A look at the top prospects in the Flyers' organization

THE NHL DRAFT is June 26-27. In order to know where the Flyers are going, it is important to recognize where they are coming from.

With the benefit of one year since last June's draft, here is a ranking of the top 15 prospects in the Flyers' organization in order of predicted NHL success:

1. TRAVIS SANHEIM

Position: Defense

Age: 19 (March 29, 1996)

Drafted: 2014, Round 1 (17th overall)

2014-15 team: Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Key stat: 83 points in 84 games, including WHL playoffs.

Scoop: No player from the 2014 draft has risen as quickly as Sanheim, who rocketed up the charts and grabbed the attention of teams in the second half of last season. He is now a bona fide, can't-miss star in the making, dazzling scouts with his deft hands and ease of movement around the ice. He was named Calgary's defenseman of the year. This winter, he likely will be one of the leaders for Team Canada at the world junior championships in Finland. Plus, he's 6-4 and still growing.

Projected impact: 2016-17 season.

2. SHAYNE GOSTISBEHERE

Position: Defense

Age: 22 (April 20, 1993)

Drafted: 2012, Round 3 (78th overall)

2014-15 team: Phantoms/Flyers

Key stat: 7 games played.

Scoop: One year ago, Gostisbehere would've easily been in the No. 1 spot. That he was overtaken by Sanheim doesn't even have much to do with the fact Gostisbehere tore his ACL in November and missed most of the season. It's that Sanheim is that good. Gostisbehere's future is still bright. But he will not have played a game in 10 months and will take time to find his rhythm again. That won't come with the Flyers, who have an already-crowded blue line.

Projected impact: 2016-17 season.

3. SAMUEL MORIN

Position: Defense

Age: 19 (July 12, 1995)

Drafted: 2013, Round 1 (11th overall)

2014-15 team: Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Key stat: 23 playoff games, including Memorial Cup.

Scoop: Morin's season got off to a rough start when he fractured his jaw, causing him to miss time leading up to his selection of Team Canada's world junior championship entry. He played sparingly as the seventh defenseman for Canada, seeing few shifts, particularly in the third period of their gold- medal game. Still, Morin seemed to improve over the season, helping Rimouski to a Quebec League title and a strong showing in the Memorial Cup, where Morin scored a beautiful goal from the point in a do-or-die game. The Oceanic lost, but now the Flyers will have their hands on him full time since he will be AHL-eligible as a 20-year-old and also has four full seasons of junior experience. Big defensemen take longer to develop - just find footage of Zdeno Chara's early days.

Projected impact: 2017-18 season.

4. SCOTT LAUGHTON

Position: Center

Age: 21 (May 30, 1994)

Drafted: 2012, Round 1 (20th overall)

2014-15 team: Phantoms/Flyers

Key stat: 6 points in 31 NHL games.

Scoop: Laughton's season took a hit when he suffered a concussion on Jan. 14 in Washington, causing him to miss seven games before he was ultimately sent back to the AHL. He's always been a reliable and conscientious defensive player, but Laughton didn't produce enough offensively to force the Flyers into keeping him for the rest of the season. Craig Berube's biggest gripe seemed to be Laughton tried to make too many one-on-one plays, which won't work at the NHL level. Laughton is still young. He'll need to find a way to produce to earn a job out of training camp on a crowded roster down the middle.

Projected impact: 2015-16 season

5. ROBERT HAGG

Position: Defense

Age: 20 (Feb. 8, 1995)

Drafted: 2013, Round 2 (41st overall)

2014-15 team: Phantoms

Key stat: 20 points in 69 games.

Scoop: Hagg was named one of Sweden's top three players during the world junior championships in Toronto in January. His numbers with the Phantoms weren't eye-popping, but it's important to keep in mind that he played amongst men as a 19-year-old when most of his peers were playing junior hockey. An exception for European players made him eligible for AHL and he took advantage. He will soon reap the rewards.

Projected impact: 2017-18 season

6. NICK COUSINS

Position: Center

Age: 21 (July 20, 1993)

Drafted: 2011, Round 3 (68th overall)

2014-15 team: Phantoms/Flyers

Key stat: NHL debut on March 17

in Vancouver.

Scoop: After the Flyers fell out of the playoff race and were riddled with injuries, Cousins appeared in all 11 of the team's final games. He is still searching for his first NHL point, but had point-blank misses in his first game alone. Cousins was the AHL's hottest scorer from January to mid-March, but couldn't quite convert his streak to the top league. His aggressive and physical nature will make him an interesting name to watch.

Projected impact: 2015-16 season

7. NICOLAS AUBE-KUBEL

Position: Right Wing

Age: 19 (May 10, 1996)

Drafted: 2014, Round 2 (48th overall)

2014-15 team: Val d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)

Key stat: 95 points in 78 games, including playoffs.

