Brayden Schenn
#10 / Left Wing / Philadelphia Flyers
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 195 | Born: Aug. 22, 1991
Birthplace: Saskatoon, SK, Canada | Drafted: 5th, 2009 (Los Angeles Kings)
| Assets | Has good speed and hockey instincts, scoring and playmaking ability, a highly-developed defensive conscience and sneaky-fast wrister. Leads by example. Is feisty and ultra-competitive. Can play all three forward positions. |
| Flaws | Could stand to get a little stronger to better handle corner work in the NHL. Also needs to improve his consistency in order to maximize output. Must also avoid injuries, which might not be easy due to his all-out style of play. |
| Career Potential | Talented, versatile scoring forward with a little upside. (Assets, Flaws and Career Potential via The Hockey News player page) |
Career 25-Game Rolling Five-on-Five Corsi-For Percentage:
2015-16 Flyers Player Usage:
All data compiled by Muneeb
Why you should know who he is: For his first few seasons in the NHL, it appeared that Brayden Schenn would never live up to his lofty expectations the Flyers had when they sent Mike Richards and Rob Bordson to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Wayne Simmonds, a second-round pick and Schenn himself. After all, the 24-year-old was once ranked as the top prospect in the NHL by The Hockey News in 2011, but Schenn could never quite reach that elite-level status as a bonafide top-six forward, never cracking more than 50 points in a season.
This year was a bit of a different story, as Schenn appeared to find that next level in his game. His 26 goals and 31 assists set career highs in both marks, allowing him to finish as the third-leading scorer on the Flyers this year. And as the Flyers began their seemingly improbable regular season run for a playoff spot, it was Schenn who fueled the way. Since Jan. 17, Schenn has had 37 points in his last 40 games. That’s the 8th-most points in the NHL during that time frame.
How the Caps can stop him: Of Schenn’s 26 goals this year, seven have come off of his own deflection right in front of the net. He also scored 11 goals this season by collecting a rebound or gathering a pass with his toes on the edge of the crease. How do you stop him? You get him away from the crease. On the power play, Schenn is frequently positioned directly in front of the net in the slot, and he generally pops his way up for a pass for a one time opportunity, or he slides right back in with his heels on the edge of the crease to set a screen. Schenn also generally sneaks his way around the crease, and depending on what side the puck is on, he will position himself for an open backdoor pass.
How else can the Capitals stop Schenn? They can get under his skin. Schenn can be an emotional player, and that has shown against the Capitals and the playoffs itself. Schenn has 16 career NHL preseason and regular season fights. Three have been against the Capitals, including one against Tom Wilson. The Capitals aren’t going to want to get into distracting brawls with the Flyers, as the Penguins did in their quarterfinals matchup back in 2012. But if Wilson, Daniel Winnik, Jason Chimera or anybody else can get Schenn to lose his cool, it may knock him off of his game. After all, in 18 career playoff games, Schenn has 16 penalty minutes.