Philadelphia Flyers Draft: Top Five First Round Picks
Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Travis Sanheim poses for a photo with team officials after being selected as the number seventeen overall pick to the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The 2015 NHL Entry Draft is only days away, and Philadelphia Flyers are lucky enough to have two picks in the first round. We decided to take a look at the five best first round draft picks in the history of the orange and black. Although all of these players were drafted by Philadelphia in round one, it does not mean that they played the best seasons of their careers with the Flyers.
Without further ado, I present to you the five best first round draft picks in Philadelphia Flyers history!
Next: Number Five
Number Five: Simon Gagne
In the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, the Flyers selected Simon Gagne with the 22nd pick in the first round.
Simon Gagne dedicated eleven years to playing for the orange and black, and is ranked ninth all-time in goals and tenth in points for the franchise. In his 691 games played he recorded 264 goals and 271 assists for a total of 535 points. In addition he tallied 32 goals and 15 assists in 90 Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Flyers.
Next: Number Four
Number Four: Brian Propp
With the 14th overall pick in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, the Flyers selected Brian Propp.
The orange and black surely struck gold when they drafted Brian Propp. In his first season with the team, he set a Flyers’ rookie record with 75 points. In eleven years with Philadelphia, Propp put the puck in the back of the net 369 times and added 480 assists. On the Flyers’ all time lists, he currently sits in 2nd place in goals, 2nd place in assists, and 3rd place in points.
Next: Number Three
Apr 5, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux (28) looks on against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Number Three: Claude Giroux
In the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers used the 22nd overall pick on current captain, Claude Giroux.
Captain Claude is living proof that you do not need to have a top-five pick in the draft in order to draft a future star. Giroux is hands-downs the best player to come out of the 2006 draft class, and is the heart and soul of the Flyers. In his seven seasons with the team, Giroux has recorded 144 goals and 306 assists for a grand total of 450 points. At age 27, Claude Giroux has a lot of great hockey left in him and will hopefully be hoisting the cup for Philadelphia in the near future.
Next: Number Two
Nov 14, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Peter Forsberg (left) is greeted by Hall of famers Mats Sundin (right) and Borje Salming and Lanny MacDonald prior to a game at the Air Canada Centre between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Number Two: Peter Forsberg
The Flyers selected Peter Forsberg with the 6th overall pick in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft.
Although he was drafted by Philadelphia in 1991, Peter Forsberg was traded away in a deal for Eric Lindros and he did not play with the Flyers until 2005. Just because he wasn’t tearing it up with the orange and black does not mean we cannot acknowledge how dominant of a player Forsberg turned out to be. In 708 games played, Peter Forsberg scored 249 goals and tallied 636 assists. He finished his career with 885 points, and scored over 100 points in a single season twice.
Next: Number One
Number One: Bill Barber
In the 1972 NHL Entry Draft, the Flyers selected Bill Barber with the 7th overall pick.
One of the pioneers of the Philadelphia Flyers franchise, Bill Barber helped lead the orange and black to its only two Stanley Cup Championships. Barber scored at least 20 goals in all of his 12 seasons with the Flyers and recorded a career-high 50 goals in the 1975-1976 season. Bill Barber is ranked 2nd all-time in Flyers’ history in points with 883, and is the team’s all-time leader in goals with 420.
I was not alive to witness the great play of Bill Barber; but the statistics pretty much speak for itself. Although it happened 43 years ago, Bill Barber is the greatest player to ever be drafted by the Flyers in the first round.
Next: Expect Deals To Be Made!