Chris Pronger News

As the Philadelphia Flyers evaluate their potential first pick in the NHL draft, many experts have already weighed in with their own mock drafts.

If selected by the Flyers in next month's NHL draft, hulking defenseman Darnell Nurse would not feel an added burden playing in Philadelphia - and living up to the standard set in another sport by his famous uncle, former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

When the Flyers pick No. 11 in the first round of the June 30 NHL draft, here are some players who may be available: He plays an aggressive, gritty style and models his game after Chris Pronger and Shea Weber.

The Philadelphia Flyers will once again be a focal point around the league this summer, as their roster will need quite a bit of retooling after missing out on the playoffs.

The Colorado Avalanche placed 28th overall this season. They went into the Draft lottery knowing they would get, at a minimum, a top three pick in the 51st NHL Entry Draft on June 30th in New Jersey.

Out of the Flyers' previous eight first-round picks, dating back to 2003, how many of them were spent drafting a defenseman? Seven of the Flyers' last eight first-round picks were forwards: Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Steve Downie, Claude Giroux, James van Riemsdyk, Sean Couturier and Scott Laughton.

Since the Philadelphia Flyers are not competing for the Stanley Cup this year, a few of the players have hit the ice with Team Canada to take part in the 2013 IIHF's World Championship.

Those were some tremendous losses and on another team, any one of those players going down might have been enough to sink their chances of making the playoffs.

After a disappointing season, the Flyers have to start making player development a priority.

'OUR FANS love the game and know we're trying hard every year to get better. Fans aren't stupid.

NET SHOTS by Tom Annelin After his recent ouster following 19 successful seasons as head coach at the University of Denver, George Gwozdecky's name continues to be linked to a number of NCAA Division 1 coaching vacancies.

It's not that the slick-passing, 25-year-old center played poorly - it's that his team, for a variety of reasons, never clicked until they were eliminated from the playoffs and the pressure had been removed.

The Philadelphia Flyers have always been a high-spending team, signing players to obnoxiously large contracts for huge amounts of cash.

As much as Flyers management would have loved turning their 1.5 percent shot of winning the NHL's draft lottery into a celebration, it's OK with staying in the No.

Claude Giroux's first season as Flyers captain was an enjoyable but frustrating learning experience.

Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center was a fun last hoorah for the Flyers, even the ones who weren't playing.

The Philadelphia Flyers will have their hands full this offseason, after the team failed to make the playoffs for only the second time in its last 18 seasons.

This season has been regrettable for the Philadelphia Flyers to say the least. After destroying the Pittsburgh Penguins in last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Flyers ran headfirst into a brutal New Jersey Devils forecheck that stuffed their offense.

Looking around the NHL, it is tough not to notice the many former Philadelphia Flyers succeeding else where.

Since the Flyers won't be in the playoffs, they have to start preparing for the 2013 NHL Entry-Level Draft on June 30.