October 07, 2020
Picking 23rd in the 2020 NHL Draft, the Flyers selected Tyson Foerster, a big 6-foot-2, 200 pound winger 18-year-old winger from Ontario Tuesday night.
Foerster scored 80 points in 62 games in the OHL for the Barrie Colts last season, but at -17 it's clear he has room for improvement, perhaps on the defensive end. The pick lines up perfectly with the Flyers' biggest need — one that was plainly visible in the team's second round playoff loss in the bubble a few weeks ago — to find forwards who can score reliably in big spots.
His touch around the net and knack for scoring is hugely appealing, as is his playmaking both with and without the puck.
The draft was not without drama for the Flyers, as Washington traded up from the 24th pick to grab pick No. 22 and Hendrix Lapierre one spot ahead of the Flyers. If Lapierre — a monumentally talented but oft-injured center whom many were hoping would fall to the Flyers — winds up being a superstar player down the line, one might wonder if the Capitals jumping ahead of Philly to get their man was a consequential act.
Here's a scouting report on the newest Flyer Foerster who was ranked everywhere from 16th to 46th by various hockey outlets, from Elite Prospects:
He's most comfortable setting up shop at the top of the left face-off circle, taking cross-ice feeds, and one-timing them on net with power. He sets up his feeds really well, scanning the ice for where his target will be, looking on the pass and threatening to shoot. He's got one of the best shots in the draft, can see the ice well, and possesses plus-defensive instincts.
And some highlights:
The Flyers have been dynamite — especially compared to the other Philly area sports teams — at picking in the first round in recent years, with their current core boasting recent first rounders Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim, among others.
Since 2016, they've had seven first round picks in the last five drafts. Four of them have already played in the NHL, and scouts and front office members are high on last year's pick Cam York as well.
| Year/pick | Player | NHL stats |
| 2020/23rd | F Tyson Foerster | — |
| 2019/14th | D Cam York | — |
| 2018/14th | F Joel Farabee | 8 G, 13 A, 52 games |
| 2018/19th | C Jay O-Brien | — |
| 2017/2nd | C Nolan Patrick | 26 G, 35 A, 145 games |
| 2017/27th | C Morgan Frost | 2 G, 5 A, 20 games |
| 2016/22nd | C German Rubtsov | 4 games |
At 18, Foerster is a bit of a project and needs a little work to improve his skating skills, but all the scouting reports we've seen beam about his ability to score on the power play and on with the one-timer. Flyers fans can be excited about his potential.
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