At 50th overall, the Philadelphia Flyers have taken left-handed defenseman Adam Ginning. He finished the season ranked as fifth on Central Scouting’s final rankings for European skaters.
The 6’4”, 205-pound blue liner spent most of the season with Linkoping HC in the SHL this season, where he had one goal and one assist in 28 regular season games as well as one assist in seven playoff games. Ginning also had a goal and five helpers in 17 games for Linkoping HC’s U-20 team in the SuperElit.
As a defender with that size, it’s not surprising that Ginning’s best attributes are his strength and physicality. Here’s what SB Nation’s Eyes on the Prize had to say about Ginning’s play style back in May:
Ginning utilizes his size effectively — especially when playing on a North American-sized rink — and does well to keep things simple on the ice. His lower body strength helps him win battles along the boards and sets his balance for play in front of the net.
The big defender is also good at defending off the rush. He is tough to get around and utilizes his stick to disrupt and direct the opposing forward approaching on his side of the ice to the outside lane.
While not known for his dazzling zone entries or sharp shot, Ginning has an effective outlet pass and can help turn plays around. He handles forechecking pressure well and is precise when springing teammates in the neutral zone. He can also use this passing ability and some deception to create shooting opportunities for others when he is positioned at the point.
The stats may not be there for Ginning, but scouts love his shutdown ability and he’s regarded as a punishing hitter. Picking a d-man that doesn’t produce much offensively and is regarded as a shutdown guy may not be the ideal pick for a player in the second round, but Ginning’s play isn’t similar to a lot of other defensemen in the Flyers’ system, so he does fill a need in the prospect pool.
