Ranking Flyers’ Top 10 Prospects; Shuffle at No. 1

As we get closer to the 2022-23 season, it’s a good time to update our Philadelphia Flyers’ prospects list.

The list does not include players who are no longer considered rookies, such as Cam York and Morgan Frost. York was the top prospect in our last list.

Goalie Ivan Fedotov would have been fairly high on the list, but he is in the Russian Navy, and it is unknown if or when he will play for the Flyers.

Here is Philly Hockey Now’s list:

1. Cutter Gauthier, C/LW, 6-3, 200 pounds.

Draft position: 1^st round in 2022, No. 5 overall.

Skinny: A Boston College freshman, Gauthier is a superb all-around prospect who has a wicked shot. He could be a Flyers regular in 2023-24. He is one of the Flyers’ main building blocks, and he is projected as a top-line center down the road.

2. Emil Andrae, D, 5-9, 181.

Draft position: 2nd round in 2020, No. 54 overall.

Skinny: I’ve been calling him Kimmo Timonen Lite since the Flyers drafted him. That’s high praise. Andrae raised his stock with his dominance in the recent World Juniors, and he will continue to grow his game in the Swedish Hockey League.

3. Tyson Foerster, RW, 6-2, 194.

Draft position: 1st round in 2020, No. 23 overall.

Skinny: He has recovered from last year’s shoulder surgery and looked great at the Flyers’ development camp in July. The owner of a booming shot, Foerster will likely start the year with the Phantoms, but could work his way to Philadelphia at some point during the season.

4.  Wade Allison, RW, 6-2, 205.

Draft position: 2nd round in 2016, No. 52 overall.

Skinny: Call him the Hard-Luck Kid. Injuries have derailed his career, but he is now healthy and could earn a spot with the Flyers in training camp. If he doesn’t, he should be here at some point this season. Allison has a great shot and is a presence in front of the net.

5. Bobby Brink, RW, 5-8, 166.

Draft position: 2nd round in 2019, No. 34 overall.

Skinny: In late July, Philadelphia Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher said Brink would miss about five months following hip surgery. That means he doesn’t figure to play for the Phantoms until late December. Brink, who had four points over 10 games with the Flyers last season, was the nation’s leading collegiate score last year for NCAA champ Denver.

6. Noah Cates, LW, 6-1, 165.

Draft position: 5th round in 2017, No. 137 overall.

Skinny: Cates opened eyes in a 16-game stint with the Flyers last season, collecting five goals, four points and a plus-4 rating. He is favored to come out of training camp as the third-line left winger.

7. Egor Zamula, D, 6-3, 177.

Draft position: Undrafted in 2018; signed as free agent

Skinny: He needs to put on more muscle and weight, but Zamula has the ability to be a regular in 2023-24. The Russian needs another year of seasoning with the Phantoms.

8. Tanner Laczynski, C/LW, 6-1, 190.

Draft position: 6th round in 2016, No. 169 overall.

Skinny: Like Allison, he will battle for a spot during training camp. A former Ohio State standout, Laczynski missed most of last season because of surgery to his left hip — about six earlier, he had surgery on the right hip. Of all the players on the Phantoms last season, Lehigh Valley coach Ian Laperriere believes Laczynski has the best shot to start the season with the Flyers. He listed him just above Allison.

9. Ronnie Attard, D, 6-3, 208.

Draft position: 3rd round in 2019, No. 72 overall.

Skinny: The former Western Michigan standout had a shay start to a late-season stint with the Flyers, then recovered nicely. He needs some time with the Phantoms, but the righthanded-shooting Attard should be NHL-ready after some seasoning.

10. Elliot Desnoyers, LW, 5-11, 183.

Draft position: 5th round in 2020, No. 135 overall.

Skinny:  Desnoyers had an eye-opening season (42 goals, 88 points in 61 games) for Halifax in the QMJHL, and is ticketed for the Phantoms this year. He edged Jay O’Brien (Boston University) for the final spot