Philadelphia Flyers: 2010 Draft class turned out to be a bust

Tye McGinn, Philadelphia Flyers (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)
Tye McGinn, Philadelphia Flyers (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)
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The 2010 NHL Draft turned out to be a tough time for the Flyers. Only one of their six draft picks suited up in a Philadelphia jersey.

There are times where a team hits on multiple players in a draft. There are also times where nothing seems to go right when you look back. That was the case for the Flyers in the 2010 NHL Draft.

The Flyers made a total of six selections that season. They didn’t make a single pick until the third round. And that pick was given to them after they traded the rights to Dan Hamhuis to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

They ended up with two seventh round picks, one of which was acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Flyers traded away Jon Matsumoto as a part of the deal.

So all in all, six players became a part of the Flyers organization after the two day event. But how many of them actually played in the NHL? The answer to that one is three of them.

How many of those three played for the Flyers? You would like to say all of them, but that is not the case. Only one player drafted in 2010 ever suited up in a Flyers uniform.

But for now, let’s start with the team’s first pick in the third round.

Michael Chaput, Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Michael Chaput, Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Michael Chaput was drafted 89th overall by the Flyers. Chaput had just completed a successful first full season in the QMJHL for the Lewiston Maineiacs.

His 28 goals led the team while his 55 points were second. He finished fifth in assists with 27. At the end of his QMJHL career, he had collected 77 goals and 110 assists.

However, he never appeared in a single game in the Flyers organization. Instead, he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011. They acquired Tom Sestito in the deal, while also sending away Greg Moore.

Chaput was signed to an entry level contract about a month after the Blue Jackets acquired him. He made his professional debut with the Springfield Thunderbirds the following season. He wouldn’t make his NHL debut until the 2013-14 season, but would only get 17 games.

Chaput scored his first NHL goal the following season, gathering five points in 33 games. He would get one more shot with Columbus in 2015-16, but would only grab one point in eight games.

He would later sign with the Vancouver Canucks in free agency. He was given more of a chance, appearing in 68 games in the 2016-17 season. Chaput had a career high four goals and five assists. Not much, but it was the most he had posted in a season.

He was later traded during the summer of 2018. The Canucks sent him to the Blackhawks. However, he was only with them for a day as they did not send him a qualifying offer.

Chaput was given another NHL chance when he signed with the Montreal Canadiens. After 10 points in 18 games with the Laval Rocket, he was called back up to the NHL. He failed to impress again, though, registering just five points in 32 games.

His latest season was spent with the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. There he had 16 goals and 13 assists in 47 games. He did recently sign a one year extension to remain in the Coyotes organization.

Tye McGinn, Philadelphia Flyers (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)
Tye McGinn, Philadelphia Flyers (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) /

Tye McGinn was the Flyers fourth round pick, taken 119th overall. Out of all of their draft picks that year, he is the only one to have played for the Flyers.

He came to the Flyers from the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL. Coming into the draft, McGinn led his junior team in all offensive categories. He had also averaged over a point-per-game that season. His 62 points were more than double of what he posted his rookie season.

McGinn made his professional debut with the Adirondack Phantoms in 2011. There he posted 12 goals and six assists. He was given the opportunity to play in the NHL the following season.

He performed adequately in his 18 games, registering three goals and two assists. His first NHL goal came during the third game of his career. McGinn became a standout player for the Phantoms the following season. He was third on the team in points and second in goals.

He was given another chance in the NHL, appearing in 18 games once again in the 2013-14 season. There he posted four goals and one assist. His skill in the AHL wasn’t translating to the NHL. That led the team to trade him to the San Jose Sharks during the summer of 2014.

From there, he saw NHL time with the Sharks, Arizona Coyotes and Tampa Bay Lighting. McGinn collected seven points in 53 games. Since the 2015-16 season, he has been playing in the AHL.

He has been a part of the Syracuse Crunch, Tucson Roadrunners, Manitoba Moose and Chicago Wolves. He has most recently spent the last season with the Wolves, an affiliate of the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

Michael Parks, North Dakota (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
Michael Parks, North Dakota (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) /

Michael Parks was the next player drafted by the Flyers. He was taken 149th overall in the fifth round. He is one of three consecutive picks that never played a game in the NHL.

