded 61 points in 49 games this season. His 29 goals led Windsor and his 61 points were second on the club. Vilardi is an excellent puck-possession forward, which drives his and his linemates' scoring. Skating is an area he can improve upon. He is a right-handed shot with good size, something that could intrigue the Flyers. He compares his game to John Tavares, the New York Islanders' star captain. He finished as Central Scouting's fourth-best rated North American skater.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107429&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Vilardi is a high-end possession center with excellent hockey sense and puck-handling ability. He plays a very composed game with the puck, using his vision and playmaking ability to influence the game in all three zones. Vilardi excels below the dots in the offensive zone, where he utilizes his size and reach to control the play and generate scoring opportunities.\"<\/p>Owen Tippett, RW, 18, 6-0\/200, Mississauga (OHL)<\/strong> What would intrigue Flyers fans about Tippett is his shoot-first mentality, a trait not many current Flyers own. A right wing with size, Tippett positions himself in scoring areas and has a desirable shot. He's described as a strong skater with great breakaway speed. He led the Steelheads with 44 goals and 75 points in 60 games this season. His 44 goals were fifth in the Ontario Hockey League. With Patrick and Hischier the cream of this year's average crop, Tippett at No. 2 might be a reach, but he fits the mold of what the Flyers need.<\/p>Michael Rasmussen, C, 18, 6-6\/215, Tri-City (WHL)<\/strong> Rasmussen is a centerman with above average skating for a player his size and a knack for knowing how to use his size to his advantage. He suffered a wrist injury this season and played in just 50 of Tri-City's 72 games. He netted 32 goals and 55 points and led the Americans with 15 power-play goals, an attractive trait for the Flyers. He compares his game to Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and former Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin. He finished fifth among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106985&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He's playing with much more confidence this season. He's adapted to playing a bigger role and playing heavy minutes against opponents' top lines and defense. The game has slowed down for him a little bit and he's just that much more poised. He can take that extra bit of time and understands he can take that time to make plays and score goals.\"<\/p>","summary":"After the Flyers landed the No. 2 overall pick during Saturday's lottery, Tom Dougherty looks at five potential players whom the Flyers could select.<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>' long-term landscape changed Saturday night with a stroke of luck.<\/p>\nFacing long odds, the Flyers nearly won the NHL draft lottery, but will have to settle for the No. 2 pick <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Considering where they were projected to pick, this is a major win for the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"We had a lot of bad luck this year,\" Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said Saturday night. \"And I'm hoping this is a turning point. This is a big point for our franchise.\"<\/p>\nThe Flyers came into the lottery most likely to draft 13th at 84.3 percent. Lottery rules dictated that they could only draft in the top three, stay at 13 or fall to 14 or 15th. They had a 2.2 percent chance at the top pick, 2.4 percent at the second pick and 2.7 at the third pick.<\/p>\nAnd the hockey gods were on the Flyers' side Saturday. Because of their current prospect picture \u2014 heavy on defensemen and goaltenders \u2014 the Flyers will have an opportunity to add an impact forward to their prospect pool, an immediate hole they will be able to fill.<\/p>\nHere are five prospects the Flyers could target with the No. 2 pick come June 23-24 at the NHL draft in Chicago.<\/p>\n(Note: Because the Flyers are heavy on defensive prospects, we're not including Miro Heiskanen, the consensus top defenseman in this year's draft class.)<\/em><\/p>\nNolan Patrick, C, 18, 6-2\/198, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Patrick finished as the top-rated skater by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, a spot he has been in all year long despite dealing with a groin\/abdominal injury throughout the 2016-17 season. He is touted as a two-way, right-handed center who does everything well but doesn't possess any one specific elite skill. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/sportsnets-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-march\/\">Sportsnet's Jeff Marek<\/a> wrote in March, \"think Jonathan Toews-lite.\" Patrick has NHL blood in his veins, as his father, Steve Patrick (250 games), and uncle, James Patrick (1,280 games), both have played in the league. In 33 games with the Wheat Kings this season, Patrick scored 20 goals and 46 points. He missed 39 games. During the 2015-16 season, Patrick registered 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games. He played two seasons in Brandon with Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106898&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He has more than proven over the last three years that he is the real deal and will be an impact NHL player. The poise, the presence, the attention to detail, the way he processes and executes plays \u2014 everything has been far more precise, far more accurate and a lot quicker this season.\"<\/p>\nNico Hischier, C, 18, 6-1\/176, Halifax (QMJHL)<\/strong> With Patrick the projected top pick in June's draft, Hischier checks in as the early favorite to become a Flyer on June 23. Hischier had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTL_BYWD2Ro\">a breakout performance<\/a> as an underage player \u2014 he was 17 at the time \u2014 for Team Switzerland during the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships, posting four goals and three assists in five games. He will likely become the highest-drafted Swiss-born player in league history. Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall, 2010) currently holds that title. In his first season in the QMJHL, Hischier led all rookies with 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points in 57 games, earning himself the league's Rookie of the Year award and winning the Mike Bossy Trophy, awarded to the league's best pro prospect.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107219&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Hischier is definitely worth the price of admission. He has a high skill level, but what's most impressive is the way he competes, his drive and work ethic. He is a player who is first on the forecheck forcing a turnover and when the play transitions, he's the first player back. He's in that category as a special player.\"<\/p>\nGabriel Vilardi, C, 17, 6-3\/202, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> Vilardi battled a knee injury and appendicitis in 2016-17 with Windsor but still finished more than a point-per-game player with the Spitfires. He recorded 61 points in 49 games this season. His 29 goals led Windsor and his 61 points were second on the club. Vilardi is an excellent puck-possession forward, which drives his and his linemates' scoring. Skating is an area he can improve upon. He is a right-handed shot with good size, something that could intrigue the Flyers. He compares his game to John Tavares, the New York Islanders' star captain. He finished as Central Scouting's fourth-best rated North American skater.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107429&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Vilardi is a high-end possession center with excellent hockey sense and puck-handling ability. He plays a very composed game with the puck, using his vision and playmaking ability to influence the game in all three zones. Vilardi excels below the dots in the offensive zone, where he utilizes his size and reach to control the play and generate scoring opportunities.\"<\/p>\nOwen Tippett, RW, 18, 6-0\/200, Mississauga (OHL)<\/strong> What would intrigue Flyers fans about Tippett is his shoot-first mentality, a trait not many current Flyers own. A right wing with size, Tippett positions himself in scoring areas and has a desirable shot. He's described as a strong skater with great breakaway speed. He led the Steelheads with 44 goals and 75 points in 60 games this season. His 44 goals were fifth in the Ontario Hockey League. With Patrick and Hischier the cream of this year's average crop, Tippett at No. 2 might be a reach, but he fits the mold of what the Flyers need.<\/p>\nMichael Rasmussen, C, 18, 6-6\/215, Tri-City (WHL)<\/strong> Rasmussen is a centerman with above average skating for a player his size and a knack for knowing how to use his size to his advantage. He suffered a wrist injury this season and played in just 50 of Tri-City's 72 games. He netted 32 goals and 55 points and led the Americans with 15 power-play goals, an attractive trait for the Flyers. He compares his game to Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and former Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin. He finished fifth among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106985&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He's playing with much more confidence this season. He's adapted to playing a bigger role and playing heavy minutes against opponents' top lines and defense. The game has slowed down for him a little bit and he's just that much more poised. He can take that extra bit of time and understands he can take that time to make plays and score goals.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"After the Flyers landed the No. 2 overall pick during Saturday's lottery, Tom Dougherty looks at five potential players whom the Flyers could select.<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":[],"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-04-30 13:30:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"190391","uid":"156","filename":"ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2018\/06\/10\/ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"275864","status":"1","timestamp":"1528687727","origname":"ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":null,"format":null,"safe_value":""}]},"field_file_image_title_text":{"und":[{"value":null,"format":null,"safe_value":""}]},"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"metadata":{"height":391,"width":640},"height":"391","width":"640","alt":"","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Who are the top options for the Flyers with the No. 2 pick?","format":null,"safe_value":"Who are the top options for the Flyers with the No. 2 pick?"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"17946"},{"tid":"17956"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"17951"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"509206"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"2017 NHL draft: Flyers targets at No. 2"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, Flyers land No. 2 pick, Flyers draft lottery, Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, Gabriel Vilardi, Owen Tippett, Michael Rasmussen, Future Flyers Report, Flyers prospects, Flyers draft 2017"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"528411","entity":{"vid":"552866","uid":"156","title":"2017 NHL draft prep: 2nd-round options for Flyers","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"528411","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1497060545","changed":"1497299015","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1497191040","revision_timestamp":"1497299015","revision_uid":"621","body":{"und":[{"value":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>In fact, they have 10 more picks after the first round and five in the first four rounds. Needless to say, this is a crucial draft for the Flyers. GM Ron Hextall already set himself up for one before landing the No. 2 pick. Now comes time to execute months of scouting.<\/p>\"We have a lot of picks here and we have to hit,\" Hextall recently told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/video\/hextall-on-draft-pt-3\/t-289469110\/c-51978303\">the Flyers' website<\/a>. \"We can't just hit on No. 2 and then be satisfied.\"<\/p>Because we have an idea of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/2017-nhl-draft-prep-options-flyers-no-2\">whom the pick will be at No. 2<\/a>, we decided to take a look at some potential targets for the Flyers in the second round.<\/p>Grant Mismash, LW, 18, 6-0\/186, USNTDP<\/strong> Mismash may not be around when the Flyers are on the board in the second round. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native is projected to go anywhere between late first round and middle of the second. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107068&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">24th-rated North American skater<\/a> by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. The 6-foot, 186-pound winger styles his game after Corey Perry and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h5GeQhmos5w\">enjoys the physical side<\/a> of the game. He's a product of the USNTDP, where he scored 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 games playing for the program's U-18 team. In 26 USHL games, he tallied eight goals and 24 helpers. He was part of the U.S. gold-medal team at the 2017 U-18 world championship, a tournament in which he registered three goals and eight points.<\/p>In the fall, he'll begin his college career at the University of North Dakota, a storied program that has produced many hockey greats, including Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews. In fact, Mismash also played one season, in 2014-15, at Shattuck-St. Mary's, a private high school, in Faribault, Minnesota, where Parise also played as a teenager. After Mismash committed to UND in 2015, Shattuck coach Tom Ward told the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.grandforksherald.com\/sports\/und-hockey\/3712084-und-mens-hockey-und-lands-commitment-coveted-shattuck-prospect\">Grand-Forks Herald<\/a><\/em> that Mismash \"doesn't play like an Edina (Minnesota) kid. He plays like a kid who grew up in the country, playing like a farm boy, which is a compliment.\"<\/p>Jesper Boqvist, C, 18, 6-0\/179, Bryn\u00e4s IF (SHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are likely familiar with Boqvist from keeping tabs on Oskar Lindblom, their 2015 fifth-round pick who's coming overseas next season with great anticipation. Boqvist plays both center and wing with a quick first step, good puck skills and a scoring touch. After breaking onto the scene in the junior ranks in 2015-16, he scored a combined 33 points in 50 games this past season in the SHL, Division 2 and the J20 SuperElit league.<\/p>Whether it's fair or not, Boqvist will ultimately be compared to other Swedish players such as Nicklas Backstrom and Jakob Silfverberg, who both also played for Bryn\u00e4s. Mats Backlin, the Bryn\u00e4s J20 coach, told Swedish newspaper <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dt.se\/ishockey\/shl\/hedemorasonen-jesper-boqvist-hyllas-stort-av-tranaren-lika-bra-som-nicklas-backstrom-var\">Dalarnas Tidningar<\/a><\/em> Boqvist is \"as good as those in this age. He's incredibly talented and you can compare him with them at this age.\" He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107234&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">10th-rated European skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's a left-handed shot who compares his play to Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expressen.se\/sport\/hockey\/shl\/de-kan-lamna-brynas-efter-sm-finalforlusten\/\">Expressen<\/a><\/em>, Boqvist may leave Bryn\u00e4s for another SHL team if he's promised an expanded role.<\/p>Matthew Strome, LW, 18, 6-4\/206 (Hamilton, OHL)<\/strong> If his last name rings familiarity, it should. Strome's older brothers, Ryan and Dylan, were both top-five draft picks in the last six years. The Islanders drafted Ryan Strome fifth overall in 2011, while Arizona selected Dylan Strome with the third pick in 2015. The youngest Strome brother is not taking the same path to the NHL as his brothers, however. Matthew Strome still could squeak into the first round but projects to be a second-rounder. Whether he falls to the 43-44 range is unforeseen, but the biggest knock on him is skating.<\/p>An Ontario-based <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/hamilton-bulldogs-winger-matthew-strome-wont-top-2017-nhl-draft-pick\/\">NHL scout told Sportsnet<\/a> last November of Strome's skating: \"Technically it's sort of painful to watch. He has a short, choppy stride.\" There is still plenty to like about Strome's game. He's a big, physical winger who's not afraid to head to the dirty areas to score. Strome, who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107434&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">33rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, led Hamilton with 34 goals this season. But his skating might be a problem going forward, which may<\/em> be enough for him to slip into the Flyers' range in the second round.<\/p>Scott Reedy, C, 18, 6-2\/204, USNTDP<\/strong> Another product of the USNTDP and Shattuck-St. Mary's, Reedy, a Prior Lake, Minnesota, native, is committed to play at the University of Minnesota in the fall. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107059&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">40th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, a seven-slot climb from the midterm rankings. At 6-foot-2, he has good size, playmaking ability and a high compete level. His versatility is a bonus. He can play both the pivot and the wing. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/Scott-Reedy\/\">Future Considerations<\/a><\/em> calls him a \"supreme skater who is just as agile, quick and mobile as he is smart.\"<\/p>Reedy, who likens his game to Islanders center John Tavares, notched 22 goals and 42 points in 60 games with the USNTDP U-18 team in 2016-17, and 10 goals and 14 points in 21 USHL contests. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3cEOyt8w4aI\">scoring a hat trick<\/a> against Arizona State on Feb. 25, Reedy showcased the willingness to create havoc in front of the net and get to the slot for easy scoring chances. He figures to go around the middle of the second round, where the Flyers pick.<\/p>Morgan Frost, C, 18, 5-11\/170, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/strong> One common theme with Frost that comes to mind is his hockey intelligence. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107492&tab=scr\">Central Scouting<\/a>, which rated him 31st among North American skaters, describes him as a \"smart and skilled center with very good offensive hockey sense \u2014 excellent vision and anticipation to quickly take advantage of opportunities.\" He's a playmaking center who projects to play wing in the NHL until he adds more muscle, which he could do by the time his drafting team decides he's ready. He's a creative, plus passer who could benefit from shooting the puck more.<\/p>The Sault Ste. Marie forward scored 20 goals and 62 points in 67 games during the regular season and added 11 points in 11 postseason games. He styles his game after Minnesota center Mikael Granlund. He projects to go in the second round and very well could be an option for the Flyers when they're on the clock.<\/p>Ivan Lodnia, RW, 17, 5-10\/182, Erie (OHL)<\/strong> Lodnia has a Flyers connection \u2014 the Flyers <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/flyers-hire-kris-knoblauch-assistant-coach-replace-fired-joe-mullen\">hired Erie coach Kris Knoblauch<\/a> as an assistant last Wednesday \u2014 but would have been on this list regardless. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107443&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">36th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's regarded as a highly skilled forward who bounced around the Otters' lineup this season in different roles largely because of Erie's loaded lineup. Lodnia largely was a staple on Erie's shutdown third line as the season progressed and the playoffs rolled around, which explains the dip in production.<\/p>During the regular season, Lodnia collected 57 points in 66 games with Erie. In his first 32 games, he registered 34 points but compiled just 22 in the final 34 games of the season. He had just two points in 22 playoff games but did add five in five Memorial Cup games. Lodnia's size might scare off teams, but in today's NHL there is a place for smaller players. One concern with Lodnia may be his skating. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/ohlprospects.blogspot.com\/2017\/02\/midseason-mediascout-top-10-for-2017.html\">OHL Prospects' Brock Otten<\/a>, Lodnia's \"not explosive, nor does he possess high-end speed.\" Still, Lodnia is described by <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/ivan-lodnia\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> as \"despite his size he is a very difficult player to take off the puck.\"<\/p>Marcus Davidsson, C, 18, 6-0\/191, Djurg\u00e5rdens IF (SHL)<\/strong> With the Flyers finally appearing to be placing an increased importance on speed and skill, Davidsson could be an intriguing option should he be available when the Orange and Black are on the clock. Davidsson's skating stride produces great speed. Central Scouting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107235&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">rated him the 12th-best European skater<\/a>, a position he's been in both the midterm and final rankings. A two-way, playmaking pivot, Davidsson tries to emulate fellow Swede and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/marcus-davidsson\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> says of Davidsson: \"Not physical, but will step into an opponent to separate the puck as well as battle for position deep in the offensive zone.\" He's still a project, though, who has to develop consistency, but that should be expected from a teenager dabbling in the SHL.<\/p>This season, Davidsson skated on a line with his older brother, Jonathan Davidsson, and Lukas Vejdemo, Montreal's 2015 third-round pick, for Djurg\u00e5rdens IF of the SHL. He registered just five goals and nine points with Djurg\u00e5rdens \u2014 he had six goals and 10 points in nine games with Djurg\u00e5rdens' junior club \u2014 but played 45 games in one of the best professional leagues in the world outside of the NHL as an 18-year-old.<\/p>Jonah Gadjovich, LW, 18, 6-2\/209, Owen Sound (OHL)<\/strong> The numbers are impressive: 46 goals, 28 assists, 74 points in 60 games with the Attack during the 2016-17 campaign, but are those numbers inflated from playing with projected first-round pick Nick Suzuki? That is one of the questions surrounding Gadjovich. He jumped up from the 60th-rated North American skater in Central Scouting's midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106926&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">39th-rated skater<\/a>. From his second year in the OHL to his third, he saw a 50-point increase and produced more than a point-per-game rate.<\/p>Gadjovich is projected to go anywhere between the middle of the second round and even the third or fourth rounds. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eliteprospects.com\/player.php?player=252476\">Elite Prospects<\/a> describes him as \"a feisty two-way winger that uses his size and speed to open up space for himself and teammates.\" He's a gritty, team-first player who has potential to either hit or flop. He may be a reach for where the Flyers will be drafting in the second round, though. He carries some risk.<\/p>Other names to watch<\/strong><\/p>Henri Jokiharju, D, 17, 6-0\/180, Portland (WHL)<\/strong> Jokiharju is projected to go anywhere between late in the first round or early second. Probably isn't an option for the Flyers in the early teens of the second but if he falls, it'd be hard to pass up. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107810&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">19th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D, 17, 6-2\/161, Charlottetown (QMJHL)<\/strong> A puck-moving defenseman with size who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107765&tab=prf\">27th-rated North American skater<\/a> in Central Scouting's final rankings. He had six goals and 39 points in 62 games with Charlottetown this season. Like Jokiharju, Joseph likely will be gone before the Flyers pick.<\/p>Michael DiPietro, G, 18, 6-0\/200, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are high on Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom, so goaltender is probably not something they'll look for in the second round, but if they do, DiPietro is an option. Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=3&dpid=107446&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">fourth-rated North American goalie<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>Stelio Mattheos, C, 17, 6-1\/192, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Mattheos fell from the 23rd-rated North American skater by Central Scouting in the midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106980&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">38th-rated skater<\/a> in the final rankings. He models his game after Jeff Carter. Scored 26 goals and 61 points in 69 games this season with Brandon.<\/p>Alexander Chmelevski, C, 18, 6-0\/190, Ottawa (OHL)<\/strong> Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107395&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">43rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Had 43 points in 58 games with Ottawa this season. Should be available when the Flyers pick but likely goes later in the second round or even the third.<\/p>Alex Formenton, LW, 17, 6-2\/165, London (OHL)<\/strong> Formenton finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107604&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">29th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Has good size and is a plus skater but still needs to add muscle to his frame. Had 34 points in 65 games in his first season with London, his second year in the OHL.<\/p>","summary":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the Flyers. So, let's take a look at second-round options. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\nIn fact, they have 10 more picks after the first round and five in the first four rounds. Needless to say, this is a crucial draft for the Flyers. GM Ron Hextall already set himself up for one before landing the No. 2 pick. Now comes time to execute months of scouting.<\/p>\n\"We have a lot of picks here and we have to hit,\" Hextall recently told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/video\/hextall-on-draft-pt-3\/t-289469110\/c-51978303\">the Flyers' website<\/a>. \"We can't just hit on No. 2 and then be satisfied.\"<\/p>\nBecause we have an idea of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/2017-nhl-draft-prep-options-flyers-no-2\">whom the pick will be at No. 2<\/a>, we decided to take a look at some potential targets for the Flyers in the second round.<\/p>\nGrant Mismash, LW, 18, 6-0\/186, USNTDP<\/strong> Mismash may not be around when the Flyers are on the board in the second round. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native is projected to go anywhere between late first round and middle of the second. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107068&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">24th-rated North American skater<\/a> by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. The 6-foot, 186-pound winger styles his game after Corey Perry and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h5GeQhmos5w\">enjoys the physical side<\/a> of the game. He's a product of the USNTDP, where he scored 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 games playing for the program's U-18 team. In 26 USHL games, he tallied eight goals and 24 helpers. He was part of the U.S. gold-medal team at the 2017 U-18 world championship, a tournament in which he registered three goals and eight points.<\/p>\nIn the fall, he'll begin his college career at the University of North Dakota, a storied program that has produced many hockey greats, including Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews. In fact, Mismash also played one season, in 2014-15, at Shattuck-St. Mary's, a private high school, in Faribault, Minnesota, where Parise also played as a teenager. After Mismash committed to UND in 2015, Shattuck coach Tom Ward told the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.grandforksherald.com\/sports\/und-hockey\/3712084-und-mens-hockey-und-lands-commitment-coveted-shattuck-prospect\">Grand-Forks Herald<\/a><\/em> that Mismash \"doesn't play like an Edina (Minnesota) kid. He plays like a kid who grew up in the country, playing like a farm boy, which is a compliment.\"<\/p>\nJesper Boqvist, C, 18, 6-0\/179, Bryn\u00e4s IF (SHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are likely familiar with Boqvist from keeping tabs on Oskar Lindblom, their 2015 fifth-round pick who's coming overseas next season with great anticipation. Boqvist plays both center and wing with a quick first step, good puck skills and a scoring touch. After breaking onto the scene in the junior ranks in 2015-16, he scored a combined 33 points in 50 games this past season in the SHL, Division 2 and the J20 SuperElit league.<\/p>\nWhether it's fair or not, Boqvist will ultimately be compared to other Swedish players such as Nicklas Backstrom and Jakob Silfverberg, who both also played for Bryn\u00e4s. Mats Backlin, the Bryn\u00e4s J20 coach, told Swedish newspaper <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dt.se\/ishockey\/shl\/hedemorasonen-jesper-boqvist-hyllas-stort-av-tranaren-lika-bra-som-nicklas-backstrom-var\">Dalarnas Tidningar<\/a><\/em> Boqvist is \"as good as those in this age. He's incredibly talented and you can compare him with them at this age.\" He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107234&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">10th-rated European skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's a left-handed shot who compares his play to Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expressen.se\/sport\/hockey\/shl\/de-kan-lamna-brynas-efter-sm-finalforlusten\/\">Expressen<\/a><\/em>, Boqvist may leave Bryn\u00e4s for another SHL team if he's promised an expanded role.<\/p>\nMatthew Strome, LW, 18, 6-4\/206 (Hamilton, OHL)<\/strong> If his last name rings familiarity, it should. Strome's older brothers, Ryan and Dylan, were both top-five draft picks in the last six years. The Islanders drafted Ryan Strome fifth overall in 2011, while Arizona selected Dylan Strome with the third pick in 2015. The youngest Strome brother is not taking the same path to the NHL as his brothers, however. Matthew Strome still could squeak into the first round but projects to be a second-rounder. Whether he falls to the 43-44 range is unforeseen, but the biggest knock on him is skating.<\/p>\nAn Ontario-based <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/hamilton-bulldogs-winger-matthew-strome-wont-top-2017-nhl-draft-pick\/\">NHL scout told Sportsnet<\/a> last November of Strome's skating: \"Technically it's sort of painful to watch. He has a short, choppy stride.\" There is still plenty to like about Strome's game. He's a big, physical winger who's not afraid to head to the dirty areas to score. Strome, who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107434&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">33rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, led Hamilton with 34 goals this season. But his skating might be a problem going forward, which may<\/em> be enough for him to slip into the Flyers' range in the second round.<\/p>\nScott Reedy, C, 18, 6-2\/204, USNTDP<\/strong> Another product of the USNTDP and Shattuck-St. Mary's, Reedy, a Prior Lake, Minnesota, native, is committed to play at the University of Minnesota in the fall. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107059&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">40th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, a seven-slot climb from the midterm rankings. At 6-foot-2, he has good size, playmaking ability and a high compete level. His versatility is a bonus. He can play both the pivot and the wing. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/Scott-Reedy\/\">Future Considerations<\/a><\/em> calls him a \"supreme skater who is just as agile, quick and mobile as he is smart.\"<\/p>\nReedy, who likens his game to Islanders center John Tavares, notched 22 goals and 42 points in 60 games with the USNTDP U-18 team in 2016-17, and 10 goals and 14 points in 21 USHL contests. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3cEOyt8w4aI\">scoring a hat trick<\/a> against Arizona State on Feb. 25, Reedy showcased the willingness to create havoc in front of the net and get to the slot for easy scoring chances. He figures to go around the middle of the second round, where the Flyers pick.<\/p>\nMorgan Frost, C, 18, 5-11\/170, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/strong> One common theme with Frost that comes to mind is his hockey intelligence. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107492&tab=scr\">Central Scouting<\/a>, which rated him 31st among North American skaters, describes him as a \"smart and skilled center with very good offensive hockey sense \u2014 excellent vision and anticipation to quickly take advantage of opportunities.\" He's a playmaking center who projects to play wing in the NHL until he adds more muscle, which he could do by the time his drafting team decides he's ready. He's a creative, plus passer who could benefit from shooting the puck more.<\/p>\nThe Sault Ste. Marie forward scored 20 goals and 62 points in 67 games during the regular season and added 11 points in 11 postseason games. He styles his game after Minnesota center Mikael Granlund. He projects to go in the second round and very well could be an option for the Flyers when they're on the clock.<\/p>\nIvan Lodnia, RW, 17, 5-10\/182, Erie (OHL)<\/strong> Lodnia has a Flyers connection \u2014 the Flyers <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/flyers-hire-kris-knoblauch-assistant-coach-replace-fired-joe-mullen\">hired Erie coach Kris Knoblauch<\/a> as an assistant last Wednesday \u2014 but would have been on this list regardless. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107443&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">36th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's regarded as a highly skilled forward who bounced around the Otters' lineup this season in different roles largely because of Erie's loaded lineup. Lodnia largely was a staple on Erie's shutdown third line as the season progressed and the playoffs rolled around, which explains the dip in production.<\/p>\nDuring the regular season, Lodnia collected 57 points in 66 games with Erie. In his first 32 games, he registered 34 points but compiled just 22 in the final 34 games of the season. He had just two points in 22 playoff games but did add five in five Memorial Cup games. Lodnia's size might scare off teams, but in today's NHL there is a place for smaller players. One concern with Lodnia may be his skating. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/ohlprospects.blogspot.com\/2017\/02\/midseason-mediascout-top-10-for-2017.html\">OHL Prospects' Brock Otten<\/a>, Lodnia's \"not explosive, nor does he possess high-end speed.\" Still, Lodnia is described by <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/ivan-lodnia\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> as \"despite his size he is a very difficult player to take off the puck.\"<\/p>\nMarcus Davidsson, C, 18, 6-0\/191, Djurg\u00e5rdens IF (SHL)<\/strong> With the Flyers finally appearing to be placing an increased importance on speed and skill, Davidsson could be an intriguing option should he be available when the Orange and Black are on the clock. Davidsson's skating stride produces great speed. Central Scouting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107235&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">rated him the 12th-best European skater<\/a>, a position he's been in both the midterm and final rankings. A two-way, playmaking pivot, Davidsson tries to emulate fellow Swede and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/marcus-davidsson\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> says of Davidsson: \"Not physical, but will step into an opponent to separate the puck as well as battle for position deep in the offensive zone.\" He's still a project, though, who has to develop consistency, but that should be expected from a teenager dabbling in the SHL.<\/p>\nThis season, Davidsson skated on a line with his older brother, Jonathan Davidsson, and Lukas Vejdemo, Montreal's 2015 third-round pick, for Djurg\u00e5rdens IF of the SHL. He registered just five goals and nine points with Djurg\u00e5rdens \u2014 he had six goals and 10 points in nine games with Djurg\u00e5rdens' junior club \u2014 but played 45 games in one of the best professional leagues in the world outside of the NHL as an 18-year-old.<\/p>\nJonah Gadjovich, LW, 18, 6-2\/209, Owen Sound (OHL)<\/strong> The numbers are impressive: 46 goals, 28 assists, 74 points in 60 games with the Attack during the 2016-17 campaign, but are those numbers inflated from playing with projected first-round pick Nick Suzuki? That is one of the questions surrounding Gadjovich. He jumped up from the 60th-rated North American skater in Central Scouting's midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106926&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">39th-rated skater<\/a>. From his second year in the OHL to his third, he saw a 50-point increase and produced more than a point-per-game rate.