How will the new guys at the forward position fit with their Philadelphia Flyers teammates?

Last week we took a look at the defensive prospects that could push their way onto the Philadelphia Flyers opening day roster and how they could fit. This week we are going to cover which forwards with be joining the likes of Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, Sean Couturier, and Jakub Voracek.

This week’s process is going to be a little more straightforward (pun intended). Barring injury most expect the number two overall pick Nolan Patrick, the former fifth round pick from Sweden Oskar Lindblom, and the former St. Louis Blue Jori Lehtera to be the new regulars at the start of the season. So, here is a short breakdown of what the offensive gang can bring to the ice this season.

Nolan Patrick

To say we hit the lottery with Nolan Patrick is an understatement. The Philadelphia Flyers finished the 2016-17 season 13th from the bottom of the NHL. According to MyNHLDraft.com, the Flyers had just a 7.2% chance of jumping into the top three. Miraculously they jumped 11 spots to second overall and in the process sped up the rebuild by getting a possible cornerstone center.

There is one reason we are talking about Nolan Patrick instead of Nico Hischier and that is injuries. We will go into his incredible 2015-16 numbers, but his 2016-17 numbers suffered because he was dealing with a sports hernia on both sides of his body. He scored 46 points in 33 games, including 20 goals. That’s not bad for a guy dealing with two sports hernias. Here is a look at highlights from his healthy 2015-16 campaign.

Nolan Patrick can do everything on the ice. During the Brandon Wheat Kings’ 2015-16 season, Patrick tallied 102 points in 72 games including 41 goals. One of his go-to shots is beating the goalie’s short side with a quick, accurate snap shot. Patrick doesn’t have many weaknesses on the ice and is seen skating by defensemen even though he isn’t known as an elite skater. The scouting report from EliteProspects says,

A highly skilled and all-round player. Patrick has few, if any, holes in his game and stands out in many aspects. His hockey sense and competitiveness is top notch. At the same time he has above average skating, shooting and puck skills. Furthermore, Patrick is a reliable two-way player and will do an excellent job on the penalty kill. Very capable scorer and passer.

Patrick’s Projections

Standing at 6’2″ and 198 lbs, Patrick will also add some size to the Flyers who ranked as one of the shortest and lightest teams in the NHL last season. That isn’t to say you cannot win without size. The Stanley Cup Champions (who will not be named) were also one of the smaller teams in the NHL. But the combination of size and the skill Patrick has shown is ideal.

I don’t think enough people are out of this world excited about Patrick. As Giroux continues to decline from the point per game player he was a couple years ago, the Flyers now have an NHL ready replacement for his number one center scoring.

I hate giving out numbers to lines because everyone gets upset with what Sean Couturier is labeled. (Just stop, he’s an awesome player.) Nolan Patrick should be on the second scoring line to start the year. Sean Couturier should handle defensive duties against the other team’s best line. While Claude Giroux will still be manning the top-scoring line. We know Dave Hakstol doesn’t like fun, but the most entertaining line combo would be Travis Konecny and Oskar Lindblom centered by Patrick.