For Flyers, a difficult draft choice

If Craig Button is correct, the Flyers will have a difficult first-round decision in next month's draft between left winger Max Jones and right winger Julien Gauthier.

Button, the highly respected TSN draft guru, has the Flyers choosing the hard-nosed 6-foot-3, 200-pound Jones with the 18th overall selection.

Jones, a Michigan native whose OHL-champion London Knights are in the Memorial Cup, plays on the edge and skates a fine line between making a game-changing check and a suspendable hit.

"It's fine and I don't really care," the Knights power forward told the London Free Press about his reputation. "They can say whatever they want. I'm still just a hockey player out here playing the game, and I think I do a good job of what I do. If people want to critique what I do, then it means I'm doing something good."

Jones had 28 goals and 106 penalty minutes during the regular season. He was suspended for 12 games for a head shot in the playoffs.

Opposing fans and players "don't like him because he works too hard," London coach Dale Hunter said earlier in the season to the Press. "Max works his tail off, and he's a buzzsaw out there. ... He's hard to play against, and he backchecks as hard as he forechecks."

Button believes the highly touted Gauthier (6-4, 224) will also be available when the Flyers make their first-round selection.

If he is, the Flyers will have a tough choice.

Gauthier, a Val-d'Or (QMJHL) winger, has it all: speed, physicality and a scoring touch. Like Jones, Gauthier can play a hard-nosed style, but he is a prolific scorer -- he had 41 goals in 54 games this season.

"He's a pure goal-scorer," Button said.

Button has the New York Islanders choosing Gauthier with the 19th selection, the pick right after the Flyers.

Button also thinks intriguing forwards Riley Tufte, a 6-5, 210-pound left wing from Fargo in the USHL; Luke Kunin (6-0, 193); and German Rubtsov (6-1, 180) will be available when the Flyers make the 18th pick.

Kunin, a feisty left winger/center, had 19 goals in 34 games with the University of Wisconsin last season. Rubtsov, known for his strong two-way play, had 12 goals in 28 games for Russia's junior national team.

The Flyers have 10 picks in the seven rounds, including five in the first three rounds. The draft will be held June 24-25 in Buffalo.

It's also possible that general manager Ron Hextall will try to trade up. Would he be willing to deal one of his promising defensive prospects, such as Sam Morin, as part of a package to defense-needy Edmonton for the fourth overall pick?

Stay tuned.