Let’s pretend that there is no lockout. Let’s try and ignore
the truth that the season is not starting in two weeks like it should be. I
want to talk Flyers and I want to give us fans a look at the future of this
team. After a nice playoff run last years, the Flyers are going to be looking
to get another step closer to Lord Stanley’s cup. In order for that to
happen the Flyers are going to need some players to excel their level of play.
The two players that I am expecting a lot out of this season are the Schenn
brothers.
Brayden and Luke Schenn are brothers on the Flyers roster
and both of them were chosen in the first round of their respected draft class.
Actually, they were both picked 5th, Luke in 2008 and Brayden a year later in
2009. This is the year that they both need to step up and have break out
seasons.
Let me start of with Brayden Schenn, 21. Brayden came to the
Flyers last summer from Los Angeles
in the Mike Richards trade. Brayden was drafted in 2009 by the Kings with the 5th
overall pick. Brayden has the potential to be a 30 goal scorer in the NHL. I
watched him when he played juniors for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. In
his 3 seasons playing for them he put in 28, 32 and 34 goals. His final season he
scored 99 points. Brayden really has the potential to make some noise in the
NHL. Coming out of junior hockey, scouts compared him to Joe Thornton. I do not
see that comparison as much as I do as him playing like Mike Richards. Maybe
not quite as physical as Richards, but like I stated earlier he can put up 30
goals and he doesn’t mind mixing it up if need be. He was taken behind John
Tavares, Matt Duchene and Evander Kane in the draft that year. If he can play
as well as any three of those players this season, then the Flyers will have
another great young forward to compliment Claude Giroux.
Luke Schenn, 22, is a newly acquired defenseman for the
Philadelphia Flyers. He was brought over from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the
James Van Riemsdyk trade. Luke, like his brother was also drafted 5th
overall in his draft class of 2008. I really liked Luke when he was coming out
of junior hockey. He played for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL and had much
success in juniors, winning a gold medal in the 2008 World Junior Championship.
He is a defensive defenseman and will look to fill the role of Chris Pronger.
That is asking a lot from someone who is only 22 years old and is coming into a
new city, but
he has the skill level to do so. He reminds me of a Rob Blake type of player,
for anyone who doesn’t know much about Luke yet, that is a good comparison of
what his game is modeled after. He led the league in hits last season and still
only at the age of 22 has not yet reached his prime. Most defenseman reach
their prime around the age of 27, so he is still learning the position. He was drafted right after Drew Doughty and
although they play a different style of defense, he should be just as valuable
to his hockey club as Doughty is to the Kings. He is a shut down defenseman and should help
the Flyers slow down the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Alex
Ovechkin.
When the NHL does come back and the Flyers take the ice for
the up coming season, these are the main players that I will be looking for to
have break out seasons.
- Brett Gibbs
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