<\/p>\nGadjovich is projected to go anywhere between the middle of the second round and even the third or fourth rounds. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eliteprospects.com\/player.php?player=252476\">Elite Prospects<\/a> describes him as \"a feisty two-way winger that uses his size and speed to open up space for himself and teammates.\" He's a gritty, team-first player who has potential to either hit or flop. He may be a reach for where the Flyers will be drafting in the second round, though. He carries some risk.<\/p>\nOther names to watch<\/strong><\/p>\nHenri Jokiharju, D, 17, 6-0\/180, Portland (WHL)<\/strong> Jokiharju is projected to go anywhere between late in the first round or early second. Probably isn't an option for the Flyers in the early teens of the second but if he falls, it'd be hard to pass up. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107810&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">19th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>\nPierre-Olivier Joseph, D, 17, 6-2\/161, Charlottetown (QMJHL)<\/strong> A puck-moving defenseman with size who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107765&tab=prf\">27th-rated North American skater<\/a> in Central Scouting's final rankings. He had six goals and 39 points in 62 games with Charlottetown this season. Like Jokiharju, Joseph likely will be gone before the Flyers pick.<\/p>\nMichael DiPietro, G, 18, 6-0\/200, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are high on Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom, so goaltender is probably not something they'll look for in the second round, but if they do, DiPietro is an option. Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=3&dpid=107446&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">fourth-rated North American goalie<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>\nStelio Mattheos, C, 17, 6-1\/192, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Mattheos fell from the 23rd-rated North American skater by Central Scouting in the midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106980&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">38th-rated skater<\/a> in the final rankings. He models his game after Jeff Carter. Scored 26 goals and 61 points in 69 games this season with Brandon.<\/p>\nAlexander Chmelevski, C, 18, 6-0\/190, Ottawa (OHL)<\/strong> Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107395&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">43rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Had 43 points in 58 games with Ottawa this season. Should be available when the Flyers pick but likely goes later in the second round or even the third.<\/p>\nAlex Formenton, LW, 17, 6-2\/165, London (OHL)<\/strong> Formenton finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107604&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">29th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Has good size and is a plus skater but still needs to add muscle to his frame. Had 34 points in 65 games in his first season with London, his second year in the OHL.<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the Flyers. So, let's take a look at second-round options. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-11 14:24:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Aaron Bell, CHL Images\/Zack Hill, Philadelphia Flyers","format":null,"safe_value":"Aaron Bell, CHL Images\/Zack Hill, Philadelphia Flyers"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"456551","uid":"156","filename":"aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/10\/aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"305846","status":"1","timestamp":"1497127303","origname":"aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome","format":null,"safe_value":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome","metadata":{"height":325,"width":645},"height":"325","width":"645","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"What's after No. 2 overall? A look at 2nd-round draft options for Flyers","format":null,"safe_value":"What's after No. 2 overall? A look at 2nd-round draft options for Flyers"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"527791"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, 2017 NHL draft prospects, NHL draft second-round prospects"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true}]},"field_primary_display":[],"field_section":[],"field_show":[],"field_sport":[],"field_tags":[],"field_team":[],"field_author_reference":[],"field_archive":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_auto_mute":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_cont_play":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_media_file_title":[],"field_mc_vod_player_id":[],"field_media_file_id":[],"field_mediacard_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_display_desktop_large_only":[],"field_hide_on_mobile":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","entity_view_prepared":true},"#items":[{"value":"article"},{"value":"headline"},{"value":"media_gallery"},{"value":"video_on_demand"}],"#formatter":"list_default","0":{"#markup":"Article"},"1":{"#markup":"Headline"},"2":{"#markup":"Media Gallery"},"3":{"#markup":"Video On Demand"}},"field_dl_tabloid_headline":{"#theme":"field","#weight":26,"#title":"Title Override","#access":true,"#label_display":"above","#view_mode":"default","#language":"und","#field_name":"field_dl_tabloid_headline","#field_type":"media_cards","#field_translatable":"0","#entity_type":"bean","#bundle":"media_card","#object":{"label":"2017 NHL draft - 1 column","description":null,"title":"2017 NHL draft","type":"media_card","data":{"view_mode":"1col_eight_pack_headlines"},"delta":"2017-nhl-draft---1-column","view_mode":"1col_eight_pack_headlines","bid":"2356","vid":"11156","created":"1494716338","changed":"1497975234","log":"","uid":"156","default_revision":"1","revisions":[],"field_ad_hoc_group":[],"field_branded_header":[],"field_content_strategy":{"und":[{"value":"MANUAL_CONTENT_STRATEGY"}]},"field_content_type":{"und":[{"value":"article"},{"value":"headline"},{"value":"media_gallery"},{"value":"video_on_demand"}]},"field_dl_tabloid_headline":{"und":[{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""}]},"field_event":[],"field_genre_display":[],"field_league":[],"field_link":[],"field_links":[],"field_media_card_items":{"und":[{"target_id":"530976","entity":{"vid":"556191","uid":"266","title":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"530976","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1497836429","changed":"1519439858","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1497879000","revision_timestamp":"1519439858","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"In the basement of his Buffalo home, James Patrick was watching a hockey game with his brother and young nephew.<\/p>Between James and his brother Steve Patrick were 1,530 games of NHL experience. Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>As they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>Nolan was dead-on.<\/p>\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>Maybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>It's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460861\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"4\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"4\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>James Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>Later on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>And when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460851\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"3\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"3\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Both James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>Hockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>James said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>Along with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>In fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460841\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"1\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"1\"}}]] AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Every now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>It's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>But \u2026<\/p>\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>[video:https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?q=Nolan+Patrick]<\/p>James is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>But he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>Nolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>In 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>This past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>Now fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460876\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"6\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"6\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>The draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>James said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>Because of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>Looking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>It's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>James, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>His advice is simple.<\/p>\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>","summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"In the basement of his Buffalo home, James Patrick was watching a hockey game with his brother and young nephew.<\/p>\nBetween James and his brother Steve Patrick were 1,530 games of NHL experience. Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>\nAs they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\n\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>\nNolan was dead-on.<\/p>\n\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>\nMaybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\n\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>\nIt's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>\nThe <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460861--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"4\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJames Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\n\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>\nLater on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\n\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>\nAnd when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\n\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460851--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sunjpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"3\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nBoth James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\n\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>\nHockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\n\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>\nJames said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\n\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>\nAlong with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\n\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\nIn fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\n\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460841--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabresjpg\">ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nEvery now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>\nIt's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\n\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\n\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>\nBut \u2026<\/p>\n\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-filter\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/embed\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?autostart=false\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"video-filter video-nhl vf-nhltonightnolanpatrickt277350912c52125203\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\nJames is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\n\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>\nBut he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\n\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\n\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>\nNolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\n\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>\nIn 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>\nThis past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\n\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>\nNow fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\n\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\n\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\n\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460876--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nThe draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>\nJames said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\n\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>\nBecause of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\n\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\n\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>\nLooking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>\nIt's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>\nJames, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>\nHis advice is simple.<\/p>\n\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-19 13:30:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"460931","uid":"156","filename":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/18\/ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"267846","status":"1","timestamp":"1497844083","origname":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","format":null,"safe_value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","metadata":{"height":325,"width":645},"height":"325","width":"645","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story","format":null,"safe_value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"19271"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"531471"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: Nolan Patrick's story"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, James Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick Flyers, Nolan Patrick NHL draft, Nolan Hischier, Flyers top prospects, Flyers draft Nolan Patrick, Flyers draft, NHL draft Chicago"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"520661","entity":{"vid":"543041","uid":"156","title":"Halifax GM Cam Russell on Nico Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"520661","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1494875055","changed":"1498289468","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1494875100","revision_timestamp":"1498289468","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>Certainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>Russell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>Hischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>Oh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>At the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>Hischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>Russell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>Hischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>Russell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>The Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>Flyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>There had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>So, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>Hischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>Hischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>Russell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>As for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>","summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>\nCertainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>\nRussell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\n\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>\nHischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\nOh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>\nAt the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>\nHischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>\nRussell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\n\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>\nHischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>\nRussell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\n\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>\nThe Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>\nFlyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\n\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>\nThere had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>\nSo, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\n\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>\nHischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\n\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\n\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>\nHischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\n\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>\nRussell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>\nAs for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\n\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\n\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-15 19:05:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"HalifaxMooseheads.ca","format":null,"safe_value":"HalifaxMooseheads.ca"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"432871","uid":"266","filename":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-7.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/05\/28\/halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-7.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"297160","status":"1","timestamp":"1496001098","origname":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-7.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"[current-page:title] | [current-page:pager][site:name]","default":"[current-page:title] | [current-page:pager][site:name]"},"description":{"value":"CSN Philadelphia, your source for all Phillies, Eagles, Sixers and Flyers news, updates and more!","default":"CSN Philadelphia, your source for all Phillies, Eagles, Sixers and Flyers news, updates and 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GM on Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'","format":null,"safe_value":"Halifax GM on Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18251"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"518796"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Nico Hischier to Flyers? 'You're getting a star'"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nico Hischier, Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, NHL draft prospect Nico Hischier, Cam Russell, Nico Hischier scouting report"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"520246","entity":{"vid":"542586","uid":"266","title":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"520246","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1494714412","changed":"1495068540","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1494770400","revision_timestamp":"1495068540","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"On April 29, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>\u2019 fortune changed 10 years after the same event dealt them a blow that may have altered the team\u2019s narrative over the last decade. This time, they won.<\/p>The Flyers, by the fruit of blind luck, jumped 11 spots in the draft lottery to No. 2. It was the largest hurdle in lottery history. It could be a moment we look back on as a game-changer. It could be many things. What it\u2019s not is what happened on April 10, 2007, when the Flyers, who finished with an NHL-worst 56 points in 2006-07, lost the lottery to the Blackhawks.<\/p>Ten years ago, the lottery operated under a different system. Until 2013, the lottery consisted of the five teams with the fewest points in the standings. No team could move up more than four spots, and the team with the fewest points (the Flyers) could only pick either No. 1 or 2 in the draft. The Flyers had a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick.<\/p>We know the story. Chicago, which had an 8.1 percent chance at the top pick, won the lottery, and the Flyers, who had the worst season in franchise history, got sloppy seconds. The lottery system changed in 2013. Now, any team that does not qualify for the playoffs is eligible to win the lottery, which paved the avenue for the Flyers\u2019 climb last month.<\/p>\"I'm not sure it really matters,\" Paul Holmgren, then-Flyers' GM and now team president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/holmgren-speaks-with-media-after-draft-lottery\/c-435748\" target=\"_blank\">told NHL.com<\/a> on April 12, 2007, of losing the lottery. \"The thing about having the first pick is you get the first pick. Now, we don't, but I'm confident we're still going to get a good player. As I've said all along, I'm not sure there's an immediate impact guy there anyway.\"<\/p>That is where the 2007 and 2017 similarities come into play. Ten years later, we know how the 2007 draft panned out, with Patrick Kane, the top pick, being head and shoulders atop the class, and James van Riemsdyk, whom the Flyers drafted No. 2, now playing in Toronto.<\/p>There was an immediate impact player in the 2007 draft, which is where Holmgren was wrong, and it was Kane, who scored at a 0.89 points per game clip in his rookie season, finishing with 72 points in 82 games.<\/p>van Riemsdyk never developed into an impact player with the Flyers. In 2013, the Flyers traded van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs, where he\u2019s matured into a solid complementary scoring winger with a 30-goal season under his belt and two 60-plus-point campaigns.<\/p>\u201cWe were both put in different situations and we were both in different stages, I guess of our hockey development,\u201d van Riemsdyk told <a href=\"http:\/\/prev.dailyherald.com\/story\/?id=384121\" target=\"_blank\">The Daily Herald<\/em><\/a>, a Chicago-area newspaper, May 27, 2010. \u201cI did what I thought was best for me to be a better player, and he was obviously ready to make that jump right after the draft. He made it happen right away.\u201d<\/p>If we go back to 2007, it was not considered to be a slam dunk atop the draft. It was a three-player race between Kane, van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris, who went No. 3 to Arizona. There was thought that even if the Flyers had the top pick, \u201cJVR\u201d would have been the pick. <\/p>\u201cAll three of these kids were very close. Very close,\u201d Holmgren told Kevin Kurz, now with NBC Sports Bay Area, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/staying-close-to-home\/c-435817\" target=\"_blank\">after the draft<\/a> on June 23, 2007. \u201cWe\u2019d have been happy with any of them, but you have to make a decision and James ended up on top.\u201d<\/p>Fast forward to this year. The Flyers\u2019 luck shifted. They finished with 88 points, seven points out of a playoff spot. Without the lottery, they would have picked 13th in what general manager Ron Hextall has described as \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">an average draft<\/a>\u201d \u2014 like it was in 2007, a draft that generated five All-Stars, including the Flyers\u2019 Jakub Voracek, who was drafted seventh overall by Columbus, and van Riemsdyk is not one of them. There were several big misses in the draft.<\/p>This year, it's widely considered a two-player draft, with Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier as the cream of this year\u2019s crop. Barring any unforeseen surprises, the Flyers will come away with either Patrick or Hischier come June 23. It really is as simple as whoever New Jersey does not take at No. 1.<\/p>But that is where we see the difference between 2007 and 2017 for the Flyers. Ten years ago, the Flyers played their way into a top-two pick and rotten luck cost them the top pick. Their choice was between the two players Chicago didn\u2019t take \u2014 van Riemsdyk and Turris.<\/p>In van Riemsdyk, the Flyers were drafting a player who came up in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and still needed years to develop. He decided to play at the University of New Hampshire before turning pro after his sophomore season.<\/p>With either Patrick or Hischier \u2014 it seems to be a pick-your-poison situation \u2014 the Flyers will be getting a player closer to making an immediate impact than they did in 2007. Neither will have the impacts we have seen from the No. 2 picks from the last two drafts \u2014 Jack Eichel and Patrik Laine. <\/p>When asked about Patrick and Hischier\u2019s NHL readiness on May 8, Hextall <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">refused to tip his hat<\/a> about his views on the prospects, sticking to his mantra that any kid has to earn a spot.<\/p>\u201cWe would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do \u2026 you make an educated judgment and then you go from there,\u201d Hextall said. \u201cA player has to come in and prove that he\u2019s ready, and at this age, not many are.\u201d<\/p>Patrick has three years of experience in the Western Hockey League, and there is some belief he will not benefit from a fourth season in the WHL. Despite battling groin and abdominal injuries last season, he still produced above a point-per-game pace (1.39). <\/p>As a 17-year-old two years ago, Patrick put up 102 points in 72 regular-season games and led the Wheat Kings to a WHL championship with 30 points in 21 playoff games. He still will have to prove his worth to either the Flyers or Devils, but one has to believe the likelihood of him making an immediate impact is far greater than him going back to junior.<\/p>Hischier broke out during the world junior championships for Switzerland, scoring four goals and three assists in five games. With Halifax during his rookie season in the QMJHL, Hischier finished as a 1.5 points-per-game player, putting up 86 points in 57 games and earning the league\u2019s Rookie of the Year award. Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, describes the Swiss center as \u201cdefinitely worth the price of admission.\u201d<\/p>There are a plethora of reasons why 2007 and 2017 are different for the Flyers. Luck is atop the list. But the player they\u2019ll be getting this June is one they should be able to reap immediate benefits from, something they weren\u2019t getting in 2007.<\/p>","summary":"Unlike 2007 with James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers should get an immediate impact player in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick in 2017. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"On April 29, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>\u2019 fortune changed 10 years after the same event dealt them a blow that may have altered the team\u2019s narrative over the last decade. This time, they won.<\/p>\nThe Flyers, by the fruit of blind luck, jumped 11 spots in the draft lottery to No. 2. It was the largest hurdle in lottery history. It could be a moment we look back on as a game-changer. It could be many things. What it\u2019s not is what happened on April 10, 2007, when the Flyers, who finished with an NHL-worst 56 points in 2006-07, lost the lottery to the Blackhawks.<\/p>\nTen years ago, the lottery operated under a different system. Until 2013, the lottery consisted of the five teams with the fewest points in the standings. No team could move up more than four spots, and the team with the fewest points (the Flyers) could only pick either No. 1 or 2 in the draft. The Flyers had a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick.<\/p>\nWe know the story. Chicago, which had an 8.1 percent chance at the top pick, won the lottery, and the Flyers, who had the worst season in franchise history, got sloppy seconds. The lottery system changed in 2013. Now, any team that does not qualify for the playoffs is eligible to win the lottery, which paved the avenue for the Flyers\u2019 climb last month.<\/p>\n\"I'm not sure it really matters,\" Paul Holmgren, then-Flyers' GM and now team president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/holmgren-speaks-with-media-after-draft-lottery\/c-435748\" target=\"_blank\">told NHL.com<\/a> on April 12, 2007, of losing the lottery. \"The thing about having the first pick is you get the first pick. Now, we don't, but I'm confident we're still going to get a good player. As I've said all along, I'm not sure there's an immediate impact guy there anyway.\"<\/p>\nThat is where the 2007 and 2017 similarities come into play. Ten years later, we know how the 2007 draft panned out, with Patrick Kane, the top pick, being head and shoulders atop the class, and James van Riemsdyk, whom the Flyers drafted No. 2, now playing in Toronto.<\/p>\nThere was an immediate impact player in the 2007 draft, which is where Holmgren was wrong, and it was Kane, who scored at a 0.89 points per game clip in his rookie season, finishing with 72 points in 82 games.<\/p>\nvan Riemsdyk never developed into an impact player with the Flyers. In 2013, the Flyers traded van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs, where he\u2019s matured into a solid complementary scoring winger with a 30-goal season under his belt and two 60-plus-point campaigns.<\/p>\n\u201cWe were both put in different situations and we were both in different stages, I guess of our hockey development,\u201d van Riemsdyk told <a href=\"http:\/\/prev.dailyherald.com\/story\/?id=384121\" target=\"_blank\">The Daily Herald<\/em><\/a>, a Chicago-area newspaper, May 27, 2010. \u201cI did what I thought was best for me to be a better player, and he was obviously ready to make that jump right after the draft. He made it happen right away.\u201d<\/p>\nIf we go back to 2007, it was not considered to be a slam dunk atop the draft. It was a three-player race between Kane, van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris, who went No. 3 to Arizona. There was thought that even if the Flyers had the top pick, \u201cJVR\u201d would have been the pick. <\/p>\n\u201cAll three of these kids were very close. Very close,\u201d Holmgren told Kevin Kurz, now with NBC Sports Bay Area, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/staying-close-to-home\/c-435817\" target=\"_blank\">after the draft<\/a> on June 23, 2007. \u201cWe\u2019d have been happy with any of them, but you have to make a decision and James ended up on top.\u201d<\/p>\nFast forward to this year. The Flyers\u2019 luck shifted. They finished with 88 points, seven points out of a playoff spot. Without the lottery, they would have picked 13th in what general manager Ron Hextall has described as \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">an average draft<\/a>\u201d \u2014 like it was in 2007, a draft that generated five All-Stars, including the Flyers\u2019 Jakub Voracek, who was drafted seventh overall by Columbus, and van Riemsdyk is not one of them. There were several big misses in the draft.<\/p>\nThis year, it's widely considered a two-player draft, with Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier as the cream of this year\u2019s crop. Barring any unforeseen surprises, the Flyers will come away with either Patrick or Hischier come June 23. It really is as simple as whoever New Jersey does not take at No. 1.<\/p>\nBut that is where we see the difference between 2007 and 2017 for the Flyers. Ten years ago, the Flyers played their way into a top-two pick and rotten luck cost them the top pick. Their choice was between the two players Chicago didn\u2019t take \u2014 van Riemsdyk and Turris.<\/p>\nIn van Riemsdyk, the Flyers were drafting a player who came up in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and still needed years to develop. He decided to play at the University of New Hampshire before turning pro after his sophomore season.<\/p>\nWith either Patrick or Hischier \u2014 it seems to be a pick-your-poison situation \u2014 the Flyers will be getting a player closer to making an immediate impact than they did in 2007. Neither will have the impacts we have seen from the No. 2 picks from the last two drafts \u2014 Jack Eichel and Patrik Laine. <\/p>\nWhen asked about Patrick and Hischier\u2019s NHL readiness on May 8, Hextall <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">refused to tip his hat<\/a> about his views on the prospects, sticking to his mantra that any kid has to earn a spot.<\/p>\n\u201cWe would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do \u2026 you make an educated judgment and then you go from there,\u201d Hextall said. \u201cA player has to come in and prove that he\u2019s ready, and at this age, not many are.\u201d<\/p>\nPatrick has three years of experience in the Western Hockey League, and there is some belief he will not benefit from a fourth season in the WHL. Despite battling groin and abdominal injuries last season, he still produced above a point-per-game pace (1.39). <\/p>\nAs a 17-year-old two years ago, Patrick put up 102 points in 72 regular-season games and led the Wheat Kings to a WHL championship with 30 points in 21 playoff games. He still will have to prove his worth to either the Flyers or Devils, but one has to believe the likelihood of him making an immediate impact is far greater than him going back to junior.<\/p>\nHischier broke out during the world junior championships for Switzerland, scoring four goals and three assists in five games. With Halifax during his rookie season in the QMJHL, Hischier finished as a 1.5 points-per-game player, putting up 86 points in 57 games and earning the league\u2019s Rookie of the Year award. Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, describes the Swiss center as \u201cdefinitely worth the price of admission.\u201d<\/p>\nThere are a plethora of reasons why 2007 and 2017 are different for the Flyers. Luck is atop the list. But the player they\u2019ll be getting this June is one they should be able to reap immediate benefits from, something they weren\u2019t getting in 2007.<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Unlike 2007 with James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers should get an immediate impact player in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick in 2017. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-14 14:00:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images\/HalifaxMooseheads.ca","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images\/HalifaxMooseheads.ca"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"440076","uid":"266","filename":"ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/05\/13\/ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"290425","status":"1","timestamp":"1494716035","origname":"ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"metadata":{"height":360,"width":640},"height":"360","width":"640","alt":"","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2","format":null,"safe_value":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"15101"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"518706"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, Flyers draft lottery, 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, Ron Hextall, Flyers top prospects, Flyers prospects, Paul Holmgren, James van Riemsdyk, Patrick Kane, Patrick Kane Flyers"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"526256","entity":{"vid":"550081","uid":"156","title":"Nolan Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at NHL combine","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"526256","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1496452468","changed":"1496548719","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1496452200","revision_timestamp":"1496548719","revision_uid":"266","body":{"und":[{"value":"BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 Nolan Patrick took a timeout toward the end of his shift with reporters on Friday at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>The top-ranked draft prospect was feeling the heat inside the NHL's Centennial Museum track and had to remove his jacket before answering the last few questions.<\/p>Patrick is not sweating his draft status after meeting with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> and a dozen other teams this week and reaffirming his health heading into Saturday's fitness testing.  <\/p>\"I'm not going to try to prove anything,\" Patrick said. \"I'm just going to try and do the tests to the best of my abilities.\"<\/p>Along with Swiss skater Nico Hischier, the Winnipeg-born Patrick is one of two 18-year-old centers the Flyers are expected to select with the No. 2 pick in the June 23-24 draft. The New Jersey Devils hold the first pick and have not yet revealed their plans.<\/p>Patrick said he informed teams this week that he has recovered from a misdiagnosed double sports hernia injury that limited him during his last season of junior hockey. He had surgery on his right groin muscle last July, but a similar injury on his left side went undetected and did not heal until after the season.<\/p>After leading Brandon to the Western Hockey League championship in 2016, Patrick missed more than half of this past season, including all four WHL playoff games, with various injuries. He has been medically cleared for combine testing and expects to be able to participate in an NHL training camp in September.<\/p>\"Obviously, it wasn't the ideal season for me,\" Patrick said. \"I don't think any hockey player wants something like that, especially in your draft year.