The Flyers announced earlier today that they have released fifteen players from training camp. The list includes
Invitees: Etienne Boutet (defenseman), Shayne Campbell (goaltender), Campbell Elynuik (left winger), Austin Fyten (left winger), Sam Grist (defenseman), Michael Houser (goaltender), Tomas Hyka (forward), Simon Gronvaldt (defenseman) and Jonathan Narbonne (defenseman).
2010 Draft Picks: Ricard Blidstrand (defenseman), Brendan Ranford (left winger)
2011 Draft Picks: Nick Cousins (center), Derek Mathers (enforcer), Marcel Noebels (left winger), Colin Suellentrop (defenseman)
Hyka drew the most interest among the invitees due to his game winning goal in the Flyers-Capitals rookie game. Philly.com ran a piece on Hyka that indicated the Flyers opted for heavyweight Mathers in the 7th round instead of Hyka due to his size and small frame. Hyka is a blank slate in terms of production, but there’s a very good chance he’ll be drafted next year (whether it’s with the Flyers or not).
If Ranford’s early dismissal comes as a surprise, it shouldn’t. He had an excellent season offensively with the Kamloops Blazers, but he has a very one-dimensional game at this stage of his career. An improvement in his +/- will earn him a better shot at making the Flyers next year than a better points total.
I expected Noebels to get more of a look due to how quickly the organization offered him an entry level contract after drafting him, but he never had a shot of making the team this year anyway. Noebels, drafted with the pick from Tampa Bay in the trade for Simon Gagne, has a lot of potential as a second/third line winger in about three seasons.
In tomorrow’s preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which will be aired on the Comcast Network and the NHL Network, Brayden Schenn is expected to compete against his older brother, defenseman Luke Schenn. Newly signed defenseman Blake Kessel may also face his older brother, Phil Kessel.
Matt Read, Ben Holmstrom, and Erik Gustafsson are locks to see playing time as well as a mix of third and fourth liners.
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Really looking forward to this season.
Were they released or sent to juniors?
Wasnt Nick Cousins a high draft pick?
sent either to junior or to the phantoms
I apologize for the confusion. The invitees were fully released while the players either under contract (Noebels) or who the Flyers retain rights to were, as lewdoggie20 said, sent back to their respective junior or European teams.
Cousins was drafted #68 overall this year using the 3rd round draft pick acquired from Columbus in the Carter trade. He has potential to be a second or third line center in maybe four years, but the Flyers already have enough NHL or AHL ready centers to look at in camp. They have kept Sean Couturier, also a center, at camp for now. He will be in the roster tonight against Toronto.