World News – CA – Flyers take on right-winger Tyson Foerster in first round NHL Draft

Needing more genuine scorers in their system, the Flyers selected right winger Tyson Foerster with their first-round pick in Tuesday’s NHL virtual draft

Foerster, selected 23rd overall, is an edgy player who has been compared to Corey Perry The 6-foot-1, 194-pounder has 36 goals and 80 points in 62 League games. Ontario last season with the Barrie Colts It was a big improvement over his first season in the OHL (10 goals, 23 points)

« He’s a guy who shoots first, » said deputy general manager Brent Flahr « He’s just got that mentality »

Flahr said there was a group of players the Flyers liked at No 23, « and we decided to go with the scorer and a big guy »

During the pandemic, “We talked a lot to him and his skating trainer and his strength and conditioning trainer,” said Flahr “We think he’s made great strides in his spare time and that he used his time wisely « 

By the way he shoots the puck « and his instinct inside the attacking zone he should be a great addition to the Flyers’ organization, » said Flahr, adding that Foerster was « more than a simple shooter »

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Foerster, who played both center and wing, said he was trying to model his style after TJ Oschie by playing a strong two-way play He said he was in contact with the Flyers before the draft and that he had an idea that they could select him

Scouting pundits were divided over Foerster, with some saying he needed to improve his skating. He was ranked 16th by Craig Button of TSN, 29th by Bob McKenzie, 34th by Elite Prospects and 46th by McKeen’s Hockey

Foerster, 18, from Ontario, has a bad shot – he scored 18 power play goals last season, and he’s deadly with unique left-circle players – and is considered a good passer with a high hockey IQ He has defensive limits, say scouts

Flahr is not concerned about Foerster’s perceived deficiencies in skating, saying he will improve as he grows in strength

« Once he does that I think his overall game will improve more and more, » said Flahr

Foerster, who attended a Flyers game in Philadelphia when he was young, praised his former Barrie coach, former Flyer Dale Hawerchuk, 57, who died in August, for helping with his development

The Flyers missed a chance to draft center Ridly Greig, a fast and serious center whose father, Mark, is a longtime scout with Team Greig was selected by Ottawa at No 28

#Flyers scout Mark Greig was all smiles after his son, Ridly, was drafted by Ottawa Photo: Zack Hill picTwittercom / hDDdeA1Dkd

« The whole hall erupted when he was drafted, » general manager Chuck Fletcher said of the Flyers’ leadership in their draft hall at Voorhees

Just before the Flyers made their pick, division rival Washington struck a deal with Calgary, moving to No 22 and taking on talented center Hendrix Lapierre He fell to 22 due to an injury to the neck / head which limited him to 19 games in the QMJHL for Chicoutimi last year He started strong this season

”READ MORE: Flyers scout faces dilemma as son, who has been compared to Travis Konecny, prepares to be drafted | Sam Carchidi

Fletcher said the Caps taking Lapierre had « no impact » on the Flyers, hinting they weren’t going to draft him if he was available

« We were very, very happy with Tyson Foerster and excited that he was still here at 23, » said Fletcher

The Flyers have tackled defensemen in their two previous draft selections, selecting a total of six defensemen.Three of their top four picks last year were defensemen, including first-round selection Cam York (14th overall ), who played for US national team

A cry to Jack McIlhargey, former #Flyers player, assistant coach and scout who died at 68 in July https: // tco / Fes2api1Kn

Rounds 2-7 are on Wednesday starting at 11:30 a.m. (NHL Network) The Flyers don’t have a third round selection – it was traded to San Jose last year as part of the Justin Braun deal – and they have two seventh-round caps, one of which they acquired from Montreal

The Flyers’ next selection is No 54 overall Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith is arguably the best player ever to be called there Keith was taken there in 2002 and has played a major role in three Cup championships Stanley

Fletcher says the Flyers will take the best available player at 54, regardless of position

Next line of business for the Flyers after Wednesday is the free agency start Friday at noon With Matt Niskanen retiring superbly, the Flyers need a seasoned defenseman

Defenders of potential unrestricted free agents include St Louis Alex Pietrangelo, Torey Krug of Boston, Tyson Barrie of Toronto, Kevin Shattenkirk of Tampa Bay, Justin Schultz of Pittsburgh and Radko Gudas of Washington All are right-handed (like Niskanen) except Krug

« There are different ways to tackle this, » Fletcher said of filling the void left by Niskanen’s departure, « and to his credit, he gave us an early warning »

With pledges to 18 expected players on the squad, the Flyers have around $ 8 million in ceiling space but have yet to sign restricted free agents Nolan Patrick and Phil Myers

The Flyers made qualifying offers Tuesday to Patrick, Myers and Misha Vorobyev Vorobyev, 23, another restricted free agent, plays in the KHL of Russia, and the offer allows the Flyers to retain his rights to his he returns to the NHL

Before announcing the squad, Fletcher saluted the late Jack McIlhargey, former Flyers player, scout and assistant coach who died in July at age 68 As a rookie at the University of Michigan, York had 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) and a plus-9 rating in 30 games; he should turn pro after this season… The NHL has set Jan 1 as the target date to start the 2020-2021 season, said Commissioner Gary Bettman No date has yet been set for the opening of training camps Due pandemic, the Flyers will not be holding a development camp this year for his prospects, Flahr said Defenseman Jake Sanderson was the first American player drafted on Tuesday, led by Ottawa fifth overall Later he expects to become the first native from Montana to reach the NHL

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Tyson Foerster