Last year, if you were paying attention to the players the Philadelphia Flyers drafted, you began to notice a pattern. These guys were big. There was definitely a signal that Daniel Briere and Co. were sending to the rest of the NHL. The Broad Street Bullies were coming back and were preparing to do battle with the rest of the Eastern Conference. Drafting a series of large, but swift, players would, over time, turn the Flyers into a team that could battle it out for the puck and take charge of a game. Cool.
Turns out, there is a prospect the Flyers should be able to grab at 21 who fits that profile. He is a 6'7" center. For those keeping score, that is two inches shorter than Zdeno Chara, the tallest man ever to play in the NHL, and three inches taller than Eric Lindros. This 17-year-old prospect is named Brooks Rogowski.
The NHL ranks him as the 21st-best skater from North America heading into this draft and the 26th-best player overall. Elite Prospects shows that he is ranked, depending on which rater you want to use, anywhere from 17th to 50th.
Rogowski has played two years with the Oshawa Generals. So far, his stats are pedestrian: 26 goals and 39 assists over 112 games. He had arrived at the Generals after playing for Detroit Catholic Central High School. He is also committed to Michigan State for the fall. So, why are the draft projects all over the place?
Hockey scouts are drooling over his size. I mean, he's friggin 6'7". Most of the reports out there say he is pretty mobile and has decent speed considering how big he is. However, they are also critical about his lack of "first step"; he isn't initially quick, but once he gets moving, look out! He also seems to lack a lot of initial intensity.
Rogowski would be a project pick. He may slip into the second round. If there are other, more refined prospects to choose from, it might be good to take a chance and see if he falls into the second. Maybe he might be worth trading back up to snag if that is the case.
The Hockey Writers in their profile on him said the following:
"Rogowski’s size and overall skill set at this point already make him a player who can become an NHL power forward. With further development to his game, he could turn into a middle-six player who can provide secondary scoring in a non-play-driving role."Jordan Orth.
So, he's big, he's learning, and can win faceoffs. That's not a bad combination. Give him a great mentor, and time, and he could be that great power center the Flyers are looking for. You have to admit, it would be really intimidating to face off against someone who is 6"7" (and taller, considering the skates). Likewise, imagine seeing a behemoth like that barreling down on you in the corner to battle for the puck.
All of this makes Rogowski an intriguing pick. He might be a long-term project, but could be worth it in the end.
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