Konecny was eased into NHL action on a poor Flyers team last season, and he showed promise in a limited role (14:05 of average ice time), notching 11 goals and 28 points over the course of 70 games. He might have done much more if not for a lower-body injury that cost him almost all of February, as he seemed to have little left in the tank after coming back, ultimately ending the campaign with one point in the final 11 games. However, the 20-year-old may be set for a major breakout in 2017-18 thanks to his projected spot as the top-line left winger alongside high-end performers Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds; that gig may result in placement on the club’s highly productive No. 1 power-play unit as well, which would be quite a boon. Opportunity is knocking for Konecny, whom the Flyers claimed 24th overall in the 2015 draft, and he has the talent to answer the call. Snag him late in drafts and reap the rewards.

The Flyers’ first-round pick in 2015 (24th overall), Konecny saw his game improve by leaps and bounds last season after he was traded within the OHL from the Ottawa 67’s to the Sarnia Sting. He’d been good with Ottawa, but Konecny exploded in Sarnia, churning out 23 goals and 56 points in 31 games. At just 19 years old, he’s expected to fight for a roster spot with the Flyers come training camp, and with the Flyers looking for some more scoring punch beyond their stars, it’s not at all improbable for Konecny to make the team. He’d look a lot better centering their third line than the likes of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Boyd Gordon, that’s for sure, but the Flyers may prefer to have him continue developing in juniors.