Prospect Profile: Jason Akeson

 

Jason Akeson 

Jason Akeson is somewhat of a curious case, as he started the season in the ECHL and ended it in the NHL. After leading the Phantoms in scoring during the 2011-2012 season, Akeson probably felt a bit blindsided when he was demoted to play for the Trenton Titans of the ECHL at the start of the next year. But newly appointed coach Terry Murray may have been sending Akeson to Trenton for good reason, to give him a wake up call.

Akeson is a very gifted offensive player, he was over a point per game in 3 seasons in the OHL and posted 108 points as an overager in Kitchener during the 2010-2011 season. He has great offensive awareness, smooth hands, and a nice shot, which make him an attractive option for the power play unit. He may be able to hang with the best offensively, but Akeson struggles with the defensive aspects of the game, and this was the likely reasoning behind his demotion at the start of the season. But it didn't take long for his return to Adirondack. Akeson played 14 games for the Titans, posting 10 points, before getting recalled. The Phantoms got off to a terrible start and had some serious issues with scoring goals, something Akeson could help with.

Akeson again impressed with his play in the AHL, leading the Phantoms in scoring with 20 goals and 33 assists in 62 games. On April 27th, he made his NHL debut in the Flyers last game of season against Ottawa. He played on a line with Claude Giroux and potted his first goal on only his second shift of the game.  Akeson showed improvement with his two-way game after a season under the defensive minded Terry Murray, but still has work to do in that department. He'll also need to continue to get stronger if he wants a chance to become an NHL regular. He'll be a key player for the Phantoms next year unless he can turn some heads in training camp.

Flyers 2013 Draft Review

1st Round, Pick #11- D, Samuel Morin, Rimouski, QMJHL

With the 11th overall pick the Flyers selected Samuel Morin from Rimouski. Morin is a big defender at 6'6 205, who climbed his way up the rankings after a good season in the Q and an impressive U18 tournament, where he won gold with Canada. The thing that is most intriguing about Morin is his mobility. Morin moves very well for a player of his size. He also plays a very physical game, throwing big hits, fighting, and winning 1 on 1 battles. His offensive game needs work, but he has shown progress, scoring 7 points in 6 playoffs games after returning from injury. Some don't like the pick at number 11, but Morin has a lot of potential and if he develops, he will be a force in the NHL.

2nd Round, Pick #41- D, Robert Hagg, MoDo, SHL

Projected as a 1st round pick, the Flyers may have gotten a steal when they picked Hagg with their 2nd rounder. Hagg spent most of last season playing with MoDo's U20 team, but did get some time in Elitserien. He was very impressive as a last minute roster addition in the WJC, where he was matched up with opposing teams' top lines. Hagg is a two way defenseman, he is very skilled offensively and able to play the powerplay, but can also shut down opposing players. The one thing scouts say Hagg lacks is consistency. His play is up and down at times, but he is a very skilled defenseman and is probably closer to the NHL than Morin at this point.


 

3rd Round, Pick #72- C, Tyrell Goulbourne, Kelowna, WHL
Holmgren and the Flyers staff have taken a lot of flack for this pick, mostly for going with an agitator in the 3rd round. Goulbourne is an energy guy, fast skater, throws hits, and can fight. He has already been dubbed Zac Rinaldo 2.0 and it looks like he is deserving of that title. In Februrary of last season he managed to take down an opponent 6 inches taller than him. The reason people criticize this pick is because there is a consensus that he would have been available later in the draft. But who actually knows, the Flyers may have heard something and decided that it was the right time. Only time will tell if Goulbourne is a bust, but if he can develop into a full time 4th liner/fringe 3rd liner, it isn't a bad pick in my book.

5th Round, Pick #132- D, Terrance Amorosa, Holderness School, USHS-NH
There is not much info out there on Terrance Amorosa, but as it is with all late picks, he will be a project. According to his interview at the draft, Amorosa had a growth spurt 3-4 years ago, growing 6 inches. This was a big factor in him flying under the radar of major junior leagues. Amorosa is now at a good size at 6'2, 190. According to HockeyProspect.com, he is a big kid who struggles in his own zone with coverages. Amorosa will play for Sioux Falls of the USHL next season and will likely go down the collegiate path in the future.

6th Round, Pick #162- G, Merrick Madsen, Proctor Academy, USHS-NH
The Flyers selected goaltender Merrick Madsen of Proctor in the 6th round. Madsen, a California native, stands tall in net at 6 foot 4. It seems the Flyers have favored big, athletic goalies in the draft over the last couple of years (see Anthony Stolarz) and it may be paying off as Stolarz looks like a blue chip prospect. Madsen is a very raw player, but with his athleticism, size and wingspan, he may have a shot to develop into a decent pro goalie one day. Madsen will play for Des Moines in the USHL next season, before heading to Harvard.

