The consistent refrain for those in and around the Philadelphia Flyers organization has been that, due to a glut of young defenseman either headed up the NHL pipeline or soon to be clogging it, GM Ron Hextall is likely to focus his efforts in the 2015 NHL Draft on the forward position.
Despite that assumption, it seems the Flyers and Hextall may have instead focused their first-round sights on a defenseman considered by many to be the best, or the second-best player at his position in the entire draft - Brandon Wheat Kings blueliner Ivan Provorov.
"And despite a glut of high-level blue liners in the pipeline, Provorov is the player believed to be the consensus No. 1 on the Flyers' draft chart behind obvious choices Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel," writes Frank Seravalli of The Philadelphia Daily News.
"One scout says if Provorov is still available when the Flyers select at No. 7, that he 'unequivocally' will be heading to Philadelphia."
Provorov, 18, played only one season with the Wheat Kings - a team which hails from the town Hextall grew up in and an organization the one-time hot-headed goalie played for. Prior to that, Provorov was in Cedar Rapids as a member of the RoughRiders and before that he spent the first two years of his American life playing in Pittston, Pa with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights.
In short, he's a player Hextall and the Flyers brass knows well. And according to Seravalli, what they know of him they must really like, as a trade up is being considered within certain areas of the organization.
"One source says Flyers amateur scout Mark Greig, the WHL expert who pushed for defenseman Travis Sanheim at No. 17 overall last June, has pleaded with Hextall to trade up to ensure the Flyers can snag Provorov," writes Seravalli. "That might prove difficult, since the Flyers likely would need to package a roster player in addition to the No. 7 pick just to jump up a couple slots in this high-end draft."
The 6-foot-1, 201-pound Provorov has played second fiddle to Boston College's Noah Hanifin in defenseman rankings during much of the lead up to the 2015 NHL Draft, but it seems in recent days that Provorov's stock has soared.
"Ivan understands the game extremely well and is able to use his considerable talents to contribute in any area and every situation. Calm, poised and competitive he is in command when he's on the ice. The best defenseman in this draft and I see him as a number one who will anchor a blue line," TSN's Bob McKenzie writes in his pre-draft rankings.
For Hextall, with Sam Morin, Shayne Gostisbehere, last year's first-rounder Travis Sanheim and 2013 second-rounder Robert Hagg all likely headed to the NHL sooner rather than later, selecting yet another defenseman doesn't seem the like smartest play.
Then again, the blueline has been a troublesome spot in Philly for years now, ever since Chris Pronger suffered a career-ending head injury. While the Flyer defensive pipeline might be full of talent, none of it is as yet established or certain to develop as expected.
Adding Provorov to the stable would only strengthen a position that needs a complete overhaul in the next couple of seasons.
"I can't explain it," one scout told Seravalli. "With some players, you can just sense it, you get this can't-miss feeling about them. That's Ivan."
