Philadelphia Flyers: 2012 Draft surrounded with big trades

The Flyers grabbed the first of four defensemen next, nabbing Shayne Gostisbehere in the third round. He was coming off his freshman season at Union College. He was a big part of a team that gave up the fewest goals in the NCAA.

He also had shown a small ability to put the puck in the net as well. During his three seasons with Union, Gostisbehere chipped in with 22 goals and 82 points. That all culminated with championship in 2014. He was named the tournament’s MVP and earned a slew of awards. One of which was NCAA (ECAC) Player of the Year.

He debuted with the Phantoms following that championship. A devastating injury cut his  2014-15 season short. Gostisbehere has debuted for the Flyers, appearing in two games. He had also grabbed five points in five games in the AHL.

After rehabbing for the next year, Gostisbehere excelled in his rookie season for the Flyers. He grabbed 17 goals and 46 points, becoming a finalist for the league’s Rookie of the Year trophy. He also had a 14-game point streak, the most by a Flyers rookie defensemen.

The numbers dipped slightly the following year before he once again broke out during his third season in the NHL. He posted a career-high 65 points while grabbing 17 goals. He was looking like he was going to be one of the Flyers best defensemen for years to come.

That hasn’t been the case lately. Gostisbehere’s name has been in trade rumors for quite a while now. Last season wasn’t a true disappointment, but it was far from what the team had seen from him. This year was even worse, though Gostisbehere did end up needing arthroscopic knee surgery.

He has appeared in just 42 games this season, posting 12 points. Signing a lengthy extension in 2017, it’s possible his days in a Flyers uniform could be numbered. That is unless he bounces back to the player he had been in years prior.