\"<\/p>But now that he is healthy, Patrick believes the injury helped his development.<\/p>\"I don't think it was the worst thing for me,\" he said. \"I think a little adversity for a young kid makes you stronger as a player. I didn't talk about it during the year in the media, that I was misdiagnosed. This is the first time I've really said anything about it.\"<\/p>The 6-foot-2, 198-pound Patrick still produced 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 33 games last season and won the Top Prospect Award as the best draft-eligible player in the Canadian Hockey League. Hischier, who played in Halifax, was also a finalist for the award.<\/p>The NHL teams try to get to know them better this week, while the consensus top two prospects in the draft have spent time getting to know each other.<\/p>\"It's good to see that he's a really good guy,\" Patrick said of Hischier.<\/p>Patrick said he got no \"vibes\" from his meeting with the Devils on which player they were leaning toward with the No. 1 pick.<\/p>Does Patrick believe he should be the one?<\/p>\"That's not up for to decide, so I guess I'll see what the NHL teams think,\" Patrick said. \"Obviously, that would be a huge honor. \u2026 But I'd be honored to go anywhere.\"<\/p>Patrick is also unconcerned with the perception that the top prospects in this year's draft are not as good as the prizes from 2015 (Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel) or 2016 (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine).<\/p>\"At the end of the day, I'm just trying to make the NHL and contribute as much I can,\" Patrick said. \"I'm not putting any added pressure on myself. \u2026 I try not to compare myself to those guys. I don't expect to come in and put 40 goals up, or score four goals in my first game. I don't think that happens very often.\"<\/p>Patrick's father, Steve, played 250 games for the Sabres, Rangers and Nordiques from 1980-86. His uncle, James, played 1,280 games with the Rangers, Whalers, Flames and Sabres from 1983-2006 and was an assistant coach for the Stars the past four seasons.<\/p>Patrick said his father and uncle have taught him that how he carries himself off the ice will be as important to his success and his skills on the ice.<\/p>\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" he said.<\/p>Unfamiliar with Philadelphia, Patrick does have a friend on the Flyers.<\/p>\"I've never been there, but one of my good buddies, Ivan Provorov, plays there,\" Patrick said. \"I've talked to him a bit and he loves it.\"<\/p>","summary":"Nolan Patrick, who could be the Flyers' draft pick at No. 2, talked his health, mindset and more on Friday at the NHL combine. By Jonah Bronstein<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 Nolan Patrick took a timeout toward the end of his shift with reporters on Friday at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\nThe top-ranked draft prospect was feeling the heat inside the NHL's Centennial Museum track and had to remove his jacket before answering the last few questions.<\/p>\nPatrick is not sweating his draft status after meeting with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> and a dozen other teams this week and reaffirming his health heading into Saturday's fitness testing.  <\/p>\n\"I'm not going to try to prove anything,\" Patrick said. \"I'm just going to try and do the tests to the best of my abilities.\"<\/p>\nAlong with Swiss skater Nico Hischier, the Winnipeg-born Patrick is one of two 18-year-old centers the Flyers are expected to select with the No. 2 pick in the June 23-24 draft. The New Jersey Devils hold the first pick and have not yet revealed their plans.<\/p>\nPatrick said he informed teams this week that he has recovered from a misdiagnosed double sports hernia injury that limited him during his last season of junior hockey. He had surgery on his right groin muscle last July, but a similar injury on his left side went undetected and did not heal until after the season.<\/p>\nAfter leading Brandon to the Western Hockey League championship in 2016, Patrick missed more than half of this past season, including all four WHL playoff games, with various injuries. He has been medically cleared for combine testing and expects to be able to participate in an NHL training camp in September.<\/p>\n\"Obviously, it wasn't the ideal season for me,\" Patrick said. \"I don't think any hockey player wants something like that, especially in your draft year.\"<\/p>\nBut now that he is healthy, Patrick believes the injury helped his development.<\/p>\n\"I don't think it was the worst thing for me,\" he said. \"I think a little adversity for a young kid makes you stronger as a player. I didn't talk about it during the year in the media, that I was misdiagnosed. This is the first time I've really said anything about it.\"<\/p>\nThe 6-foot-2, 198-pound Patrick still produced 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 33 games last season and won the Top Prospect Award as the best draft-eligible player in the Canadian Hockey League. Hischier, who played in Halifax, was also a finalist for the award.<\/p>\nThe NHL teams try to get to know them better this week, while the consensus top two prospects in the draft have spent time getting to know each other.<\/p>\n\"It's good to see that he's a really good guy,\" Patrick said of Hischier.<\/p>\nPatrick said he got no \"vibes\" from his meeting with the Devils on which player they were leaning toward with the No. 1 pick.<\/p>\nDoes Patrick believe he should be the one?<\/p>\n\"That's not up for to decide, so I guess I'll see what the NHL teams think,\" Patrick said. \"Obviously, that would be a huge honor. \u2026 But I'd be honored to go anywhere.\"<\/p>\nPatrick is also unconcerned with the perception that the top prospects in this year's draft are not as good as the prizes from 2015 (Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel) or 2016 (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine).<\/p>\n\"At the end of the day, I'm just trying to make the NHL and contribute as much I can,\" Patrick said. \"I'm not putting any added pressure on myself. \u2026 I try not to compare myself to those guys. I don't expect to come in and put 40 goals up, or score four goals in my first game. I don't think that happens very often.\"<\/p>\nPatrick's father, Steve, played 250 games for the Sabres, Rangers and Nordiques from 1980-86. His uncle, James, played 1,280 games with the Rangers, Whalers, Flames and Sabres from 1983-2006 and was an assistant coach for the Stars the past four seasons.<\/p>\nPatrick said his father and uncle have taught him that how he carries himself off the ice will be as important to his success and his skills on the ice.<\/p>\n\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" he said.<\/p>\nUnfamiliar with Philadelphia, Patrick does have a friend on the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"I've never been there, but one of my good buddies, Ivan Provorov, plays there,\" Patrick said. \"I've talked to him a bit and he loves it.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nolan Patrick, who could be the Flyers' draft pick at No. 2, talked his health, mindset and more on Friday at the NHL combine. By Jonah Bronstein<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1796"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-03 01:10:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Tim Smith | Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"Tim Smith | Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"452316","uid":"156","filename":"tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"268180","status":"1","timestamp":"1498209153","origname":"tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"Nolan Patrick","format":null,"safe_value":"Nolan Patrick"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"Nolan Patrick","metadata":{"height":377,"width":640},"height":"377","width":"640","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Possible Flyers pick Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at combine","format":null,"safe_value":"Possible Flyers pick Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at combine"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18766"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"13406"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"526206"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Nolan Patrick talks injury history, mindset at NHL combine"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, 2017 NHL Scouting Combine"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"524586","entity":{"vid":"548076","uid":"156","title":"A healthy Nolan Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"524586","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1495928611","changed":"1498289443","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1495986900","revision_timestamp":"1498289443","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"As he met with general manager Grant Armstrong, Nolan Patrick had just finished an injury-marred junior season.<\/p>The 18-year-old missed the WHL playoffs and was limited to 33 games because of two separate injuries. He underwent sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, a major impediment to his summer training. He never quite \"caught up to the year,\" as Armstrong put it.<\/p>\"I don't think he really ever got himself into a situation where he was 100 percent,\" the Brandon Wheat Kings GM said in a phone interview last week with CSNPhilly.com.<\/p>But none of that was about to crack Patrick's confidence.<\/p>\"When we had our exit meetings, he told me he was going to play in the NHL,\" Armstrong said. \"I wished him the best of luck and I expect that's where he'll be next year.\"<\/p>Where he could be is Philadelphia sporting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> orange. Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top two picks for the June 23-24 NHL entry draft. The Flyers, of course, thanks to a stroke of good luck, will be happily sitting at No. 2 overall. The Devils will make Ron Hextall's decision much easier when they pick at No. 1.<\/p>The Canadian Patrick and Swiss-born Hischier are both centers. Coming into the season, Patrick was viewed as the draft's top dog, but his health and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/halifax-gm-cam-russell-nico-hischier-youre-getting-star-long-time\">Hischier's rise<\/a> have tightened the race.<\/p>Will the injuries cause apprehension?<\/p>\"I think there's no concern at all,\" Armstrong said. \"Injuries are a part of the game and I don't see it being an issue for Nolan at all. He trains well, he works hard at it and rehabs properly. I don't see it being an issue and currently, I think he's at 100 percent.\"<\/p>Despite the hampered summer and shortened season, Patrick showed why he's so heralded, compiling 46 points in 33 games for the Wheat Kings, his third year with the junior club. He scored 20 goals and collected 26 assists. Why that might not be mind-blowing is because Patrick had 102 points in 2015-16 on 41 goals and 61 assists for an astounding plus-51 rating. He went on to record 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 21 playoff games, leading Brandon to its first WHL title in 20 years alongside current Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>Similar to Provorov, Patrick's hockey smarts belie his age.<\/p>\"His presence on the ice, he just thinks the game, he puts himself in positions to be successful all the time,\" Armstrong said. \"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect. He sees the game so well, he's a student of the game, he understands and puts himself in positions of success. That hasn't changed, it's only getting better for him.<\/p>\"He's a difference-maker.\"<\/p>Armstrong joined the Wheat Kings last summer but had scouted and seen plenty of Patrick as Armstrong worked the previous four seasons for the WHL's Victoria Royals.<\/p>\"He's a very elite player with a tremendous hockey sense,\" Armstrong said. \"I think that's his biggest attribute is he thinks the game so well, he thinks it ahead of what's really happening on the ice a lot of the times. He's a player that's really starting to come into his own. <\/p>\"This next season will be a real opportunity for him to showcase his elite hockey sense and his athleticism and all the things that combine to make him a great player.\"<\/p>It appears Patrick, who has great size at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, is ready to showcase those traits at the NHL level. His future club will ultimately decide that in training camp.<\/p>\"We would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-flyers-moving-lottery-it-changes-things-lot\">Hextall said earlier this month<\/a>. \"You make an educated judgment and then you go from there. A player has to come in and prove that he's ready and at this age not many are, so we'll wait and see which way [the player] goes from there.\"<\/p>Armstrong said there's constant communication between Brandon and NHL teams throughout a season and that it escalates this time of year as the draft nears.<\/p>What about with the Flyers?<\/p>\"The Flyers are a great organization and obviously we have ties to their GM,\" Armstrong said. \"It's a good fit and they know what's going on.<\/p>\"They're dialed into what's going on and they have all kinds of ways to communicate with people.\"<\/p>While Patrick may not jump off the charts with Connor McDavid-like scoring ability, he prides himself on being complete. Armstrong said Patrick models his game after Kings center Anze Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2015-16 Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's top defensive forward.<\/p>It's the do-it-all mentality Armstrong believes was special, night in and night out.<\/p>\"Just the way he makes small plays in a game that would set up a teammate,\" he said. \"He plays a 200-foot game, he's coming back hard and supporting the D in the defensive zone. Switching to offense, he's quick and he does things that make him such a great player.<\/p>\"I think everybody thinks that a No. 1 or 2 centerman is going to be completely focused on the offensive side, but no, he's very committed to the defensive side of the puck \u2014 I think that's one thing that's a little bit misunderstood about him. He's got such an ability to play in any situation \u2014 killing penalties, late in the game, taking big faceoffs, that's his game.\"<\/p>Armstrong extolled Patrick for making everyone around him better on the Wheat Kings.<\/p>If that's with the Flyers next, Armstrong believes you won't be disappointed.<\/p>\"I think they just have to be patient and allow the player to grow. He won't let anybody down,\" Armstrong said. \"I just think he's an elite talent with an elite sense for the game. At some point, he'll be a great two-way centerman in the league. He'll put up offensive numbers. They won't be in the elite category, but he'll be a guy that'll chip away at his game, he'll produce. You just have to take your time and be patient.\"<\/p>","summary":"Brandon Wheat Kings GM Grant Armstrong said a healthy Nolan Patrick would be an elite, difference-making talent for the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"As he met with general manager Grant Armstrong, Nolan Patrick had just finished an injury-marred junior season.<\/p>\nThe 18-year-old missed the WHL playoffs and was limited to 33 games because of two separate injuries. He underwent sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, a major impediment to his summer training. He never quite \"caught up to the year,\" as Armstrong put it.<\/p>\n\"I don't think he really ever got himself into a situation where he was 100 percent,\" the Brandon Wheat Kings GM said in a phone interview last week with CSNPhilly.com.<\/p>\nBut none of that was about to crack Patrick's confidence.<\/p>\n\"When we had our exit meetings, he told me he was going to play in the NHL,\" Armstrong said. \"I wished him the best of luck and I expect that's where he'll be next year.\"<\/p>\nWhere he could be is Philadelphia sporting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> orange. Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top two picks for the June 23-24 NHL entry draft. The Flyers, of course, thanks to a stroke of good luck, will be happily sitting at No. 2 overall. The Devils will make Ron Hextall's decision much easier when they pick at No. 1.<\/p>\nThe Canadian Patrick and Swiss-born Hischier are both centers. Coming into the season, Patrick was viewed as the draft's top dog, but his health and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/halifax-gm-cam-russell-nico-hischier-youre-getting-star-long-time\">Hischier's rise<\/a> have tightened the race.<\/p>\nWill the injuries cause apprehension?<\/p>\n\"I think there's no concern at all,\" Armstrong said. \"Injuries are a part of the game and I don't see it being an issue for Nolan at all. He trains well, he works hard at it and rehabs properly. I don't see it being an issue and currently, I think he's at 100 percent.\"<\/p>\nDespite the hampered summer and shortened season, Patrick showed why he's so heralded, compiling 46 points in 33 games for the Wheat Kings, his third year with the junior club. He scored 20 goals and collected 26 assists. Why that might not be mind-blowing is because Patrick had 102 points in 2015-16 on 41 goals and 61 assists for an astounding plus-51 rating. He went on to record 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 21 playoff games, leading Brandon to its first WHL title in 20 years alongside current Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>\nSimilar to Provorov, Patrick's hockey smarts belie his age.<\/p>\n\"His presence on the ice, he just thinks the game, he puts himself in positions to be successful all the time,\" Armstrong said. \"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect. He sees the game so well, he's a student of the game, he understands and puts himself in positions of success. That hasn't changed, it's only getting better for him.<\/p>\n\"He's a difference-maker.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong joined the Wheat Kings last summer but had scouted and seen plenty of Patrick as Armstrong worked the previous four seasons for the WHL's Victoria Royals.<\/p>\n\"He's a very elite player with a tremendous hockey sense,\" Armstrong said. \"I think that's his biggest attribute is he thinks the game so well, he thinks it ahead of what's really happening on the ice a lot of the times. He's a player that's really starting to come into his own. <\/p>\n\"This next season will be a real opportunity for him to showcase his elite hockey sense and his athleticism and all the things that combine to make him a great player.\"<\/p>\nIt appears Patrick, who has great size at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, is ready to showcase those traits at the NHL level. His future club will ultimately decide that in training camp.<\/p>\n\"We would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-flyers-moving-lottery-it-changes-things-lot\">Hextall said earlier this month<\/a>. \"You make an educated judgment and then you go from there. A player has to come in and prove that he's ready and at this age not many are, so we'll wait and see which way [the player] goes from there.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong said there's constant communication between Brandon and NHL teams throughout a season and that it escalates this time of year as the draft nears.<\/p>\nWhat about with the Flyers?<\/p>\n\"The Flyers are a great organization and obviously we have ties to their GM,\" Armstrong said. \"It's a good fit and they know what's going on.<\/p>\n\"They're dialed into what's going on and they have all kinds of ways to communicate with people.\"<\/p>\nWhile Patrick may not jump off the charts with Connor McDavid-like scoring ability, he prides himself on being complete. Armstrong said Patrick models his game after Kings center Anze Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2015-16 Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's top defensive forward.<\/p>\nIt's the do-it-all mentality Armstrong believes was special, night in and night out.<\/p>\n\"Just the way he makes small plays in a game that would set up a teammate,\" he said. \"He plays a 200-foot game, he's coming back hard and supporting the D in the defensive zone. Switching to offense, he's quick and he does things that make him such a great player.<\/p>\n\"I think everybody thinks that a No. 1 or 2 centerman is going to be completely focused on the offensive side, but no, he's very committed to the defensive side of the puck \u2014 I think that's one thing that's a little bit misunderstood about him. He's got such an ability to play in any situation \u2014 killing penalties, late in the game, taking big faceoffs, that's his game.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong extolled Patrick for making everyone around him better on the Wheat Kings.<\/p>\nIf that's with the Flyers next, Armstrong believes you won't be disappointed.<\/p>\n\"I think they just have to be patient and allow the player to grow. He won't let anybody down,\" Armstrong said. \"I just think he's an elite talent with an elite sense for the game. At some point, he'll be a great two-way centerman in the league. He'll put up offensive numbers. They won't be in the elite category, but he'll be a guy that'll chip away at his game, he'll produce. You just have to take your time and be patient.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Brandon Wheat Kings GM Grant Armstrong said a healthy Nolan Patrick would be an elite, difference-making talent for the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-28 15:55:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"460851","uid":"266","filename":"tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"246725","status":"1","timestamp":"1498209642","origname":"tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"[current-page:title] | 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healthy Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says","format":null,"safe_value":"A healthy Patrick to Flyers? 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They asked me some personal questions and that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>A native of Naters, Switzerland, Hischier grew up playing soccer. He was also an avid skier and snowboarder before his older brother, Luca, turned him on to hockey.<\/p>\u201cI used to ski a lot,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cFirst skiing, and then snowboarding, but my brother played hockey, he\u2019s four years older than me, then I just wanted to play hockey as well.\u201d<\/p>Last season, Hischier followed his brother to Bern, where he played 15 games in the Swiss pro league with several former NHLers while he was coached by current Senators bench boss Guy Boucher.<\/p>The six-foot, 174-pound center registered one assist in his brief stint with the club but gained valuable experience in the process.<\/p>\u201cI think that helped me a lot because they\u2019re all older guys and they gave me some good tips, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI really could learn from them and it\u2019s great that I could play with them.<\/p>\u201cI think I learned a lot (from Boucher). He brought Canadian hockey to Switzerland, I think. His practices were hard and I could really learn from him.\u201d<\/p>Halifax used the sixth selection at last year\u2019s CHL import draft to pick Hischier, and after a little convincing, the lanky forward made the decision to make the move to North America.<\/p>\u201cI just came to Canada to try to become a better hockey player and I worked hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI had great teammates, and Halifax is a great organization.\u201d<\/p>Adjusting to the smaller rinks in North America admittedly took time for Hischier, but he adapted well leading all CHL rookies in scoring with 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games. On Saturday, he was named the CHL\u2019s rookie of the year <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/top-nhl-draft-prospects-nolan-patrick-nico-hischier-get-chl-awards\" target=\"_blank\">(see story)<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\u201cI think I improved my game in the corners,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cYou have to dump more pucks over here on North American ice, and chase the puck more behind the net. At the end, I would say my play in the corners (improved the most).\u201d<\/p>Growing up, Hischier watched former Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk closely, trying to model his game after the Russian forward.<\/p>He spent time this season playing both the wing and center positions and isn\u2019t afraid to go to the net hard despite his slender frame. His offensive talents coupled with his ability to play both ends of the ice is what caused his draft stock jump from 26th on ISS Hockey\u2019s rankings in November to a top-three position in January.<\/p>Internationally, Hischier made a splash at this year\u2019s Under-20 world junior tournament in Toronto and Montreal, scoring a team-leading four goals and seven points in five games.<\/p>The highlight came in the quarterfinals where Hischier nearly single-handedly upset the Americans, scoring two goals in a 3-2 loss.<\/p>The performance led to a glowing review from U.S. coach Bob Motzko.<\/p>\u201cHe was the best player we\u2019ve seen in this tournament,\u201d Motzko said following the game. \u201cWe tried all four lines against him and I thought he was playing every shift because every time he got out there, the ice was tilted. It was the first thing we said when we got into the locker room: \u2018That\u2019s the best player we\u2019ve seen in the tournament.\u2019\u201d<\/p>After the Mooseheads' first-round playoff exit, Hischier once again donned his country\u2019s colors, registering one assist in five games at the U-18 tournament.<\/p>However, he skipped out on an opportunity to represent Switzerland at the senior men\u2019s tournament in favor of relaxation.<\/p>\u201cIt was really important (to recover),\u201d he said. \u201cI went a couple days away from Switzerland to the beach (in Italy) and just relaxed. It was really great. Had to refill my tank and it was just great.\u201d<\/p>Hischier will get another opportunity to meet with the Flyers\u2019 front office this week in Buffalo at the NHL\u2019s scouting combine. It\u2019s believed Hischier could make the jump to the NHL in the fall, but he knows he still has some work to do this summer to make his dream come true.<\/p>\u201cGet some pounds on, I want to get stronger,\u201d said Hischier. \u201cI think that\u2019s the most important thing and I work hard towards that.\u201d<\/p>","summary":"Nico Hischier, a possibility for the Flyers at No. 2 overall, recounts his meteoric rise in the hockey world. By Dhiren Mahiban<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"WINDSOR, Ontario -- Ever since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\" target=\"_blank\">Flyers<\/a> shot up the selection order at last month\u2019s NHL draft lottery, prospect and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier has been familiarizing himself with the Flyers' organization.<\/p>\nThe Flyers entered the lottery with just a 2.2 percent shot at the first overall pick after finishing the season with a 39-33-10 record but climbed 11 spots from the 13th selection to No. 2 in the draft, which takes place June 23-24 in Chicago.<\/p>\n\u201cI know it\u2019s a sports city \u2014 they have the NHL, NBA and all those sports,\u201d Hischier said Saturday at the Memorial Cup. \u201cIt\u2019s a really nice city and I know Mark Streit played there and Jakub Voracek played in Halifax as well.\u201d<\/p>\nThe Flyers' brass has wasted no time familiarizing themselves with the 18-year-old, who spent this season playing with the Mooseheads in the QMJHL.<\/p>\n\u201cWe had already a little meeting together, but I think at combine we\u2019ll see each other again,\u201d said Hischier, who is ranked second amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. \u201cIt was just that they want to know me better as a person. They asked me some personal questions and that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>\nA native of Naters, Switzerland, Hischier grew up playing soccer. He was also an avid skier and snowboarder before his older brother, Luca, turned him on to hockey.<\/p>\n\u201cI used to ski a lot,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cFirst skiing, and then snowboarding, but my brother played hockey, he\u2019s four years older than me, then I just wanted to play hockey as well.\u201d<\/p>\nLast season, Hischier followed his brother to Bern, where he played 15 games in the Swiss pro league with several former NHLers while he was coached by current Senators bench boss Guy Boucher.<\/p>\nThe six-foot, 174-pound center registered one assist in his brief stint with the club but gained valuable experience in the process.<\/p>\n\u201cI think that helped me a lot because they\u2019re all older guys and they gave me some good tips, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI really could learn from them and it\u2019s great that I could play with them.<\/p>\n\u201cI think I learned a lot (from Boucher). He brought Canadian hockey to Switzerland, I think. His practices were hard and I could really learn from him.\u201d<\/p>\nHalifax used the sixth selection at last year\u2019s CHL import draft to pick Hischier, and after a little convincing, the lanky forward made the decision to make the move to North America.<\/p>\n\u201cI just came to Canada to try to become a better hockey player and I worked hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI had great teammates, and Halifax is a great organization.\u201d<\/p>\nAdjusting to the smaller rinks in North America admittedly took time for Hischier, but he adapted well leading all CHL rookies in scoring with 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games. On Saturday, he was named the CHL\u2019s rookie of the year <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/top-nhl-draft-prospects-nolan-patrick-nico-hischier-get-chl-awards\" target=\"_blank\">(see story)<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\u201cI think I improved my game in the corners,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cYou have to dump more pucks over here on North American ice, and chase the puck more behind the net. At the end, I would say my play in the corners (improved the most).\u201d<\/p>\nGrowing up, Hischier watched former Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk closely, trying to model his game after the Russian forward.<\/p>\nHe spent time this season playing both the wing and center positions and isn\u2019t afraid to go to the net hard despite his slender frame. His offensive talents coupled with his ability to play both ends of the ice is what caused his draft stock jump from 26th on ISS Hockey\u2019s rankings in November to a top-three position in January.<\/p>\nInternationally, Hischier made a splash at this year\u2019s Under-20 world junior tournament in Toronto and Montreal, scoring a team-leading four goals and seven points in five games.<\/p>\nThe highlight came in the quarterfinals where Hischier nearly single-handedly upset the Americans, scoring two goals in a 3-2 loss.<\/p>\nThe performance led to a glowing review from U.S. coach Bob Motzko.<\/p>\n\u201cHe was the best player we\u2019ve seen in this tournament,\u201d Motzko said following the game. \u201cWe tried all four lines against him and I thought he was playing every shift because every time he got out there, the ice was tilted. It was the first thing we said when we got into the locker room: \u2018That\u2019s the best player we\u2019ve seen in the tournament.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\nAfter the Mooseheads' first-round playoff exit, Hischier once again donned his country\u2019s colors, registering one assist in five games at the U-18 tournament.<\/p>\nHowever, he skipped out on an opportunity to represent Switzerland at the senior men\u2019s tournament in favor of relaxation.<\/p>\n\u201cIt was really important (to recover),\u201d he said. \u201cI went a couple days away from Switzerland to the beach (in Italy) and just relaxed. It was really great. Had to refill my tank and it was just great.\u201d<\/p>\nHischier will get another opportunity to meet with the Flyers\u2019 front office this week in Buffalo at the NHL\u2019s scouting combine. It\u2019s believed Hischier could make the jump to the NHL in the fall, but he knows he still has some work to do this summer to make his dream come true.<\/p>\n\u201cGet some pounds on, I want to get stronger,\u201d said Hischier. \u201cI think that\u2019s the most important thing and I work hard towards that.\u201d<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nico Hischier, a possibility for the Flyers at No. 2 overall, recounts his meteoric rise in the hockey world. By Dhiren Mahiban<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1741"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-29 13:00:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Halifaxmooseheads.ca","format":null,"safe_value":"Halifaxmooseheads.ca"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"432896","uid":"266","filename":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-2.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/05\/29\/halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-2.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"197640","status":"1","timestamp":"1496030490","origname":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-2.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"[current-page:title] | 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Flyers do homework, Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock ","format":null,"safe_value":"As Flyers do homework, Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock "}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"4621"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"524096"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Nico Hischier, Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers Nolan Patrick, NHL draft, NHL draft Flyers"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"mbowker","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"516201","entity":{"vid":"537661","uid":"266","title":"2017 NHL draft prep: Options for Flyers at No. 2","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"516201","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1493532228","changed":"1494697282","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1493559000","revision_timestamp":"1494697282","revision_uid":"266","body":{"und":[{"value":"The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>' long-term landscape changed Saturday night with a stroke of luck.<\/p>Facing long odds, the Flyers nearly won the NHL draft lottery, but will have to settle for the No. 2 pick <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Considering where they were projected to pick, this is a major win for the Flyers.<\/p>\"We had a lot of bad luck this year,\" Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said Saturday night. \"And I'm hoping this is a turning point. This is a big point for our franchise.\"<\/p>The Flyers came into the lottery most likely to draft 13th at 84.3 percent. Lottery rules dictated that they could only draft in the top three, stay at 13 or fall to 14 or 15th. They had a 2.2 percent chance at the top pick, 2.4 percent at the second pick and 2.7 at the third pick.<\/p>And the hockey gods were on the Flyers' side Saturday. Because of their current prospect picture \u2014 heavy on defensemen and goaltenders \u2014 the Flyers will have an opportunity to add an impact forward to their prospect pool, an immediate hole they will be able to fill.<\/p>Here are five prospects the Flyers could target with the No. 2 pick come June 23-24 at the NHL draft in Chicago.<\/p>(Note: Because the Flyers are heavy on defensive prospects, we're not including Miro Heiskanen, the consensus top defenseman in this year's draft class.)<\/em><\/p>Nolan Patrick, C, 18, 6-2\/198, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Patrick finished as the top-rated skater by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, a spot he has been in all year long despite dealing with a groin\/abdominal injury throughout the 2016-17 season. He is touted as a two-way, right-handed center who does everything well but doesn't possess any one specific elite skill. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/sportsnets-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-march\/\">Sportsnet's Jeff Marek<\/a> wrote in March, \"think Jonathan Toews-lite.\" Patrick has NHL blood in his veins, as his father, Steve Patrick (250 games), and uncle, James Patrick (1,280 games), both have played in the league. In 33 games with the Wheat Kings this season, Patrick scored 20 goals and 46 points. He missed 39 games. During the 2015-16 season, Patrick registered 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games. He played two seasons in Brandon with Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106898&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He has more than proven over the last three years that he is the real deal and will be an impact NHL player. The poise, the presence, the attention to detail, the way he processes and executes plays \u2014 everything has been far more precise, far more accurate and a lot quicker this season.\"<\/p>Nico Hischier, C, 18, 6-1\/176, Halifax (QMJHL)<\/strong> With Patrick the projected top pick in June's draft, Hischier checks in as the early favorite to become a Flyer on June 23. Hischier had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTL_BYWD2Ro\">a breakout performance<\/a> as an underage player \u2014 he was 17 at the time \u2014 for Team Switzerland during the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships, posting four goals and three assists in five games. He will likely become the highest-drafted Swiss-born player in league history. Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall, 2010) currently holds that title. In his first season in the QMJHL, Hischier led all rookies with 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points in 57 games, earning himself the league's Rookie of the Year award and winning the Mike Bossy Trophy, awarded to the league's best pro prospect.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107219&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Hischier is definitely worth the price of admission. He has a high skill level, but what's most impressive is the way he competes, his drive and work ethic. He is a player who is first on the forecheck forcing a turnover and when the play transitions, he's the first player back. He's in that category as a special player.\"<\/p>Gabriel Vilardi, C, 17, 6-3\/202, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> Vilardi battled a knee injury and appendicitis in 2016-17 with Windsor but still finished more than a point-per-game player with the Spitfires. He recorded 61 points in 49 games this season. His 29 goals led Windsor and his 61 points were second on the club. Vilardi is an excellent puck-possession forward, which drives his and his linemates' scoring. Skating is an area he can improve upon. He is a right-handed shot with good size, something that could intrigue the Flyers. He compares his game to John Tavares, the New York Islanders' star captain. He finished as Central Scouting's fourth-best rated North American skater.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107429&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Vilardi is a high-end possession center with excellent hockey sense and puck-handling ability. He plays a very composed game with the puck, using his vision and playmaking ability to influence the game in all three zones. Vilardi excels below the dots in the offensive zone, where he utilizes his size and reach to control the play and generate scoring opportunities.\"<\/p>Owen Tippett, RW, 18, 6-0\/200, Mississauga (OHL)<\/strong> What would intrigue Flyers fans about Tippett is his shoot-first mentality, a trait not many current Flyers own. A right wing with size, Tippett positions himself in scoring areas and has a desirable shot. He's described as a strong skater with great breakaway speed. He led the Steelheads with 44 goals and 75 points in 60 games this season. His 44 goals were fifth in the Ontario Hockey League. With Patrick and Hischier the cream of this year's average crop, Tippett at No. 2 might be a reach, but he fits the mold of what the Flyers need.<\/p>Michael Rasmussen, C, 18, 6-6\/215, Tri-City (WHL)<\/strong> Rasmussen is a centerman with above average skating for a player his size and a knack for knowing how to use his size to his advantage. He suffered a wrist injury this season and played in just 50 of Tri-City's 72 games. He netted 32 goals and 55 points and led the Americans with 15 power-play goals, an attractive trait for the Flyers. He compares his game to Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and former Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin. He finished fifth among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106985&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He's playing with much more confidence this season. He's adapted to playing a bigger role and playing heavy minutes against opponents' top lines and defense. The game has slowed down for him a little bit and he's just that much more poised. He can take that extra bit of time and understands he can take that time to make plays and score goals.\"<\/p>","summary":"After the Flyers landed the No. 2 overall pick during Saturday's lottery, Tom Dougherty looks at five potential players whom the Flyers could select.<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>' long-term landscape changed Saturday night with a stroke of luck.<\/p>\nFacing long odds, the Flyers nearly won the NHL draft lottery, but will have to settle for the No. 2 pick <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Considering where they were projected to pick, this is a major win for the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"We had a lot of bad luck this year,\" Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said Saturday night. \"And I'm hoping this is a turning point. This is a big point for our franchise.\"<\/p>\nThe Flyers came into the lottery most likely to draft 13th at 84.3 percent. Lottery rules dictated that they could only draft in the top three, stay at 13 or fall to 14 or 15th. They had a 2.2 percent chance at the top pick, 2.4 percent at the second pick and 2.7 at the third pick.<\/p>\nAnd the hockey gods were on the Flyers' side Saturday. Because of their current prospect picture \u2014 heavy on defensemen and goaltenders \u2014 the Flyers will have an opportunity to add an impact forward to their prospect pool, an immediate hole they will be able to fill.<\/p>\nHere are five prospects the Flyers could target with the No. 2 pick come June 23-24 at the NHL draft in Chicago.<\/p>\n(Note: Because the Flyers are heavy on defensive prospects, we're not including Miro Heiskanen, the consensus top defenseman in this year's draft class.)<\/em><\/p>\nNolan Patrick, C, 18, 6-2\/198, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Patrick finished as the top-rated skater by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, a spot he has been in all year long despite dealing with a groin\/abdominal injury throughout the 2016-17 season. He is touted as a two-way, right-handed center who does everything well but doesn't possess any one specific elite skill. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/sportsnets-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-march\/\">Sportsnet's Jeff Marek<\/a> wrote in March, \"think Jonathan Toews-lite.\" Patrick has NHL blood in his veins, as his father, Steve Patrick (250 games), and uncle, James Patrick (1,280 games), both have played in the league. In 33 games with the Wheat Kings this season, Patrick scored 20 goals and 46 points. He missed 39 games. During the 2015-16 season, Patrick registered 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games. He played two seasons in Brandon with Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106898&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He has more than proven over the last three years that he is the real deal and will be an impact NHL player. The poise, the presence, the attention to detail, the way he processes and executes plays \u2014 everything has been far more precise, far more accurate and a lot quicker this season.\"<\/p>\nNico Hischier, C, 18, 6-1\/176, Halifax (QMJHL)<\/strong> With Patrick the projected top pick in June's draft, Hischier checks in as the early favorite to become a Flyer on June 23. Hischier had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTL_BYWD2Ro\">a breakout performance<\/a> as an underage player \u2014 he was 17 at the time \u2014 for Team Switzerland during the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships, posting four goals and three assists in five games. He will likely become the highest-drafted Swiss-born player in league history. Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall, 2010) currently holds that title. In his first season in the QMJHL, Hischier led all rookies with 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points in 57 games, earning himself the league's Rookie of the Year award and winning the Mike Bossy Trophy, awarded to the league's best pro prospect.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107219&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Hischier is definitely worth the price of admission. He has a high skill level, but what's most impressive is the way he competes, his drive and work ethic. He is a player who is first on the forecheck forcing a turnover and when the play transitions, he's the first player back. He's in that category as a special player.\"<\/p>\nGabriel Vilardi, C, 17, 6-3\/202, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> Vilardi battled a knee injury and appendicitis in 2016-17 with Windsor but still finished more than a point-per-game player with the Spitfires. He recorded 61 points in 49 games this season. His 29 goals led Windsor and his 61 points were second on the club. Vilardi is an excellent puck-possession forward, which drives his and his linemates' scoring. Skating is an area he can improve upon. He is a right-handed shot with good size, something that could intrigue the Flyers. He compares his game to John Tavares, the New York Islanders' star captain. He finished as Central Scouting's fourth-best rated North American skater.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107429&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Vilardi is a high-end possession center with excellent hockey sense and puck-handling ability. He plays a very composed game with the puck, using his vision and playmaking ability to influence the game in all three zones. Vilardi excels below the dots in the offensive zone, where he utilizes his size and reach to control the play and generate scoring opportunities.\"<\/p>\nOwen Tippett, RW, 18, 6-0\/200, Mississauga (OHL)<\/strong> What would intrigue Flyers fans about Tippett is his shoot-first mentality, a trait not many current Flyers own. A right wing with size, Tippett positions himself in scoring areas and has a desirable shot. He's described as a strong skater with great breakaway speed. He led the Steelheads with 44 goals and 75 points in 60 games this season. His 44 goals were fifth in the Ontario Hockey League. With Patrick and Hischier the cream of this year's average crop, Tippett at No. 2 might be a reach, but he fits the mold of what the Flyers need.<\/p>\nMichael Rasmussen, C, 18, 6-6\/215, Tri-City (WHL)<\/strong> Rasmussen is a centerman with above average skating for a player his size and a knack for knowing how to use his size to his advantage. He suffered a wrist injury this season and played in just 50 of Tri-City's 72 games. He netted 32 goals and 55 points and led the Americans with 15 power-play goals, an attractive trait for the Flyers. He compares his game to Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and former Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin. He finished fifth among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106985&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He's playing with much more confidence this season. He's adapted to playing a bigger role and playing heavy minutes against opponents' top lines and defense. The game has slowed down for him a little bit and he's just that much more poised. He can take that extra bit of time and understands he can take that time to make plays and score goals.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"After the Flyers landed the No. 2 overall pick during Saturday's lottery, Tom Dougherty looks at five potential players whom the Flyers could select.<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":[],"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-04-30 13:30:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"190391","uid":"156","filename":"ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2018\/06\/10\/ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"275864","status":"1","timestamp":"1528687727","origname":"ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":null,"format":null,"safe_value":""}]},"field_file_image_title_text":{"und":[{"value":null,"format":null,"safe_value":""}]},"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"metadata":{"height":391,"width":640},"height":"391","width":"640","alt":"","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Who are the top options for the Flyers with the No. 2 pick?","format":null,"safe_value":"Who are the top options for the Flyers with the No. 2 pick?"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"17946"},{"tid":"17956"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"17951"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"509206"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"2017 NHL draft: Flyers targets at No. 2"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, Flyers land No. 2 pick, Flyers draft lottery, Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, Gabriel Vilardi, Owen Tippett, Michael Rasmussen, Future Flyers Report, Flyers prospects, Flyers draft 2017"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"528411","entity":{"vid":"552866","uid":"156","title":"2017 NHL draft prep: 2nd-round options for Flyers","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"528411","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1497060545","changed":"1497299015","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1497191040","revision_timestamp":"1497299015","revision_uid":"621","body":{"und":[{"value":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>In fact, they have 10 more picks after the first round and five in the first four rounds. Needless to say, this is a crucial draft for the Flyers. GM Ron Hextall already set himself up for one before landing the No. 2 pick. Now comes time to execute months of scouting.<\/p>\"We have a lot of picks here and we have to hit,\" Hextall recently told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/video\/hextall-on-draft-pt-3\/t-289469110\/c-51978303\">the Flyers' website<\/a>. \"We can't just hit on No. 2 and then be satisfied.\"<\/p>Because we have an idea of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/2017-nhl-draft-prep-options-flyers-no-2\">whom the pick will be at No. 2<\/a>, we decided to take a look at some potential targets for the Flyers in the second round.<\/p>Grant Mismash, LW, 18, 6-0\/186, USNTDP<\/strong> Mismash may not be around when the Flyers are on the board in the second round. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native is projected to go anywhere between late first round and middle of the second. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107068&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">24th-rated North American skater<\/a> by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. The 6-foot, 186-pound winger styles his game after Corey Perry and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h5GeQhmos5w\">enjoys the physical side<\/a> of the game. He's a product of the USNTDP, where he scored 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 games playing for the program's U-18 team. In 26 USHL games, he tallied eight goals and 24 helpers. He was part of the U.S. gold-medal team at the 2017 U-18 world championship, a tournament in which he registered three goals and eight points.<\/p>In the fall, he'll begin his college career at the University of North Dakota, a storied program that has produced many hockey greats, including Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews. In fact, Mismash also played one season, in 2014-15, at Shattuck-St. Mary's, a private high school, in Faribault, Minnesota, where Parise also played as a teenager. After Mismash committed to UND in 2015, Shattuck coach Tom Ward told the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.grandforksherald.com\/sports\/und-hockey\/3712084-und-mens-hockey-und-lands-commitment-coveted-shattuck-prospect\">Grand-Forks Herald<\/a><\/em> that Mismash \"doesn't play like an Edina (Minnesota) kid. He plays like a kid who grew up in the country, playing like a farm boy, which is a compliment.\"<\/p>Jesper Boqvist, C, 18, 6-0\/179, Bryn\u00e4s IF (SHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are likely familiar with Boqvist from keeping tabs on Oskar Lindblom, their 2015 fifth-round pick who's coming overseas next season with great anticipation. Boqvist plays both center and wing with a quick first step, good puck skills and a scoring touch. After breaking onto the scene in the junior ranks in 2015-16, he scored a combined 33 points in 50 games this past season in the SHL, Division 2 and the J20 SuperElit league.<\/p>Whether it's fair or not, Boqvist will ultimately be compared to other Swedish players such as Nicklas Backstrom and Jakob Silfverberg, who both also played for Bryn\u00e4s. Mats Backlin, the Bryn\u00e4s J20 coach, told Swedish newspaper <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dt.se\/ishockey\/shl\/hedemorasonen-jesper-boqvist-hyllas-stort-av-tranaren-lika-bra-som-nicklas-backstrom-var\">Dalarnas Tidningar<\/a><\/em> Boqvist is \"as good as those in this age. He's incredibly talented and you can compare him with them at this age.\" He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107234&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">10th-rated European skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's a left-handed shot who compares his play to Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expressen.se\/sport\/hockey\/shl\/de-kan-lamna-brynas-efter-sm-finalforlusten\/\">Expressen<\/a><\/em>, Boqvist may leave Bryn\u00e4s for another SHL team if he's promised an expanded role.<\/p>Matthew Strome, LW, 18, 6-4\/206 (Hamilton, OHL)<\/strong> If his last name rings familiarity, it should. Strome's older brothers, Ryan and Dylan, were both top-five draft picks in the last six years. The Islanders drafted Ryan Strome fifth overall in 2011, while Arizona selected Dylan Strome with the third pick in 2015. The youngest Strome brother is not taking the same path to the NHL as his brothers, however. Matthew Strome still could squeak into the first round but projects to be a second-rounder. Whether he falls to the 43-44 range is unforeseen, but the biggest knock on him is skating.<\/p>An Ontario-based <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/hamilton-bulldogs-winger-matthew-strome-wont-top-2017-nhl-draft-pick\/\">NHL scout told Sportsnet<\/a> last November of Strome's skating: \"Technically it's sort of painful to watch. He has a short, choppy stride.\" There is still plenty to like about Strome's game. He's a big, physical winger who's not afraid to head to the dirty areas to score. Strome, who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107434&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">33rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, led Hamilton with 34 goals this season. But his skating might be a problem going forward, which may<\/em> be enough for him to slip into the Flyers' range in the second round.<\/p>Scott Reedy, C, 18, 6-2\/204, USNTDP<\/strong> Another product of the USNTDP and Shattuck-St. Mary's, Reedy, a Prior Lake, Minnesota, native, is committed to play at the University of Minnesota in the fall. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107059&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">40th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, a seven-slot climb from the midterm rankings. At 6-foot-2, he has good size, playmaking ability and a high compete level. His versatility is a bonus. He can play both the pivot and the wing. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/Scott-Reedy\/\">Future Considerations<\/a><\/em> calls him a \"supreme skater who is just as agile, quick and mobile as he is smart.\"<\/p>Reedy, who likens his game to Islanders center John Tavares, notched 22 goals and 42 points in 60 games with the USNTDP U-18 team in 2016-17, and 10 goals and 14 points in 21 USHL contests. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3cEOyt8w4aI\">scoring a hat trick<\/a> against Arizona State on Feb. 25, Reedy showcased the willingness to create havoc in front of the net and get to the slot for easy scoring chances. He figures to go around the middle of the second round, where the Flyers pick.<\/p>Morgan Frost, C, 18, 5-11\/170, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/strong> One common theme with Frost that comes to mind is his hockey intelligence. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107492&tab=scr\">Central Scouting<\/a>, which rated him 31st among North American skaters, describes him as a \"smart and skilled center with very good offensive hockey sense \u2014 excellent vision and anticipation to quickly take advantage of opportunities.\" He's a playmaking center who projects to play wing in the NHL until he adds more muscle, which he could do by the time his drafting team decides he's ready. He's a creative, plus passer who could benefit from shooting the puck more.<\/p>The Sault Ste. Marie forward scored 20 goals and 62 points in 67 games during the regular season and added 11 points in 11 postseason games. He styles his game after Minnesota center Mikael Granlund. He projects to go in the second round and very well could be an option for the Flyers when they're on the clock.<\/p>Ivan Lodnia, RW, 17, 5-10\/182, Erie (OHL)<\/strong> Lodnia has a Flyers connection \u2014 the Flyers <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/flyers-hire-kris-knoblauch-assistant-coach-replace-fired-joe-mullen\">hired Erie coach Kris Knoblauch<\/a> as an assistant last Wednesday \u2014 but would have been on this list regardless. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107443&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">36th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's regarded as a highly skilled forward who bounced around the Otters' lineup this season in different roles largely because of Erie's loaded lineup. Lodnia largely was a staple on Erie's shutdown third line as the season progressed and the playoffs rolled around, which explains the dip in production.<\/p>During the regular season, Lodnia collected 57 points in 66 games with Erie. In his first 32 games, he registered 34 points but compiled just 22 in the final 34 games of the season. He had just two points in 22 playoff games but did add five in five Memorial Cup games. Lodnia's size might scare off teams, but in today's NHL there is a place for smaller players. One concern with Lodnia may be his skating. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/ohlprospects.blogspot.com\/2017\/02\/midseason-mediascout-top-10-for-2017.html\">OHL Prospects' Brock Otten<\/a>, Lodnia's \"not explosive, nor does he possess high-end speed.\" Still, Lodnia is described by <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/ivan-lodnia\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> as \"despite his size he is a very difficult player to take off the puck.\"<\/p>Marcus Davidsson, C, 18, 6-0\/191, Djurg\u00e5rdens IF (SHL)<\/strong> With the Flyers finally appearing to be placing an increased importance on speed and skill, Davidsson could be an intriguing option should he be available when the Orange and Black are on the clock. Davidsson's skating stride produces great speed. Central Scouting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107235&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">rated him the 12th-best European skater<\/a>, a position he's been in both the midterm and final rankings. A two-way, playmaking pivot, Davidsson tries to emulate fellow Swede and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/marcus-davidsson\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> says of Davidsson: \"Not physical, but will step into an opponent to separate the puck as well as battle for position deep in the offensive zone.\" He's still a project, though, who has to develop consistency, but that should be expected from a teenager dabbling in the SHL.<\/p>This season, Davidsson skated on a line with his older brother, Jonathan Davidsson, and Lukas Vejdemo, Montreal's 2015 third-round pick, for Djurg\u00e5rdens IF of the SHL. He registered just five goals and nine points with Djurg\u00e5rdens \u2014 he had six goals and 10 points in nine games with Djurg\u00e5rdens' junior club \u2014 but played 45 games in one of the best professional leagues in the world outside of the NHL as an 18-year-old.<\/p>Jonah Gadjovich, LW, 18, 6-2\/209, Owen Sound (OHL)<\/strong> The numbers are impressive: 46 goals, 28 assists, 74 points in 60 games with the Attack during the 2016-17 campaign, but are those numbers inflated from playing with projected first-round pick Nick Suzuki? That is one of the questions surrounding Gadjovich. He jumped up from the 60th-rated North American skater in Central Scouting's midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106926&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">39th-rated skater<\/a>. From his second year in the OHL to his third, he saw a 50-point increase and produced more than a point-per-game rate.<\/p>Gadjovich is projected to go anywhere between the middle of the second round and even the third or fourth rounds. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eliteprospects.com\/player.php?player=252476\">Elite Prospects<\/a> describes him as \"a feisty two-way winger that uses his size and speed to open up space for himself and teammates.\" He's a gritty, team-first player who has potential to either hit or flop. He may be a reach for where the Flyers will be drafting in the second round, though. He carries some risk.<\/p>Other names to watch<\/strong><\/p>Henri Jokiharju, D, 17, 6-0\/180, Portland (WHL)<\/strong> Jokiharju is projected to go anywhere between late in the first round or early second. Probably isn't an option for the Flyers in the early teens of the second but if he falls, it'd be hard to pass up. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107810&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">19th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D, 17, 6-2\/161, Charlottetown (QMJHL)<\/strong> A puck-moving defenseman with size who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107765&tab=prf\">27th-rated North American skater<\/a> in Central Scouting's final rankings. He had six goals and 39 points in 62 games with Charlottetown this season. Like Jokiharju, Joseph likely will be gone before the Flyers pick.<\/p>Michael DiPietro, G, 18, 6-0\/200, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are high on Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom, so goaltender is probably not something they'll look for in the second round, but if they do, DiPietro is an option. Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=3&dpid=107446&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">fourth-rated North American goalie<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>Stelio Mattheos, C, 17, 6-1\/192, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Mattheos fell from the 23rd-rated North American skater by Central Scouting in the midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106980&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">38th-rated skater<\/a> in the final rankings. He models his game after Jeff Carter. Scored 26 goals and 61 points in 69 games this season with Brandon.<\/p>Alexander Chmelevski, C, 18, 6-0\/190, Ottawa (OHL)<\/strong> Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107395&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">43rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Had 43 points in 58 games with Ottawa this season. Should be available when the Flyers pick but likely goes later in the second round or even the third.<\/p>Alex Formenton, LW, 17, 6-2\/165, London (OHL)<\/strong> Formenton finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107604&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">29th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Has good size and is a plus skater but still needs to add muscle to his frame. Had 34 points in 65 games in his first season with London, his second year in the OHL.<\/p>","summary":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the Flyers. So, let's take a look at second-round options. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\nIn fact, they have 10 more picks after the first round and five in the first four rounds. Needless to say, this is a crucial draft for the Flyers. GM Ron Hextall already set himself up for one before landing the No. 2 pick. Now comes time to execute months of scouting.<\/p>\n\"We have a lot of picks here and we have to hit,\" Hextall recently told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/video\/hextall-on-draft-pt-3\/t-289469110\/c-51978303\">the Flyers' website<\/a>. \"We can't just hit on No. 2 and then be satisfied.\"<\/p>\nBecause we have an idea of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/2017-nhl-draft-prep-options-flyers-no-2\">whom the pick will be at No. 2<\/a>, we decided to take a look at some potential targets for the Flyers in the second round.<\/p>\nGrant Mismash, LW, 18, 6-0\/186, USNTDP<\/strong> Mismash may not be around when the Flyers are on the board in the second round. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native is projected to go anywhere between late first round and middle of the second. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107068&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">24th-rated North American skater<\/a> by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. The 6-foot, 186-pound winger styles his game after Corey Perry and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h5GeQhmos5w\">enjoys the physical side<\/a> of the game. He's a product of the USNTDP, where he scored 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 games playing for the program's U-18 team. In 26 USHL games, he tallied eight goals and 24 helpers. He was part of the U.S. gold-medal team at the 2017 U-18 world championship, a tournament in which he registered three goals and eight points.<\/p>\nIn the fall, he'll begin his college career at the University of North Dakota, a storied program that has produced many hockey greats, including Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews. In fact, Mismash also played one season, in 2014-15, at Shattuck-St. Mary's, a private high school, in Faribault, Minnesota, where Parise also played as a teenager. After Mismash committed to UND in 2015, Shattuck coach Tom Ward told the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.grandforksherald.com\/sports\/und-hockey\/3712084-und-mens-hockey-und-lands-commitment-coveted-shattuck-prospect\">Grand-Forks Herald<\/a><\/em> that Mismash \"doesn't play like an Edina (Minnesota) kid. He plays like a kid who grew up in the country, playing like a farm boy, which is a compliment.\"<\/p>\nJesper Boqvist, C, 18, 6-0\/179, Bryn\u00e4s IF (SHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are likely familiar with Boqvist from keeping tabs on Oskar Lindblom, their 2015 fifth-round pick who's coming overseas next season with great anticipation. Boqvist plays both center and wing with a quick first step, good puck skills and a scoring touch. After breaking onto the scene in the junior ranks in 2015-16, he scored a combined 33 points in 50 games this past season in the SHL, Division 2 and the J20 SuperElit league.<\/p>\nWhether it's fair or not, Boqvist will ultimately be compared to other Swedish players such as Nicklas Backstrom and Jakob Silfverberg, who both also played for Bryn\u00e4s. Mats Backlin, the Bryn\u00e4s J20 coach, told Swedish newspaper <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dt.se\/ishockey\/shl\/hedemorasonen-jesper-boqvist-hyllas-stort-av-tranaren-lika-bra-som-nicklas-backstrom-var\">Dalarnas Tidningar<\/a><\/em> Boqvist is \"as good as those in this age. He's incredibly talented and you can compare him with them at this age.\" He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107234&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">10th-rated European skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's a left-handed shot who compares his play to Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expressen.se\/sport\/hockey\/shl\/de-kan-lamna-brynas-efter-sm-finalforlusten\/\">Expressen<\/a><\/em>, Boqvist may leave Bryn\u00e4s for another SHL team if he's promised an expanded role.<\/p>\nMatthew Strome, LW, 18, 6-4\/206 (Hamilton, OHL)<\/strong> If his last name rings familiarity, it should. Strome's older brothers, Ryan and Dylan, were both top-five draft picks in the last six years. The Islanders drafted Ryan Strome fifth overall in 2011, while Arizona selected Dylan Strome with the third pick in 2015. The youngest Strome brother is not taking the same path to the NHL as his brothers, however. Matthew Strome still could squeak into the first round but projects to be a second-rounder. Whether he falls to the 43-44 range is unforeseen, but the biggest knock on him is skating.<\/p>\nAn Ontario-based <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/hamilton-bulldogs-winger-matthew-strome-wont-top-2017-nhl-draft-pick\/\">NHL scout told Sportsnet<\/a> last November of Strome's skating: \"Technically it's sort of painful to watch. He has a short, choppy stride.\" There is still plenty to like about Strome's game. He's a big, physical winger who's not afraid to head to the dirty areas to score. Strome, who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107434&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">33rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, led Hamilton with 34 goals this season. But his skating might be a problem going forward, which may<\/em> be enough for him to slip into the Flyers' range in the second round.<\/p>\nScott Reedy, C, 18, 6-2\/204, USNTDP<\/strong> Another product of the USNTDP and Shattuck-St. Mary's, Reedy, a Prior Lake, Minnesota, native, is committed to play at the University of Minnesota in the fall. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107059&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">40th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, a seven-slot climb from the midterm rankings. At 6-foot-2, he has good size, playmaking ability and a high compete level. His versatility is a bonus. He can play both the pivot and the wing. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/Scott-Reedy\/\">Future Considerations<\/a><\/em> calls him a \"supreme skater who is just as agile, quick and mobile as he is smart.\"<\/p>\nReedy, who likens his game to Islanders center John Tavares, notched 22 goals and 42 points in 60 games with the USNTDP U-18 team in 2016-17, and 10 goals and 14 points in 21 USHL contests. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3cEOyt8w4aI\">scoring a hat trick<\/a> against Arizona State on Feb. 25, Reedy showcased the willingness to create havoc in front of the net and get to the slot for easy scoring chances. He figures to go around the middle of the second round, where the Flyers pick.<\/p>\nMorgan Frost, C, 18, 5-11\/170, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/strong> One common theme with Frost that comes to mind is his hockey intelligence. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107492&tab=scr\">Central Scouting<\/a>, which rated him 31st among North American skaters, describes him as a \"smart and skilled center with very good offensive hockey sense \u2014 excellent vision and anticipation to quickly take advantage of opportunities.\" He's a playmaking center who projects to play wing in the NHL until he adds more muscle, which he could do by the time his drafting team decides he's ready. He's a creative, plus passer who could benefit from shooting the puck more.<\/p>\nThe Sault Ste. Marie forward scored 20 goals and 62 points in 67 games during the regular season and added 11 points in 11 postseason games. He styles his game after Minnesota center Mikael Granlund. He projects to go in the second round and very well could be an option for the Flyers when they're on the clock.<\/p>\nIvan Lodnia, RW, 17, 5-10\/182, Erie (OHL)<\/strong> Lodnia has a Flyers connection \u2014 the Flyers <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/flyers-hire-kris-knoblauch-assistant-coach-replace-fired-joe-mullen\">hired Erie coach Kris Knoblauch<\/a> as an assistant last Wednesday \u2014 but would have been on this list regardless. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107443&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">36th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's regarded as a highly skilled forward who bounced around the Otters' lineup this season in different roles largely because of Erie's loaded lineup. Lodnia largely was a staple on Erie's shutdown third line as the season progressed and the playoffs rolled around, which explains the dip in production.<\/p>\nDuring the regular season, Lodnia collected 57 points in 66 games with Erie. In his first 32 games, he registered 34 points but compiled just 22 in the final 34 games of the season. He had just two points in 22 playoff games but did add five in five Memorial Cup games. Lodnia's size might scare off teams, but in today's NHL there is a place for smaller players. One concern with Lodnia may be his skating. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/ohlprospects.blogspot.com\/2017\/02\/midseason-mediascout-top-10-for-2017.html\">OHL Prospects' Brock Otten<\/a>, Lodnia's \"not explosive, nor does he possess high-end speed.\" Still, Lodnia is described by <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/ivan-lodnia\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> as \"despite his size he is a very difficult player to take off the puck.\"<\/p>\nMarcus Davidsson, C, 18, 6-0\/191, Djurg\u00e5rdens IF (SHL)<\/strong> With the Flyers finally appearing to be placing an increased importance on speed and skill, Davidsson could be an intriguing option should he be available when the Orange and Black are on the clock. Davidsson's skating stride produces great speed. Central Scouting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107235&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">rated him the 12th-best European skater<\/a>, a position he's been in both the midterm and final rankings. A two-way, playmaking pivot, Davidsson tries to emulate fellow Swede and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/marcus-davidsson\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> says of Davidsson: \"Not physical, but will step into an opponent to separate the puck as well as battle for position deep in the offensive zone.