Parks had just finished his first season with the Cedar Rapids Roughriders. He posted 22 points in 51 games. He was far better in his second season, grabbing 41 points in 56 games.

From there, he went off to the University of North Dakota to begin his collegiate career. He posted doubt digit goals in all but one of his four seasons. Parks reached the 30-point mark in his final two seasons.

Making his professional debut during the 2015-16 season, Parks only appeared in three games for the Phantoms. He registered one assist. His season was cut extremely short thanks to a shoulder injury.

From there, he signed with the Quad City Mallards of the ECHL. He broke out that season, posting 29 goals and 27 assists in 61 games. However, that was the only full season he would play in North America.

Parks would go on to sign a contract in Finland with the Vaasan Sport, the top team in the league. He spent half the 2017-18 season with them, collecting 11 goals and nine assists. He would later move on to the Swedish league, signing on with Timra IK.

After continuing his career in Europe the following season, Parks made his return to North America this past season. Though, he only lasted 18 games with the Kansas City Mavericks of the ECHL.

Parks is now in Slovakia with HKM Zvolen. He had six goals and 13 assists in 23 games.

Nick Luukko, Vermont Catamounts (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
Nick Luukko, Vermont Catamounts (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) /

Next on the list is someone who is still in the Flyers organization. Nick Luukko was drafted in the sixth round, 179th overall. The second consecutive pick to have never played in the NHL, Luukko actually recently retired from professional hockey.

A high school graduate, Luukko had just finished up his final season at Gunnery Prep School. He posted three goals and 22 assists in 32 games.

He then headed off to the USHL to play for the Dubuque Fighting Saints. He played one season for the team before moving on to the University of Vermont. Luukko wasn’t a big collegiate player, amassing just 35 points in 131 games.

He made his professional debut with the Phantoms at the end of the 2014-15 season. He would only appear in seven total games for the team, registering no points.

His career has been spent with the Reading Royals of the ECHL. His best season came in 2018-19 where he scored 10 goals and 22 assists. His 87 total points were the most for a Royals defensemen.

That would be his last year, however. He still remains with the Royals, though. Following that season, Luukko decided to retire and was named an assistant coach for the Royals.

Richard Blidstrand wraps up the list of players to have not appeared in a single NHL game. He was drafted by the Flyers in the seventh round, 206th overall.

A career spent mostly in Sweden, Blidstrand recorded eight points for AIK J20 of the SuperElit league. He would make his North American debut for the Regina Pats of the WHL the following season.

He would only play two seasons in the WHL, collecting 43 career points in 132 games. Blidstrand returned to Sweden in 2012 and has been there ever since.

He was never a big scorer during his career. His 17 points with the Pats during his first season is the most he has ever put up in a single year.

Blidstrand was most recently back with AK this past season. He recorded five assists in 50 games.

Brendan Ranford, Eisbaeren Berlin (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
Brendan Ranford, Eisbaeren Berlin (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /

Finishing off the list is Brendan Ranford. He was the Flyers final pick in the seventh round, 209th overall.

Ranford was in his second full season in the WHL. With the Kamloops Blazers, he had 29 goals and 36 assists. He finished second on the team in all offensive categories.

The Flyers never signed Ranford to a contract, making him a free agent in 2013. He signed a try-out contract with the Texas Stars of the AHL. After perfuming well in training camp, he was officially signed to a contract the following season.

He enjoyed a successful season with the Stars affiliate, posting 33 points in 65 games. Ranford was the AHL’s best rookie in the playoffs, leading the way with 16 points. Texas would win their first ever Calder Cup Trophy that season.

The Dallas Stars would sign him to his first NHL contract in 2014. That would be the season he appeared in his first and only NHL game. From there, he spent the next four seasons with various AHL teams.

After not finding much success with North American hockey, Ranford decided to sign in Germany with Eisbären Berlin. He had a solid season there, registering 13 goals and 15 assists in 51 games.

Ranford then moved on to Sweden this past season, signing with Mora IK of the Allsvenskan. He was solid there as well, collecting 11 goals and 12 assists in 29 games.

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