The Philadelphia Flyers had five picks in the last five rounds of the 2012 NHL Draft, highlighted by defensman Shayne Gostisbehere, who was chosen with pick No. 78 in the 3rd round.
The 5-foot-11 Gostisbehere played at Union College of the ECAC last season, and scored 5 goals and 17 assists in 41 games for the Dutchmen. Gostisbehere is a solid two-way defensman according to Ian Aletnbaugh of Hockey's Future.
Gostisbehere is a smart, puck-moving defenseman who sees the ice remarkably well. But what sets him apart from many collegiate rookie defensemen is his ability to balance great offensive skills with a solid defensive game. Gostisbehere is smart in knowing when to jump into plays and his decision-making is very good. He moves exceedingly well with the puck and his passing skills are excellent. Gostisbehere also possesses a great stick and does a good job of taking away lanes.
Here is the entire Flyers' 2012 Draft order:
Rnd | Overall | Player | Pos | Country | Height | Weight | Amateur League | Amateur Team |
1 | 20 | Scott Laughton | C | CAN | 6' 0" | 177 | OHL | Oshawa |
2 | 45 | Anthony Stolarz | G | USA | 6' 5" | 210 | NAHL | Corpus Christi |
3 | 78 | Shayne Gostisbehere | D | USA | 5' 11" | 160 | ECAC | Union College |
4 | 111 | Fredrik Larsson | D | SWE | 6' 3" | 172 | SWE-JR. | Brynas Jr. |
4 | 117 | Taylor Leier | LW | CAN | 5' 10" | 174 | WHL | Portland |
5 | 141 | Reece Willcox | D | CAN | 6' 3" | 184 | BCHL | Merritt |
7 | 201 | Valeri Vasiliev | D | RUS | 6' 1" | 203 | RUSSIA-JR. | Spartak 2 |
For more from the 2012 NHL Draft and the Philadelphia Flyers offseason, stick with this storystream. For full time Flyers news and analysis, head over to Broad Street Hockey.