Flyers select six in NHL Draft

The Philadelphia Flyers completed the following transactions, and selected the following players at the 2010 National Hockey League Entry Draft on Friday, June 25 and Saturday, June 26 at the Staples Center in
Los Angeles.

In the first round on Friday, June 25, the Flyers traded the rights for Dan Hamhuis to Pittsburgh in exchange for the Penguins' third round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

On Saturday, June 26, the Flyers traded center Jon Matsumoto to Carolina in exchange for the Hurricanes' seventh round pick (206th overall) in this year's draft.

The Flyers had a total of six selections in rounds three through seven of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft:

Round 3 (89th overall):
Michael Chaput, C, Lewiston - QMJHL

Round 4 (119th overall):
Tye McGinn, LW, Gatineau - QMJHL

Round 5 (149th overall):
Michael Parks, RW, Cedar Rapids - USHL

Round 6 (179th overall):
Nicholas Luukko, D, Gunnery Prep School - Connecticut

Round 7 (206th overall): * pick acquired from Carolina in exchange for
Jon Matsumoto
Ricard Blidstrand, D, Sweden U-20 Team

Round 7 (209th overall):
Brendan Ranford, LW, Kamloops - WHL

"We got a few players that we really targeted in the areas that we were picking and that's the scouts doing their homework, and they seem to be very excited," said Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren. "I've seen a
few of the guys that we did draft play, so I'm happy with what we did today."

Third Round - 89th overall

Michael Chaput: Center (Lewiston - Quebec Major Junior Hockey League)

Chaput was selected by the Flyers in the third round (89th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft... Born on April 9, 1992 in Ile Bizard, Quebec... 6'2'', 194-pounds... Shoots left.

"I'm very excited. I actually never talked to the Flyers before the draft or anything so it was quite a surprise," said Chaput when hearing his name called. "I can bring energy and a lot of work to this team. I think I'm an energy guy pretty much on the ice I can go out there and give 100 percent on every shift. I'm also able to score some goals, so maybe [I am] a third line guy that can bring some offensive game also."

Chaput recently completed his first full season, second overall, in the QMJHL with the Lewiston MAINEiacs where he recorded 55 points (28G,27A) and 60 penalty minutes in 68 games. He led the MAINEiacs in goals (28) and finished second on the team in points (55), while finishing fifth in assists (27). He also led the team in power-play goals (10) and game-winning goals (4) this past season. He also had one assist in four
playoff games with Lewiston.

Over parts of two seasons (2008-09 through 2009-10), Chaput has a total of 65 points (31G,34A) and 94 penalty minutes in 97 games played.

        

Fourth Round - 119th overall

Tye McGinn: Left Wing (Gatineau - Quebec Major Junior Hockey League)

McGinn was selected by the Flyers in the fourth round (119th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft... Born on July 29, 1990 in Fergus, Ontario...6'2'', 205-pounds... Shoots left.

In his second season in junior hockey, McGinn more than doubled his point total from his rookie season and averaged over a point per game, recording 62 points (27G,35A) in 50 regular season games with the
Gatineau Olympiques. He led the team in all major offensive categories: goals (27), assists (35) and points (62) as well as power-play goals (10) and game-winning goals (8). In addition, he also posted seven
points (2G,5A) in 10 QMJHL playoff games.

Over the course of his two seasons of play with Gatineau (2008-09 through 2009-10), McGinn has 92 points (35G,57A) and 75 penalty minutes in 98 games.

Fifth Round - 149th overall

Michael Parks: Right Wing (Cedar Rapids - United States Hockey League)

Parks was selected by the Flyers in the fifth round (149th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft... Born on February 15, 1992 in O'Fallon, Missouri... 5'10", 188 pounds... Shoots right.

"This past season I think I learned the most on being a complete player and not be so worried about the offensive side of things like I was in midget hockey and before," said Parks. "I learned to be more responsible
in all three zones, not just worry about putting points up, just worry about doing the little things right."

In his first season in the USHL, Parks played in 51 games with the RoughRiders where he posted 22 points (11G,11A) and 57 penalty minutes. He recorded one assist in five postseason games for Cedar Rapids.

"I'm going to play another year in the USHL with Cedar Rapids and then I'm going to attend the University of North Dakota in the fall of 2011 and just start my college career then," added Parks. "Then I will just
take it year-by-year and see how it goes."

Sixth Round - 179th overall

Nicholas Luukko: Defense (Gunnery Prep School - Connecticut)

Luukko was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round (179th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft... Born on November 29, 1991 in West Chester, Pennsylvania... 6'2", 185 pounds... Shoots right.

"I'm happy for Nick," said Peter Luukko, Nick's father and Comcast-Spectacor President. "He's a player that we could end up having [his rights] for four or five years. Hopefully he'll be able to come out before then."

Nick Luukko recently graduated from the Gunnery Prep School in Washington, Connecticut, where in his final year, he posted 25 points (3G,22A) and 20 penalty minutes in 32 games. Over the course of two
seasons with Gunnery, Luukko has compiled 40 points (7G,33A) in 65 games played.

"I was definitely surprised," said Nick Luukko. "I didn't expect to be drafted by the Flyers at all. I really wasn't sure that I was going to get drafted at all. But to get drafted by the Flyers was a huge shocker
to me, especially when my dad told me that they wouldn't draft me."

Nick Luukko will begin play in the USHL with Dubuque in the upcoming season and plans to attend the University of Vermont in the fall of 2011.

"I think it is going to be a little strange in the fact that my dad works for the team," added Nick Luukko. "But at the same time it has always been a dream of mine to play for the Flyers one day. Obviously growing up I was a huge Flyers fan. In terms of the organization I think it will be easier for me to fit in and easier for me to get more comfortable quicker because I know all the people so well."


Seventh Round - 206th overall

Ricard Blidstrand: Defense (Swedish U-20 Team - Sweden SuperElit)

Blidstrand was selected by the Flyers in the seventh round (206th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft... Born on April 20, 1992 in Stockholm, Sweden... 6'3", 202 pounds... Shoots left.

During the 2009-10 season, Blidstrand recorded two goals and six assists for eight points, along with four penalty minutes in 33 games, for AIK J-20 in Sweden. He appeared in five games for AIK J-20 in 2008-09.

Seventh Round - 209th overall

Brendan Ranford: Left Wing (Kamloops - Western Hockey League)

Ranford was selected by the Flyers in the seventh round (209th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft... Born on May 3, 1992 in Edmonton, Alberta... 5'10", 182 pounds... Shoots left.

In just his second full season in the WHL, Ranford recorded 65 points (29G,36A) and 83 penalty minutes in 72 games with the Blazers in 2009-10. He finished second on the team in goals (29), assists (36) and
points (65) as well as second in goals on the power play (10). He also posted five points (2G,3A) in four WHL playoff games.

Over the course of three seasons in the WHL (2007-08 through 2009-10), all with Kamloops, Ranford has compiled 92 points (42G,50A) and 129 penalty minutes in 141 regular season games, and has averaged a point per game in the playoffs, posting eight points (2G,6A) in eight playoff games.

Ranford is the nephew of former NHL goaltender Bill Ranford, who played 647 games over 14 seasons with Edmonton, Boston, Washington, Tampa Bay and Detroit, winning two Stanley Cups.