Analyzing The Flyers 2019 Draft Class

With their seasons complete, let’s take a look at how the Flyers 2019 draft class fared with their respective teams.

The Flyers drafted seven players during the 2019 NHL Entry Level Draft. Four of their prospects were entering their freshman seasons while the other three continued their junior careers.

Cam York: First round, 14th overall

It was a strong year for York during his first season at the University of Michigan. In 30 games, he collected five goals and 11 assists. His 16 points were fifth on the team while his assists had him fourth. It’s hard to find many moments where York didn’t play well this season. His skating ability and vision on the ice are two of his biggest assets.

There was some brief thought that York could be a one-and-done at Michigan. But he was limited by some injuries and still has a somewhat smaller frame. So he will likely return to Michigan for his sophomore season.

Bobby Brink: Second round, 34th overall

It was an excellent freshman season for Brink. He’s up for NCHC Rookie of the Year after posting 16 points in his first season. He led all rookies with 0.94 points-per-game. Brink had already taken home NCHC Rookie of the Week and Rookie of the Month multiple times during the season.

Despite an injury ending his season early, Brink finished fourth on the team in points and third in goals. Those numbers were first among Denver’s freshman class. While he could take a similar route to Joel Farabee, Brink is likely better off staying in college to bulk up.

Ronald Attard: Third round, 72nd overall

Attard put together a decent year during his freshman season at Western Michigan. His 14 points were 13th on the team, third overall among defensemen. He was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team. He’s the second Flyers prospect with that honor as Brink was named to the team as well.

Attard was a late-bloomer coming in, posting an outstanding 30 goals and 64 points as the captain of the Tri-City Storm last year. He had eight goals and 15 points the season before. That earned him USA Hockey Junior Player of the Year, USHL Defensemen of the Year and USHL Player of the Year. His goals and points were the most ever by a USHL defenseman.

Mason Millman: Fourth round, 103rd overall

Millman posted big numbers during his second season with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. He nearly doubled his point total from the previous season, finishing with 44 points. He was sixth on the team in points, ninth in goals. His points were technically second among defensemen as teammate D.J. Busdeker is listed as RW/D according to Elite Prospects.

He’s got two more seasons before turning pro, but the tools are there for him to succeed once he gets that far. He’s only 18-years-old, so there is plenty of time. Millman averaged 0.76 PPG, a step in the right direction from his 0.38 PPG the season before.

Egor Serdyuk: Sixth round, 165th overall

In his second season with the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL, it was an overall solid year for Serdyuk. The points were down, but he appeared in 13 fewer games than the season before. His 40 points still ended up third on the team and second among forwards. It was the same for his goal output as well.

Nagging injuries stunted him early on in the season. He does have a scoring touch, as he posted 25 goals in his rookie season and 16 goals this last year. A fully healthy season could see Serdyuk back to the 20-goal mark.

Roddy Ross: Sixth round, 169th overall

The only goaltender taken by the Flyers in this draft, Ross has the reigns on the starting role for the Seattle Thunderbirds. He posted a 20-21-4-3 record in his second season with the team. In those 49 games, he had a 3.17 GAA and a .908 SV%.

The numbers are slightly down from the season before, but that is likely due to Ross appearing in over 20 more games this season. He had shared duties with Liam Hughes last year before taking over the starting role this year after Hughes’ departure. The Thunderbirds are a young team and that can typically mean a hectic scene for a goaltender. But Ross had handled it well and that chaos can only help him going forward.

Bryce Brodzinski: Seventh round, 196th overall

Brodzinski is coming off his first season at the University of Minnesota. It was a decent year for the freshman, grabbing seven goals and five assists in 37 games. It has been a learning experience for the forward. With a family full of hockey players, Brodzinski will no doubt have plenty of people around him to help him develop and grow.

He has two brothers who have already turned pro, while another finished his senior season at St. Cloud State. It took a while for Brodzinski to get adjusted to the college level. His first goal didn’t come until his 14th game of the season. The comfort level seemed to come later in the season. He became a threat on an all-freshman third line with Jonny Sorenson and Jaxon Nelson.

Overall it was a good year for the Flyers’ 2019 draft class. Most took a step forward in their developments, while some ended up excelling in their first years after being drafted. It’s likely all will be returning to their teams next season.