Flyers select Carter Sotheran with 135th overall pick

With the fifth round upon us, the picks simply do not stop coming. With their only pick of this round, the Flyers have picked up another defenseman – Carter Sotheran of the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL.

Sotheran, another right shooting defenseman, had a solid season in his first year of play in the WHL. His 23 points scored in 68 games played isn’t a terribly eye catching statistic, but it’s a respectable foundation for a first year major junior player on a team that wasn’t massively high scoring.

But Sotheran, despite a somwhat limited role, did establish himself as a steady presense with strong overall impacts in transition, in particular. He’s a patient player, isn’t pressured easily into making mistakes with the puck on his stick. He passes cleanly and quickly, is able to influence a controlled breakout well. He’s also a strong skater, and is good on his defensive angles while on the move, making him   effective in defending on the rush. And, for those concerned with such things, he’s 6-foot-3, so he’s bringing good size as well.

He’ll need some more time to develop, but Sotheran is another well rounded, mobile player that the Flyers have brought into the fold.