Scouts analyze Flyers' Akeson

NJ.com projects that Flyers prospect Jason Akeson, a restricted free agent, has a good shot at beginning next season at the NHL level. He'll turn 24 in June.

Two different viewpoints on Akeson are provided from a scouting perspective, too.

“What’s there for Jason is he can make plays," offered Chris Pryor, Flyers director of scouting. "He’s got that ability to find guys and score. A lot of guys can work all they want and be gritty all they want, but at the end of the day nothing goes up on the scoreboard.

"Coming out of junior, I don’t want to say he was a one-dimensional guy, but if you look at his numbers he had a lot of offense. He’s been paying more attention to playing both sides of the puck, and I think Terry Murray has done a real good job with him. He’s put Jason in situations, and he’s earned those situations. He can kill penalties. Defensively, he’s tied that part of the game up, and now, as you see, he’s earned the coach’s trust. It’s a compliment to Jason with the time he’s put in as far as taking care of the other parts of his game. He’s always been able to score, as people saw at the end of the year.”

Meanwhile, an NHL pro scout volunteered his own thoughts with a mix of honest, biting criticism and compliments.

“Akeson has to score in the NHL because right now he doesn’t do the other parts of the game very well," the scout began. "I know, as most coaches think, it’s tough putting a guy out on the ice who is a defensive liability. When you have to spot a guy in – if you’re down a goal and you need somebody to score - you pick your spots.

"The thing that he needs to improve on is if the puck comes around the boards in his own end, he’s gotta be able to get that puck out, or at worst get a tie. His game with the puck is good. He’s got the hands. He’s got the vision. He’s got the creativity. He’s got a lot of things going for him, but he’s got to learn how to play the game a little better without the puck. Most of that is just hard work and effort and putting your nose to the grindstone. It’s a commitment to playing without the puck.”

Source: Randy Miller, NJ.com