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Flyers history is shaky when it comes to drafting defensemen

This year's draft is considered especially deep, so the Flyers have a good chance to pick someone who can make an impact.

Flyers forward Sean Couturier. (Yong Kim/Staff file photo)
Flyers forward Sean Couturier. (Yong Kim/Staff file photo)Read more

NEW YORK - Rewind to the 2011 NHL draft and turn up the volume on your television as Paul Holmgren and the Flyers' brass walk up to the microphone in St. Paul, Minn.

One day earlier, the No. 8 overall pick had fallen into their lap, courtesy of the Jeff Carter trade with Columbus, after the Flyers didn't originally have a pick in the first two rounds.

The draft experts on television had predicted the Flyers would nab can't-miss, two-way defender Dougie Hamilton. It was a logical deduction. The Flyers lacked defensive depth. Hamilton was the fourth-ranked North American skater, who had fallen to No. 8 overall.

Except, Holmgren unfurled an orange Flyers jersey and called Sean Couturier's name, a player ranked two spots lower than Hamilton. Holmgren's philosophy has always been to draft the best available player regardless of position.

The philosophy didn't change on June 24, 2011, in Minnesota and it isn't likely to change with the Flyers' 11th overall pick tomorrow afternoon in Newark, N.J.

"I hear that all the time from Mr. Snider, he's always telling me that we've never drafted a top defenseman," Holmgren said. "From a depth [perspective] of our franchise, it's probably an area that we lack. But I'm not going to waver. If we get to the 11th pick, if that's where we're picking in the first round, and a guy we like best is a forward, that's who we're going to draft."

The only thing that may be changing is the Flyers' long-term approach to whomever they select in the first round.

The 2013 draft is known as an exceptionally deep class, one that is flowing with talent that could make an immediate impact at the NHL level.

The debate could go on forever as to whether the Flyers made the right pick by selecting Couturier ahead of Hamilton, who went one spot later to Boston at No. 9. Or even Minnesota's Jonas Brodin, who followed Hamilton.

Couturier, 20, has played, by far, the most NHL games of any player in his draft class (134, including playoffs) in the 2 years since. But is he the most valuable asset right now?

Many of those same experts say the Flyers have been shopping Couturier recently, though Holmgren again labeled him as an "untouchable" as recently as Wednesday. Perhaps, the thinking goes, Couturier will never be an elite scorer in the big league and his value is as high as it ever will be.

Hamilton, 20, had a strong rookie season for the Bruins. He averaged 17-plus minutes in 42 games of the 48-game seasons. Brodin, 19, played north of 23 minutes per game in 45 of Minnesota's games, under the tutelage of Norris Trophy finalist Ryan Suter.

In his first playoff run, Couturier was credited with shutting down the Penguins' Evgeni Malkin. In his first playoff run, Hamilton was scratched in the second round and never played again as the Bruins marched to the Stanley Cup finals.

Right now, Couturier might be the more complete player. But he might not be in 2 years' time, which could have the Flyers thinking long and hard tomorrow.

"It generally just takes [defensemen] longer [to develop]," Holmgren said. "Sometimes, we do things out of immediate need. I look back at some of trades that were made - we traded away Dennis Seidenberg because [Keith] Primeau and [Peter] Forsberg were hurt at the time. We needed a center and we got [Petr] Nedved. Sometimes, you do funny things because of what you need at the time.

"I think the Flyers have always done, at least in our minds, what's best to help the team win now. Maybe we have to be a little more patient."

The Flyers' only homegrown defenseman on the roster is Erik Gustafsson. He was signed as a free agent in 2010 and not drafted. Everyone else was acquired via trade, including Mark Streit, who just signed with the team yesterday.

Holmgren traded 2008 first-round pick Luca Sbisa to Anaheim for Chris Pronger. Joni Pitkanen (No. 4 overall in 2002) last only three seasons before Bob Clarke soured on him. First-rounder Jeff Woywitka (No. 27 overall in 2001) never played for the Flyers and is still toiling in the AHL some 12 years later.

The Flyers have been consistently ranked 30th in leaguewide organizational prospect rankings because they are so thin.

The list of failures is long and embarrassing, mostly because of a lack of patience.

Now, recognizing a serious organizational hole, Holmgren acknowledged that if an equally ranked forward and defenseman are available whenever the Flyers pick first, they will "likely lean towards the defenseman, just because of our needs." Whether they will know how to develop him after that is another story.

Since this draft is so deep, picking a defenseman at No. 11 - such as physically mature Finland native Rasmus Ristolainen - doesn't necessarily preclude the Flyers from having him make an immediate impact. They're just not banking on it.

"I think you've got to think down the road at No. 11, for sure," Holmgren said. "Could he play for the Flyers next year? Yeah. You never say never with these young kids. But you've got to be prepared to look forward and be prepared to go through the process of development."

The Flyers signed defenseman Mark Streit to a 4-year, $21 million contract yesterday, making official what the Daily News reported on June 18.

The Flyers acquired his rights from the Islanders on June 12.

Streit, 35, is a good puck handler and capable power-play quarterback.

Streit, the Islanders captain, had six goals and 21 assists and played in every regular-season game for the third consecutive season.

Kimmo Timonen, 38, will make $6 million this upcoming season and is the only Flyers defenseman earning more than Streit. Timonen and 27-year-old Andrej Meszaros ($4 million) are slated to become unrestricted free agents after the 2013-14 season.

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