With the 22nd pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Flyers have selected Oliver Bonk, right handed defenseman from the London Knights of the OHL.
The Flyers stood steady and didn’t trade either of their first round picks. Now that the first round of the NHL Draft is over, let’s take a deeper look into Bonk and what he can bring as a player to this rebuilding franchise.
Stats:
With the London Knights this past season, Bonk put up 10 goals and 30 assists totaling 40 points in 67 games played. In the playoffs he had 11 assists in 21 games.
Skills:
Bonk is a classic minute-eating shutdown defenseman in his own zone. He is known for being able to force the opposing team to dump the puck in to the zone instead of carrying it in. At 6’2″ and 187 pounds, his big frame helps create strong puck retrieval skills and his ability to win board battles. This will help the Flyers in their own zone, a problem they’ve had recently. His offense still needs to be developed a little, but don’t let his point production fool you; Bonk has a high hockey IQ and makes quick reads and the smart play when he has the puck on his stick.
Weaknesses:
Bonk isn’t fast but he is steady. If he can improve his speed he’ll be able to become a great player in his own zone due to his ability to create dump ins. He doesn’t really have any other “weaknesses” as he’s steady all around. His skills aren’t flashy or sexy, but they get the job done. A prospect who’s good enough at everything but not great at anything. Honestly, his biggest weakness might be his ceiling isn’t as high as some other players, but his floor should be higher than most.
Timeline:
The expectation for Bonk is that he returns to the OHL for another season to develop, but there is a chance that he could make a trial run out of training camp with the lack of depth the flyers have on the right side on defense.
NHL Player Comparison:
Jared Spurgeon, a steady shutdown defenseman that will eat minutes and will have the chance to be a point producer if he develops correctly.
NHL Projection:
Bonk probably projects to be between a number two to number four defenseman. He won’t be a cornerstone, but he could be a rock back there for years to come.
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