The Flyers have the 48th and 52nd overall picks in the NHL draft later this month.
There are going to be some really talented players still available in the second round. The draft has a flow, and when a few teams pick off the board or there's a run on a particular position, it can really affect where players get drafted.
The key here is the Flyers are continuing to stock the cupboard. You can never have too many good defensemen. They are a commodity and they can bring back important assets.
Here are some players I think the Flyers will be tracking in the second round:
Nathan Bastian, RW, 6-4/205, Mississauga (OHL)
At 18 years old, Bastian has already played 160 overall games, including playoffs, for the Steelers of the OHL. He's a big, late birthday winger with a lot of promise.
The Flyers may like his strong work ethic, too. They may have to trade up slightly in the second in order to get him, however.
Vladimir Kuznetsov, RW, 6-2/214, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)
The buzz surrounding the "Russian Tank" is gaining steam. He had a good showing in Grand Forks, North Dakota, at the U-18s. He's picked up his workouts since and looked fit at the combine earlier this month.
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Kuznetsov is a big-bodied right winger who could really be something down the road. The Flyers have eyes on him, as they met with him at the combine.
Trent Frederic, C, 6-2/203, USNTDP (USHL)
Frederic, a talented pivot, had the second-best fatigue index at the combine. That bodes well for the second-liner from the United States National Team Development Program.
At the U-18s, Frederic had seven points in seven games with four goals. He's a great skater and works hard to create scoring chances.
Adam Fox, D, 5-11/185, USNTDP (USHL)
Fox, a smooth-skating defenseman, had 59 points in 64 games for the USNTDP. He saw his stock rise slightly after his stellar performance at the U-18s, where he registered nine points in eight games. The Long Island, New York, native can make the hard, accurate passes right on the tape that the NHL requires of its defensemen. He can also quarterback the power play.
Tarmo Reunanen, D, 6-0/178, TPS (Liiga)
An injury caused Reunanen to miss a lot of last season in the Finnish Elite League. He played just 11 regular-season games and two preseason contests for TPS.
Reunanen benefits from his feistiness and good stick on defense, both of which add to his package. His offensive game and crisp passing have teams talking about him.
Tyler Benson, LW, 6-0/196, Vancouver (WHL)
Benson is another player who lost a large portion of last season because of injury. Christian Dvorak had the same issue and went 58th overall in 2014. Dvorak won a Memorial Cup that year with the London Knights.
Benson, the Vancouver Giants' captain, was just shy of a point-per-game player this year.
Lucas Johansen, D, 6-2/175, Kelowna (WHL)
The younger brother of Nashville Predators forward Ryan Johansen, Lucas can cover the better players. His skating is excellent and he protects the puck well with his body, especially in the offensive zone.
Johansen is a terrific passer with excellent stick and puck skills. He had 10 goals and 49 points in 69 games this year for Kelowna. He gets physically stronger each year, and he's terrific on both the penalty kill and power play.
Victor Mete, D, 5-10/174, London (OHL)
Don't let the size fool you. Mete is used to covering a lot of terrific talent with his excellent speed with the London Knights. He was an important cog in the Knights' championship this season.
The blueliner turned up his offense during the Memorial Cup run, with 11 points in 18 postseason games. He can be a power-play quarterback.
Sam Steel, C, 5-11, 176, Regina (WHL)
Steel is a terrific all-around pivot who works hard and trains harder. His offense has improved every season for the Regina Pats. His stick skills are excellent and he's strong on the penalty kill. Steel had 16 points in 12 playoff games this season.
He has a high ceiling.
Simon Stransky, LW, 6-0/174, Prince Albert (WHL)
The Czech forward plays with a lot of heart. He was a point-per-game player this season for the Prince Albert Raiders. Stransky had four points in five playoff games, and he always manages to score goals in big tournaments.
Stransky's father is a coach and the kid is very mature both on and off the ice.
