Philabright’s top-20 Flyers’ prospects

Hockeysfuture.com has ranked the Flyers’ top 20 prospects for the 2009-10 season, with Claude Giroux leading off the group followed by James vanRiemsdyk, Ryan Parent, Kevin Marshall and Patrick Maroon.  However, after Marc-Andre Bourdon at six, the list gets somewhat erratic.

Hockeys Future List

1. Claude Giroux
2. James vanRiemsdyk
3. Ryan Parent
4. Kevin Marshall
5. Patrick Maroon
6. Marc-Andre Bourdon
7. Andreas Nodl
8. Denis Bodrov
9. Joonas Lehtivuori
10. Joacim Eriksson
11. Jonathan Matsumoto
12. Michael Ratchuk
13. Adam Morrison
14. Simon Bertilsson
15. Oskars Bartulis
16. Nicola Riopel
17. Dave Labrecque
18. Jon Kalinski
19. David Laliberte
20. Jacob Deserres

Andreas Nodl and Denis Bodrov seem accurately placed at seven and eight, but Joonas Lehtivuori and goaltender Joacim Eriksson are not, sitting at nine and 10.  The rules of the rankings are judged on progression and potential for the upcoming season only, meaning  Eriksson may have better top-end potential but as of now Nicola Riopel is the top goaltender in the Flyers’ system.

Despite being overlooked at the 2009 draft and falling into the third round, Swedish defenseman Simon Bertilsson is seen by many to be a possible steal.  Lehtivuori, although talented, is an undersized blue liner who’s career may never extend the AHL.  So why is one ranked ninth and the other 14th?  They should be switched.

Below is the Philabright top 20 prospect ranking

1. Claude Giroux
2. James vanRiemsdyk
3. Ryan Parent
4. Kevin Marshall
5. Patrick Maroon
6. Marc-Andre Bourdon
7. Andreas Nodl
8. Denis Bodrov
9. Simon Bertilsson
10. Nicola Riopel
11. Michael Ratchuk
12. Joacim Eriksson
13. Jonathan Matsumoto
14. Adam Morrison
15. Joonas Lehtivuori
16. Jon Kalinski
17. Oskars Bartulis
18. David Laliberte
19. Jacob Deserres
20. David Lebrecque