October 25, 2018
Hockey season is underway and Flyers fans are once again stuck with — for now, at least — a middling team that doesn't look to be a Stanley Cup threat. This begs the natural question: how are things looking down on the farm?
We'll check in on the Flyers' top 10 (or so) prospects every few weeks. Here's the first report:
Joel Farabee, LW, Boston University
The Flyers' top pick in last year's draft — no. 14 overall — is a freshman at BU and has one goal, a short-handed strike, in three games so far to kick off his college career. There is heavy upside for the winger, but he is extremely raw early in his hockey career.
Carter Hart, G, Lehigh Valley
Hart started the fall in Flyers' NHL camp but was demoted to the AHL to begin 2018-19 where he has struggled in the early going. In four starts between the pipes Hart has lost two games, with an ugly .865 save percentage and a 4.28 goals against average.
Philippe Myers, D, Lehigh Valley
Myers, just 21, is in the second season of his professional career in the AHL and has mustered three points through seven games as one of the top defenders on the Phantoms' roster. He's also plus-6 in those contests.
Morgan Frost, C, Sault Ste. Marie
Playing in his fourth season in the Ontario League (juniors), last year's 27th overall pick is absolutely slaying with the puck. The 19-year-old has 24 points in just 13 games (8 goals, 16 assists). He is making a pretty strong case to perhaps be in the mix next season.
Oskar Lindblom, LW, Philadelphia
The 22-year-old is a former fifth round pick and making his second appearance with the Flyers. He is ranked by the Sporting News as Philly's fifth-best prospect, and has two goals in his first nine games for the NHL club playing mostly with the third line. Last season he appeared in 28 games, posting just six points.
German Rubtsov, C, Lehigh Valley
The first round pick from two years ago is making an impact immediately in his first AHL season, with six points — four goals and two assists — through his first seven games with the Phantoms.
Jay O'Brien, C, Providence College
The Flyers' first first round pick this past summer, 18-year-old O'Brien, has yet to score in four games as a freshman.
Mike Vecchione, C, Lehigh Valley
At 25, Vecchione will likely not be on this list for much longer but as of this preseason he was ranked the 8th best prospect in Philly's system. Fans may recognize him from his two game stint with the Flyers two seasons ago, but this season he's in Lehigh Valley where he has two goals and an assist in seven games.
Isaac Ratcliffe LW, Guelph
Ratcliffe was Philadelphia's second rounder last year, and has been impressive with the OHL's Guelph Storm, scoring 16 points (including nine goals) in 12 games
Wade Allison, RW, Western Michigan
Allison was the second round pick of the team three years ago and is entering his third season playing in college, but he's not played yet this year. The winger is recovering from ACL surgery, but last year had 15 goals and 15 assists in 22 games.
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