Flyers grab Couturier at No. 8
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- With the No. 8 overall selection in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the Flyers selected... a player very few thought would slide to the No. 8 spot in center Sean Couturier.
Flyers grab Couturier at No. 8
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- With the No. 8 overall selection in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the Flyers selected... a player very few thought would slide to the No. 8 spot in center Sean Couturier.
Couturier was ranked as the No. 5 overall draft pick by the central scouting agencies. At one point during the scouting rankings, Couturier was ranked as the No. 1 available prospect.
It was a surprising turn of events in not only that Couturier fell to No. 8, but that the Flyers decided on a center instead of a defenseman just one day after Paul Holmgren unloaded Jeff Carter and Mike Richards because of an “overload” at the position.
The Flyers likely would have selected Dougie Hamilton, a strong, two-way defenseman from the OHL if Couturier had not been available. Hamilton went to Boston at No. 9 instead.
In a near instantaneous interview on TSN after making the pick, Holmgren said he “never thought” Couturier would still be on the board.
Earlier in the week, Holmgren said the Flyers would pick the best player available regardless of position.
Couturier racked up 96 points in 58 games for Drumondville (QMJHL) this past this season. At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, the 18-year-old already has a full-sized frame. He is slated to top out at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. The scouting reports list him as a solid, two-way forward with good penalty killing abilities. The one weakness reported is his skating. His speed turning and pivoting is said to be subpar.
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I'm thrilled to see the Flyers get Sean Couturier. Before he was sick some scouts thought he could be the top pick in the draft. But I was really hoping that Homer would trade Versteeg and the number 8 pick to Florida for their number three pick, then grab that Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson. The guy is really nasty and I hate to see the Devils get him instead of us. Now he'll be bashing Philly forwards into the boards for the next ten years...:(
My favorite part of the night was just before the Avs selected Landeskog at #2. Pierre Maguire: "Remember when they were in Quebec they drafted a pretty good Swede by the name of 'Forsberg.'"
Sigh.— sklandog- SFPhillyfan-Great comeback.I was thinking Murphy or even Beaulieau at that spot but think this kid can be good.Not top line good but good.....— Yankee Air Pirate 12
- I don't know if this kid will be a great player, at the same time I don't know if he will end up being a bust; and who knows if he'll even play a substantiated career with the Flyers? - that's why the only thing we know right after a draft is that too many ignoramous comments are posted. I was tempted to question another center after what happened yesterday but give credit to Holmgren - he said he would take the best player on the board and he did. Everything else is just wait and see.— IGGLES1980
- I was hoping his weakness would be "not celebrating enough after he scores"— farley
- IGGLES1980-If your response was aimed at me( Murphy,Beaulieau ) then you're right,I couldn't be sure how my own children would turn out at age 18,let alone someone else's.— Yankee Air Pirate 12
- The picture shows a lot of teeth waiting to be knocked out.— drog
- Homer is having fun as a GM. I like it!!— Voytas
- A center that can win a face off? Will they fit in here?— NYPHILLYPHAN
- considering what the Flyers gave up to get this pick, Carter and salary...this was the perfect situation...I am optimistic this kid will workout...feeling much better about the Carter trade now...— danielboyer
- I'm a geek when it comes to Flyers & Eagles 1st round drafts (Phils & Sixers - couldn't care less). I really think the Flyers got a best player available at #8 - a D-man may have been nice since Pronger and Kimmo are opast their prime, but maybe another move is in the works. But now we now have TWO budding goalscorers for the 12/13 season & you know at least one will blossom (maybe both). Good job, Paul. I like all the moves so far, in spite of my dislike for Eddie Snider,— CommonSenze
- We finally get an opportunity to grab a highly skilled righthanded defenseman to bring up through our system, and we go after another center. Now we are back to 4 centers in our system that could roll on the first two lines. Now enough ice time for them. Kimmo and Prongs -are gettin old, we need talented D-men that can help out on the PP. Carle sucks on the PP....SUCKS!!! Couturier is a nice pick up, but we need d-men that can shoot to score.— the Guffaw
- Wow, weakness is skating! What was he playing, field hockey? Maybe he can run on his skates like Bob Kelly.
MB— mbanjr - I understand the best available player philosophy and I'm sure this kid is an excellent player... I was just kind of hoping Homer would take Dougie Hamilton... Would have made a nice protege for Pronger.— FlyerFan8
- Had he not had mono at the start of the season, and struggled to get back into shape afterward, Couturier would have been gone by the 3rd pick. I think he was aslo hurt by being at the head of the class so early. Gave scouts a chance to really pick his game apart and every flaw gets magnified. Kid's a player, and a very good one.— JSaq