Round 7, Pick #192- D, David Drake, Des Moines, USHL
Continuing the trend of stocking up on D-men in this draft, the Flyers selected David Drake from Des Moines of the USHL. Drake is listed at 6'3, 155, which means he will have to hit the gym and his local McDonald's for the next few years if he wants to play at a high level. Drake suited up in 12 games for the Des Moines Buccaneers last season, scoring 1 goal and finishing at -12. Obviously Drake has a lot of work to do, but so does every other 7th round pick.

Overall I give the Flyers a B- on this years draft. I really like the Morin pick and am a HUGE fan of grabbing Hagg in the 2nd round. Like others I'm not so high on the Goulbourne selection, but I won't pretend I've actually seen him play, so we'll see how his development goes. The rest of the draft is sort of a crapshoot but it looks like the Flyers got some decent project prospects. We will see how these prospects develop and be able to make a better judgement of Holmgren and Company's decisions in the future.

Flyers Potential Draft Targets

With the 11th overall pick in the NHL draft, the Flyers will have a lot of top end talent to choose from. Here are some of the players that might hear their name called by Paul Holmgren come draft day.

Rasmus Ristolainen, D, TPS, SM-Liiga 

Ristolainen is the most NHL-ready d-man in this draft besides Seth Jones. Playing the past two seasons in SM-liiga, Finland’s top league, Ristolainen knows what it takes to play with men. He isn’t a flashy player by any means but is extremely sound defensively. He’s a good skater who is still trying to find his offensive game, which some scouts say has been coming along. Ristolainen is a pretty safe bet to become a decent NHLer, but he may need another season in Finland or the AHL before making the jump.

Darnell Nurse, D, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, OHL 

A 6 foot 5 defender who says he models his game his game after Chris Pronger, Darnell Nurse may be the perfect fit for the Flyers. With a strong tie to the city of Philadelphia (his uncle is former Eagles QB Donovan McNabb), don’t be surprised to see Holmgren take Nurse if he falls to 11. He is an intimidating force on the ice who uses his physical game to shutdown opponents. He is a good skater for his size and is regarded as one of the best athletes in the draft. With an improving offensive game and already impressive defensive tools, Nurse would be a steal for the Flyers if he fell to 11.

Josh Morrisey, D, Prince Albert, WHL 

Morrisey is a classic offensive defenseman. He’s a great skater with above average vision and a booming shot and can move the puck out of his own end, something the Flyers lacked at the NHL level. Morrisey and his 47 points were a vital part of leading Price Albert to the playoffs last season. He needs to work on his overall defensive game and strength if he wants to make the jump the NHL.

Anthony Mantha, RW, Val d’Or, QMJHL 

As a 6’4 190 winger and the QMJHL leading scorer, people may wonder why Anthony Mantha is not a top 5 pick. His consistency is the biggest flaw in his game. Scouts say Mantha is known to disappear at times and light it up at others. He has one of the best wrist shots in all of junior hockey and is a force when driving his way to the net. Even with all the knocks on him, Mantha surely knows how to put the puck in the back of the net. While the Flyers biggest need in the pipeline is defenseman, don’t be surprised to see them grab a winger with their first rounder.

Hunter Shinkaruk, LW, Medicine Hat, WHL

Hunter Shinkaruk is one of the most dynamic players in this year's draft. Doesn’t have blazing speed but is still fast and extremely shifty which allows him to get around defenders. His best asset is his stickhandling. Shinkaruk has some of the best hands in the draft and scored a number of highlight reel goals with Medicine Hat last season. Shinkaruk needs to get stronger in order to compete in the NHL but the thought of him on Claude Giroux's wing is something that would get Flyers fans very excited.


Other names to watch for: Ryan Pulock, Samuel Morin, Nikita Zadorov

Flyers Draft Review

1st Round- 8th Overall
C- Sean Couturier-Drummondville, QMJHL
Getting Sean Couturier with the 8th overall pick is a steal. Couturier, who was named the number one draft eligible prospect by International Scouting Services in December, is a player who is often compared to Jordan Staal. While he had the most points per game of any player in this draft, 1.66, he might not be an elite scorer at the NHL level but he will chip in a good amount on the offensive end. He plays both ends of the ice, which is something the Flyers will desperately need in the future the departure of Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, two players who were very good in the defensive zone. Couturier needs to work on his skating and get stronger before making the jump to the NHL. He should be playing in the Q again this year unless he can impress at camp.

