A well-rounded winger with a snappy release, Schenn arrived in the Loo via a trade from the Flyers on the day of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Expect the 25-year-old to have little trouble asserting himself as a second-line center with the venerable Alex Steen and 2014 first-round draft choice Robby Fabbri (provided his knee holds up). As an added bonus for fantasy owners relying on defensive contributors, the experienced Schenn has doled out 100-plus hits in each of the last six seasons, plus he’s quite durable, having missed only missed three regular-season contests since 2013-14. Further, Schenn’s career points-per-game average stands at 0.57 and he’s a perpetual power-play maven. Best of all, he could fly under the radar in many drafts by virtue of his new team featuring the ever-popular Vladimir Tarasenko.
We finally saw the beginning of Schenn’s prime hit last year, as he exploded for career highs across a multitude of categories – goals, assists, power-play goals, power-play points – while continuing to bring his Philly-friendly physical game to the rink every night. As Schenn enters his age-25 season, he could very easily build on those numbers – it’s highly unlikely that he’s topped out here. The Flyers clearly agree, having inked 2009’s No. 5 draft pick (by the Kings) to a four-year contract this offseason. He’ll miss the first three games of the year to a suspension that dates back to a hit he delivered in the playoffs, guaranteeing that Schenn won’t push his streak of 80-game seasons to four. While that’s unfortunate, any discount the suspension builds into Schenn’s price should be enthusiastically accepted by prospective owners.
The 23-year-old Schenn showed modest growth as a scorer in his fourth NHL season, raising his production from 41 points the year before to a career-high 47. Schenn probably hasn't hit his ceiling yet given that he sees first-unit power-play time with two of the game's top scorers in Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek, but he doesn't profile as much more than an above-average No. 2 center. The major obstacle in Schenn's way to becoming something more than an annual 50-point player is he reluctance to shoot the puck -- the 1.9 attempts per game he averaged last season isn't terrible, but it won't lend itself to an eye-popping goal total, unless he runs into a spell of fortunate puck luck. Schenn can at least be counted on to supplement any point total he provides with plenty of hits and ice time typically resting in the high teens, while also giving fantasy owners ease of mind about his ability to stay on the ice. He's missed only one game in the last three seasons.
After a prolific junior career, the younger Schenn brother has yet to definitively prove he can live up to his hype. His 2013-2014 was a good start -- his 20 goals and 21 assists were career-bests, and his chemistry with linemate Wayne Simmonds helped the latter attain career-bests, too. This year will be a watershed moment for Schenn. At 22, he is expected to take the next step in his evolution and assert himself as among the better centers in the league. Considering he'll likely have Simmonds and Read as his linemates, he should be able to do just that. But the offensive explosion might not come until 2015-16.
Brayden Schenn saw his minutes increase last year, and surpassed his 2011-12 numbers in seven fewer games. While he has typically played center for the Flyers, the addition of Vincent Lecavalier could see Brayden Schenn slide over to wing alongside Lecavalier. If that's the case, he could see more opportunities to collect goals and assists. He's still young at 21, so he could be an asset in later rounds, especially in keeper leagues.
Schenn is coming off a solid post-season performance that produced nine points in 11 games. It’s clear the coaching staff has confidence in him and he should finally see a full NHL season. Schenn had 18 regular season points in 54 games. These numbers are not gaudy to those in standard, single-season leagues, but, if Schenn shows up like he did in the playoffs, he could be a real asset, especially in keeper leagues. Schenn is certainly one of the top prospects in the NHL and could see more top-six minutes with Jaromir Jagr now in Dallas.
Schenn has played in just nine games at the NHL level over the past two seasons, but figures to be given a chance to play a big part of the Flyers' season after the departure of Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. The 20-year-old earned rave reviews this summer at the Flyers' developmental camp. It may take him awhile to acclimate himself, but the Flyers are obviously very high on the youngster.
Schenn made his NHL debut last year thanks to some short-term injuries but didn't hit the scoresheet in his lone game for the Kings. He had another nice season in the WHL, posting 99 points (34G, 65A) in just 59 games. He could press for ice time this training camp but it's hard to imagine he'll make the jump from the WHL to the NHL without a little seasoning for the Monarchs in the AHL.
The Kings have plenty of centermen already on the roster so Schenn figures to return to Brandon of the WHL until his eligibility runs out. It remains to be seen if he's got the offensive chops to center a top line down the road but he's got plenty of time to develop.
