Throughout the Flyers' history, most of the first-round draft picks they've selected have been Canadians or Americans. Makes sense. There have been a scattering of Swedes in there as well. And with the end of the Cold War in the 1990s, there has been a small spattering of Russians, although most of that has been recent. However, the Flyers have never chosen a Czech player with their first-round selection.
In fact, they've only drafted 17 Czech players in their history. The earliest time they chose one was in the third round in 1982, and that was Miroslav Dvořák. The defender, who was in his early 30s when drafted, would play three seasons for the Flyers. After that, the only Czech players of note were Vaclav Prospal (3rd round -- 1993) and Roman Cechmanek (6th round -- 2000).
There is a player in this year's draft who could change that: Adam Novotny. He is a 6'1", 200 lbs forward expected to go between 15-20. However, things can happen, and players can fall. He is the top-rated Czech prospect, and it isn't hard to see why.
Novotny spent this season with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL. In his first season, he scored 34 goals with 31 assists. In the Under-20 Junior Tournament, he scored five goals and seven assists as the Czechs fell to Sweden in the finals.
Not only can he score, but he can also get very physical. That's one of the things a lot of the scouts like about him. He might not be a center, but fans have been clamoring for someone who can dole out hits while scoring. Novotny could bring the best of both worlds to the Flyers.
"Offensively, Novotný not only relies on his motor but is also a powerful, strong player, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 205 pounds. He is great at using his body to protect the puck and take contact while making plays, and he has no problem engaging in board battles. When he does either win battles or get space in the offensive zone, he has a shot that very well could be NHL-level already, with a quick and accurate release to it."
He can also play both wing positions. For Flyers' fans, that might be the drawback. They have a glut at right wing, and many fans are hoping for that game-changing center in this draft. While he hasn't played at center, that doesn't mean he can't learn the position. The Flyers could also find that his skill is too hard to pass up, regardless of his position.
On the surface of it, many Flyers fans may be hesitant about selecting him. However, if he falls, the Flyers shouldn't overlook him. He's shown he can perform, both in North America and on a big stage. While a winger may not be the top priority, the Flyers did draft Porter Martone last season, and that turned out really well so far. He could become a great complement on the left side to someone like Martone or Matvei Michkov.
Novotny may already be taken just before the Flyers make their selection. But if he is there, he might be hard to pass up.