3rd Round- 68th Overall
C- Nick Cousins- Sault Ste. Marie, OHL
With the Penguins pick in the third round, acquired when Hamhuis wouldn't sign, the Flyers selected Nick Cousins from the Soo Greyhounds. Cousins scored 29 goals and added 39 assists in 68 games for the Greyhounds. One thing that improved his draft stock was the fact that he can play in multiple roles. He can set up plays and score goals but he also adds some grit to the lineup.  Cousins showed a lot of scouts what he can do playing for Canada in the U18 tournament where he scored 8 points in 7 games.

4th Round- 116th Overall
D- Colin Suellentrop-Oshawa Generals, OHL
With the 116th pick the Flyers finally addressed their need of defensive prospects. Suellentop recorded 20 points in two season with the Oshawa Generals and also respresented the United States in the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. The Florida native is a shut down D-man who will drop the mits for the occasional scrap. The future for Suellentop looks promising as he finished the 2010-2011 season at + 21. He is a hard working d-man who throws the body around, something that the Flyers pipeline lacks right now.

4th Round- 118th Overall
LW- Marcel Noebels- Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL
The Flyers selected the German, Marcel Noebels, with the 118th pick. Noebels had 28 goals and 26 assists for a bad Seattle team in the WHL last season. He also played extremely well for Germany in the World Juniors. Playing this well for teams that weren't very good leads a lot of people to believe that the Flyers got a steal in Noebels. Scouts say that he needs to work on his defensive play and his speed.

6th Round - 176th Overall
RW- Petr Placek- Hotchkiss, CTHS
Another pick by the Flyers that some say could end up as a steal, Petr Placek came over from the Czech Republic to play for Hotchkiss, a Prep School in Connecticut. Placek was ranked 54th out of North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting in their midterm rankings. But by the end of the season he dropped out of the rankings all together. This was probably because of injuries and the fact that its hard to evaluate a player playing in high school. Placek scored 8 goals and added 9 assists in 16 games last season for Hotchkiss. He will be attending Harvard in the fall, this will allow the Flyers to hold onto his rights for 4 years and see if develops into an NHLer.

7th Round 206th Overall
RW- Derek Mathers- Peterborough Petes, OHL
With their last pick the draft the Flyers took a fighter in Derek Mathers. Mathers recorded 1 goal and 4 assists in 55 games played for the Petes last season. But the Flyers didn't draft him to score goals. They were probably more concerned with his 171 penalty minutes. At 6 foot 3 and 230 pounds Mathers is an intimidating force out there and the Flyers hope he can be an NHL enforcer one day.

Flyers Prospect Camp Preview

The Flyers Prospect Camp roster and schedule have been announced. With a few of the Flyers forwards on the trading block look for a young guy to step in as a regular for the big club.

Official Link
Roster

Forwards
Michael Chaput
Shane Harper
Ben Holmstrom
Dave Labrecque
Tye McGinn
Luke Pither
Brendan Ranford
Zac Rinaldo
Andrew Rowe
Mike Testwuide
Eric Wellwood

Defense
Ricard Blidstrand
Marc-Andre Bourdon
Erik Gustaffson
Tyler Hostetter
Oliver Lauridsen
Nick Luukko
Kevin Marshall

Goalies
Sergei Bobrovsky
Adam Morrison
Brad Phillips
Nicola Riopel
Brian Stewart

Tryouts
F- Justin Dowling (Swift Current, WHL)
F- Brian Flynn (Maine, Hockey East)
F- Blake Gal (Spokane, WHL)
F- Phil Ginand (Mercyhurst, Atlantic Hockey)
F- Greg Hanson (No. Michigan, CCHA)
F- Kyle Mountain (New Hampshire, EJHL)
F- Everett Sheen (Holy Cross, Atlantic Hockey)

D- Michael Banwell (Maine, Hockey East)
D- Jason Beattie (Niagra, CHA)
D- Jesse Dudas (Corpus Christi, CHL)
D- Jordan Hill (Manitoba, AHL)

G- Chris Rawlings (Northeastern, Hockey East)


Players to watch

Mike Testwuide- After being signed in March, Flyers fans have had high hopes for Testwuide. Flyers GM Paul Holmgren has said that Testwuide is an NHL ready player and with the rumored departure of Simon Gagne, he may be able to play for the Flyers

Kevin Marshall- Lauded as the best defensive prospect by many, Marshall had a disappointing season in the AHL last year. He hopes to regroup this year and remain in the Flyers plans for the future.

