We wouldn’t blame you if you had no idea who Valeri Vasilyev was. In fact, we had no idea either when looking at a list of Flyers prospects. The defenseman was taken by the Flyers in the seventh round of the 2012 draft. Yes, we said 2012. It was a no-risk pick at that point.
Before the draft, Vasilyev was actually rated fairly high for a European skater. Despite a raw skill set, he had the physical profile of someone who could be drafted in either the second or third round. His rating dropped quickly when the draft came, however.