As the draft board rolls along and we approach the Flyers’ first pick at #12, a well-rounded forward with family ties to the NHL enters the fray as a potential option.
Pre-Draft Rankings
No. 14 by Corey Pronman (The Athletic)
No. 15 by Scott Wheeler (The Athletic)
No. 11 by Sportsnet
No. 16 by Bob McKenzie (TSN)
Statistics
What’s there to like?
If Tij Iginla was an MLB prospect, you would most likely see a lot of outlets describing him as a “five-tool player”. He can do a little bit of everything, play either wing or forward, and is responsible and effective in all three zones of the ice. Some polish is obviously needed before he can look like an NHL star, but the base skills and attention to detail that are needed to become an elite two-way pro are already all there. You can tell that being the son of an NHL legend (Jarome Iginla, in case that needed explaining), has served his game well. He thinks the game at a very high level. There isn’t one specific spot that Iginla needs to focus on improving drastically, his current game just needs to mature over time.
As for his current game, it is pretty rock-solid. He gives a complete 200-foot effort, and is responsible and dangerous with the puck on his stick. But it isn’t all just mundane, attention to detail stuff with Iginla, during his second season in the WHL with Kelowna he really started to level up his scoring output. 47 goals and 84 points in 64 games aren’t exactly eye-popping numbers in the WHL, but for a 17 year old it is still a very impressive number. The only draft eligible forwards to beat his point total were Berkly Catton and Terik Parascak, both projected first-rounders. Plus, Iginla arguably has fewer holes in his game than those two.
He really impressed with Team Canada at the recent U-18 World Championships, scoring 12 points in 7 games on a gold medal winning squad, standing out amongst a collection of draft-eligible forwards, and placing third on the team in scoring behind 16-year old phenoms Gavin Mckenna and Porter Martone. His play here against his peers really drove the movement that sent his name into contention as a potential top-10, or even top-7 selection.
Overall, he is a dynamic offensive talent who is very confident carrying the puck, making plays, and working in tight under pressure. If he does develop as a center, he would have the potential to be a top-six, 2 way option for years to come who can play any situation. As a winger, he probably has a better chance to become an elite, top line player. His snap shot, quick stride, and sneaky physicality are similar traits to someone like Travis Konecny.
What’s not to like?
While there isn’t much to critique about Iginla’s game, there are questions as to how high his ceiling truly is in comparison to some of the players around this range. While he has done well this season to dissasemble some of those criticisms with his play, it still lingers. Names like the aformentioned Catton or US NTDP star Cole Eiserman are definitely viewed as sexier options due to their sky-high offensive ceilings, and it feels like Iginla is a slight step below that level.
He isn’t big enough to be a true “power forward” like his father Jarome, but will he be able to evolve into a skill player who is elite enough to dominate at the pro level? If not, he could find himself stuck between the two, and while having a talented 40-point forward is great, it isn’t necessarily what teams are looking for at the top-end of the first round. That may be why he has bounced around on draft boards, ranked anywhere from the top ten, to the late teens, depending on where you look.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
Tij Iginla is a Flyer-type player. He isn’t afraid to throw his weight around, he gets to dirty areas, and has some really great puck skills that he can use to generate space. Plus, he can be a menace on the forecheck, and loves creating choas that in turn creates offensive opportunies something that will definitely appeal to John Tortorella and his preferred playstyle. Iginla is also a shooter, with a wrist shot that can beat goaltenders clean and that he has confidence in using. That is a trait that the Flyers have long lacked, and that assertiveness can go a long way to revamping an offensive attack that really only struck fear into teams off the rush.
Iginla’s desire to score and have the puck on his stick is a type of selfishness the Flyers have lacked in the past, and his need to apply pressure on the opposition with his offense would be useful both at five-on-five, as well as on the man advantage. He would fill holes up and down the lineup, and if he is availible at #12 it wouldn’t come as a shock if the Flyers took a swing.
Can the Flyers actually get him?
Most mock drafts say that he should be around for the 12th pick, but there is one specific situation that will probably keep that status up in the air right until the Flyers are on the clock. Tij’s family ties link him to a number of teams around the league, but none stronger than that of the Calgary Flames. With Jarome Iginla still being a hero to Flames fans everywhere, it would be a hell of a story if they were to scoop up his son to begin the next generation of Flames hockey for years to come. Plus, with Calgary having the #9 selection in this year’s draft, it really wouldn’t be all that much of a reach for GM Craig Conroy (Jarome’s former linemate, by the way), to try and pick him there. It almost makes too much sense not to happen, but if for some reason the Flames front office balks at the opportunity, the Flyers sit in a good spot to take a swing.
If the Flames go with a defenseman, it would make a lot of sense for the Flyers to try and add another skilled, top-six level forward to their prospect pool.
What scouts are saying
So much of Iginla’s success comes down to his shot. He puts significant volume on net, but he’s always looking for opportunities to use space to his advantage. Iginla has a quick, deceptive release while creating his own time and space – a mark of a real game-changer. He’s not a follower; he makes his own luck. – Stephen Ellis, DailyFaceoff.com
Top-line NHL forward. 200-foot game has evolved. Provides more than just offence, but does compete and produce. Pushes through checks. Has the hockey sense to be used in a variety of roles. – Jason Bukala, Sportsnet
Welcome to the poll…
Carter Yakemchuk is a smooth skating, 6-3 defender who can shoot the puck like a rocket. He’s a potential power-play quarterback for the future and could very well be who the Flyers end up choosing at 12th overall. Here’s what scouts are saying about the Calgary Hitmen’s defenseman…
“Yakemchuk is a fascinating prospect. He’s a throwback on a lot of levels. Unfortunately, his Calgary Hitmen team didn’t qualify for the WHL playoffs, which meant his season finished at the end of March. However, his body of work over the course of the year rocketed him up the draft rankings. Ended his season with an impressive stats line that included 120 penalty minutes, and scored 10 goals on the power play. Big body. Mobile. Creative off the rush. Ability to break pucks out on his own or distribute and join as an extra layer.“
