We’re almost there, folks! We’re almost to the Flyers’ pick at 23, but we’ve got one more player to profile before we hit that mark. And for a bit of good news, perhaps, we’ve finally got another defenseman breaking onto the list! Next up, we’ve got Kaiden Guhle, a big left handed defenseman coming off of a solid season (complete with some breakout offensive numbers) with Prince Albert in the WHL.
BSH 2020 Community Draft Board, No. 22: Kaiden Guhle
2019-20 Season
Team: Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Statistics: 11 G, 29 A in 64 GP
Pre-draft rankings
No. 8 (North American skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
No. 25 by Future Considerations
No. 14 by ISS Hockey
No. 31 by The Athletic (Wheeler)
What’s there to like?
What most immediately stands out about Guhle’s game is the fact that he’s an incredibly smooth skater. His speed his good, and his stride looks pretty effortless, and he’s also strong on his skates as well—though he could stand to bulk up a bit more, he’s already able to pretty easily protect and knock opponents off pucks. But that smooth stride, that ability to move up-ice with ease is going to be something that serves him well.
Also, Guhle’s defensive game is already rather well polished for a player so young. His anticipation of plays is solid, as is his gap control, and that makes him particularly effective at breaking up plays. He also brings a good bit of physical edge to his game, which certainly is a plus.
The stat line also tells us that, despite the fact that he isn’t known for stellar playmaking, Guhle is still able to chip in offensively. We might not expect him to put up huge offensive numbers at the professional level, but he has the ability to activate when necessary, and there’s a foundation in place to build upon.
What’s not to like?
If you’re looking for a defenseman who can also be a really strong and creative playmaker, well, Guhle isn’t exactly that. As we noted above, he does have a good shot and can contribute offensively, he isn’t really going to be the one making moves and dictating play and really blowing you away with his ability to make plays out of nothing (like we might see from someone like Shayne Gostisbehere or Travis Sanheim), that just really isn’t his game. There are a number of pieces working in that game, but he would probably be better suited as a partner for a stronger playmaking defender, which isn’t exactly a bad thing.
The other piece, and this is a smaller detail, is his puck handling needs a bit of polishing still. His vision is good, as is his first pass, and that means he can still be effective on breakouts, but his puck handing in-zone, when there’s less space and a bit more pressure, isn’t quite as strong. There doesn’t seem to be anything to suggest that this absolutely isn’t fixable for him, but it still does need some work.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
The Flyers, as we noted in some of our earlier profiles, their prospect pool is a bit thinner at defense, and even if Guhle is a few years away from turning pro, there may still not be in danger of being completely blocked from a lineup spot in the NHL. There isn’t really one thing that Guhle does markedly better than any of the other defensemen currently in the Flyers’ system, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He does still offer a well rounded game, and the NHL upside seems pretty clear, that though there may be some disagreements among scouts about just how high his ceiling is, it isn’t difficult to imagine him being an impact player at the NHL level, which is certainly a useful piece to have, even if it is in excess.
Could the Flyers actually get him?
As seems to be increasingly the case as we get into the back half of the first round, there’s some real variety in when these players are projected to go, depending on whose ranking you look at, and the same is the case with Guhle. He could go in the middle of the first round, or he might slip to the later part of the round (and if he does, that’s how the Flyers would be able to scoop him up, as they’ve suggested that they’re not really looking to make a trade to move up), neither feels for certain. It’s not a guarantee, but there is still at least a chance he’ll be available for the Flyers to pick at 23.
We’ll make two additions to the poll:
Jeremie Poirier — D, Saint John (QMJHL) — 20 G, 33 A in 64 GP
He uses the boards, teammates, and deception to create breakouts with relative ease. While carrying the puck through the neutral zone, Poirier wields the dotted line to shift defenders from his path and attacks on an arc as he transitions play into the offensive zone. He’s a pretty crafty stickhandler too and can occasionally take the puck into high-danger areas himself. — Elite Prospects
Lukas Reichel —LW, Berlin (DEL) — 12 G, 12 A in 42 GP
Reichel has a finesse and touch to his game that makes him more dangerous both off the rush and inside the offensive zone. The more I watch him, the more I appreciate the way his heads-up style allows him to impact the game as both a scoring threat and a creator for his linemates. There’s a comfort level about his game that I admire. He doesn’t rush plays under pressure. To have that assertiveness on the ice against professionals this early in his career is impressive. — The Athletic
2020 BSH Community Draft Board
- Alexis Lafreniere — LW, Rimouski (QMJHL)
- Quinton Byfield — C, Sudbury (OHL)
- Marco Rossi — C, Ottawa (OHL)
- Tim Stützle — LW/C, Manheim (DEL)
- Cole Perfetti — LW/C, Saginaw (OHL)
- Lucas Raymond — RW, Frölunda (SHL)
- Jamie Drysdale — D, Erie (OHL)
- Alexander Holtz — LW/RW, Djurgardens (SHL)
- Yaroslav Askarov — G, SKA (KHL)
- Anton Lundell — C, HIFK (Liiga)
- Connor Zary — C, Kamloops (WHL)
- Seth Jarvis — RW/C, Portland (WHL)
- Jake Sanderson — D, USNTDP (USHL)
- Noel Gunler — RW/LW, Lulea (SHL)
- Jan Mysak — C, Hamilton (OHL)
- Jack Quinn — RW, Ottawa (OHL)
- Jacob Perreault — RW, Sarnia (OHL)
- Mavrik Bourque — C, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
- Dylan Holloway — LW, Univ. of Wisconsin (NCAA)
- Rodion Amirov — L, Neftekamst (VHL)
- Hendrix Lapierre — C, Chicoutimi (QJMHL)
- Kaiden Guhle — D, Prince Albert (WHL)
- ???
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Please use your vote below to answer the following question: If all of the players listed were available when the Flyers were on the clock, who would you want them to pick?
Who should be No. 24 on the 2020 BSH Community Draft Board?
| Dawson Mercer | 4 |
| Emil Andrae | 1 |
| Jeremie Poirier | 0 |
| Lukas Reichel | 2 |
