A frustrating and fulfilling day saw several new names on their way to the prospect list or to the Flyers AHL affiliate in Adirondack.

As Kuznetsov (#6 on my draft board) continued to slide I continued to try and make a deal with 25, 52, 101 as the trade bait... no takers saw Philly wait patiently to sit at #25 and select Florida 1st Round Pick Quinton Howden (#13 OV on my draft list). With the Flyers depth at wing questionable, we wanted a guy we think will be playing NHL minutes by the end of 2011-2012 season.. we thought Quinton will be that guy.

Feverishly trying to trade up into the late 1st / early 2nd to get #18 OV prospect on my draft board Jon Merrill, nothing could be consumated as he was snapped up just before where we potentially had a deal. With the #52 selection, Philly selected Winnipeg prospect Ivan Telegin from Saginaw of the OHL. We see him playing a role in Winnipeg's future plans.

Just to piss Bryce off by taking mutual man-crush Radko Gudas at #54 I swapped him straight up for #55 and took University of Notre Dame behemoth Stephen Johns. At 6' 4" and apparently still growing, this Chicago prospect expects to dominate the game physically and be a standout defensive defenseman that the Blackhawks sorely lack in their NHL lineup.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/stephen_johns

Next up was perhaps the biggest stretch of picks int the Flyers history with #66, #70, #71, and #76 in a very deep draft of prospects and the Flyers were hoping to get at least 2 pro's with a bit of talent in the future. It didn't shake out as planned at the start when Ryan Martindale was selected 1 spot ahead of me at #66... I swore furiously at Kevin for his usual stellar drafting, and proceeded to calm myself and take the best guy available on my list, Finnish WJC stud with top-end talent, Joonas Donskoi.

Changing gears from not taking, and now solidifying, an entire position in the Flyers organization in between the pipes. At #70 and #71 we selected 2 of the 3 best goalies in the WHL (Calvin Pickard being the other.. SWITZER!!! ) Tyler Bunz of the Medicine Hat Tigers (and Edmonton Oilers prospect) as well as Darcy Kuemper of the Red Deer Rebels (Minnesota prospect).

I thought with my pro G position set with Rinne/Dubnyk and my AHL set with JDD/Gerber that I may as well add my first G prospects to the team this draft and absolutely loved Kuemper and Bunz this season... I plan on scouting them further in person at the WJC (Bunz) and WHL games as I have some Oil Kings tickets and will pick those games.. love their upside and positional weakness in their respective NHL clubs.

At #76 I took a flyer on Jordan Weal and immediately regretted it because I missed the #42 prospect on my list... so I immediately rectified the situation by moving Weal for $750k and the #79 OV pick Jerome Gauthier-Leduc of the Rimouski Oceanic. This 6'2", 200 lbs. dman had a 20G, 46P in 61 GP season in his draft year with Rouyn-Noranda, then was dealt to Rimouski and put up 18G, 56P in 68 GP.... but this season with Rimouski he has started like a man possessed with 7G, 17P in 7 GP!!!

After seemingly forever, and having multiple top targets go ahead of me, I selected the best available player left on my board at #101 Freddie Hamilton of the Niagara IceDogs. He had 55 points in 64 GP (28G) in his draft year,  83 points in 68 GP (38G) last season, and is lighting up the league this year with 14 points (5G) in 7 GP.

In the 5th round I went with only one of 2 guys to play all of last season in the AHL as a 2010 draft pick, #136 saw Colorado Avalanche prospect Luke Walker come to Adirondack. Obviously a physically dominant guy (or else he wouldve stayed in juniors) with a mean streak, this is just the kind of player that Philly management targets after the 4th round.

Sticking with the overly physical forwards, at #143 I took perhaps the most physical forward in the entire SEL Daniel Brodin. A favourite of Leafs GM Brian Burke, Brodin will make the jump to the AHL next season and definitely has the potential to have an NHL career.

Targeting some players with a little more development already completed in these late rounds, I decided to check in on last year's draft class for my next 2 selections. At #161 David Pacan of the Niagara IceDogs was the choice. A CJHL player in his draft year, Pacan decided to go the US Collge route with the University of Vermont. Last season, he was pushed by the Blackhawks to go to the OHL, where he put up 20G, 42A, 62P in 68 GP. At 6'3" and 205 lbs with good speed, and trusted by his OHL coaches to kill all penalties and take all big draws, he could see NHL time in a few years. He has started the OHL season very, very strong with 8G in 8GP.

Again going with a 2009 draft pick, at #173 I selected Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Andy Bathgate. A 4 year Belleville Bull, he put up 25G, 35A, 60P in 64 GP and was a call up to the AHL at the end of the season. Grandson to a HOF Maple Leaf, this guy definitely has good bloodlines.

Perhaps my favorite pick of the whole draft, I was able to get the Washington Capitals #11 prospect (according to HF) Samuel Carrier at #178. A 6'1" 195 lbs. Carrier is not small by any means, and plays a physical game to go with elite offense from the D position... including his season last year that produced 11G, 39A, 50P in 61 GP during the regular season, and 2G, 14A, 16P in 15 GP in the playoffs. To start this season, he has only put up 3G, 10A, 13P in 9 GP.

Needing some more toughness on the blueline, I selected Belleville Bulls prospect Stephen Silas at #191. He is someone who has a tough hill to climb to get to the NHL level, but he will certainly be an AHLer who has a fairly long career ahead of him in a league where toughness is always appreciated.

For my last pick of the draft I took Gaelen Patterson at #211. The Saskatoon Blades prospect taken in the 2009 draft class has already been promoted to the AHL and actually had a very good rookie season there with 7G, 14A, 21P in 61 GP as well as a few fights as well... considering the Flamers putrid organizational depth at Center, this kid definitely is in the right organization to get his NHL shot.