From Vancouver, British Columbia to Columbus, Ohio the Flyers looked like they’d be awarded the first overall pick for the first time ever (I said awarded, we made a trade to select Mel Bridgman 1st overall in 1975). Unfortunately, the Blackhawks won the draft lottery and selected future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane first overall. If Chicago was one pick later the Flyers would’ve had the 1st overall pick.
*ALL STATS EXCLUDE THE 2020-21 SEASON*
First Pick: Round 1 Pick 2 (2)
Original Pick: James van Riemsdyk (LW)
New Pick: Jakub Voracek (7) (RW)
Wow, just had to be the team with the lowest odds of getting the 1st overall pick gets it. In 2007, teams could only move up 4 spots and of course the team at 5th wins the lottery and goes on to have a dynasty. JVR has been a mixed bag in his two stints with Philly. In 741 NHL games split between the Flyers and Maple Leafs he has scored 247 goals and 234 assists for 481 points. He is a hometown boy, being a Flyers fan growing up. We go from one current Flyer to another in Jake Voracek. In 915 games played with the Blue Jackets and Flyers Jake has scored 207 goals and 488 assists for 695 points. Although I’m using stats that don’t include this year I want to note that Jake has gotten his 500th assist. Jake went to the 2015 NHL All Star Game and was on the NHL’s 1st All Star Team that year.
Others in contention: Logan Couture (9), Ryan McDonagh (12), Kevin Shattenkirk (14), Max Pacioretty (22), David Perron (26)
Second Pick: Round 2 Pick 10 (41)
Original Pick: Kevin Marshall (D)
New Pick: PK Subban (D) (43)
This pick was acquired in a June 23, 2007 trade that sent Nashville’s 3rd (84-Phil DeSimone) and 2008 2nd (58-Dmitri Kugryshev) to Washington for this pick.
Kevin Marshall played 10 games for the Flyers without a point and spent the rest of his career in the AHL and in Europe. PK Subban isn’t the all star he once was. In 713 games with the Canadiens, Predators, and Devils he has 105 goals and 321 assists for 426 points. He was on the 2011 All Rookie Team, on the NHL’s First All Star Team in 2013 and 2015, went to every All Star Game from 2016-2018, named to the NHL’s Second All Star Team, NHL 19 cover athlete, and most importantly won the Norris in 2013. Subban is best known for his bigger than life personality and how much he gives back to the community like committing to raise $10 million for Montreal Children’s Hospital by 2022.
Others in contention: Wayne Simmonds (61)
Third Pick: Round 3 Pick 5 (66)
Original Pick: Garrett Klotz (D)
New Pick: Evgenii Dadonov (RW) (71)
This pick was acquired in a trade that sent Kyle Calder to Chicago for Lasse Kukkonen and this pick.
Klotz played a few seasons in the AHL with the Phantoms and Admirals but has been in the ECHL since the 2012-13 season, besides in 2016-17 where he played in the EIHL (Britain’s league). Evgenii Dadonov has proved to be a lot better. Dadonov had a slow start to his NHL career before going back to Russia and playing in the KHL before coming back and revitalizing his NHL career. In 280 games with the Panthers (he has signed with the Senators before the 2020-21 season) he has 91 goals and 111 assists for 202 points. His numbers before going back to the KHL are not as great (17 points, 8 goals and 9 assists in 40 games) as his numbers in the NHL after his return. In his first seasons back, he has scored no less than 25 goals a season.
Others in contention: none
Fourth Pick: Round 5 Pick 1 (122)
Original Pick: Mario Kempe (RW)
New Pick: Jamie Benn (LW) (129)
Mario isn’t as good as his brother Adrian, who plays for the Kings. He only played 70 games in the NHL with the Coyotes where he scored 6 goals and 7 assists for 13 points. The rest of the time he has been splitting his time between the AHL and KHL. Jamie Benn was the absolute right choice to take here. In 814 NHL games with the Stars he has scored 300 goals and 388 assists for 688 points. He is currently Dallas’s captain and has been since September 19, 2013. He has gone to the 2012 and 2016 All Star Games, was on the NHL’s First All Star Team in 2014 and 2016 and on the Second All Star Team in 2015. In that 2014-15 season, Benn led the league in scoring to capture his first, and only, Art Ross.
Others in contention: none
Fifth Pick: Round 6 Pick 1 (152)
Original Pick: Jon Kalinski (LW)
New Pick: Carl Hagelin (LW) (168)
Kalinski played in parts of 2 seasons in the NHL with the Flyers where he got 1 goal and 4 assists for 5 points in 22 games. He was with the Flyers organization for his whole career until the 2011-12 season where he was a part of the trade with the Lightning for Pavel Kubina, then he played with the Admirals and Bears to finish out his career. Carl Hagelin is a name many Flyers fans should be familiar with. He has played most of his career with metro teamsplaying 604 NHL games with the Rangers, Ducks, Penguins, Kings, and currently the Capitals he has 101 goals and 165 assists for 266 points. Hagelin is known most for his speed. He has 2 Cups, both with the Penguins.
Others in contention: none
Sixth Pick: Round 6 Pick 10 (161)
Original Pick: Patrick Maroon (LW)
New Pick: Patrick Maroon
This pick was acquired in a January 23, 2006 trade that sent Jon Sim to Florida for this pick.
Pat Maroon is currently a Stanley Cup luck charm that was one of the picks the Flyers made that was right. Never much of a big name player, Maroon was a great depth guy who used his body very well. He never played with the Flyers. In 513 NHL games with the Ducks, Oilers, Devils, Blues, and Lightning he has 97 goals and 132 assists for 229 points. He scored his 100th goal in a February 5, 2021 game between the Lightning and Red Wings. He is a reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion winning it in 2019 with his hometown Blues and this past season with the Lightning.
Others in contention: none
Seventh Pick: Round 7 Pick 1 (182)
Original Pick: Brad Phillips (G)
New Pick: Justin Braun (D) (201)
Brad Phillips was a career ECHL goalie with a 1 game stint with the Phantoms in 2011-12 that he won, but obviously that’s not enough to warrant this selection. Our good friend Justin Braun was just sitting there, and could’ve joined the Flyers over 10 years before he did. In 669 games with the Sharks and Flyers he has 27 goals and 146 assists for 173 points. He is best known for his defensive play than his offensive play.
Others in contention: Paul Postma (205)
Draft Picks Traded Away
NSH 1st (23-Jonathon Blum) to NSH for Scott Hartnell+Kimmo Timonen (We got their 1st about 4 months earlier when we sent Peter Forsberg to Nashville)
2nd (31-TJ Brennan) to BUF for Martin Biron
3rd (62-Mark Katic)+Freddy Meyer to NYI for Alexeei Zhitnik (NYI had the choice between Philly’s 2007 3rd or 2008 2nd round pick)
4th (92-Justin Vaive)+future considerations (couldn’t find out what that was, probably nothing) to ANA for Todd Fedoruk
Flyers Real 2007 Draft
James van Riemsdyk
Kevin Marshall
Garrett Klotz
Mario Kempe
Jon Kalinski
Patrick Maroon
Brad Phillips
Flyers New 2007 Draft
Jakub Voracek
PK Subban
Evgenii Dadonov
Jamie Benn
Carl Hagelin
Patrick Maroon
Justin Braun
By Noah Caplan (@Phlyers24 and @NoahlyPod)
Photo creds: Wikipedia
brotherlypuck.com 