While we’ve showcased how the prospects of the Philadelphia Flyers have been doing in Eurasia, the prospects playing in North America have been doing just as well as their counterparts across the pond. Matvei Michkov, Alexei Kolosov, and Egor Zavragin are dominating their respective leagues which should make for interesting competition in the next coming years with the prospects dominating in the Canadian and American circuits.
Cutter Gauthier
When Cutter Gauthier was drafted with the 5th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, it came as a little bit of a shock.
With how quickly he was climbing up the rankings in the final weeks heading into the draft, the Flyers had to snatch him with other teams sniffing around. A week before the draft Bob McKenzie mentioned in his final draft rankings that if teams believed in his transition from wing to centre, there was going to be serious interest between picks 4-10; the Flyers drafted him 5th overall after the Seattle Kraken took Shane Wright.
The Flyers snatched him up after he scored 19 goals and 28 points in 22 games with the USNTDP Juniors and another 34 goals and 65 points in 54 games for the U.S. National U18 Team. He then took his talents to Boston College in 2022-23 and scored 16 goals and 37 points in 32 games, represented Team USA at the World Juniors with 4 goals and 10 points in 7 games, went to the World Championships and scored 7 goals and 9 points in 10 games, and torched the World Junior Showcase in the middle of the summer.
So far, he has only played in 6 games for Boston College and has already recorded 6 goals. In a 4-2 victory against Long Island University, Gauthier registered 11 shots on goals – 10 of which came in the first 34 minutes of the game. He surprisingly didn’t score but when you’re making end-to-end skill plays like you’ll see below, it would only be matter of time until he finds the back of the net.
And he did so with a bang on Friday night as he scored 2 patented Gauthier-type goals for Boston College. First, we see his hard, heavy, and lethal wrist shot coming into action.
Then we see his one-time blast during a power play.
Massimo Rizzo
Acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes for the signing rights of David Kaše, Massimo Rizzo was essentially the long-awaited piece from what was supposed to be the Tony DeAngelo trade. As we all remember, that deal was vetoed by the NHL because they felt that it circumvented the salary cap since it hadn’t yet been 12 months since the Flyers acquired him from Carolina in the first place.
Rizzo might be a forgotten name in the pipeline, but 22-year-old Canadian has posted formidable numbers for the University of Denver over the last 2+ seasons. In 2021-22, Rizzo scored 12 goals and 36 points in his first season, he then topped that off last year with 17 goals and 46 points in 38 games, and through 6 games in 2023-24, he has accumulated 5 goals and 14 points.
Rizzo recorded his first goal of the season as well as an assist (as you can see below) against Providence last week:
Drafted in 7th round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the Flyers might’ve stolen a solid prospect out of Carolina to add to the plethora of youngsters they’re trying to build a future around.
The Burnaby, British Columbia native, has produced wherever he’s played and should be looked upon as a good prospect within a loaded pipeline. With Michkov, Gauthier, Tyson Foerster, and Bobby Brink at the top, it is not a slight to label Rizzo as a “mid-tier prospect” with all the names in front of him.
Denver Barkey
When the Flyers drafted Denver Barkey in the third round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, many labeled it as a possible steal because of the immense skillset that Barkey possessed. Modern hockey has moved on from the notion that smaller players can’t perform at the same level as the brutish, tall, stocky counterparts. However there are always several players that slip through the cracks based solely on size.
Alex DeBrincat is a good example as he was a first round talent that slipped through to the 2nd round, Bobby Brink could be another one, and Barkey follows suit. The 5’9”, 154 pound centreman posted 22 goals and 59 points in 61 games for the London Knights in 2022-23. That was a massive improvement from the 7 goals and 15 points in 53 games he scored the year before. Barkey also added 11 goals and 24 points in 20 postseason games last year.
Through 12 games in the OHL season, Barkey has scored 7 goals and 16 points and is projected to finish the year with 40 goals and 91 points. He is 7 goals behind Carson Rehkopf and 9 points back of Hunter Brzustewicz for the top spots in the OHL.
If you’ve forgotten what was said about him pre-draft, EliteProspects has the reminder:
“Barkey understands how to make plays as a passer. He attracts defenders to create space for teammates, constantly uses them to progress the attack, and layers feints in his stickhandling. His quick give-and-goes only add more pace to his play. And he also knows where and how to position himself to get the puck back in dangerous spots.”
Oliver Bonk
Denver Barkey’s teammate and one of 2 first round picks for the Flyers in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Oliver Bonk has started his season in scintillating form. The 6’2”, 176 pound defenseman was given the label as being one the most responsible, durable, and dependable defensemen in the draft. He wasn’t going to surprise or shock you with his offensive skillset but he was everything you would want in a stable, steady, and top-4 defenseman.
In 2021-22, Bonk scored 3 points in his first taste of the OHL with the London Knights in 10 games. He then entered his draft season with a lot of hope, a lot more responsibility, and a void in the defense that had to be filled. He scored 10 goals and 40 points in 67 games and added 11 assists in 21 post-season tilts. So far in 2o23-24 season, Bonk has tallied 10 assists in 12 games, including 3 assists on October 20th. The London Knights are always a top contender and this year is no different with Barkey, Bonk, and Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan leading the way.
His offensive game is starting to improve and once he couples that with his incredible shutdown game, the right-handed shooting defenseman will be a threat for years to come once he graduates from the junior circuits of the OHL to the big leagues with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the Philadelphia Flyers.
Carter Sotheran
The theme of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft for the Flyers was finding as many high-valued prospects as possible and they found one in nearly every round. You can make the argument that Michkov was a steal with the 7th overall pick, Zavragin should’ve gone higher if more scouts were present in Russia, Barkey and Alex Čiernik should’ve been drafted one round earlier, and Carter Sotheran falls in that same category as well.
The Flyers were able to land the smooth skating “transition ace” in the 5th round. He stands in at 6’3” and 205 pounds, is another right-hand shooting defenseman, and is coming off a season where he scored 23 points in 68 games in his first stint with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. So far this season he already has 3 goals and 7 points in just 10 games and he’s making the most out of his extra ice-time and responsibilities.
The 18-year-old is known for his end-to-end plays, being able to transition from defense to offense with ease, and being a right-handed shot makes him that much more valuable.
The Flyers have consistently had their fair share of issues with defensemen not being able to exit the zone or transition and with Bonk and Sotheran in the mix, the Flyers might have found their solution to that problem; we just have to be patient.
2024 Stadium Series Trip
Flyers Nation and Philly Sports Trips have teamed up to bring you on an amazing bus trip to the 2024 NHL Stadium Series between the Flyers and Devils. Place an early deposit to reserve your spot at the ultimate tailgate experience at MetLife Stadium before the game. The package includes a game ticket, round-trip charter bus, an all-inclusive tailgate party with unlimited cold beverages, “Philly Style” catered food, live entertainment, and more.