\" He's still a project, though, who has to develop consistency, but that should be expected from a teenager dabbling in the SHL.<\/p>\nThis season, Davidsson skated on a line with his older brother, Jonathan Davidsson, and Lukas Vejdemo, Montreal's 2015 third-round pick, for Djurg\u00e5rdens IF of the SHL. He registered just five goals and nine points with Djurg\u00e5rdens \u2014 he had six goals and 10 points in nine games with Djurg\u00e5rdens' junior club \u2014 but played 45 games in one of the best professional leagues in the world outside of the NHL as an 18-year-old.<\/p>\nJonah Gadjovich, LW, 18, 6-2\/209, Owen Sound (OHL)<\/strong> The numbers are impressive: 46 goals, 28 assists, 74 points in 60 games with the Attack during the 2016-17 campaign, but are those numbers inflated from playing with projected first-round pick Nick Suzuki? That is one of the questions surrounding Gadjovich. He jumped up from the 60th-rated North American skater in Central Scouting's midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106926&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">39th-rated skater<\/a>. From his second year in the OHL to his third, he saw a 50-point increase and produced more than a point-per-game rate.<\/p>\nGadjovich is projected to go anywhere between the middle of the second round and even the third or fourth rounds. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eliteprospects.com\/player.php?player=252476\">Elite Prospects<\/a> describes him as \"a feisty two-way winger that uses his size and speed to open up space for himself and teammates.\" He's a gritty, team-first player who has potential to either hit or flop. He may be a reach for where the Flyers will be drafting in the second round, though. He carries some risk.<\/p>\nOther names to watch<\/strong><\/p>\nHenri Jokiharju, D, 17, 6-0\/180, Portland (WHL)<\/strong> Jokiharju is projected to go anywhere between late in the first round or early second. Probably isn't an option for the Flyers in the early teens of the second but if he falls, it'd be hard to pass up. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107810&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">19th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>\nPierre-Olivier Joseph, D, 17, 6-2\/161, Charlottetown (QMJHL)<\/strong> A puck-moving defenseman with size who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107765&tab=prf\">27th-rated North American skater<\/a> in Central Scouting's final rankings. He had six goals and 39 points in 62 games with Charlottetown this season. Like Jokiharju, Joseph likely will be gone before the Flyers pick.<\/p>\nMichael DiPietro, G, 18, 6-0\/200, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are high on Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom, so goaltender is probably not something they'll look for in the second round, but if they do, DiPietro is an option. Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=3&dpid=107446&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">fourth-rated North American goalie<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>\nStelio Mattheos, C, 17, 6-1\/192, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Mattheos fell from the 23rd-rated North American skater by Central Scouting in the midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106980&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">38th-rated skater<\/a> in the final rankings. He models his game after Jeff Carter. Scored 26 goals and 61 points in 69 games this season with Brandon.<\/p>\nAlexander Chmelevski, C, 18, 6-0\/190, Ottawa (OHL)<\/strong> Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107395&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">43rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Had 43 points in 58 games with Ottawa this season. Should be available when the Flyers pick but likely goes later in the second round or even the third.<\/p>\nAlex Formenton, LW, 17, 6-2\/165, London (OHL)<\/strong> Formenton finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107604&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">29th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Has good size and is a plus skater but still needs to add muscle to his frame. Had 34 points in 65 games in his first season with London, his second year in the OHL.<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the Flyers. So, let's take a look at second-round options. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-11 14:24:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Aaron Bell, CHL Images\/Zack Hill, Philadelphia Flyers","format":null,"safe_value":"Aaron Bell, CHL Images\/Zack Hill, Philadelphia Flyers"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"456551","uid":"156","filename":"aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/10\/aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"305846","status":"1","timestamp":"1497127303","origname":"aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome","format":null,"safe_value":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome","metadata":{"height":325,"width":645},"height":"325","width":"645","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"What's after No. 2 overall? A look at 2nd-round draft options for Flyers","format":null,"safe_value":"What's after No. 2 overall? A look at 2nd-round draft options for Flyers"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"527791"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, 2017 NHL draft prospects, NHL draft second-round prospects"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true}]},"field_primary_display":[],"field_section":[],"field_show":[],"field_sport":[],"field_tags":[],"field_team":[],"field_author_reference":[],"field_archive":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_auto_mute":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_cont_play":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_media_file_title":[],"field_mc_vod_player_id":[],"field_media_file_id":[],"field_mediacard_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_display_desktop_large_only":[],"field_hide_on_mobile":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","entity_view_prepared":true},"#items":[{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""}],"#formatter":"text_default","0":{"#markup":""},"1":{"#markup":""},"2":{"#markup":""},"3":{"#markup":""},"4":{"#markup":""},"5":{"#markup":""},"6":{"#markup":""},"7":{"#markup":""}},"field_media_card_items":{"#theme":"field","#weight":0,"#title":"Media Card Items","#access":true,"#label_display":"above","#view_mode":"default","#language":"und","#field_name":"field_media_card_items","#field_type":"entityreference","#field_translatable":"0","#entity_type":"bean","#bundle":"media_card","#object":{"label":"2017 NHL draft - 1 column","description":null,"title":"2017 NHL draft","type":"media_card","data":{"view_mode":"1col_eight_pack_headlines"},"delta":"2017-nhl-draft---1-column","view_mode":"1col_eight_pack_headlines","bid":"2356","vid":"11156","created":"1494716338","changed":"1497975234","log":"","uid":"156","default_revision":"1","revisions":[],"field_ad_hoc_group":[],"field_branded_header":[],"field_content_strategy":{"und":[{"value":"MANUAL_CONTENT_STRATEGY"}]},"field_content_type":{"und":[{"value":"article"},{"value":"headline"},{"value":"media_gallery"},{"value":"video_on_demand"}]},"field_dl_tabloid_headline":{"und":[{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""},{"value":""}]},"field_event":[],"field_genre_display":[],"field_league":[],"field_link":[],"field_links":[],"field_media_card_items":{"und":[{"target_id":"530976","entity":{"vid":"556191","uid":"266","title":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"530976","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1497836429","changed":"1519439858","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1497879000","revision_timestamp":"1519439858","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"In the basement of his Buffalo home, James Patrick was watching a hockey game with his brother and young nephew.<\/p>Between James and his brother Steve Patrick were 1,530 games of NHL experience. Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>As they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>Nolan was dead-on.<\/p>\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>Maybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>It's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460861\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"4\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"4\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>James Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>Later on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>And when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460851\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"3\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"3\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Both James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>Hockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>James said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>Along with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>In fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460841\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"1\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"1\"}}]] AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Every now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>It's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>But \u2026<\/p>\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>[video:https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?q=Nolan+Patrick]<\/p>James is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>But he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>Nolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>In 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>This past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>Now fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460876\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"6\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"6\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>The draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>James said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>Because of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>Looking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>It's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>James, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>His advice is simple.<\/p>\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>","summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"In the basement of his Buffalo home, James Patrick was watching a hockey game with his brother and young nephew.<\/p>\nBetween James and his brother Steve Patrick were 1,530 games of NHL experience. Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>\nAs they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\n\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>\nNolan was dead-on.<\/p>\n\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>\nMaybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\n\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>\nIt's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>\nThe <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460861--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"4\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJames Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\n\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>\nLater on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\n\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>\nAnd when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\n\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460851--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sunjpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"3\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nBoth James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\n\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>\nHockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\n\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>\nJames said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\n\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>\nAlong with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\n\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\nIn fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\n\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460841--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabresjpg\">ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nEvery now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>\nIt's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\n\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\n\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>\nBut \u2026<\/p>\n\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-filter\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/embed\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?autostart=false\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"video-filter video-nhl vf-nhltonightnolanpatrickt277350912c52125203\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\nJames is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\n\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>\nBut he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\n\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\n\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>\nNolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\n\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>\nIn 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>\nThis past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\n\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>\nNow fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\n\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\n\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\n\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460876--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nThe draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>\nJames said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\n\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>\nBecause of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\n\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\n\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>\nLooking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>\nIt's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>\nJames, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>\nHis advice is simple.<\/p>\n\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-19 13:30:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"460931","uid":"156","filename":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/18\/ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"267846","status":"1","timestamp":"1497844083","origname":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","format":null,"safe_value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","metadata":{"height":325,"width":645},"height":"325","width":"645","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story","format":null,"safe_value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"19271"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"531471"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: Nolan Patrick's story"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, James Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick Flyers, Nolan Patrick NHL draft, Nolan Hischier, Flyers top prospects, Flyers draft Nolan Patrick, Flyers draft, NHL draft Chicago"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"520661","entity":{"vid":"543041","uid":"156","title":"Halifax GM Cam Russell on Nico Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"520661","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1494875055","changed":"1498289468","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1494875100","revision_timestamp":"1498289468","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>Certainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>Russell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>Hischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>Oh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>At the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>Hischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>Russell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>Hischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>Russell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>The Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>Flyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>There had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>So, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>Hischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>Hischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>Russell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>As for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>","summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>\nCertainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>\nRussell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\n\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>\nHischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\nOh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>\nAt the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>\nHischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>\nRussell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\n\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>\nHischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>\nRussell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\n\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>\nThe Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>\nFlyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\n\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>\nThere had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>\nSo, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\n\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>\nHischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\n\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\n\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>\nHischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\n\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>\nRussell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>\nAs for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\n\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\n\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-15 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Sixers and Flyers news, updates and 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GM on Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'","format":null,"safe_value":"Halifax GM on Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18251"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"518796"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Nico Hischier to Flyers? 'You're getting a star'"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nico Hischier, Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, NHL draft prospect Nico Hischier, Cam Russell, Nico Hischier scouting report"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"520246","entity":{"vid":"542586","uid":"266","title":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"520246","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1494714412","changed":"1495068540","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1494770400","revision_timestamp":"1495068540","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"On April 29, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>\u2019 fortune changed 10 years after the same event dealt them a blow that may have altered the team\u2019s narrative over the last decade. This time, they won.<\/p>The Flyers, by the fruit of blind luck, jumped 11 spots in the draft lottery to No. 2. It was the largest hurdle in lottery history. It could be a moment we look back on as a game-changer. It could be many things. What it\u2019s not is what happened on April 10, 2007, when the Flyers, who finished with an NHL-worst 56 points in 2006-07, lost the lottery to the Blackhawks.<\/p>Ten years ago, the lottery operated under a different system. Until 2013, the lottery consisted of the five teams with the fewest points in the standings. No team could move up more than four spots, and the team with the fewest points (the Flyers) could only pick either No. 1 or 2 in the draft. The Flyers had a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick.<\/p>We know the story. Chicago, which had an 8.1 percent chance at the top pick, won the lottery, and the Flyers, who had the worst season in franchise history, got sloppy seconds. The lottery system changed in 2013. Now, any team that does not qualify for the playoffs is eligible to win the lottery, which paved the avenue for the Flyers\u2019 climb last month.<\/p>\"I'm not sure it really matters,\" Paul Holmgren, then-Flyers' GM and now team president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/holmgren-speaks-with-media-after-draft-lottery\/c-435748\" target=\"_blank\">told NHL.com<\/a> on April 12, 2007, of losing the lottery. \"The thing about having the first pick is you get the first pick. Now, we don't, but I'm confident we're still going to get a good player. As I've said all along, I'm not sure there's an immediate impact guy there anyway.\"<\/p>That is where the 2007 and 2017 similarities come into play. Ten years later, we know how the 2007 draft panned out, with Patrick Kane, the top pick, being head and shoulders atop the class, and James van Riemsdyk, whom the Flyers drafted No. 2, now playing in Toronto.<\/p>There was an immediate impact player in the 2007 draft, which is where Holmgren was wrong, and it was Kane, who scored at a 0.89 points per game clip in his rookie season, finishing with 72 points in 82 games.<\/p>van Riemsdyk never developed into an impact player with the Flyers. In 2013, the Flyers traded van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs, where he\u2019s matured into a solid complementary scoring winger with a 30-goal season under his belt and two 60-plus-point campaigns.<\/p>\u201cWe were both put in different situations and we were both in different stages, I guess of our hockey development,\u201d van Riemsdyk told <a href=\"http:\/\/prev.dailyherald.com\/story\/?id=384121\" target=\"_blank\">The Daily Herald<\/em><\/a>, a Chicago-area newspaper, May 27, 2010. \u201cI did what I thought was best for me to be a better player, and he was obviously ready to make that jump right after the draft. He made it happen right away.\u201d<\/p>If we go back to 2007, it was not considered to be a slam dunk atop the draft. It was a three-player race between Kane, van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris, who went No. 3 to Arizona. There was thought that even if the Flyers had the top pick, \u201cJVR\u201d would have been the pick. <\/p>\u201cAll three of these kids were very close. Very close,\u201d Holmgren told Kevin Kurz, now with NBC Sports Bay Area, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/staying-close-to-home\/c-435817\" target=\"_blank\">after the draft<\/a> on June 23, 2007. \u201cWe\u2019d have been happy with any of them, but you have to make a decision and James ended up on top.\u201d<\/p>Fast forward to this year. The Flyers\u2019 luck shifted. They finished with 88 points, seven points out of a playoff spot. Without the lottery, they would have picked 13th in what general manager Ron Hextall has described as \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">an average draft<\/a>\u201d \u2014 like it was in 2007, a draft that generated five All-Stars, including the Flyers\u2019 Jakub Voracek, who was drafted seventh overall by Columbus, and van Riemsdyk is not one of them. There were several big misses in the draft.<\/p>This year, it's widely considered a two-player draft, with Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier as the cream of this year\u2019s crop. Barring any unforeseen surprises, the Flyers will come away with either Patrick or Hischier come June 23. It really is as simple as whoever New Jersey does not take at No. 1.<\/p>But that is where we see the difference between 2007 and 2017 for the Flyers. Ten years ago, the Flyers played their way into a top-two pick and rotten luck cost them the top pick. Their choice was between the two players Chicago didn\u2019t take \u2014 van Riemsdyk and Turris.<\/p>In van Riemsdyk, the Flyers were drafting a player who came up in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and still needed years to develop. He decided to play at the University of New Hampshire before turning pro after his sophomore season.<\/p>With either Patrick or Hischier \u2014 it seems to be a pick-your-poison situation \u2014 the Flyers will be getting a player closer to making an immediate impact than they did in 2007. Neither will have the impacts we have seen from the No. 2 picks from the last two drafts \u2014 Jack Eichel and Patrik Laine. <\/p>When asked about Patrick and Hischier\u2019s NHL readiness on May 8, Hextall <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">refused to tip his hat<\/a> about his views on the prospects, sticking to his mantra that any kid has to earn a spot.<\/p>\u201cWe would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do \u2026 you make an educated judgment and then you go from there,\u201d Hextall said. \u201cA player has to come in and prove that he\u2019s ready, and at this age, not many are.\u201d<\/p>Patrick has three years of experience in the Western Hockey League, and there is some belief he will not benefit from a fourth season in the WHL. Despite battling groin and abdominal injuries last season, he still produced above a point-per-game pace (1.39). <\/p>As a 17-year-old two years ago, Patrick put up 102 points in 72 regular-season games and led the Wheat Kings to a WHL championship with 30 points in 21 playoff games. He still will have to prove his worth to either the Flyers or Devils, but one has to believe the likelihood of him making an immediate impact is far greater than him going back to junior.<\/p>Hischier broke out during the world junior championships for Switzerland, scoring four goals and three assists in five games. With Halifax during his rookie season in the QMJHL, Hischier finished as a 1.5 points-per-game player, putting up 86 points in 57 games and earning the league\u2019s Rookie of the Year award. Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, describes the Swiss center as \u201cdefinitely worth the price of admission.\u201d<\/p>There are a plethora of reasons why 2007 and 2017 are different for the Flyers. Luck is atop the list. But the player they\u2019ll be getting this June is one they should be able to reap immediate benefits from, something they weren\u2019t getting in 2007.<\/p>","summary":"Unlike 2007 with James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers should get an immediate impact player in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick in 2017. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"On April 29, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>\u2019 fortune changed 10 years after the same event dealt them a blow that may have altered the team\u2019s narrative over the last decade. This time, they won.<\/p>\nThe Flyers, by the fruit of blind luck, jumped 11 spots in the draft lottery to No. 2. It was the largest hurdle in lottery history. It could be a moment we look back on as a game-changer. It could be many things. What it\u2019s not is what happened on April 10, 2007, when the Flyers, who finished with an NHL-worst 56 points in 2006-07, lost the lottery to the Blackhawks.<\/p>\nTen years ago, the lottery operated under a different system. Until 2013, the lottery consisted of the five teams with the fewest points in the standings. No team could move up more than four spots, and the team with the fewest points (the Flyers) could only pick either No. 1 or 2 in the draft. The Flyers had a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick.<\/p>\nWe know the story. Chicago, which had an 8.1 percent chance at the top pick, won the lottery, and the Flyers, who had the worst season in franchise history, got sloppy seconds. The lottery system changed in 2013. Now, any team that does not qualify for the playoffs is eligible to win the lottery, which paved the avenue for the Flyers\u2019 climb last month.<\/p>\n\"I'm not sure it really matters,\" Paul Holmgren, then-Flyers' GM and now team president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/holmgren-speaks-with-media-after-draft-lottery\/c-435748\" target=\"_blank\">told NHL.com<\/a> on April 12, 2007, of losing the lottery. \"The thing about having the first pick is you get the first pick. Now, we don't, but I'm confident we're still going to get a good player. As I've said all along, I'm not sure there's an immediate impact guy there anyway.\"<\/p>\nThat is where the 2007 and 2017 similarities come into play. Ten years later, we know how the 2007 draft panned out, with Patrick Kane, the top pick, being head and shoulders atop the class, and James van Riemsdyk, whom the Flyers drafted No. 2, now playing in Toronto.<\/p>\nThere was an immediate impact player in the 2007 draft, which is where Holmgren was wrong, and it was Kane, who scored at a 0.89 points per game clip in his rookie season, finishing with 72 points in 82 games.<\/p>\nvan Riemsdyk never developed into an impact player with the Flyers. In 2013, the Flyers traded van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs, where he\u2019s matured into a solid complementary scoring winger with a 30-goal season under his belt and two 60-plus-point campaigns.<\/p>\n\u201cWe were both put in different situations and we were both in different stages, I guess of our hockey development,\u201d van Riemsdyk told <a href=\"http:\/\/prev.dailyherald.com\/story\/?id=384121\" target=\"_blank\">The Daily Herald<\/em><\/a>, a Chicago-area newspaper, May 27, 2010. \u201cI did what I thought was best for me to be a better player, and he was obviously ready to make that jump right after the draft. He made it happen right away.\u201d<\/p>\nIf we go back to 2007, it was not considered to be a slam dunk atop the draft. It was a three-player race between Kane, van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris, who went No. 3 to Arizona. There was thought that even if the Flyers had the top pick, \u201cJVR\u201d would have been the pick. <\/p>\n\u201cAll three of these kids were very close. Very close,\u201d Holmgren told Kevin Kurz, now with NBC Sports Bay Area, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/news\/staying-close-to-home\/c-435817\" target=\"_blank\">after the draft<\/a> on June 23, 2007. \u201cWe\u2019d have been happy with any of them, but you have to make a decision and James ended up on top.\u201d<\/p>\nFast forward to this year. The Flyers\u2019 luck shifted. They finished with 88 points, seven points out of a playoff spot. Without the lottery, they would have picked 13th in what general manager Ron Hextall has described as \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">an average draft<\/a>\u201d \u2014 like it was in 2007, a draft that generated five All-Stars, including the Flyers\u2019 Jakub Voracek, who was drafted seventh overall by Columbus, and van Riemsdyk is not one of them. There were several big misses in the draft.<\/p>\nThis year, it's widely considered a two-player draft, with Brandon Wheat Kings center Nolan Patrick and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier as the cream of this year\u2019s crop. Barring any unforeseen surprises, the Flyers will come away with either Patrick or Hischier come June 23. It really is as simple as whoever New Jersey does not take at No. 1.<\/p>\nBut that is where we see the difference between 2007 and 2017 for the Flyers. Ten years ago, the Flyers played their way into a top-two pick and rotten luck cost them the top pick. Their choice was between the two players Chicago didn\u2019t take \u2014 van Riemsdyk and Turris.<\/p>\nIn van Riemsdyk, the Flyers were drafting a player who came up in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program and still needed years to develop. He decided to play at the University of New Hampshire before turning pro after his sophomore season.<\/p>\nWith either Patrick or Hischier \u2014 it seems to be a pick-your-poison situation \u2014 the Flyers will be getting a player closer to making an immediate impact than they did in 2007. Neither will have the impacts we have seen from the No. 2 picks from the last two drafts \u2014 Jack Eichel and Patrik Laine. <\/p>\nWhen asked about Patrick and Hischier\u2019s NHL readiness on May 8, Hextall <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\" target=\"_blank\">refused to tip his hat<\/a> about his views on the prospects, sticking to his mantra that any kid has to earn a spot.<\/p>\n\u201cWe would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do \u2026 you make an educated judgment and then you go from there,\u201d Hextall said. \u201cA player has to come in and prove that he\u2019s ready, and at this age, not many are.\u201d<\/p>\nPatrick has three years of experience in the Western Hockey League, and there is some belief he will not benefit from a fourth season in the WHL. Despite battling groin and abdominal injuries last season, he still produced above a point-per-game pace (1.39). <\/p>\nAs a 17-year-old two years ago, Patrick put up 102 points in 72 regular-season games and led the Wheat Kings to a WHL championship with 30 points in 21 playoff games. He still will have to prove his worth to either the Flyers or Devils, but one has to believe the likelihood of him making an immediate impact is far greater than him going back to junior.<\/p>\nHischier broke out during the world junior championships for Switzerland, scoring four goals and three assists in five games. With Halifax during his rookie season in the QMJHL, Hischier finished as a 1.5 points-per-game player, putting up 86 points in 57 games and earning the league\u2019s Rookie of the Year award. Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, describes the Swiss center as \u201cdefinitely worth the price of admission.\u201d<\/p>\nThere are a plethora of reasons why 2007 and 2017 are different for the Flyers. Luck is atop the list. But the player they\u2019ll be getting this June is one they should be able to reap immediate benefits from, something they weren\u2019t getting in 2007.<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Unlike 2007 with James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers should get an immediate impact player in Nico Hischier or Nolan Patrick in 2017. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-14 14:00:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images\/HalifaxMooseheads.ca","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images\/HalifaxMooseheads.ca"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"440076","uid":"266","filename":"ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/05\/13\/ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"290425","status":"1","timestamp":"1494716035","origname":"ap-halifax-jvr-hischier-kane.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"metadata":{"height":360,"width":640},"height":"360","width":"640","alt":"","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2","format":null,"safe_value":"Unlike 2007, Flyers should get immediate impact player at No. 2"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"15101"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"518706"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, Flyers draft lottery, 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, Ron Hextall, Flyers top prospects, Flyers prospects, Paul Holmgren, James van Riemsdyk, Patrick Kane, Patrick Kane Flyers"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"526256","entity":{"vid":"550081","uid":"156","title":"Nolan Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at NHL combine","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"526256","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1496452468","changed":"1496548719","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1496452200","revision_timestamp":"1496548719","revision_uid":"266","body":{"und":[{"value":"BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 Nolan Patrick took a timeout toward the end of his shift with reporters on Friday at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>The top-ranked draft prospect was feeling the heat inside the NHL's Centennial Museum track and had to remove his jacket before answering the last few questions.<\/p>Patrick is not sweating his draft status after meeting with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> and a dozen other teams this week and reaffirming his health heading into Saturday's fitness testing.  <\/p>\"I'm not going to try to prove anything,\" Patrick said. \"I'm just going to try and do the tests to the best of my abilities.\"<\/p>Along with Swiss skater Nico Hischier, the Winnipeg-born Patrick is one of two 18-year-old centers the Flyers are expected to select with the No. 2 pick in the June 23-24 draft. The New Jersey Devils hold the first pick and have not yet revealed their plans.<\/p>Patrick said he informed teams this week that he has recovered from a misdiagnosed double sports hernia injury that limited him during his last season of junior hockey. He had surgery on his right groin muscle last July, but a similar injury on his left side went undetected and did not heal until after the season.