With their first top-10 pick in five years, and their first pick in the first round since 2008, the Flyers selected center Sean Couturier of the QMJHL. Central Scouting ranked him the sixth best skater in North America, and he was listed as the second best as of the halfway point of this year.
Couturier is often compared to Jordan Staal as a shutdown type center, capable of facing the opposition’s best. The list of accolades for Couturier includes 2011 World Juniors silver medalist, QMJHL MVP in 2011, QMJHL leading scorer in 2010, and the first 17-year old to lead the QMJHL in scoring since Sidney Crosby in 2005.
The NHL.com scouting report on Courturier says:
“At his size, he’ll be hard to pass up in the draft. He possesses a very good work ethic and he’s out there for every important faceoff. He’s very responsible in the defensive aspect of the game — a rare quality for such a young player in junior hockey."
After trading both Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, it seems like the Flyers have drafted their replacements. Courturier is a two-way player who can also score, just like the former Flyers’ duo.
For more on Couturier, check out In Lou We Trust’s thorough report, his Elite Prospects page for stats, and the NHL.com story on his being drafted.