Winner: Adam Ginning
Get used to hearing his name, because Adam Ginning is ready to make some noise after some years in Flyers prospect obscurity. The behemoth defenseman made his NHL debut in the 2022-23 season and spent 68 games with the Phantoms, scoring three goals and 16 assists. Ginning doesn’t have the upside of say, an Emil Andrae, but he plays a simple game and the organization likes him as a potential shutdown defender.
Briere praised Ginning, Andrae, and Helge Grans for their performances over the weekend, but Ginning is the oldest of the bunch. The 23-year-old won’t be considered a prospect much longer, due to both his age and his likelihood of graduating to the big club.
Grans is still a bit of a project, but his development has been encouraging since the Los Angeles Kings were willing to part ways with him so early. He plays on the right side though, so he won’t affect Ginning in any way. Look for all three of these defensemen to hit NHL ice this season, but the 6-foot-4 Ginning seems to be the early frontrunner.