<\/p>After leading Brandon to the Western Hockey League championship in 2016, Patrick missed more than half of this past season, including all four WHL playoff games, with various injuries. He has been medically cleared for combine testing and expects to be able to participate in an NHL training camp in September.<\/p>\"Obviously, it wasn't the ideal season for me,\" Patrick said. \"I don't think any hockey player wants something like that, especially in your draft year.\"<\/p>But now that he is healthy, Patrick believes the injury helped his development.<\/p>\"I don't think it was the worst thing for me,\" he said. \"I think a little adversity for a young kid makes you stronger as a player. I didn't talk about it during the year in the media, that I was misdiagnosed. This is the first time I've really said anything about it.\"<\/p>The 6-foot-2, 198-pound Patrick still produced 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 33 games last season and won the Top Prospect Award as the best draft-eligible player in the Canadian Hockey League. Hischier, who played in Halifax, was also a finalist for the award.<\/p>The NHL teams try to get to know them better this week, while the consensus top two prospects in the draft have spent time getting to know each other.<\/p>\"It's good to see that he's a really good guy,\" Patrick said of Hischier.<\/p>Patrick said he got no \"vibes\" from his meeting with the Devils on which player they were leaning toward with the No. 1 pick.<\/p>Does Patrick believe he should be the one?<\/p>\"That's not up for to decide, so I guess I'll see what the NHL teams think,\" Patrick said. \"Obviously, that would be a huge honor. \u2026 But I'd be honored to go anywhere.\"<\/p>Patrick is also unconcerned with the perception that the top prospects in this year's draft are not as good as the prizes from 2015 (Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel) or 2016 (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine).<\/p>\"At the end of the day, I'm just trying to make the NHL and contribute as much I can,\" Patrick said. \"I'm not putting any added pressure on myself. \u2026 I try not to compare myself to those guys. I don't expect to come in and put 40 goals up, or score four goals in my first game. I don't think that happens very often.\"<\/p>Patrick's father, Steve, played 250 games for the Sabres, Rangers and Nordiques from 1980-86. His uncle, James, played 1,280 games with the Rangers, Whalers, Flames and Sabres from 1983-2006 and was an assistant coach for the Stars the past four seasons.<\/p>Patrick said his father and uncle have taught him that how he carries himself off the ice will be as important to his success and his skills on the ice.<\/p>\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" he said.<\/p>Unfamiliar with Philadelphia, Patrick does have a friend on the Flyers.<\/p>\"I've never been there, but one of my good buddies, Ivan Provorov, plays there,\" Patrick said. \"I've talked to him a bit and he loves it.\"<\/p>","summary":"Nolan Patrick, who could be the Flyers' draft pick at No. 2, talked his health, mindset and more on Friday at the NHL combine. By Jonah Bronstein<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"BUFFALO, N.Y. \u2014 Nolan Patrick took a timeout toward the end of his shift with reporters on Friday at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\nThe top-ranked draft prospect was feeling the heat inside the NHL's Centennial Museum track and had to remove his jacket before answering the last few questions.<\/p>\nPatrick is not sweating his draft status after meeting with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> and a dozen other teams this week and reaffirming his health heading into Saturday's fitness testing.  <\/p>\n\"I'm not going to try to prove anything,\" Patrick said. \"I'm just going to try and do the tests to the best of my abilities.\"<\/p>\nAlong with Swiss skater Nico Hischier, the Winnipeg-born Patrick is one of two 18-year-old centers the Flyers are expected to select with the No. 2 pick in the June 23-24 draft. The New Jersey Devils hold the first pick and have not yet revealed their plans.<\/p>\nPatrick said he informed teams this week that he has recovered from a misdiagnosed double sports hernia injury that limited him during his last season of junior hockey. He had surgery on his right groin muscle last July, but a similar injury on his left side went undetected and did not heal until after the season.<\/p>\nAfter leading Brandon to the Western Hockey League championship in 2016, Patrick missed more than half of this past season, including all four WHL playoff games, with various injuries. He has been medically cleared for combine testing and expects to be able to participate in an NHL training camp in September.<\/p>\n\"Obviously, it wasn't the ideal season for me,\" Patrick said. \"I don't think any hockey player wants something like that, especially in your draft year.\"<\/p>\nBut now that he is healthy, Patrick believes the injury helped his development.<\/p>\n\"I don't think it was the worst thing for me,\" he said. \"I think a little adversity for a young kid makes you stronger as a player. I didn't talk about it during the year in the media, that I was misdiagnosed. This is the first time I've really said anything about it.\"<\/p>\nThe 6-foot-2, 198-pound Patrick still produced 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 33 games last season and won the Top Prospect Award as the best draft-eligible player in the Canadian Hockey League. Hischier, who played in Halifax, was also a finalist for the award.<\/p>\nThe NHL teams try to get to know them better this week, while the consensus top two prospects in the draft have spent time getting to know each other.<\/p>\n\"It's good to see that he's a really good guy,\" Patrick said of Hischier.<\/p>\nPatrick said he got no \"vibes\" from his meeting with the Devils on which player they were leaning toward with the No. 1 pick.<\/p>\nDoes Patrick believe he should be the one?<\/p>\n\"That's not up for to decide, so I guess I'll see what the NHL teams think,\" Patrick said. \"Obviously, that would be a huge honor. \u2026 But I'd be honored to go anywhere.\"<\/p>\nPatrick is also unconcerned with the perception that the top prospects in this year's draft are not as good as the prizes from 2015 (Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel) or 2016 (Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine).<\/p>\n\"At the end of the day, I'm just trying to make the NHL and contribute as much I can,\" Patrick said. \"I'm not putting any added pressure on myself. \u2026 I try not to compare myself to those guys. I don't expect to come in and put 40 goals up, or score four goals in my first game. I don't think that happens very often.\"<\/p>\nPatrick's father, Steve, played 250 games for the Sabres, Rangers and Nordiques from 1980-86. His uncle, James, played 1,280 games with the Rangers, Whalers, Flames and Sabres from 1983-2006 and was an assistant coach for the Stars the past four seasons.<\/p>\nPatrick said his father and uncle have taught him that how he carries himself off the ice will be as important to his success and his skills on the ice.<\/p>\n\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" he said.<\/p>\nUnfamiliar with Philadelphia, Patrick does have a friend on the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"I've never been there, but one of my good buddies, Ivan Provorov, plays there,\" Patrick said. \"I've talked to him a bit and he loves it.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nolan Patrick, who could be the Flyers' draft pick at No. 2, talked his health, mindset and more on Friday at the NHL combine. By Jonah Bronstein<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1796"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-03 01:10:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Tim Smith | Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"Tim Smith | Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"452316","uid":"156","filename":"tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"268180","status":"1","timestamp":"1498209153","origname":"tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"Nolan Patrick","format":null,"safe_value":"Nolan Patrick"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"Nolan Patrick","metadata":{"height":377,"width":640},"height":"377","width":"640","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Possible Flyers pick Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at combine","format":null,"safe_value":"Possible Flyers pick Patrick opens up about injury history, mindset at combine"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18766"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"13406"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"526206"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Nolan Patrick talks injury history, mindset at NHL combine"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, 2017 NHL Scouting Combine"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"524586","entity":{"vid":"548076","uid":"156","title":"A healthy Nolan Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"524586","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1495928611","changed":"1498289443","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1495986900","revision_timestamp":"1498289443","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"As he met with general manager Grant Armstrong, Nolan Patrick had just finished an injury-marred junior season.<\/p>The 18-year-old missed the WHL playoffs and was limited to 33 games because of two separate injuries. He underwent sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, a major impediment to his summer training. He never quite \"caught up to the year,\" as Armstrong put it.<\/p>\"I don't think he really ever got himself into a situation where he was 100 percent,\" the Brandon Wheat Kings GM said in a phone interview last week with CSNPhilly.com.<\/p>But none of that was about to crack Patrick's confidence.<\/p>\"When we had our exit meetings, he told me he was going to play in the NHL,\" Armstrong said. \"I wished him the best of luck and I expect that's where he'll be next year.\"<\/p>Where he could be is Philadelphia sporting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> orange. Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top two picks for the June 23-24 NHL entry draft. The Flyers, of course, thanks to a stroke of good luck, will be happily sitting at No. 2 overall. The Devils will make Ron Hextall's decision much easier when they pick at No. 1.<\/p>The Canadian Patrick and Swiss-born Hischier are both centers. Coming into the season, Patrick was viewed as the draft's top dog, but his health and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/halifax-gm-cam-russell-nico-hischier-youre-getting-star-long-time\">Hischier's rise<\/a> have tightened the race.<\/p>Will the injuries cause apprehension?<\/p>\"I think there's no concern at all,\" Armstrong said. \"Injuries are a part of the game and I don't see it being an issue for Nolan at all. He trains well, he works hard at it and rehabs properly. I don't see it being an issue and currently, I think he's at 100 percent.\"<\/p>Despite the hampered summer and shortened season, Patrick showed why he's so heralded, compiling 46 points in 33 games for the Wheat Kings, his third year with the junior club. He scored 20 goals and collected 26 assists. Why that might not be mind-blowing is because Patrick had 102 points in 2015-16 on 41 goals and 61 assists for an astounding plus-51 rating. He went on to record 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 21 playoff games, leading Brandon to its first WHL title in 20 years alongside current Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>Similar to Provorov, Patrick's hockey smarts belie his age.<\/p>\"His presence on the ice, he just thinks the game, he puts himself in positions to be successful all the time,\" Armstrong said. \"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect. He sees the game so well, he's a student of the game, he understands and puts himself in positions of success. That hasn't changed, it's only getting better for him.<\/p>\"He's a difference-maker.\"<\/p>Armstrong joined the Wheat Kings last summer but had scouted and seen plenty of Patrick as Armstrong worked the previous four seasons for the WHL's Victoria Royals.<\/p>\"He's a very elite player with a tremendous hockey sense,\" Armstrong said. \"I think that's his biggest attribute is he thinks the game so well, he thinks it ahead of what's really happening on the ice a lot of the times. He's a player that's really starting to come into his own. <\/p>\"This next season will be a real opportunity for him to showcase his elite hockey sense and his athleticism and all the things that combine to make him a great player.\"<\/p>It appears Patrick, who has great size at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, is ready to showcase those traits at the NHL level. His future club will ultimately decide that in training camp.<\/p>\"We would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-flyers-moving-lottery-it-changes-things-lot\">Hextall said earlier this month<\/a>. \"You make an educated judgment and then you go from there. A player has to come in and prove that he's ready and at this age not many are, so we'll wait and see which way [the player] goes from there.\"<\/p>Armstrong said there's constant communication between Brandon and NHL teams throughout a season and that it escalates this time of year as the draft nears.<\/p>What about with the Flyers?<\/p>\"The Flyers are a great organization and obviously we have ties to their GM,\" Armstrong said. \"It's a good fit and they know what's going on.<\/p>\"They're dialed into what's going on and they have all kinds of ways to communicate with people.\"<\/p>While Patrick may not jump off the charts with Connor McDavid-like scoring ability, he prides himself on being complete. Armstrong said Patrick models his game after Kings center Anze Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2015-16 Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's top defensive forward.<\/p>It's the do-it-all mentality Armstrong believes was special, night in and night out.<\/p>\"Just the way he makes small plays in a game that would set up a teammate,\" he said. \"He plays a 200-foot game, he's coming back hard and supporting the D in the defensive zone. Switching to offense, he's quick and he does things that make him such a great player.<\/p>\"I think everybody thinks that a No. 1 or 2 centerman is going to be completely focused on the offensive side, but no, he's very committed to the defensive side of the puck \u2014 I think that's one thing that's a little bit misunderstood about him. He's got such an ability to play in any situation \u2014 killing penalties, late in the game, taking big faceoffs, that's his game.\"<\/p>Armstrong extolled Patrick for making everyone around him better on the Wheat Kings.<\/p>If that's with the Flyers next, Armstrong believes you won't be disappointed.<\/p>\"I think they just have to be patient and allow the player to grow. He won't let anybody down,\" Armstrong said. \"I just think he's an elite talent with an elite sense for the game. At some point, he'll be a great two-way centerman in the league. He'll put up offensive numbers. They won't be in the elite category, but he'll be a guy that'll chip away at his game, he'll produce. You just have to take your time and be patient.\"<\/p>","summary":"Brandon Wheat Kings GM Grant Armstrong said a healthy Nolan Patrick would be an elite, difference-making talent for the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"As he met with general manager Grant Armstrong, Nolan Patrick had just finished an injury-marred junior season.<\/p>\nThe 18-year-old missed the WHL playoffs and was limited to 33 games because of two separate injuries. He underwent sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, a major impediment to his summer training. He never quite \"caught up to the year,\" as Armstrong put it.<\/p>\n\"I don't think he really ever got himself into a situation where he was 100 percent,\" the Brandon Wheat Kings GM said in a phone interview last week with CSNPhilly.com.<\/p>\nBut none of that was about to crack Patrick's confidence.<\/p>\n\"When we had our exit meetings, he told me he was going to play in the NHL,\" Armstrong said. \"I wished him the best of luck and I expect that's where he'll be next year.\"<\/p>\nWhere he could be is Philadelphia sporting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> orange. Patrick and Nico Hischier are the consensus top two picks for the June 23-24 NHL entry draft. The Flyers, of course, thanks to a stroke of good luck, will be happily sitting at No. 2 overall. The Devils will make Ron Hextall's decision much easier when they pick at No. 1.<\/p>\nThe Canadian Patrick and Swiss-born Hischier are both centers. Coming into the season, Patrick was viewed as the draft's top dog, but his health and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/halifax-gm-cam-russell-nico-hischier-youre-getting-star-long-time\">Hischier's rise<\/a> have tightened the race.<\/p>\nWill the injuries cause apprehension?<\/p>\n\"I think there's no concern at all,\" Armstrong said. \"Injuries are a part of the game and I don't see it being an issue for Nolan at all. He trains well, he works hard at it and rehabs properly. I don't see it being an issue and currently, I think he's at 100 percent.\"<\/p>\nDespite the hampered summer and shortened season, Patrick showed why he's so heralded, compiling 46 points in 33 games for the Wheat Kings, his third year with the junior club. He scored 20 goals and collected 26 assists. Why that might not be mind-blowing is because Patrick had 102 points in 2015-16 on 41 goals and 61 assists for an astounding plus-51 rating. He went on to record 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 21 playoff games, leading Brandon to its first WHL title in 20 years alongside current Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>\nSimilar to Provorov, Patrick's hockey smarts belie his age.<\/p>\n\"His presence on the ice, he just thinks the game, he puts himself in positions to be successful all the time,\" Armstrong said. \"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect. He sees the game so well, he's a student of the game, he understands and puts himself in positions of success. That hasn't changed, it's only getting better for him.<\/p>\n\"He's a difference-maker.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong joined the Wheat Kings last summer but had scouted and seen plenty of Patrick as Armstrong worked the previous four seasons for the WHL's Victoria Royals.<\/p>\n\"He's a very elite player with a tremendous hockey sense,\" Armstrong said. \"I think that's his biggest attribute is he thinks the game so well, he thinks it ahead of what's really happening on the ice a lot of the times. He's a player that's really starting to come into his own. <\/p>\n\"This next season will be a real opportunity for him to showcase his elite hockey sense and his athleticism and all the things that combine to make him a great player.\"<\/p>\nIt appears Patrick, who has great size at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, is ready to showcase those traits at the NHL level. His future club will ultimately decide that in training camp.<\/p>\n\"We would like to think we know that, but until the kid comes in and shows you what he can do,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-flyers-moving-lottery-it-changes-things-lot\">Hextall said earlier this month<\/a>. \"You make an educated judgment and then you go from there. A player has to come in and prove that he's ready and at this age not many are, so we'll wait and see which way [the player] goes from there.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong said there's constant communication between Brandon and NHL teams throughout a season and that it escalates this time of year as the draft nears.<\/p>\nWhat about with the Flyers?<\/p>\n\"The Flyers are a great organization and obviously we have ties to their GM,\" Armstrong said. \"It's a good fit and they know what's going on.<\/p>\n\"They're dialed into what's going on and they have all kinds of ways to communicate with people.\"<\/p>\nWhile Patrick may not jump off the charts with Connor McDavid-like scoring ability, he prides himself on being complete. Armstrong said Patrick models his game after Kings center Anze Kopitar, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2015-16 Selke Trophy winner as the NHL's top defensive forward.<\/p>\nIt's the do-it-all mentality Armstrong believes was special, night in and night out.<\/p>\n\"Just the way he makes small plays in a game that would set up a teammate,\" he said. \"He plays a 200-foot game, he's coming back hard and supporting the D in the defensive zone. Switching to offense, he's quick and he does things that make him such a great player.<\/p>\n\"I think everybody thinks that a No. 1 or 2 centerman is going to be completely focused on the offensive side, but no, he's very committed to the defensive side of the puck \u2014 I think that's one thing that's a little bit misunderstood about him. He's got such an ability to play in any situation \u2014 killing penalties, late in the game, taking big faceoffs, that's his game.\"<\/p>\nArmstrong extolled Patrick for making everyone around him better on the Wheat Kings.<\/p>\nIf that's with the Flyers next, Armstrong believes you won't be disappointed.<\/p>\n\"I think they just have to be patient and allow the player to grow. He won't let anybody down,\" Armstrong said. \"I just think he's an elite talent with an elite sense for the game. At some point, he'll be a great two-way centerman in the league. He'll put up offensive numbers. They won't be in the elite category, but he'll be a guy that'll chip away at his game, he'll produce. You just have to take your time and be patient.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Brandon Wheat Kings GM Grant Armstrong said a healthy Nolan Patrick would be an elite, difference-making talent for the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-28 15:55:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"460851","uid":"266","filename":"tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"246725","status":"1","timestamp":"1498209642","origname":"tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"[current-page:title] | 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healthy Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says","format":null,"safe_value":"A healthy Patrick to Flyers? 'He won't let anybody down,' Brandon GM says"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18631"},{"tid":"18626"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"531846"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"If Flyers draft Nolan Patrick, 'he won't let anybody down'"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, Jordan Hall, Grant Armstrong, 2017 NHL draft"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"524716","entity":{"vid":"548221","uid":"621","title":"Nico Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock as Flyers do their homework","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"524716","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1496001098","changed":"1496224532","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1496062800","revision_timestamp":"1496224532","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"WINDSOR, Ontario -- Ever since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\" target=\"_blank\">Flyers<\/a> shot up the selection order at last month\u2019s NHL draft lottery, prospect and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier has been familiarizing himself with the Flyers' organization.<\/p>The Flyers entered the lottery with just a 2.2 percent shot at the first overall pick after finishing the season with a 39-33-10 record but climbed 11 spots from the 13th selection to No. 2 in the draft, which takes place June 23-24 in Chicago.<\/p>\u201cI know it\u2019s a sports city \u2014 they have the NHL, NBA and all those sports,\u201d Hischier said Saturday at the Memorial Cup. \u201cIt\u2019s a really nice city and I know Mark Streit played there and Jakub Voracek played in Halifax as well.\u201d<\/p>The Flyers' brass has wasted no time familiarizing themselves with the 18-year-old, who spent this season playing with the Mooseheads in the QMJHL.<\/p>\u201cWe had already a little meeting together, but I think at combine we\u2019ll see each other again,\u201d said Hischier, who is ranked second amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. \u201cIt was just that they want to know me better as a person. They asked me some personal questions and that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>A native of Naters, Switzerland, Hischier grew up playing soccer. He was also an avid skier and snowboarder before his older brother, Luca, turned him on to hockey.<\/p>\u201cI used to ski a lot,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cFirst skiing, and then snowboarding, but my brother played hockey, he\u2019s four years older than me, then I just wanted to play hockey as well.\u201d<\/p>Last season, Hischier followed his brother to Bern, where he played 15 games in the Swiss pro league with several former NHLers while he was coached by current Senators bench boss Guy Boucher.<\/p>The six-foot, 174-pound center registered one assist in his brief stint with the club but gained valuable experience in the process.<\/p>\u201cI think that helped me a lot because they\u2019re all older guys and they gave me some good tips, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI really could learn from them and it\u2019s great that I could play with them.<\/p>\u201cI think I learned a lot (from Boucher). He brought Canadian hockey to Switzerland, I think. His practices were hard and I could really learn from him.\u201d<\/p>Halifax used the sixth selection at last year\u2019s CHL import draft to pick Hischier, and after a little convincing, the lanky forward made the decision to make the move to North America.<\/p>\u201cI just came to Canada to try to become a better hockey player and I worked hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI had great teammates, and Halifax is a great organization.\u201d<\/p>Adjusting to the smaller rinks in North America admittedly took time for Hischier, but he adapted well leading all CHL rookies in scoring with 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games. On Saturday, he was named the CHL\u2019s rookie of the year <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/top-nhl-draft-prospects-nolan-patrick-nico-hischier-get-chl-awards\" target=\"_blank\">(see story)<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\u201cI think I improved my game in the corners,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cYou have to dump more pucks over here on North American ice, and chase the puck more behind the net. At the end, I would say my play in the corners (improved the most).\u201d<\/p>Growing up, Hischier watched former Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk closely, trying to model his game after the Russian forward.<\/p>He spent time this season playing both the wing and center positions and isn\u2019t afraid to go to the net hard despite his slender frame. His offensive talents coupled with his ability to play both ends of the ice is what caused his draft stock jump from 26th on ISS Hockey\u2019s rankings in November to a top-three position in January.<\/p>Internationally, Hischier made a splash at this year\u2019s Under-20 world junior tournament in Toronto and Montreal, scoring a team-leading four goals and seven points in five games.<\/p>The highlight came in the quarterfinals where Hischier nearly single-handedly upset the Americans, scoring two goals in a 3-2 loss.<\/p>The performance led to a glowing review from U.S. coach Bob Motzko.<\/p>\u201cHe was the best player we\u2019ve seen in this tournament,\u201d Motzko said following the game. \u201cWe tried all four lines against him and I thought he was playing every shift because every time he got out there, the ice was tilted. It was the first thing we said when we got into the locker room: \u2018That\u2019s the best player we\u2019ve seen in the tournament.\u2019\u201d<\/p>After the Mooseheads' first-round playoff exit, Hischier once again donned his country\u2019s colors, registering one assist in five games at the U-18 tournament.<\/p>However, he skipped out on an opportunity to represent Switzerland at the senior men\u2019s tournament in favor of relaxation.<\/p>\u201cIt was really important (to recover),\u201d he said. \u201cI went a couple days away from Switzerland to the beach (in Italy) and just relaxed. It was really great. Had to refill my tank and it was just great.\u201d<\/p>Hischier will get another opportunity to meet with the Flyers\u2019 front office this week in Buffalo at the NHL\u2019s scouting combine. It\u2019s believed Hischier could make the jump to the NHL in the fall, but he knows he still has some work to do this summer to make his dream come true.<\/p>\u201cGet some pounds on, I want to get stronger,\u201d said Hischier. \u201cI think that\u2019s the most important thing and I work hard towards that.\u201d<\/p>","summary":"Nico Hischier, a possibility for the Flyers at No. 2 overall, recounts his meteoric rise in the hockey world. By Dhiren Mahiban<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"WINDSOR, Ontario -- Ever since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\" target=\"_blank\">Flyers<\/a> shot up the selection order at last month\u2019s NHL draft lottery, prospect and Halifax Mooseheads center Nico Hischier has been familiarizing himself with the Flyers' organization.<\/p>\nThe Flyers entered the lottery with just a 2.2 percent shot at the first overall pick after finishing the season with a 39-33-10 record but climbed 11 spots from the 13th selection to No. 2 in the draft, which takes place June 23-24 in Chicago.<\/p>\n\u201cI know it\u2019s a sports city \u2014 they have the NHL, NBA and all those sports,\u201d Hischier said Saturday at the Memorial Cup. \u201cIt\u2019s a really nice city and I know Mark Streit played there and Jakub Voracek played in Halifax as well.\u201d<\/p>\nThe Flyers' brass has wasted no time familiarizing themselves with the 18-year-old, who spent this season playing with the Mooseheads in the QMJHL.<\/p>\n\u201cWe had already a little meeting together, but I think at combine we\u2019ll see each other again,\u201d said Hischier, who is ranked second amongst North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. \u201cIt was just that they want to know me better as a person. They asked me some personal questions and that\u2019s about it.\u201d<\/p>\nA native of Naters, Switzerland, Hischier grew up playing soccer. He was also an avid skier and snowboarder before his older brother, Luca, turned him on to hockey.<\/p>\n\u201cI used to ski a lot,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cFirst skiing, and then snowboarding, but my brother played hockey, he\u2019s four years older than me, then I just wanted to play hockey as well.\u201d<\/p>\nLast season, Hischier followed his brother to Bern, where he played 15 games in the Swiss pro league with several former NHLers while he was coached by current Senators bench boss Guy Boucher.<\/p>\nThe six-foot, 174-pound center registered one assist in his brief stint with the club but gained valuable experience in the process.<\/p>\n\u201cI think that helped me a lot because they\u2019re all older guys and they gave me some good tips, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI really could learn from them and it\u2019s great that I could play with them.<\/p>\n\u201cI think I learned a lot (from Boucher). He brought Canadian hockey to Switzerland, I think. His practices were hard and I could really learn from him.\u201d<\/p>\nHalifax used the sixth selection at last year\u2019s CHL import draft to pick Hischier, and after a little convincing, the lanky forward made the decision to make the move to North America.<\/p>\n\u201cI just came to Canada to try to become a better hockey player and I worked hard,\u201d he said. \u201cI had great teammates, and Halifax is a great organization.\u201d<\/p>\nAdjusting to the smaller rinks in North America admittedly took time for Hischier, but he adapted well leading all CHL rookies in scoring with 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games. On Saturday, he was named the CHL\u2019s rookie of the year <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/top-nhl-draft-prospects-nolan-patrick-nico-hischier-get-chl-awards\" target=\"_blank\">(see story)<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\u201cI think I improved my game in the corners,\u201d Hischier said. \u201cYou have to dump more pucks over here on North American ice, and chase the puck more behind the net. At the end, I would say my play in the corners (improved the most).\u201d<\/p>\nGrowing up, Hischier watched former Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk closely, trying to model his game after the Russian forward.<\/p>\nHe spent time this season playing both the wing and center positions and isn\u2019t afraid to go to the net hard despite his slender frame. His offensive talents coupled with his ability to play both ends of the ice is what caused his draft stock jump from 26th on ISS Hockey\u2019s rankings in November to a top-three position in January.<\/p>\nInternationally, Hischier made a splash at this year\u2019s Under-20 world junior tournament in Toronto and Montreal, scoring a team-leading four goals and seven points in five games.<\/p>\nThe highlight came in the quarterfinals where Hischier nearly single-handedly upset the Americans, scoring two goals in a 3-2 loss.<\/p>\nThe performance led to a glowing review from U.S. coach Bob Motzko.<\/p>\n\u201cHe was the best player we\u2019ve seen in this tournament,\u201d Motzko said following the game. \u201cWe tried all four lines against him and I thought he was playing every shift because every time he got out there, the ice was tilted. It was the first thing we said when we got into the locker room: \u2018That\u2019s the best player we\u2019ve seen in the tournament.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\nAfter the Mooseheads' first-round playoff exit, Hischier once again donned his country\u2019s colors, registering one assist in five games at the U-18 tournament.<\/p>\nHowever, he skipped out on an opportunity to represent Switzerland at the senior men\u2019s tournament in favor of relaxation.<\/p>\n\u201cIt was really important (to recover),\u201d he said. \u201cI went a couple days away from Switzerland to the beach (in Italy) and just relaxed. It was really great. Had to refill my tank and it was just great.\u201d<\/p>\nHischier will get another opportunity to meet with the Flyers\u2019 front office this week in Buffalo at the NHL\u2019s scouting combine. It\u2019s believed Hischier could make the jump to the NHL in the fall, but he knows he still has some work to do this summer to make his dream come true.<\/p>\n\u201cGet some pounds on, I want to get stronger,\u201d said Hischier. \u201cI think that\u2019s the most important thing and I work hard towards that.\u201d<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nico Hischier, a possibility for the Flyers at No. 2 overall, recounts his meteoric rise in the hockey world. By Dhiren Mahiban<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1741"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-29 13:00:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Halifaxmooseheads.ca","format":null,"safe_value":"Halifaxmooseheads.ca"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"432896","uid":"266","filename":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-2.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/05\/29\/halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-2.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"197640","status":"1","timestamp":"1496030490","origname":"halifaxmooseheads-ca-nico-hischier-2.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":[],"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"[current-page:title] | 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Flyers do homework, Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock ","format":null,"safe_value":"As Flyers do homework, Hischier recounts meteoric rise in draft stock "}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"4621"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"524096"}]},"field_tags_hide":{"und":[{"tid":"18276"}]},"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Nico Hischier, Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers Nolan Patrick, NHL draft, NHL draft Flyers"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"mbowker","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"516201","entity":{"vid":"537661","uid":"266","title":"2017 NHL draft prep: Options for Flyers at No. 2","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"516201","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1493532228","changed":"1494697282","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1493559000","revision_timestamp":"1494697282","revision_uid":"266","body":{"und":[{"value":"The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>' long-term landscape changed Saturday night with a stroke of luck.<\/p>Facing long odds, the Flyers nearly won the NHL draft lottery, but will have to settle for the No. 2 pick <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Considering where they were projected to pick, this is a major win for the Flyers.<\/p>\"We had a lot of bad luck this year,\" Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said Saturday night. \"And I'm hoping this is a turning point. This is a big point for our franchise.