Why the Flyers cannot afford to miss with the 5th pick
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O. EngJune 4, 2022 (11:15)
In a recent article posted by the Athletic, writer Mark Lazerus makes note of what the remaining four NHL teams have done to find success and how the Flyers and other struggling franchises may hope to emulate.
First and foremost, it's important to look at the recent champions. Lazerus reminds us all that each champion has a lesson to teach and we must take note.
The Penguins and Blackhawks reminded the league that speed and skill is vital. The Kings announced that physical play still isn't dead. The Capitals remind us that good things come to those who wait. And every playoff team this season was trying to recreate the Lightning's third line from last year.
What's even more important according to Lazerus is that when you have a high draft pick, don't blow it.
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"Of the 40 players who dressed in Game 1 of this Western Conference final, more than half (22) were first-round picks. And of those 22 first-round picks, a whopping 16 were top-10 picks. And four of them were No. 1 picks. Colorado has Nathan MacKinnon (No. 1 in 2013), Gabriel Landeskog (No. 2 in 2011), Cale Makar (No. 4 in 2017), Bowen Byram (No. 4 in 2019) and Mikko Rantanen (No. 10 in 2015). Edmonton has Connor McDavid (No. 1 in 2015) and Leon Draisaitl (No. 3 in 2014)."
If we look at the Rangers, Tampa series, you won't be shocked to find a few former first rounders. Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere, K'Andre Miller, Filip Chytil. In a flat cap world, building through the draft and competing while your young stars are still on entry-level contracts is more sustainable and easier than trading for a number one center or signing a $10 million dollar guy.
"It seems every struggling team's plan, short of the perpetually win-now Flyers, is to get bad enough to get good. However, history shows it takes more than getting high draft picks to reach the final four of the Stanley Cup playoffs. It takes getting it right on those high draft picks. That's the trick. One that's a lot harder to pull off."
Done right, and if the Flyers commit to a rebuild, they can look at the Chicago Blackhawks as who they could eventually be.
Mike Babcock once referred to this strategy as "losing the right way."
"He was referring to the then-rival Blackhawks, and how they maximized their misery, drafting Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane in consecutive drafts with the No. 3 and No. 1 picks, respectively, completely transforming the franchise and setting the stage for three Stanley Cups and nearly a decade of contention."
The Flyers know all too well what can happen when you draft poorly.
"And given the tepid enthusiasm about this year's draft class, the Canadiens, Devils, Coyotes, Kraken and Flyers have to be at least a little concerned that a full season of misery might not pay off the way they hoped. Sometimes, your No. 2 pick is an Aleksander Barkov or a Victor Hedman. Sometimes, it's a Nolan Patrick or a Sam Reinhart."
In any case, this draft is not just important because we have a high pick but important because we have a history of messing things up. We cannot afford another Nolan Patrick or passing up on a Cale Makar. The future is now and GM Chuck Fletcher can either look like Santa on Christmas day or a complete bafoon.
Credit: Athletic
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