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Philadelphia Flyers Prospect Profile: Travis Konecny

ByKevin Gullage|

We are now entering week four of our prospect breakdown, and I thought it would be nice to change it up a little. I thought we would target a forward this week. I chose to do a prospect breakdown on Travis Konecny this week. Before we start breaking Konecny down, here’s a quick look at his bio.

Name: Travis Konecny

Birth-Date: March 11^th, 1197

Height and Weight: 5’10”, 175 pounds

Drafted: 1^st round, 24^th overall in the 2015 NHL draft

Position: Center/RW

Shoots: Right

CHL Affiliation: Ottawa 67’s

Travis Konecny is a player that Ron Hextall couldn’t pass up. This was very apparent when Flyers GM Ron Hextall decided to trade up and select Travis this year at the 2015 NHL draft in Sunrise, Florida. Just by watching this kid play for a little while, you can immediately tell why scouts and Ron Hextall had such strong feelings for him.

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It was a definite surprise that Konecny was still on the board when the Flyers made their 24th overall selection in the 1^st round. Konecny was projected to go top 15 by TSN. I think it’s safe to say that the Flyers got a steal for when they selected him.

Here’s what Ron Hextall had to say about him, “He’s got the heart of a lion, and that’s huge for us,” Hextall said. “I didn’t think we had a chance to get him, and we got a call and acted on it quick.”

Here’s what Chris Edwards, Director of NHL Central Scouting had to say about Konecny, “He’s a highly skilled forward who never quits. He skates very well, has excellent speed, is not afraid to get involved in battles and has no fear of taking the puck to the net.”

When you watch Travis on the ice, you can immediately pinpoint where he is. Although he is small in terms of NHL players, he makes up for it with his speed and hockey IQ. To me, his best attributes aren’t the two qualities that I just described to you; it’s his quick release, fast hands, and his level of grit and competitiveness.

Konecny will give you his all, day in and day out. He plays a very fast paced game that allows him to open up space and create lanes. He embraces his leadership role, as he captained the Ottawa 67’s at just 18 years old and went on to put up 138 points in just 123 games played. He most certainly leads by example.

For Travis’ size, he sure isn’t afraid to throw the body. We saw this in the CHL prospects game where he leveled Filip Chlapik. While playing in the top prospects game, Konecny recorded two goals, and one assist while playing on a line with Timo Meier and Connor McDavid.

One highlight of Travis’s career was becoming the first recipient of the E.J. McGuire award. Each year, a draft eligible prospect will be chosen for the award. This award is given to an individual who is committed to excellence through competitiveness, athleticism and strength of character. This absolutely defines the type of individual Konecny is.

Another highlight I believe in Konecny’s career would have to be winning the Gold medal while captain for Team Canada. He put up six points through five games during the summertime tournament also known as the Hlinka tournament.

Here’s a quick one on one interview that Travis did during development camp that I think will give you a quick look into the type of person and character that Travis possesses.

Projected time of arrival for the Philadelphia Flyers: 2016-2017 full time – depending on his development.

I believe Travis will play one more year with the 67’s and then transition to the professional level. I’m going out on a limb here but I do believe that Konecny has a shot to make the team next year. With the contract extensions that have just been signed, the Flyers are going to be even more cap strapped and will look to younger players to fill the voids. One of these players is Travis Konecny. I believe that this kid has it all when it comes to talent.

Next: All-Time Assists Leaders For the Flyers

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