The remaining six rounds of the NHL draft that concluded this past Saturday flew by compared to the drawn-out affair that was the first round.  The Flyers had five picks in the draft, and were able to gain a 7th round pick from the Carolina Hurricanes by trading unrestricted free agent Jon Matsumoto.
Matsumoto played with the Phantoms for the last four years and showed decent scoring prowess, but was weak defensively (despite being one of the team’s leading goal scorers, he had a poor plus-minus) and never played a single game with the Flyers.  There are several sites posting more detailed backgrounds on the players that the Flyers drafted РI’d recommend BroadStreetHockey for more in-depth analysis.  Here are my takes on the 2010 Flyers Class (I will start with the first three picks and continue in another post with the rest).
1. Michael Chaput, 3rd Round, 89th Overall, Center:  Chaput was reportedly scouted by ten or so teams, none of which were the Flyers.  Chaput played his first junior season in 2008-2009 with the Lewiston MAINEiacs, a team from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).  He had 3 goals and 7 assists in 29 games before suffering a shoulder injury.  He rallied back this year with 28 goals and 27 assists in 68 regular season games.  Chaput looks to be a decent pick for the 3rd round and while another season in juniors may be beneficial for the 18-year old, he is desperately needed for a team whose current centers include:
- Jon Matsumoto (just traded)
- Krys Kolanos (former Phoenix first rounder and career AHL player)
- Mika Pyorala (liked him, but one and done)
- Ryan Dingle (flotsam that stuck to Chris Pronger on the way from Anaheim)
- Jared Ross, and Jon Kalinski.
Unlesss the Flyers feel like rummaging through the bargain dumpster like they did last year, get this kid a plane ticket to New York!
2. Tye McGinn, 4th Round, 119th Overall, Left Wing:  McGinn is the prospect most likely ready to make the jump next year, as he is already 20-years old . He has played three years in juniors (one in the Ontario Hockey League and two in the QMJHL), but he may have to wait depending on roster decisions.  With the Gatineau Olympiques in the 2008-2009 season, McGinn had eight goals and 22 assists in 48 games.  This past season, he increased his production to 27 goals and 35 assists in 50 games, more than doubling his point production and penalty minutes.  McGinn has an older brother currently playing in the NHL and, like Chaput, is a decent pick as a late rounder.  If McGinn, who’s thrown down in the minors before, can take on a role similar to Matt Clackson’s but with actual point production, he may be able to make the Phantoms roster next year.
3. Michael Parks, 5th Round, 149th Overall, Forward:  This is the pick I am least pleased with, but it has potential (heck, who knows how any of these kids will turn out?).  Parks has played one year of junior hockey with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL and put up average numbers.  He is currently planning on a second season with the RoughRiders next season and will then attend the University of North Dakota to start a college career.  The Flyers have signed a number of established collegiate hockey players in recent years, but that seemed more out of poor planning with draft picks than talent.  The truth is, collegiate athletes tend to not make the jump to the NHL all that quickly (if at all).
From what it sounds like, Parks may fit in with the Flyers someday as a third or fourth line checker/penalty killer.
“This past season I think I learned the most on being a complete player and not be so worried about the offensive side of things like I was in midget hockey and before … I learned to be more responsible in all three zones, not just worry about putting points up, just worry about doing the little things right,” Parks said per NHL.com.
If Parks develops himself in the mold of Blair Betts, Ian Lapperiere, or Andreas Nodl, consider this pick a success.
