Here’s the thing: the WHL is not a particularly easy league to score in. Okay, it is somewhat – junior hockey is still junior hockey, after all – but among the three CHL leagues, the western one tends to be the most defensively-inclined.
Which is what makes this little factoid all the more awesome. It would seem, when it comes to drafting defensemen, the Philadelphia Flyers have really been crushing it lately.
Highest CHL Dmen PPG:
#1: Sanheim (1.22)
#2: Provorov (1.14)
#3: Brouillard (1.14)
#4: Lauzon (1.07)
#5: Girard & Nielsen (1.03)#Flyers— Alexander Appleyard (@avappleyard) March 7, 2016
Out of all the defensemen playing junior hockey throughout Canada (and parts of the United States), the Flyers have the two that are putting up the most points per game. And they’re in the league they’re least likely to score in. They’re both third in overall team scoring, too, and both their teams – the Calgary Hitmen and Brandon Wheat Kings – are playoff-bound.
(If the Flyers keep this up, maybe this is where we keep an eye on Sanheim’s teammate and frequent partner, Jake Bean: he has .94 points per game, and won’t turn 18 until June.)
And this is without even getting into Shayne Gostisbehere, the NHL’s highest-scoring rookie defenseman.
The Flyers are in tight to make the playoffs this season, but at least the future is looking pretty good.