Erik Gustaffson- Scoring 7 points in only 5 games with the Phantoms last year, Gustaffson has a lot of pressure on him to perform this season. With Marshall, Bourdon, and Lehitvuori, Gustaffson could be apart of a solid D corps in Adirondack next season.

Sergei Bobrovsky- Signed in May, Bobrovsky is one of the Flyers top goaltending prospects. He and Swedish goalie Joacim Eriksson are the future between the pipes in Philly. But with Eriksson remaining in Sweden, Bobrovsky looks to get a head start by locking up the starting job for the Phantoms this year.



Camp Schedule
The camp is held at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, NJ.
On-Ice Practice    /   Scrimmage

July 5 - Players Arrive/Off-Ice Fitness Testing

July 6 - Off-Ice Fitness Testing

July 7 - 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. / 10:45 a.m. to noon

July 8 - Trial on The Isle (Stone Harbor, NJ)

July 9 - 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. /10:45 a.m. to noon

July 10 - 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. /10:45 a.m. to noon

July 11 - 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. /10:45 a.m. to noon

July 12 - NO Practice /  9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Flyers 2010 Draft Review

Pick #89: Michael Chaput, C, Lewiston (QMJHL)
The Flyers started off their draft by selecting Michael Chaput of the MAINEiacs.Chaput was ranked 81st  in The Hockey News Draft Preview. Chaput had a solid season for Lewiston in the Q, with 28 goals and 27 assists in 68 games. He finished 2nd in point and 1st in goals for the MAINEiacs. Chaput put up a good amount of points but these came in the QMJHL, which is known for offense. Some scouts have questioned Chaput's toughness. That is definitely necessary if he wants to play for the Philadelphia Flyers. Chaput still has a lot of work to do but he and the Flyers hope he will develop into a solid two way player at the NHL level.

Pick #119: Tye McGinn, LW, Gatineau (QMJHL)
In the fourth round the Flyers selected Tye McGinn of the Gatineau Olympiques. McGinn is a pretty big guy at 6 foot 2 and 195 pounds but he was a major producer for Gatineau this season. He led his team in goals with 27, assists with 35, and points with 62. McGinn also doesn't shy away from the rough stuff which may have already won over some Flyers fans. McGinn may not be ready yet but with time he could develop into a solid forward in the NHL.



Pick #149: Michael Parks, RW, Cedar Rapids (USHL) ‎
At  pick #149 the Flyers selected Michael Parks of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Parks scored 11 goals and 11 assists in 51 games in the USHL. Parks is a Missouri native, he is from around the same area as fellow prospect Patrick Maroon. Parks also won the gold medal with team USA at the Junior A Challenge in 2009. Parks is a speedy forward with good hands but he needs to get stronger to compete at higher levels. Parks will be attending the University of North Dakota, hopefully their he will improve his strength on the puck and find his scoring touch.

Pick #179: Nick Luukko, D, The Gunnery (CT USHS)
Son of Comcast-Spectactor president, Peter Luukko, Nick has a lot of pressure on him to perform in the Flyers organization. Peter expressed in an interview after the draft that he did not want Nick to be drafted by the Flyers because he would never get the credit he deserves as a player. But Nick is a solid defenseman, at 6 foot 2 and 180 pounds, the Flyers believe they can build him to NHL caliber.  He's a big defenseman with good hockey sense. Nick will be playing in the USHL and then attending the University of Vermont.

Pick #206: Ricard Blidstrand, D, AIK J-20 (Swedish Juniors)
After trading Jonathan Matsumoto to the Carolina Hurricanes for pick #206 in the draft, the Flyers selected Ricard Blidstrand. At 6-2, 201 pounds, Blidstrand is a big, strong defenseman. Some scouts have said that they would like to see Blidstand use his strength and size more to his advantage. Blidstrand has a nice shot from the point and can play on the power play. Scouts have questioned his hockey sense and they would like him to work on his passing. Blidstand will play for the Regina Pats of the WHL next season.

Pick #209: Brendan Ranford, LW, Kamloops (WHL)
With the second to last pick in this years draft the Flyers selected Brendan Ranford from the Kamloops Blazers. This may have been a steal for the Flyers as Ranford was ranked 111th by Central Scouting. Ranford put up 29 goals and 36 in 72 games for Kamloops this season. Ranford might not be the biggest guy at 5-8, 182 pounds, but he isn't afraid to battle in the corners. Ranford isn't going to blow by anyone with his speed but he is a solid skater. Ranford is a gritty grinder type player who can score. The Flyers hope that Ranford will develop into a 3rd liner at the NHL level.