As it stands, the Philadelphia Flyers have a few notable prospects on their back end that could shape the future of the team. Before the real payoff for their rebuild commences, let’s take a look at what they have already.
Potential Top Pairing Defenders (York, Andrae, Bonk)
Starting off with the only defender to have his role solidified in the NHL, Cam York is one of the better young defenders the Flyers have had in quite some time. In his time with the Flyers last season, he was better than what his numbers say he is. While his 20 points in 54 games were solid given the team’s scoring struggles, he has potential for a lot more.
If not already, York can be a legit top-pairing defender, and not just on a team in the middle of a rebuild either. The 22-year-old has shown promise and maturity in all aspects of the game. While he can be crafty and showcase his elite passing ability offensively, he can be strong defensively and stop players like Connor McDavid from capitalizing on odd-man rush opportunities.
The hype surrounding Emil Andrae has all but reached its peak. People are starting to come around on Andrae, especially after his short stint with the Flyers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms. In ten regular season games, his two goals and four assists put his skills on display in North America rather than the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) where he had spent most of his time up to that point. What makes him such an intriguing player is that despite his 5-foot-9 frame, he can play competently in his own end.
It goes without saying that Andrae is lethal with the puck, as he finished tied for 13th in SHL points last season among defensemen. With him having notable experience in a professional league at just 21 years of age, he could be ready to play for the Flyers as soon as next season. He ranks as the defender with the most promise out of all of them not already on the roster, objectively speaking.
For the last among Flyers who have an achievable ceiling of being a top-pairing defender, the team’s 22nd-overall draft selection in 2023, Oliver Bonk, fits the criteria.
Related: Oliver Bonk – 2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Bonk, much like York, sees himself as a two-way defender but with a little more maturity needed in his game, given he has not played at a professional level quite yet. He ranks as a solid passer with a right-handed shot that the Flyers desperately needed before they selected him.
With it being tough to put an exact marker on what he can achieve, it would be reasonable to say that if things go smoothly, he can be one of the Flyers’ top-four defenders in a few years. Depending on how the development process goes, he could find himself on the team’s first pairing at some point in the distant future.
Potential Second Pairing Defenders (Samson, Attard)
For the Flyers, 19-year-old Ethan Samson could be a defender that projects as a massive steal for the team. Selected in the sixth round in 2021, he finished 12th in Western Hockey League (WHL) scoring last season, with 60 points in 60 games.
The great thing about Samson is that he isn’t only known for what he can provide offensively. He was drafted as someone who can actually play in his own end, too. For the Flyers, they should be eager to see him transition from the WHL to the AHL and so on.
Ronnie Attard is the oldest player that will be listed here. At age 24, he stands as a player who could theoretically play in the NHL for the Flyers, but the team’s depth defensively is too strong as of now. He has played 17 games for the Flyers already, but will likely see that number rise if the team is in need of extra bodies.
What makes Attard a candidate for this was his play with the Phantoms last season. In 68 games, he had 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points, which led all defensemen on the team. Not only that, but he was good defensively as well.
Related: Flyers Prospect Ronnie Attard: It’s Now or Never
For Attard, he will have to earn a spot on the team sooner rather than later if he wants to be an NHL contributor. He has the skill set to be a good two-way defender in the league, and he could achieve that rather quickly with consistent playing time.
Potential NHL Defenders (Zamula, Ginning, Grans)
For the final tier, Egor Zamula highlights Flyers’ defenders that will have a shot of being staples in an NHL lineup, with it being a bit less likely than the others listed before them as of now.
Much like Attard, Zamula could make a run to be on the Flyers’ roster as soon as this season. With 26 games of experience with the Flyers in the NHL, he has what it takes to be a rotational defenseman in the league already. However, it is pivotal that he takes that next step.
Zamula’s four points in his time in the NHL confirm his status as a developing player offensively, but the 23-year-old is pretty strong defensively at this point in his career. At 6-foot-3, he has the size but will need some mentorship in order to be a true NHL-caliber defender. He could prove himself very soon.
Adam Ginning has already appeared in an NHL contest for the Flyers despite playing in the SHL from his draft year until the start of last season, where he played all of his time with the Phantoms and one game with the Flyers. In said time, he was one of the Phantoms’ better defensively-minded players.
The 6-foot-3 defender, drafted in the second round in 2018, has little offensive upside as of now. Ginning is a defensive specialist, and he really hasn’t tried to overcompensate for this. His 19 points in 68 games aren’t anything to scoff at, however. He has the potential to be a shutdown defender in the NHL if he can continue to play at a high level for the Phantoms, which he proved that he could last season.
Acquired by the Flyers in the three-way trade that sent defenseman Ivan Provorov to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Helge Grans was a nice throw-in piece for Philadelphia.
Grans, just 21 years old, can be an effective two-way player for the Flyers if given the chance. Even though he is still developing, the 6-foot-4 defender has two seasons of experience at the AHL level already with the Ontario Reign.
Grans is certainly not perfect, but his age and status as a completely new commodity for the team establish some hope. His upside might not be through the roof, but he could be a pretty useful player in Philadelphia, given he develops properly in the Flyers’ system.
What Else the Flyers Can Do
Even though this could be an exciting group on its own, the Flyers have just entered their rebuild and will look to add to this core even further. With some depth already, Philadelphia can have one of the best defensive futures in the game if they keep adding to it through the draft and developing it accordingly.
