Chances for Which Philadelphia Flyers Forwards Will Make Final 2014-15 Roster

The Philadelphia Flyers have a lot of talent on offense heading into 2014-15, with a solid group of forwards leading the charge.

All in all, there are eight forwards (Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, Vincent Lecavalier, Matt Read, Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, R.J. Umberger and Jakub Voracek) who are guaranteed roster spots.

That leaves four spots to be filled. Let's take a look at six players who figure to be the top candidates to fill those holes and give their chances of making the squad. 

It's hard to argue against Jason Akeson deserving a spot on the roster after the way he played in the playoffs last spring. 

But then again, it's a very small sample size to draw from, especially considering some of Akeson's shortcomings in regards to size, physicality and defensive play.

His finesse-oriented offensive style makes him an almost exclusive fit for one of the top two lines, but I'm not convinced he's a good enough talent to stick there. Still, he's got to be a front-runner to make the squad.

Final roster: 80 percent

It's not often that 29-year-old French players break into the NHL, but Pierre-Edouard Bellemare seems to have as good a shot as any.

His combination of speed and two-way ability makes him a potentially versatile forward who has played at both center and on the wing.

This flexibility greatly increases his odds of making the roster, although there's still the distinct chance that he cannot physically match up with NHL players.

Final roster: 75 percent

Some may argue that Michael Raffl will obviously make the team after playing 68 games with the big club last year, but I'm not buying that he's an easy shoo-in. 

There's just too much good competition for him to be a lock, especially considering he only tallied 22 points last season despite playing chunks of time on the top line.

I still like Raffl's game, and I think there's potential for him to continue to improve. His familiarity with the system will also surely give him the upper hand. He may not be a lock, but he's still the most likely player on this list to make the squad.

Final roster: 95 percent

It pains me to say this, but I don't think that Scott Laughton will make the team out of camp, even though he absolutely deserves to.

For some reason, I just have a feeling that the organization will want to keep him in the AHL and let him continue to develop there.

There's something to be said for centering the first or second line in the AHL instead of the fourth line in the NHL, or playing out of position in the NHL, but he's easily good enough to make an impact for the Flyers right now.

Despite that, don't be surprised to see Laughton on the Phantoms in 2014.

Final roster: 25 percent

As a fourth-line grinder and glorified enforcer, Zac Rinaldo's job is never necessarily guaranteed, although he's a near-lock to make the squad.

Some fans love him, and it's hard to disparage his energy or how he sticks up for teammates, but his penchant for taking penalties and lack of general competency as a forward can hurt the team at times.

All in all, it would be a surprise if he didn't suit up on opening day, although I'd like to see Laughton make it over him. But that's just not likely to happen.

Final roster: 90 percent

Chris VandeVelde is the dark horse of the bunch, but don't count him out totally. The Flyers really seem to like him, and he does bring some valuable qualities to the table.

He's purely a fourth-line depth guy, but he skates pretty well, has some vision on the ice and plays with controlled energy.

If Bellemare disappoints in camp and Laughton stays in the minors to start, don't be surprised if VandeVelde gets the call.

Final roster: 10 percent