\"<\/p>The Flyers came into the lottery most likely to draft 13th at 84.3 percent. Lottery rules dictated that they could only draft in the top three, stay at 13 or fall to 14 or 15th. They had a 2.2 percent chance at the top pick, 2.4 percent at the second pick and 2.7 at the third pick.<\/p>And the hockey gods were on the Flyers' side Saturday. Because of their current prospect picture \u2014 heavy on defensemen and goaltenders \u2014 the Flyers will have an opportunity to add an impact forward to their prospect pool, an immediate hole they will be able to fill.<\/p>Here are five prospects the Flyers could target with the No. 2 pick come June 23-24 at the NHL draft in Chicago.<\/p>(Note: Because the Flyers are heavy on defensive prospects, we're not including Miro Heiskanen, the consensus top defenseman in this year's draft class.)<\/em><\/p>Nolan Patrick, C, 18, 6-2\/198, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Patrick finished as the top-rated skater by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, a spot he has been in all year long despite dealing with a groin\/abdominal injury throughout the 2016-17 season. He is touted as a two-way, right-handed center who does everything well but doesn't possess any one specific elite skill. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/sportsnets-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-march\/\">Sportsnet's Jeff Marek<\/a> wrote in March, \"think Jonathan Toews-lite.\" Patrick has NHL blood in his veins, as his father, Steve Patrick (250 games), and uncle, James Patrick (1,280 games), both have played in the league. In 33 games with the Wheat Kings this season, Patrick scored 20 goals and 46 points. He missed 39 games. During the 2015-16 season, Patrick registered 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games. He played two seasons in Brandon with Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106898&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He has more than proven over the last three years that he is the real deal and will be an impact NHL player. The poise, the presence, the attention to detail, the way he processes and executes plays \u2014 everything has been far more precise, far more accurate and a lot quicker this season.\"<\/p>Nico Hischier, C, 18, 6-1\/176, Halifax (QMJHL)<\/strong> With Patrick the projected top pick in June's draft, Hischier checks in as the early favorite to become a Flyer on June 23. Hischier had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTL_BYWD2Ro\">a breakout performance<\/a> as an underage player \u2014 he was 17 at the time \u2014 for Team Switzerland during the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships, posting four goals and three assists in five games. He will likely become the highest-drafted Swiss-born player in league history. Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall, 2010) currently holds that title. In his first season in the QMJHL, Hischier led all rookies with 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points in 57 games, earning himself the league's Rookie of the Year award and winning the Mike Bossy Trophy, awarded to the league's best pro prospect.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107219&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Hischier is definitely worth the price of admission. He has a high skill level, but what's most impressive is the way he competes, his drive and work ethic. He is a player who is first on the forecheck forcing a turnover and when the play transitions, he's the first player back. He's in that category as a special player.\"<\/p>Gabriel Vilardi, C, 17, 6-3\/202, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> Vilardi battled a knee injury and appendicitis in 2016-17 with Windsor but still finished more than a point-per-game player with the Spitfires. He recorded 61 points in 49 games this season. His 29 goals led Windsor and his 61 points were second on the club. Vilardi is an excellent puck-possession forward, which drives his and his linemates' scoring. Skating is an area he can improve upon. He is a right-handed shot with good size, something that could intrigue the Flyers. He compares his game to John Tavares, the New York Islanders' star captain. He finished as Central Scouting's fourth-best rated North American skater.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107429&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Vilardi is a high-end possession center with excellent hockey sense and puck-handling ability. He plays a very composed game with the puck, using his vision and playmaking ability to influence the game in all three zones. Vilardi excels below the dots in the offensive zone, where he utilizes his size and reach to control the play and generate scoring opportunities.\"<\/p>Owen Tippett, RW, 18, 6-0\/200, Mississauga (OHL)<\/strong> What would intrigue Flyers fans about Tippett is his shoot-first mentality, a trait not many current Flyers own. A right wing with size, Tippett positions himself in scoring areas and has a desirable shot. He's described as a strong skater with great breakaway speed. He led the Steelheads with 44 goals and 75 points in 60 games this season. His 44 goals were fifth in the Ontario Hockey League. With Patrick and Hischier the cream of this year's average crop, Tippett at No. 2 might be a reach, but he fits the mold of what the Flyers need.<\/p>Michael Rasmussen, C, 18, 6-6\/215, Tri-City (WHL)<\/strong> Rasmussen is a centerman with above average skating for a player his size and a knack for knowing how to use his size to his advantage. He suffered a wrist injury this season and played in just 50 of Tri-City's 72 games. He netted 32 goals and 55 points and led the Americans with 15 power-play goals, an attractive trait for the Flyers. He compares his game to Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and former Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin. He finished fifth among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings.<\/p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106985&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He's playing with much more confidence this season. He's adapted to playing a bigger role and playing heavy minutes against opponents' top lines and defense. The game has slowed down for him a little bit and he's just that much more poised. He can take that extra bit of time and understands he can take that time to make plays and score goals.\"<\/p>","summary":"After the Flyers landed the No. 2 overall pick during Saturday's lottery, Tom Dougherty looks at five potential players whom the Flyers could select.<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>' long-term landscape changed Saturday night with a stroke of luck.<\/p>\nFacing long odds, the Flyers nearly won the NHL draft lottery, but will have to settle for the No. 2 pick <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">(see story)<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Considering where they were projected to pick, this is a major win for the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"We had a lot of bad luck this year,\" Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said Saturday night. \"And I'm hoping this is a turning point. This is a big point for our franchise.\"<\/p>\nThe Flyers came into the lottery most likely to draft 13th at 84.3 percent. Lottery rules dictated that they could only draft in the top three, stay at 13 or fall to 14 or 15th. They had a 2.2 percent chance at the top pick, 2.4 percent at the second pick and 2.7 at the third pick.<\/p>\nAnd the hockey gods were on the Flyers' side Saturday. Because of their current prospect picture \u2014 heavy on defensemen and goaltenders \u2014 the Flyers will have an opportunity to add an impact forward to their prospect pool, an immediate hole they will be able to fill.<\/p>\nHere are five prospects the Flyers could target with the No. 2 pick come June 23-24 at the NHL draft in Chicago.<\/p>\n(Note: Because the Flyers are heavy on defensive prospects, we're not including Miro Heiskanen, the consensus top defenseman in this year's draft class.)<\/em><\/p>\nNolan Patrick, C, 18, 6-2\/198, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Patrick finished as the top-rated skater by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, a spot he has been in all year long despite dealing with a groin\/abdominal injury throughout the 2016-17 season. He is touted as a two-way, right-handed center who does everything well but doesn't possess any one specific elite skill. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/sportsnets-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-march\/\">Sportsnet's Jeff Marek<\/a> wrote in March, \"think Jonathan Toews-lite.\" Patrick has NHL blood in his veins, as his father, Steve Patrick (250 games), and uncle, James Patrick (1,280 games), both have played in the league. In 33 games with the Wheat Kings this season, Patrick scored 20 goals and 46 points. He missed 39 games. During the 2015-16 season, Patrick registered 41 goals and 102 points in 72 games. He played two seasons in Brandon with Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106898&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He has more than proven over the last three years that he is the real deal and will be an impact NHL player. The poise, the presence, the attention to detail, the way he processes and executes plays \u2014 everything has been far more precise, far more accurate and a lot quicker this season.\"<\/p>\nNico Hischier, C, 18, 6-1\/176, Halifax (QMJHL)<\/strong> With Patrick the projected top pick in June's draft, Hischier checks in as the early favorite to become a Flyer on June 23. Hischier had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=PTL_BYWD2Ro\">a breakout performance<\/a> as an underage player \u2014 he was 17 at the time \u2014 for Team Switzerland during the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships, posting four goals and three assists in five games. He will likely become the highest-drafted Swiss-born player in league history. Nino Niederreiter (fifth overall, 2010) currently holds that title. In his first season in the QMJHL, Hischier led all rookies with 38 goals, 48 assists and 86 points in 57 games, earning himself the league's Rookie of the Year award and winning the Mike Bossy Trophy, awarded to the league's best pro prospect.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107219&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Hischier is definitely worth the price of admission. He has a high skill level, but what's most impressive is the way he competes, his drive and work ethic. He is a player who is first on the forecheck forcing a turnover and when the play transitions, he's the first player back. He's in that category as a special player.\"<\/p>\nGabriel Vilardi, C, 17, 6-3\/202, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> Vilardi battled a knee injury and appendicitis in 2016-17 with Windsor but still finished more than a point-per-game player with the Spitfires. He recorded 61 points in 49 games this season. His 29 goals led Windsor and his 61 points were second on the club. Vilardi is an excellent puck-possession forward, which drives his and his linemates' scoring. Skating is an area he can improve upon. He is a right-handed shot with good size, something that could intrigue the Flyers. He compares his game to John Tavares, the New York Islanders' star captain. He finished as Central Scouting's fourth-best rated North American skater.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107429&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"Vilardi is a high-end possession center with excellent hockey sense and puck-handling ability. He plays a very composed game with the puck, using his vision and playmaking ability to influence the game in all three zones. Vilardi excels below the dots in the offensive zone, where he utilizes his size and reach to control the play and generate scoring opportunities.\"<\/p>\nOwen Tippett, RW, 18, 6-0\/200, Mississauga (OHL)<\/strong> What would intrigue Flyers fans about Tippett is his shoot-first mentality, a trait not many current Flyers own. A right wing with size, Tippett positions himself in scoring areas and has a desirable shot. He's described as a strong skater with great breakaway speed. He led the Steelheads with 44 goals and 75 points in 60 games this season. His 44 goals were fifth in the Ontario Hockey League. With Patrick and Hischier the cream of this year's average crop, Tippett at No. 2 might be a reach, but he fits the mold of what the Flyers need.<\/p>\nMichael Rasmussen, C, 18, 6-6\/215, Tri-City (WHL)<\/strong> Rasmussen is a centerman with above average skating for a player his size and a knack for knowing how to use his size to his advantage. He suffered a wrist injury this season and played in just 50 of Tri-City's 72 games. He netted 32 goals and 55 points and led the Americans with 15 power-play goals, an attractive trait for the Flyers. He compares his game to Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov and former Maple Leafs superstar Mats Sundin. He finished fifth among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=106985&tab=scr\">Central Scouting director Dan Marr's take:<\/strong><\/a> \"He's playing with much more confidence this season. He's adapted to playing a bigger role and playing heavy minutes against opponents' top lines and defense. The game has slowed down for him a little bit and he's just that much more poised. He can take that extra bit of time and understands he can take that time to make plays and score goals.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"After the Flyers landed the No. 2 overall pick during Saturday's lottery, Tom Dougherty looks at five potential players whom the Flyers could select.<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":[],"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-04-30 13:30:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"190391","uid":"156","filename":"ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2018\/06\/10\/ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"275864","status":"1","timestamp":"1528687727","origname":"ap-chris-pryor-ron-hextall.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":null,"format":null,"safe_value":""}]},"field_file_image_title_text":{"und":[{"value":null,"format":null,"safe_value":""}]},"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"metadata":{"height":391,"width":640},"height":"391","width":"640","alt":"","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Who are the top options for the Flyers with the No. 2 pick?","format":null,"safe_value":"Who are the top options for the Flyers with the No. 2 pick?"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"17946"},{"tid":"17956"},{"tid":"17941"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"17951"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"509206"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"2017 NHL draft: Flyers targets at No. 2"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, Flyers land No. 2 pick, Flyers draft lottery, Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, Gabriel Vilardi, Owen Tippett, Michael Rasmussen, Future Flyers Report, Flyers prospects, Flyers draft 2017"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"528411","entity":{"vid":"552866","uid":"156","title":"2017 NHL draft prep: 2nd-round options for Flyers","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"528411","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1497060545","changed":"1497299015","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1497191040","revision_timestamp":"1497299015","revision_uid":"621","body":{"und":[{"value":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>In fact, they have 10 more picks after the first round and five in the first four rounds. Needless to say, this is a crucial draft for the Flyers. GM Ron Hextall already set himself up for one before landing the No. 2 pick. Now comes time to execute months of scouting.<\/p>\"We have a lot of picks here and we have to hit,\" Hextall recently told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/video\/hextall-on-draft-pt-3\/t-289469110\/c-51978303\">the Flyers' website<\/a>. \"We can't just hit on No. 2 and then be satisfied.\"<\/p>Because we have an idea of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/2017-nhl-draft-prep-options-flyers-no-2\">whom the pick will be at No. 2<\/a>, we decided to take a look at some potential targets for the Flyers in the second round.<\/p>Grant Mismash, LW, 18, 6-0\/186, USNTDP<\/strong> Mismash may not be around when the Flyers are on the board in the second round. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native is projected to go anywhere between late first round and middle of the second. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107068&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">24th-rated North American skater<\/a> by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. The 6-foot, 186-pound winger styles his game after Corey Perry and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h5GeQhmos5w\">enjoys the physical side<\/a> of the game. He's a product of the USNTDP, where he scored 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 games playing for the program's U-18 team. In 26 USHL games, he tallied eight goals and 24 helpers. He was part of the U.S. gold-medal team at the 2017 U-18 world championship, a tournament in which he registered three goals and eight points.<\/p>In the fall, he'll begin his college career at the University of North Dakota, a storied program that has produced many hockey greats, including Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews. In fact, Mismash also played one season, in 2014-15, at Shattuck-St. Mary's, a private high school, in Faribault, Minnesota, where Parise also played as a teenager. After Mismash committed to UND in 2015, Shattuck coach Tom Ward told the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.grandforksherald.com\/sports\/und-hockey\/3712084-und-mens-hockey-und-lands-commitment-coveted-shattuck-prospect\">Grand-Forks Herald<\/a><\/em> that Mismash \"doesn't play like an Edina (Minnesota) kid. He plays like a kid who grew up in the country, playing like a farm boy, which is a compliment.\"<\/p>Jesper Boqvist, C, 18, 6-0\/179, Bryn\u00e4s IF (SHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are likely familiar with Boqvist from keeping tabs on Oskar Lindblom, their 2015 fifth-round pick who's coming overseas next season with great anticipation. Boqvist plays both center and wing with a quick first step, good puck skills and a scoring touch. After breaking onto the scene in the junior ranks in 2015-16, he scored a combined 33 points in 50 games this past season in the SHL, Division 2 and the J20 SuperElit league.<\/p>Whether it's fair or not, Boqvist will ultimately be compared to other Swedish players such as Nicklas Backstrom and Jakob Silfverberg, who both also played for Bryn\u00e4s. Mats Backlin, the Bryn\u00e4s J20 coach, told Swedish newspaper <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dt.se\/ishockey\/shl\/hedemorasonen-jesper-boqvist-hyllas-stort-av-tranaren-lika-bra-som-nicklas-backstrom-var\">Dalarnas Tidningar<\/a><\/em> Boqvist is \"as good as those in this age. He's incredibly talented and you can compare him with them at this age.\" He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107234&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">10th-rated European skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's a left-handed shot who compares his play to Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expressen.se\/sport\/hockey\/shl\/de-kan-lamna-brynas-efter-sm-finalforlusten\/\">Expressen<\/a><\/em>, Boqvist may leave Bryn\u00e4s for another SHL team if he's promised an expanded role.<\/p>Matthew Strome, LW, 18, 6-4\/206 (Hamilton, OHL)<\/strong> If his last name rings familiarity, it should. Strome's older brothers, Ryan and Dylan, were both top-five draft picks in the last six years. The Islanders drafted Ryan Strome fifth overall in 2011, while Arizona selected Dylan Strome with the third pick in 2015. The youngest Strome brother is not taking the same path to the NHL as his brothers, however. Matthew Strome still could squeak into the first round but projects to be a second-rounder. Whether he falls to the 43-44 range is unforeseen, but the biggest knock on him is skating.<\/p>An Ontario-based <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/hamilton-bulldogs-winger-matthew-strome-wont-top-2017-nhl-draft-pick\/\">NHL scout told Sportsnet<\/a> last November of Strome's skating: \"Technically it's sort of painful to watch. He has a short, choppy stride.\" There is still plenty to like about Strome's game. He's a big, physical winger who's not afraid to head to the dirty areas to score. Strome, who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107434&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">33rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, led Hamilton with 34 goals this season. But his skating might be a problem going forward, which may<\/em> be enough for him to slip into the Flyers' range in the second round.<\/p>Scott Reedy, C, 18, 6-2\/204, USNTDP<\/strong> Another product of the USNTDP and Shattuck-St. Mary's, Reedy, a Prior Lake, Minnesota, native, is committed to play at the University of Minnesota in the fall. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107059&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">40th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, a seven-slot climb from the midterm rankings. At 6-foot-2, he has good size, playmaking ability and a high compete level. His versatility is a bonus. He can play both the pivot and the wing. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/Scott-Reedy\/\">Future Considerations<\/a><\/em> calls him a \"supreme skater who is just as agile, quick and mobile as he is smart.\"<\/p>Reedy, who likens his game to Islanders center John Tavares, notched 22 goals and 42 points in 60 games with the USNTDP U-18 team in 2016-17, and 10 goals and 14 points in 21 USHL contests. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3cEOyt8w4aI\">scoring a hat trick<\/a> against Arizona State on Feb. 25, Reedy showcased the willingness to create havoc in front of the net and get to the slot for easy scoring chances. He figures to go around the middle of the second round, where the Flyers pick.<\/p>Morgan Frost, C, 18, 5-11\/170, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/strong> One common theme with Frost that comes to mind is his hockey intelligence. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107492&tab=scr\">Central Scouting<\/a>, which rated him 31st among North American skaters, describes him as a \"smart and skilled center with very good offensive hockey sense \u2014 excellent vision and anticipation to quickly take advantage of opportunities.\" He's a playmaking center who projects to play wing in the NHL until he adds more muscle, which he could do by the time his drafting team decides he's ready. He's a creative, plus passer who could benefit from shooting the puck more.<\/p>The Sault Ste. Marie forward scored 20 goals and 62 points in 67 games during the regular season and added 11 points in 11 postseason games. He styles his game after Minnesota center Mikael Granlund. He projects to go in the second round and very well could be an option for the Flyers when they're on the clock.<\/p>Ivan Lodnia, RW, 17, 5-10\/182, Erie (OHL)<\/strong> Lodnia has a Flyers connection \u2014 the Flyers <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/flyers-hire-kris-knoblauch-assistant-coach-replace-fired-joe-mullen\">hired Erie coach Kris Knoblauch<\/a> as an assistant last Wednesday \u2014 but would have been on this list regardless. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107443&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">36th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's regarded as a highly skilled forward who bounced around the Otters' lineup this season in different roles largely because of Erie's loaded lineup. Lodnia largely was a staple on Erie's shutdown third line as the season progressed and the playoffs rolled around, which explains the dip in production.<\/p>During the regular season, Lodnia collected 57 points in 66 games with Erie. In his first 32 games, he registered 34 points but compiled just 22 in the final 34 games of the season. He had just two points in 22 playoff games but did add five in five Memorial Cup games. Lodnia's size might scare off teams, but in today's NHL there is a place for smaller players. One concern with Lodnia may be his skating. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/ohlprospects.blogspot.com\/2017\/02\/midseason-mediascout-top-10-for-2017.html\">OHL Prospects' Brock Otten<\/a>, Lodnia's \"not explosive, nor does he possess high-end speed.\" Still, Lodnia is described by <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/ivan-lodnia\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> as \"despite his size he is a very difficult player to take off the puck.\"<\/p>Marcus Davidsson, C, 18, 6-0\/191, Djurg\u00e5rdens IF (SHL)<\/strong> With the Flyers finally appearing to be placing an increased importance on speed and skill, Davidsson could be an intriguing option should he be available when the Orange and Black are on the clock. Davidsson's skating stride produces great speed. Central Scouting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107235&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">rated him the 12th-best European skater<\/a>, a position he's been in both the midterm and final rankings. A two-way, playmaking pivot, Davidsson tries to emulate fellow Swede and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/marcus-davidsson\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> says of Davidsson: \"Not physical, but will step into an opponent to separate the puck as well as battle for position deep in the offensive zone.\" He's still a project, though, who has to develop consistency, but that should be expected from a teenager dabbling in the SHL.<\/p>This season, Davidsson skated on a line with his older brother, Jonathan Davidsson, and Lukas Vejdemo, Montreal's 2015 third-round pick, for Djurg\u00e5rdens IF of the SHL. He registered just five goals and nine points with Djurg\u00e5rdens \u2014 he had six goals and 10 points in nine games with Djurg\u00e5rdens' junior club \u2014 but played 45 games in one of the best professional leagues in the world outside of the NHL as an 18-year-old.<\/p>Jonah Gadjovich, LW, 18, 6-2\/209, Owen Sound (OHL)<\/strong> The numbers are impressive: 46 goals, 28 assists, 74 points in 60 games with the Attack during the 2016-17 campaign, but are those numbers inflated from playing with projected first-round pick Nick Suzuki? That is one of the questions surrounding Gadjovich. He jumped up from the 60th-rated North American skater in Central Scouting's midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106926&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">39th-rated skater<\/a>. From his second year in the OHL to his third, he saw a 50-point increase and produced more than a point-per-game rate.<\/p>Gadjovich is projected to go anywhere between the middle of the second round and even the third or fourth rounds. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eliteprospects.com\/player.php?player=252476\">Elite Prospects<\/a> describes him as \"a feisty two-way winger that uses his size and speed to open up space for himself and teammates.\" He's a gritty, team-first player who has potential to either hit or flop. He may be a reach for where the Flyers will be drafting in the second round, though. He carries some risk.<\/p>Other names to watch<\/strong><\/p>Henri Jokiharju, D, 17, 6-0\/180, Portland (WHL)<\/strong> Jokiharju is projected to go anywhere between late in the first round or early second. Probably isn't an option for the Flyers in the early teens of the second but if he falls, it'd be hard to pass up. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107810&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">19th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D, 17, 6-2\/161, Charlottetown (QMJHL)<\/strong> A puck-moving defenseman with size who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107765&tab=prf\">27th-rated North American skater<\/a> in Central Scouting's final rankings. He had six goals and 39 points in 62 games with Charlottetown this season. Like Jokiharju, Joseph likely will be gone before the Flyers pick.<\/p>Michael DiPietro, G, 18, 6-0\/200, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are high on Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom, so goaltender is probably not something they'll look for in the second round, but if they do, DiPietro is an option. Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=3&dpid=107446&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">fourth-rated North American goalie<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>Stelio Mattheos, C, 17, 6-1\/192, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Mattheos fell from the 23rd-rated North American skater by Central Scouting in the midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106980&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">38th-rated skater<\/a> in the final rankings. He models his game after Jeff Carter. Scored 26 goals and 61 points in 69 games this season with Brandon.<\/p>Alexander Chmelevski, C, 18, 6-0\/190, Ottawa (OHL)<\/strong> Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107395&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">43rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Had 43 points in 58 games with Ottawa this season. Should be available when the Flyers pick but likely goes later in the second round or even the third.<\/p>Alex Formenton, LW, 17, 6-2\/165, London (OHL)<\/strong> Formenton finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107604&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">29th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Has good size and is a plus skater but still needs to add muscle to his frame. Had 34 points in 65 games in his first season with London, his second year in the OHL.<\/p>","summary":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the Flyers. So, let's take a look at second-round options. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\nIn fact, they have 10 more picks after the first round and five in the first four rounds. Needless to say, this is a crucial draft for the Flyers. GM Ron Hextall already set himself up for one before landing the No. 2 pick. Now comes time to execute months of scouting.<\/p>\n\"We have a lot of picks here and we have to hit,\" Hextall recently told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/flyers\/video\/hextall-on-draft-pt-3\/t-289469110\/c-51978303\">the Flyers' website<\/a>. \"We can't just hit on No. 2 and then be satisfied.\"<\/p>\nBecause we have an idea of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/2017-nhl-draft-prep-options-flyers-no-2\">whom the pick will be at No. 2<\/a>, we decided to take a look at some potential targets for the Flyers in the second round.<\/p>\nGrant Mismash, LW, 18, 6-0\/186, USNTDP<\/strong> Mismash may not be around when the Flyers are on the board in the second round. The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native is projected to go anywhere between late first round and middle of the second. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107068&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">24th-rated North American skater<\/a> by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. The 6-foot, 186-pound winger styles his game after Corey Perry and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h5GeQhmos5w\">enjoys the physical side<\/a> of the game. He's a product of the USNTDP, where he scored 26 goals and 35 assists in 65 games playing for the program's U-18 team. In 26 USHL games, he tallied eight goals and 24 helpers. He was part of the U.S. gold-medal team at the 2017 U-18 world championship, a tournament in which he registered three goals and eight points.<\/p>\nIn the fall, he'll begin his college career at the University of North Dakota, a storied program that has produced many hockey greats, including Zach Parise and Jonathan Toews. In fact, Mismash also played one season, in 2014-15, at Shattuck-St. Mary's, a private high school, in Faribault, Minnesota, where Parise also played as a teenager. After Mismash committed to UND in 2015, Shattuck coach Tom Ward told the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.grandforksherald.com\/sports\/und-hockey\/3712084-und-mens-hockey-und-lands-commitment-coveted-shattuck-prospect\">Grand-Forks Herald<\/a><\/em> that Mismash \"doesn't play like an Edina (Minnesota) kid. He plays like a kid who grew up in the country, playing like a farm boy, which is a compliment.\"<\/p>\nJesper Boqvist, C, 18, 6-0\/179, Bryn\u00e4s IF (SHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are likely familiar with Boqvist from keeping tabs on Oskar Lindblom, their 2015 fifth-round pick who's coming overseas next season with great anticipation. Boqvist plays both center and wing with a quick first step, good puck skills and a scoring touch. After breaking onto the scene in the junior ranks in 2015-16, he scored a combined 33 points in 50 games this past season in the SHL, Division 2 and the J20 SuperElit league.<\/p>\nWhether it's fair or not, Boqvist will ultimately be compared to other Swedish players such as Nicklas Backstrom and Jakob Silfverberg, who both also played for Bryn\u00e4s. Mats Backlin, the Bryn\u00e4s J20 coach, told Swedish newspaper <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dt.se\/ishockey\/shl\/hedemorasonen-jesper-boqvist-hyllas-stort-av-tranaren-lika-bra-som-nicklas-backstrom-var\">Dalarnas Tidningar<\/a><\/em> Boqvist is \"as good as those in this age. He's incredibly talented and you can compare him with them at this age.\" He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107234&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">10th-rated European skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's a left-handed shot who compares his play to Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.expressen.se\/sport\/hockey\/shl\/de-kan-lamna-brynas-efter-sm-finalforlusten\/\">Expressen<\/a><\/em>, Boqvist may leave Bryn\u00e4s for another SHL team if he's promised an expanded role.<\/p>\nMatthew Strome, LW, 18, 6-4\/206 (Hamilton, OHL)<\/strong> If his last name rings familiarity, it should. Strome's older brothers, Ryan and Dylan, were both top-five draft picks in the last six years. The Islanders drafted Ryan Strome fifth overall in 2011, while Arizona selected Dylan Strome with the third pick in 2015. The youngest Strome brother is not taking the same path to the NHL as his brothers, however. Matthew Strome still could squeak into the first round but projects to be a second-rounder. Whether he falls to the 43-44 range is unforeseen, but the biggest knock on him is skating.<\/p>\nAn Ontario-based <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sportsnet.ca\/hockey\/juniors\/hamilton-bulldogs-winger-matthew-strome-wont-top-2017-nhl-draft-pick\/\">NHL scout told Sportsnet<\/a> last November of Strome's skating: \"Technically it's sort of painful to watch. He has a short, choppy stride.\" There is still plenty to like about Strome's game. He's a big, physical winger who's not afraid to head to the dirty areas to score. Strome, who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107434&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">33rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, led Hamilton with 34 goals this season. But his skating might be a problem going forward, which may<\/em> be enough for him to slip into the Flyers' range in the second round.<\/p>\nScott Reedy, C, 18, 6-2\/204, USNTDP<\/strong> Another product of the USNTDP and Shattuck-St. Mary's, Reedy, a Prior Lake, Minnesota, native, is committed to play at the University of Minnesota in the fall. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107059&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">40th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting, a seven-slot climb from the midterm rankings. At 6-foot-2, he has good size, playmaking ability and a high compete level. His versatility is a bonus. He can play both the pivot and the wing. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/Scott-Reedy\/\">Future Considerations<\/a><\/em> calls him a \"supreme skater who is just as agile, quick and mobile as he is smart.\"<\/p>\nReedy, who likens his game to Islanders center John Tavares, notched 22 goals and 42 points in 60 games with the USNTDP U-18 team in 2016-17, and 10 goals and 14 points in 21 USHL contests. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3cEOyt8w4aI\">scoring a hat trick<\/a> against Arizona State on Feb. 25, Reedy showcased the willingness to create havoc in front of the net and get to the slot for easy scoring chances. He figures to go around the middle of the second round, where the Flyers pick.<\/p>\nMorgan Frost, C, 18, 5-11\/170, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)<\/strong> One common theme with Frost that comes to mind is his hockey intelligence. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107492&tab=scr\">Central Scouting<\/a>, which rated him 31st among North American skaters, describes him as a \"smart and skilled center with very good offensive hockey sense \u2014 excellent vision and anticipation to quickly take advantage of opportunities.\" He's a playmaking center who projects to play wing in the NHL until he adds more muscle, which he could do by the time his drafting team decides he's ready. He's a creative, plus passer who could benefit from shooting the puck more.<\/p>\nThe Sault Ste. Marie forward scored 20 goals and 62 points in 67 games during the regular season and added 11 points in 11 postseason games. He styles his game after Minnesota center Mikael Granlund. He projects to go in the second round and very well could be an option for the Flyers when they're on the clock.