Scoop: Aube-Kubel is where the game is heading: speed and skill. Frankly, the Flyers do not have enough prospects like him in the system. Aube-Kubel likely will be heading back to Val d'Or for a fourth junior season, since he does not yet have AHL eligibility. He is a crafty and consistent scorer who took a big leap this year, it's just tough to rank him ahead of a player like Cousins who already appeared in the NHL.

Projected impact: 2017-18 season

8. RADEL FAZLEEV

Position: Left Wing

Age: 19 (Jan. 7, 1996)

Drafted: 2014, Round 6 (168th overall)

2014-15 team: Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Key stat: 65 points in 88 games, including playoffs.

Scoop: You might go to Calgary to watch Sanheim, but it's hard not to also notice his teammate, Fazleev. He plays on Calgary's second-unit power play and penalty kill for former Hershey Bears coach Mark French. He is hungry for the puck, he is strong, and he uses his size effectively. He desperately wants to make it to the NHL and he reeks like a guy destined to make it.

Projected impact: 2018-19

9. OSKAR LINDBLOM

Position: Forward

Age: 18 (Aug. 15, 1996)

Drafted: 2014, Round 5 (138th overall)

2014-15 team: Brynas (Sweden HL)

Key stat: 9 points in 7 world junior championship games.

Scoop: Lindblom garnered some attention at the world junior championships in January in Toronto when he excelled alongside linemates and 2014 first-round picks William Nylander and Adrian Kempe. He still has a long way to go to make it to the NHL. There is some chatter about Lindblom making the jump to the Phantoms this fall, but another season playing in the top league in Sweden definitely won't hurt him. The knock on his game has always been his skating.

Projected impact: 2018-19

10. MARK FRIEDMAN

Position: Defense

Age: 19 (Dec. 25, 1995)

Drafted: 2014, Round 3 (86th overall)

2014-15 team: Bowling Green (NCAA)

Key stat: 19 points in 39 games.

Scoop: Friedman had a strong season for Bowling Green, named the team's co-rookie of the year. He was also named to the WCHA's all-rookie team. He finished tied for seventh in the league in points among defensemen, despite being a freshman. He will have at least a couple seasons to develop in Ohio, where there is no rush to sign him to an NHL deal right now.

Projected impact: 2018-19 season.

11. DANICK MARTEL

Position: Left Wing

Age: 20 (Dec. 12, 1994)

Drafted: Undrafted

2014-15 team: Blainville-Boisbrian

Armada (QMJHL)

Key stat: 2nd in QMJHL with 102 points in 64 regular-season games.

Scoop: The Flyers signed Martel to a three-year, entry-level deal on March 10 after he caught their eye for the Armada this season. After his junior season wrapped up, Martel got a taste of the AHL, registering three points in five games for the Phantoms. He is tiny at just 5-8, but those points don't come by accident.

Projected impact: 2018-19

12. TAYLOR LEIER

Position: Left Wing

Age: 21 (Feb. 15, 1994)

Drafted: 2012, Round 4 (117th overall)

2014-15 team: Phantoms

Key stat: 31 points in 73 games

Scoop: Leier could have made his NHL debut but the AHL was on its all-star break when the Flyers needed an emergency call-up. He learned the "pro" game last season, his first playing against men, and acquitted himself well. He has a lot of intangibles and leadership skills that could make him an important player for the organization.

Projected impact: 2017-18 season

13. ANTHONY STOLARZ

Position: Goaltender

Age: 21 (Jan. 20, 1994)

Drafted: 2012, Round 2 (45th overall)

2014-15 team: Phantoms

Key stat: 3.28 goals-against average

Scoop: Goaltenders take by far the longest of any hockey position to develop. Still, it doesn't appear Stolarz is on a solid path to become a full-time NHL goaltender - even though this was just his first pro season. Stolarz' numbers weren't too impressive, with a sub-.900 save percentage for most of the season. The Flyers will be looking to take a goaltender with a pick or two in this month's draft to restock their cupboard.

Projected impact: 2018-19 season

14. MARK ALT

Position: Defense

Age: 23 (Oct. 18, 1991)

Drafted: 2010, Round 2 (53rd overall) by Carolina

2014-15 team: Phantoms/Flyers

Key stat: NHL debut on March 28 vs. San Jose.

Scoop: Alt worked his way up the organization's depth chart to earn a one-game call-up this season. He has a looooong list in front of him with both current NHL players on the roster, plus those in the pipeline, to jump over if he wants to make an impact. He isn't getting younger - and there must be a reason Carolina was willing to give up on him so easily in a 2013 trade that included Brian Boucher.

Projected impact: 2016-17 season

15. CHRISTIAN MARTI

Position: Defense

Age: 22 (March 29, 1993)

Drafted: Undrafted

2014-15 team: Geneva (Switzerland)

Key stat: 8 points in 32 games.

Scoop: The Flyers signed Marti to an entry-level contract on May 1. He spent the last two seasons playing against men in his native Switzerland. This past year, he played alongside teammates Paul Ranger, Matt D'Agostini, brothers Taylor and Tom Pyatt, and Alexandre Picard, all of whom have NHL experience.

Projected impact: 2017-18 season

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