Progress Report on Philadelphia Flyers' Top 5 Prospects

The Philadelphia Flyers have a somewhat weak prospect pool due in part to young players like Sean Couturier jumping to the NHL early.

They also did not have first- or second-round draft picks in 2009 and 2010, which contributes to their unimpressive stock.

But that doesn't mean there aren't a few talented guys on their way up, and the top few players in their system are actually very promising talents.

At this point, Erik Gustafsson and Oliver Lauridsen can no longer be considered prospects after spending significant time in the NHL this past year.

I also didn't include any of the Flyers' 2013 draft picks, namely Samuel Morin and Robert Hagg, because there cannot be much progress to report after being in the organization for just three weeks.

Here's a progress report on each of the Flyers' top prospects. 

Scott Laughton, C

Let's start with the best prospect of the bunch, Scott Laughton, who absolutely dominated for the Oshawa Generals of the OHL this past season.

He played in the first five games of the season for Philadelphia, the max number of games allowed before the entry-level contract kicks in and counts as a full season.

The 20th overall pick in the 2012 draft, Laughton had high expectations heading back to the Oshawa Generals, but he surpassed them by absolutely dominating in his shortened stint in the OHL.

He posted 56 points in just 49 games, along with 72 penalty minutes. He also played in six games with the Phantoms, scoring his first professional goal. He'll push to make the full-time roster this season.

Shayne Gostisbehere, D

Shayne Gostisbehere wasn't a highly touted prospect when the Flyers grabbed him in the third round of the 2012 draft, but he has really elevated himself since then.

The 20-year-old had a great sophomore year at Union College, which finished off with him earning second-team All-America honors.

He also traveled to Russia with the United States men's national junior team and was a major part of their gold-medal-winning effort, contributing at both ends of the ice.

He's still a couple of years away from making an impact in the NHL, but the undersized (5'11", 170 lbs) defenseman has a game similar to Gustafsson's and could be a solid contributor.

Anthony Stolarz, G

The lone goaltender with true NHL potential in the Flyers system, Anthony Stolarz has enjoyed a steadily rising stock over the past 24 months. 

Over that time, he went from unknown New Jersey kid to NAHL starter to NHL second-round pick and OHL regular. 

Since being drafted, Stolarz attended and played at Division I Nebraska-Omaha before joining the London Knights of the OHL.

Stolarz played in 20 games for London, notching a .920 save percentage and a team-best 2.29 goals-against average. In the playoffs, he had a 2.56 goals-against average and won 13 games. 

Stolarz is a few years away from the NHL, but the 6'6" netminder is an exciting prospect.

Nick Cousins, C

The biggest riser in terms of potential over the past year, Nick Cousins had a sensational breakout year for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

The center was always thought of as a good, hard-nosed, two-way forward, but his offensive game really shone through this past season.

He put up 103 points, good for third in the entire OHL. His 76 assists were also second in the league. 

The 2011 third-round selection has Laughton still ahead of him in the system, so he won't see any ice time in the NHL for a little while, but he could be an emergency call-up candidate sooner than expected.

Jason Akeson, RW

Jason Akeson played in just one game for the Flyers in the 2012-13 season, but he made it count, scoring a goal en route to a victory.

It was just a small taste of what could be to come for the talented but unheralded right winger, who led the OHL in points with 108 for the Kitchener Rangers in 2010-11.

The 23-year-old stands just 5'10" but is a nimble skater with impressive stick skills and a surprisingly powerful shot. 

His upside is not particularly high, but he could still contribute as a bottom-six forward for a few years.