<\/p>\nIvan Lodnia, RW, 17, 5-10\/182, Erie (OHL)<\/strong> Lodnia has a Flyers connection \u2014 the Flyers <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/flyers-hire-kris-knoblauch-assistant-coach-replace-fired-joe-mullen\">hired Erie coach Kris Knoblauch<\/a> as an assistant last Wednesday \u2014 but would have been on this list regardless. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107443&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">36th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. He's regarded as a highly skilled forward who bounced around the Otters' lineup this season in different roles largely because of Erie's loaded lineup. Lodnia largely was a staple on Erie's shutdown third line as the season progressed and the playoffs rolled around, which explains the dip in production.<\/p>\nDuring the regular season, Lodnia collected 57 points in 66 games with Erie. In his first 32 games, he registered 34 points but compiled just 22 in the final 34 games of the season. He had just two points in 22 playoff games but did add five in five Memorial Cup games. Lodnia's size might scare off teams, but in today's NHL there is a place for smaller players. One concern with Lodnia may be his skating. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/ohlprospects.blogspot.com\/2017\/02\/midseason-mediascout-top-10-for-2017.html\">OHL Prospects' Brock Otten<\/a>, Lodnia's \"not explosive, nor does he possess high-end speed.\" Still, Lodnia is described by <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/ivan-lodnia\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> as \"despite his size he is a very difficult player to take off the puck.\"<\/p>\nMarcus Davidsson, C, 18, 6-0\/191, Djurg\u00e5rdens IF (SHL)<\/strong> With the Flyers finally appearing to be placing an increased importance on speed and skill, Davidsson could be an intriguing option should he be available when the Orange and Black are on the clock. Davidsson's skating stride produces great speed. Central Scouting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=2&dpid=107235&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">rated him the 12th-best European skater<\/a>, a position he's been in both the midterm and final rankings. A two-way, playmaking pivot, Davidsson tries to emulate fellow Swede and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. <a href=\"https:\/\/futureconsiderations.ca\/player\/marcus-davidsson\/\">Future Considerations<\/a> says of Davidsson: \"Not physical, but will step into an opponent to separate the puck as well as battle for position deep in the offensive zone.\" He's still a project, though, who has to develop consistency, but that should be expected from a teenager dabbling in the SHL.<\/p>\nThis season, Davidsson skated on a line with his older brother, Jonathan Davidsson, and Lukas Vejdemo, Montreal's 2015 third-round pick, for Djurg\u00e5rdens IF of the SHL. He registered just five goals and nine points with Djurg\u00e5rdens \u2014 he had six goals and 10 points in nine games with Djurg\u00e5rdens' junior club \u2014 but played 45 games in one of the best professional leagues in the world outside of the NHL as an 18-year-old.<\/p>\nJonah Gadjovich, LW, 18, 6-2\/209, Owen Sound (OHL)<\/strong> The numbers are impressive: 46 goals, 28 assists, 74 points in 60 games with the Attack during the 2016-17 campaign, but are those numbers inflated from playing with projected first-round pick Nick Suzuki? That is one of the questions surrounding Gadjovich. He jumped up from the 60th-rated North American skater in Central Scouting's midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106926&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">39th-rated skater<\/a>. From his second year in the OHL to his third, he saw a 50-point increase and produced more than a point-per-game rate.<\/p>\nGadjovich is projected to go anywhere between the middle of the second round and even the third or fourth rounds. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eliteprospects.com\/player.php?player=252476\">Elite Prospects<\/a> describes him as \"a feisty two-way winger that uses his size and speed to open up space for himself and teammates.\" He's a gritty, team-first player who has potential to either hit or flop. He may be a reach for where the Flyers will be drafting in the second round, though. He carries some risk.<\/p>\nOther names to watch<\/strong><\/p>\nHenri Jokiharju, D, 17, 6-0\/180, Portland (WHL)<\/strong> Jokiharju is projected to go anywhere between late in the first round or early second. Probably isn't an option for the Flyers in the early teens of the second but if he falls, it'd be hard to pass up. He finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107810&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">19th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>\nPierre-Olivier Joseph, D, 17, 6-2\/161, Charlottetown (QMJHL)<\/strong> A puck-moving defenseman with size who finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?dpid=107765&tab=prf\">27th-rated North American skater<\/a> in Central Scouting's final rankings. He had six goals and 39 points in 62 games with Charlottetown this season. Like Jokiharju, Joseph likely will be gone before the Flyers pick.<\/p>\nMichael DiPietro, G, 18, 6-0\/200, Windsor (OHL)<\/strong> The Flyers are high on Carter Hart and Felix Sandstrom, so goaltender is probably not something they'll look for in the second round, but if they do, DiPietro is an option. Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=3&dpid=107446&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">fourth-rated North American goalie<\/a> by Central Scouting.<\/p>\nStelio Mattheos, C, 17, 6-1\/192, Brandon (WHL)<\/strong> Mattheos fell from the 23rd-rated North American skater by Central Scouting in the midterm rankings to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=106980&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">38th-rated skater<\/a> in the final rankings. He models his game after Jeff Carter. Scored 26 goals and 61 points in 69 games this season with Brandon.<\/p>\nAlexander Chmelevski, C, 18, 6-0\/190, Ottawa (OHL)<\/strong> Finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107395&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">43rd-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Had 43 points in 58 games with Ottawa this season. Should be available when the Flyers pick but likely goes later in the second round or even the third.<\/p>\nAlex Formenton, LW, 17, 6-2\/165, London (OHL)<\/strong> Formenton finished as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nhl.com\/ice\/draftprospectdetail.htm?cat=1&dpid=107604&sort=finalRank&year=2017\">29th-rated North American skater<\/a> by Central Scouting. Has good size and is a plus skater but still needs to add muscle to his frame. Had 34 points in 65 games in his first season with London, his second year in the OHL.<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"It's easy to forget the NHL draft does not end at No. 2 for the Flyers. So, let's take a look at second-round options. By Tom Dougherty<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1321"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-11 14:24:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"Aaron Bell, CHL Images\/Zack Hill, Philadelphia Flyers","format":null,"safe_value":"Aaron Bell, CHL Images\/Zack Hill, Philadelphia Flyers"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"456551","uid":"156","filename":"aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/10\/aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"305846","status":"1","timestamp":"1497127303","origname":"aaron-bell-chl-morgan-frost-zack-hill-ron-hextall-matthew-strome.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome","format":null,"safe_value":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"Morgon Frost, Ron Hextall, Matthew Strome","metadata":{"height":325,"width":645},"height":"325","width":"645","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"What's after No. 2 overall? A look at 2nd-round draft options for Flyers","format":null,"safe_value":"What's after No. 2 overall? A look at 2nd-round draft options for Flyers"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"466"},{"tid":"2966"},{"tid":"3091"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"527791"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":[],"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"news_keywords":{"value":"Philadelphia Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, 2017 NHL draft prospects, NHL draft second-round prospects"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"JHall","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true}]},"field_primary_display":[],"field_section":[],"field_show":[],"field_sport":[],"field_tags":[],"field_team":[],"field_author_reference":[],"field_archive":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_auto_mute":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_cont_play":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_mc_media_file_title":[],"field_mc_vod_player_id":[],"field_media_file_id":[],"field_mediacard_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_display_desktop_large_only":[],"field_hide_on_mobile":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","entity_view_prepared":true},"#items":[{"target_id":"530976","entity":{"vid":"556191","uid":"266","title":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"530976","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1497836429","changed":"1519439858","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1497879000","revision_timestamp":"1519439858","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"In the basement of his Buffalo home, James Patrick was watching a hockey game with his brother and young nephew.<\/p>Between James and his brother Steve Patrick were 1,530 games of NHL experience. Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>As they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>Nolan was dead-on.<\/p>\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>Maybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>It's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460861\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"4\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"4\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>James Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>Later on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>And when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460851\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"3\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"3\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Both James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>Hockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>James said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>Along with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>In fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460841\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"1\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"1\"}}]] AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>Every now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>It's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>But \u2026<\/p>\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>[video:https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?q=Nolan+Patrick]<\/p>James is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>But he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>Nolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>In 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>This past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>Now fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>[[{\"fid\":\"460876\",\"view_mode\":\"default\",\"fields\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false},\"type\":\"media\",\"field_deltas\":{\"6\":{\"format\":\"default\",\"field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]\":false,\"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]\":false}},\"attributes\":{\"class\":\"media-element file-default\",\"data-delta\":\"6\"}}]] Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>The draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>James said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>Because of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>Looking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>It's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>James, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>His advice is simple.<\/p>\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>","summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"In the basement of his Buffalo home, James Patrick was watching a hockey game with his brother and young nephew.<\/p>\nBetween James and his brother Steve Patrick were 1,530 games of NHL experience. Both were first-round draft picks and James was now an assistant coach with the Sabres.<\/p>\nAs they watched, the two were taken aback \u2014 by the 8-year-old sitting next to them. It was Nolan Patrick, reading a play and reacting as if he was a coach holding a clipboard.<\/p>\n\"I was so shocked that an 8-year-old said that,\" James remembered vividly last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"I will never forget that about him.\"<\/p>\nNolan was dead-on.<\/p>\n\"'Why did that player do that?'\" James recalled his nephew saying. \"'He shouldn't have done that, he should have done this.' And what he said, I was shocked because I saw the exact same thing. It was something that players do where in the coaching office, they're saying, 'What's he doing there? That's not the play to make.'\"<\/p>\nMaybe it was innate hockey smarts. Maybe it was the product of growing up around two NHLers. For Nolan's uncle, James, it was a moment he realized the cerebral game.<\/p>\n\"I know that has followed him, I know probably his strength as a hockey player is he has pretty good vision and hockey sense,\" James said. \"I saw that early in him.\"<\/p>\nIt's one of the traits that has transformed Nolan Patrick into one of two candidates for the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NHL entry draft come Friday in Chicago. Among the hockey world, the consensus is Patrick or Swiss-born Nico Hischier will go first overall to the Devils.<\/p>\nThe <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a> will be waiting at No. 2. If Patrick, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, slips to second, what he could bring to Philadelphia his uncle knows well.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460861--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"4\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-1.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\nJames Patrick, who less than two weeks ago was named the head coach of the WHL's Kootenay ICE, became an influence on Nolan's hockey upbringing. He played parts of 21 seasons in the NHL and has coached for the Sabres and Stars, but the relationship with his nephew pushed Nolan just as much.<\/p>\n\"I saw him play a bit when he was 7, 8 years old,\" James said. \"I remember seeing him around 10, 11 years old, scoring a real big goal. By that time, you could definitely tell he was one of the best players on his team as a young kid growing up.\"<\/p>\nLater on, James would watch Nolan's games whenever he had a chance. As an assistant coach in Buffalo from 2006-2013, a road swing near Winnipeg allowed James to sneak in time to watch Nolan from ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\n\"One of those trips every year it seemed like he had a game the night before so I could go and watch his game,\" James said. \"Go home and see my mom and dad, and then go with my brother and watch Nolan play.\"<\/p>\nAnd when he couldn't watch firsthand?<\/p>\n\"I would see some a little bit on video that my brother would show me,\" James said. \"I'm real close with my brother, so from the time [Nolan] was 10, 12, we would always talk about him and how he was doing hockey-wise.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460851--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sunjpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"3\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/2017\/06\/23\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nBoth James and his brother Steve had summer cabins by the lake. That's where James began working out Nolan in his early development.<\/p>\n\"Him and his buddy starting coming over and doing like a little workout I put them through,\" James said. \"When they were 12, it was like three days a week doing all different body weights \u2014 chin-ups, pushups, dips, just body-weight squats, lunges, jumps and some runs, running hills. From about 12, 13, 14, I was able to train him and his best friend at the lake. And when he was 14, there was a gym that we would go to. I certainly got to be somewhat involved with him and it was a lot fun.\"<\/p>\nHockey became more than just a hobby \u2014 it started looking like a future, which has now arrived. Patrick is a well-groomed 18-year-old on the cusp of hockey's greatest stage. He's 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, a center that climbed prospect rankings and draft boards while playing three seasons for the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings. His ability to create with the puck and comprehend a play is what makes him different.<\/p>\n\"He's almost above the ice in his thinking aspect,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/healthy-nolan-patrick-flyers-he-wont-let-anybody-down-brandon-gm-says\">Brandon GM Grant Armstrong said last month<\/a>.<\/p>\nJames said that's always been there with Nolan. So has the work ethic, going back to summers by the lake.<\/p>\n\"He's never had an issue with working out,\" James said. \"I think like any young kid, he needs guidance, too, he needs some advice for what's best for him. I know when I used to train with him when he was 14, him and his buddy, they worked their tails off. We would run hills, and I'd run with them, and they were killer. He could always do that. Nolan is always willing to do extra, but I think the workout programs now are so complex, I think guys need direction in that area and he's no different. But he's always been a real hard worker.\"<\/p>\nAlong with his brother, James is like a second coach to Nolan. <\/p>\n\"They have been huge for me since I was really young,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/nolan-patrick-opens-about-injury-history-mindset-nhl-combine\">Nolan said earlier this month<\/a> at the NHL Scouting Combine.<\/p>\nIn fact, the brothers are probably, in part, a reason why Nolan is so grounded and coachable.<\/p>\n\"Even with his team and the games and the ups and downs playing in Brandon, I just said, 'Hey, when all else fails, all you can do is work your tail off,'\" James said. \"When he was struggling, I said, 'You've got to skate. It's all about skating. Middle-lane drive, middle-lane drive \u2014 skate, spread.' There's times where he would backcheck so hard, and I'd say, 'OK, I want you skating that hard when you're going on the offense.' Because if you can backcheck like that, you can skate the same way offensively. So, yeah, they need coaches, but then I've definitely seen him do that \u2014 he's always taken advice well and he's done it.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460841--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabresjpg\">ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/ap-james-patrick-sabres.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> AP Images<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nEvery now and then, Nolan needs a kick in the butt \u2014 not to work hard or care, but to be assertive at first in new challenges. Once he does, it's game on, James said.<\/p>\nIt's not necessarily a bad characteristic. James considers it a weakness and a strength.<\/p>\n\"He almost always wants to be comfortable and then he really<\/em> starts to exert himself,\" James said. \"I felt like every playoff round in three years that he played with Brandon, the first game it was always like, 'Come on, let's get going.' He had to feel out who's good on their team, who he might be intimidated by, whatever, and then by Game 4, he was the best player on the ice. <\/p>\n\"I think that can also be a strength because I do know he is very competitive. He's competitive with guys that he's compared with, he will go head to head with them and he will be competitive, like he will try and be physical. But it's almost like, 'OK, I have to feel it out first,' but then, 'OK, now I know what this guy is about, now I'm going to run him, I'm going to play hard, I'm going to be hard on him.' He will play that way.\"<\/p>\nBut \u2026<\/p>\n\"Still, I wish he did it right off the bat,\" James said with a laugh. \"He's just always been when he feels comfortable, then he starts to really excel.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-filter\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/video\/embed\/nhl-tonight-nolan-patrick\/t-277350912\/c-52125203?autostart=false\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"video-filter video-nhl vf-nhltonightnolanpatrickt277350912c52125203\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\nJames is careful to compare Nolan to players from past or present.<\/p>\n\"I know there is so much more focus and pressure on the kids now,\" he said.<\/p>\nBut he knows what type of player Nolan can be and possibly become. James is familiar with players today and likened Nolan to San Jose's Joe Thornton, Nashville's Ryan Johansen and Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf, in terms of style \u2014 big, facilitating centers with skilled hands.<\/p>\n\"That would be my hope for him, but I will say this, he's a 6-foot-3 center who can make passes,\" James said. \"And he works hard and he's competitive. He might take two years to get to that level or who knows when he'll be ready, but that's my belief, what I see in him.<\/p>\n\"I do know that the one thing he does is he does make plays, he can make passes. I watched a lot of games in Brandon, games where not much is going on but at the end of the night, he still made probably two or three high-end, point-blank plays where he set someone up. I've always felt he can be a big body who can make plays offensively, who can protect pucks.\"<\/p>\nNolan is regarded as a true two-way player, one that can play in all situations and is focused on defensive responsibilities as much as his scoring production. That has led some to believe his offensive ceiling may not be as high.<\/p>\n\"I don't think he's nowhere near as dynamic as a lot of the top players the last few years, but in saying that, if he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays,\" James said. \"He's shown that he can do that. Certainly the last three years in the Western Hockey League, put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is.\"<\/p>\nIn 2015-16 with the Wheat Kings, Patrick recorded 102 points on 41 goals and 61 assists for a plus-51 rating before putting up 30 more points (13 goals, 17 assists) during the playoffs en route to a WHL title.<\/p>\nThis past season, he was never 100 percent healthy. He had sports hernia surgery the offseason prior, hampering his summer training, and was limited to 33 games and no postseason because of two separate injuries. Despite that, Patrick was still capable of producing 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists).<\/p>\n\"Even playing injured for most of the year, he could still dominate some games and was still one of the top players out there,\" James said. \"That's where he was in February of this year, I have no doubt and expect him to be stronger and healthier and even better in October of this year.\"<\/p>\nNow fully healthy, is Nolan NHL-ready?<\/p>\n\"I don't know. I cannot even tell you that,\" James said. \"I do think it hurt him playing only 33 games this year. I just think no matter what, for any 18-year-old, instead of playing 80 games including playoffs, you play 33. I think he's very close, put it that way.<\/p>\n\"I do think for him, because of where he's at in junior and Brandon, I do think it's best for him to be in the NHL, but he's got to go out and earn that.<\/p>\n\"I won't say he's as ready as other top draft picks, (Auston) Matthews or those guys the past few years, but I think he is very close.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-default\"><div id=\"file-460876--9\" class=\"file file-image file-image-jpeg\">\r\n\r\n <h2 class=\"element-invisible\"><a href=\"\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4jpg\">tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg<\/a><\/h2>\r\n \r\n \r\n <div class=\"content\">\r\n <img class=\"media-element file-default\" data-delta=\"6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/sites\/csnphilly\/files\/tim-smith-nolan-patrick-brandon-sun-4.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" alt=\"\" \/> <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div> Tim Smith\/Brandon Sun<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nThe draft process is almost over for Nolan.<\/p>\nJames said it's nothing like what it used to be.<\/p>\n\"I know he's been home working out since the season ended, then they were at the combine for a week, then they went to Nashville for a day and a half, then he visited New Jersey for a day and Philly for a day,\" James said. \"It was like, 'Man, he was gone for like 10 days just before the draft.' Stuff like that would have never happened way back then.\"<\/p>\nBecause of that, James wants to be there for support.<\/p>\n\"In frustrating times, I just say, hey, try to enjoy this, just try to enjoy the moment,\" he said. \"Have fun getting to know the other players that you're hanging out with. Time will pass and before you know it, you'll be drafted.<\/p>\n\"I just try to talk to him about having fun, have fun and enjoy it. I said be pleasant \u2014 be pleasant to everyone you talk to.\"<\/p>\nLooking back on the earlier days, to that time in Buffalo or the summers by the lake, James said he never envisioned Nolan's becoming a potential No. 1 pick. He just wanted to help with his nephew's passion for hockey while letting the future play out.<\/p>\nIt's all come to Nolan on the verge of being a top-two selection.<\/p>\nJames, a ninth overall pick in 1981, knows Nolan will be just fine with the pressure that accompanies such a feat.<\/p>\nHis advice is simple.<\/p>\n\"I haven't said much, but I know once or twice I've just said, 'Listen, it's not going to make you any different of a player whether you get drafted first, second, third or fifth,'\" James said. \"'What's going to make you a better player is what you do moving forward, how hard you're willing to work, and getting bigger, faster, stronger.' That's what it comes down to.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"James Patrick knew early his nephew Nolan was destined for hockey. Now, Nolan's on the verge of the NHL \u2014 and maybe the Flyers. By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-06-19 13:30:00","timezone":"America\/New_York","timezone_db":"UTC","date_type":"datetime"}]},"field_hero_image_credit":{"und":[{"value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun","format":null,"safe_value":"AP Images\/Tim Smith, Brandon Sun"}]},"field_image":{"und":[{"fid":"460931","uid":"156","filename":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","uri":"public:\/\/2017\/06\/18\/ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","filemime":"image\/jpeg","filesize":"267846","status":"1","timestamp":"1497844083","origname":"ap-james-patrick-tim-smith-brandon-sun-nolan-patrick.jpg","type":"image","field_file_image_alt_text":{"und":[{"value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","format":null,"safe_value":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft"}]},"field_file_image_title_text":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":[],"alt":"James Patrick, Nolan Patrick, 2017 NHL draft","metadata":{"height":325,"width":645},"height":"325","width":"645","title":""}]},"field_league":{"und":[{"tid":"196"}]},"field_section":{"und":[{"tid":"201"}]},"field_short_title":{"und":[{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story","format":null,"safe_value":"Through his uncle's eyes: A glimpse behind Nolan Patrick's story"}]},"field_sponsor":[],"field_sport":{"und":[{"tid":"191"}]},"field_tags":{"und":[{"tid":"17931"},{"tid":"18276"},{"tid":"19271"},{"tid":"506"},{"tid":"17936"},{"tid":"466"}]},"field_team":{"und":[{"tid":"141"}]},"field_top_story":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_video_autoplay":{"und":[{"value":"1"}]},"field_videos":{"und":[{"target_id":"531471"}]},"field_tags_hide":[],"field_video_automute":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_editorial_category":[],"field_allow_lld_domains":[],"field_enable_stanza":[],"field_exclude_from_yahoo":[],"_drafty_revision_requested":"FIELD_LOAD_CURRENT","metatags":{"und":{"title":{"value":"Through his uncle's eyes: Nolan Patrick's story"},"news_keywords":{"value":"Nolan Patrick, James Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers, Flyers, 2017 NHL draft, Nolan Patrick Flyers, Nolan Patrick NHL draft, Nolan Hischier, Flyers top prospects, Flyers draft Nolan Patrick, Flyers draft, NHL draft Chicago"}}},"path":{"pathauto":"1"},"name":"tdougherty","picture":"0","data":"b:0;"},"access":true},{"target_id":"520661","entity":{"vid":"543041","uid":"156","title":"Halifax GM Cam Russell on Nico Hischier: 'You're getting a star for a long time'","log":"","status":"1","comment":"0","promote":"0","sticky":"0","nid":"520661","type":"article","language":"und","created":"1494875055","changed":"1498289468","tnid":"0","translate":"0","published":"1494875100","revision_timestamp":"1498289468","revision_uid":"156","body":{"und":[{"value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>Certainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>Russell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>Hischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>Oh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>At the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>Hischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>Russell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>Hischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>Russell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>The Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>Flyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>There had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>So, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>Hischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>Hischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>Russell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>As for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>","summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>","format":"filtered_html","safe_value":"It was early April and Cam Russell was enjoying the QMJHL awards banquet when he bumped into an NHL scout with a confession of sorts.<\/p>\nCertainly no team ever wants to lose, but this scout couldn't help but think of Nico Hischier up for grabs and out of reach.<\/p>\nRussell, the general manager of Hischier's junior club, the Halifax Mooseheads, understood the feeling.<\/p>\n\"He was wishing his team had dropped down in the standings, because he was talking about Nico \u2014 he said, 'Honestly, he has no holes in his game,'\" Russell recalled last week in a phone interview with CSNPhilly.com. \"And he really doesn't.\"<\/p>\nHischier is that<\/em> highly regarded \u2014 and he very well could be destined for the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\">Flyers<\/a>.<\/p>\nOh, the beauty of luck.<\/p>\nAt the June 23-24 NHL entry draft, only one or maybe two teams will have a chance to pluck the 18-year-old Swiss center. The Devils own the No. 1 pick, while the Flyers are slotted at No. 2 after cashing in at the NHL draft lottery, improbably moving up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/unlike-2007-flyers-should-get-immediate-impact-player-no-2\">from the 13th selection to just about front and center<\/a>.<\/p>\nHischier is in a two-horse race with Canadian center Nolan Patrick to be the first overall pick. Some believe Patrick is a favorite to go No. 1, leaving Hischier right there for the Flyers.<\/p>\nRussell, who watched Hischier become the QMJHL Rookie of the Year and win the Michael Bossy Trophy (league's best pro prospect), believes that would be a victory for the Flyers.<\/p>\n\"You're getting a star and you're getting a star for a long time,\" Russell said. \"You're not getting a second-line center. You're getting a first-line center that's going to lead your team and play lots of minutes and bring you lots of fans in your building because he's just going to be a treat to watch \u2014 he's going to be exciting. <\/p>\n\"If you look at the big games that he's played, that's when he's played his best hockey. He's a competitor, he's a gamer and he'll definitely be a star in the NHL.\"<\/p>\nHischier racked up 86 points on 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games with Halifax. He was a plus-20 and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six playoff games.<\/p>\nRussell first saw Hischier play two years ago at under-18s competition.<\/p>\n\"He was playing as an underage there, double underage,\" Russell said. \"I was speaking with an agent as we were looking for a European, and he just kind of made a comment and said, 'Look, I don't have this player here, but this is a guy that you want to keep an eye on down the road.' So almost a couple of years ago he caught my eye.\"<\/p>\nThe Mooseheads were happy he did and made him the sixth overall pick in the 2016 CHL import draft. Soon, Hischier will be another Halifax product in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"We've had some real good hockey players go through our program \u2014 (Nathan) MacKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin, (Nikolaj) Ehlers, (Timo) Meier \u2014 but he does everything so well,\" Russell said of Hischier. \"He's such a conscientious player, he's so concerned about playing good defensive hockey, doing all the little things right. You're watching a guy who is an absolute star and he's your best defensive player at the same time. Obviously he's a guy that jumps off the page and does some incredible things.\"<\/p>\nFlyers general manager Ron Hextall has not revealed any of his hand when discussing the No. 2 spot and the NHL readiness of the potential pick.<\/p>\n\"I don't know who that player is going to be,\" <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnphilly.com\/philadelphia-flyers\/ron-hextall-landing-no-2-overall-pick-big-day-our-franchise\">Hextall said in late April<\/a>. \"Any player, as you know from my history, they've got to come in and earn it.\"<\/p>\nThere had been buzz of Halifax's having Hischier on loan. Russell confirmed that wasn't the case, which means Hischier will not be eligible for the AHL next season.<\/p>\nSo, is he ready for the NHL?<\/p>\n\"That'll be determined in training camp,\" Russell said. \"It depends on who drafts him, what their plan is for him. The easiest way to put it is time will tell in training camp. I know he's going to be a great hockey player in the NHL.<\/p>\n\"There's potential there that he could be returned to junior, but we'll have to wait and see. I think he's just such a complete hockey player that he can make that step, but we'll just have to wait and see.\"<\/p>\nHischier's well-roundedness makes that more than plausible. The lefty-shot has an advanced game and hockey IQ. If there's one thing he may lack, it's what he'll probably gain with time: weight. Hischier is listed at 6-foot, 176 pounds.<\/p>\n\"He's just got to get a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger like all 18-year-olds do, but that would be about the only negative thing I can say about him,\" Russell said.<\/p>\n\"When I say the one thing, his size, I'm splitting hairs. The reality is, the game has changed so much. You look at Mitch Marner out there, Johnny Gaudreau \u2014 there are so many players that play today that maybe couldn't have played 20 or 30 years ago, but they're exciting, skilled players and they're just so quick and so smart that they have no problems out there.\"<\/p>\nHischier's advantages are elusiveness and guile.<\/p>\n\"He's so aware of what's going on around him that you don't see him get hit with an open-ice hit,\" Russell said. \"He rarely puts himself in a dangerous position, yet he's the first one on the puck all the time.\"<\/p>\nRussell added that Hischier brings an excellent attitude because of a \"great foundation with his parents.\"<\/p>\nAs for comparisons, Russell, a former NHL defenseman, thinks of Red Wings great Pavel Datsyuk when he sees Hischier.<\/p>\n\"He's such a strong offensive player, he's completely fearless \u2014 you cannot intimidate him,\" Russell said. \"If you watch him play closely, you'll see that he's the first one on the puck and I've never seen a player roll off hits like he does in the corner. I can't think of a time when he was run over or contained in the corner, he's just so strong, so quick and so agile with the puck. <\/p>\n\"Whoever gets him, he's going to be a real fun player to watch for a long time.\"<\/p>\n","safe_summary":"Nico Hischier to the Flyers at No. 2 in the NHL draft? If so, Halifax GM Cam Russell said \"you're getting a star for a long time.\" By Jordan Hall<\/p>\n"}]},"field_author_reference":{"und":[{"tid":"1056"}]},"field_bean_single_col":{"und":[{"target_id":"2356"}]},"field_chrome_page":{"und":[{"value":"0"}]},"field_date_published":{"und":[{"value":"2017-05-15 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