Blues' injuries could help Flyers land a better first-round draft pick in 2018
In the June draft, the Flyers selected speedy center Morgan Frost with one of the first-round picks they received in the Brayden Schenn trade with St. Louis. They also received a conditional first-rounder in 2018, and that pick could be better than expected.
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For the Flyers, there is good and bad news surrounding the trade that sent Brayden Schenn to St. Louis in June for two first-round picks and Jori Lehtera.
The bad news: In the preseason, the Flyers' top power-play unit has struggled mightily without Schenn, who tied for the NHL lead with 17 PP goals last season.
The good news: Morgan Frost, the speedy center the Flyers drafted with the 2017 first-round pick they acquired for Schenn, had a solid training camp and is off to a nice start with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (three points in three games) in the Ontario Hockey League.
Oh, and the fact that the Blues have been hit hard by injuries could help the Flyers get a better first-round selection with the 2018 pick they received in the deal. That pick has conditions. St. Louis can keep it if it's a top-10 selection.
Even with all of its injuries, it's doubtful St. Louis will get a top-10 pick. But the Blues might finish in the middle of the pack, and that would give the Flyers a much better selection than expected.
If the Blues do finish with a top-10 pick and keep it, the Flyers would get a first-rounder in 2019, along with a third-rounder in 2020.
St. Louis has lost center Robby Fabbri, who was expected to play on its first or second line, to a season-ending knee injury. The Blues are also dealing with injuries to forwards Alexander Steen, Patrik Berglund, and Zach Stafford, and defenseman Jay Bouwneester (ankle fracture).