The Philadelphia Flyers have signed another prospect, inking Adam Ginning to a two-year entry-level contract. Ginning could have become an unrestricted free agent had he not signed by this summer, given he was drafted four years ago.
Now 22, the big, physical defenseman has not exactly followed the development path that some expected when he was a young player. After making it to the SHL by the age of 17, he became the captain of the Swedish junior program and looked like a sure-fire first-round pick in 2018. But there was just no sign of any offensive upside at all by the time the draft rolled around, and with teams leaning at that point toward mobile puck-movers, Ginning ended up falling nearly out of the second.
The Flyers grabbed him, a worthwhile bet at that point, but things still haven’t really changed for the 6’3″ defenseman. He still provides basically no offense–he scored just five points in 51 games this season–but things have started to change in the NHL, as teams start to covet reach, mobility, and physicality once again at the position. The fact that Ginning continues to find team success, and won an SHL championship this year, shows that there is something to be said for his shutdown style.
Given he is no longer under contract in Sweden, the next step is likely for him to come to North America and play in the minor leagues. As an older prospect, he may even move quickly through the system and see NHL minutes next season. Whether he can hold down a spot is another question entirely, though it’s easy to see why the Flyers are willing to give him a chance after such a successful campaign.