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Quick Hits: Draft Wrapup, RFAs, Develoment Camp |
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Quick Hits: June 30, 2024
1) Coming later today on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com: A full recap of all Draft pick swaps, trends among this year's picks, profiles of the seven draftees selected by Philadelphia, in-depth scouting reports, video highlights and media availability from general manager Danny Briere, assistant GM Brent Flahr, and quotes from Flyers amateur scouts who were involved in viewings of the drafted players.
A mini-recap of each pick follows below:
JETT LUCHANKO -- C
Selected: 1st Round, 13th overall
Listed Height: 5-foot-11
Listed Weight: 187 pounds
Shoots: Right
2023-24 team: Guelph Storm (OHL)
2023-24 RS stats: 68 GP, 20G, 54A, 74 PTS, 36 PIM
JACK BERGLUND - C
Selected: 2nd Round, 51st overall
Listed Height:6-foot-3
Listed Weight: 209 pounds
Shoots: Left
2023-24 team: Färjestads BK (SHL), Färjestad J20 (J20 National)
2023-24 RS stats: 41 GP, 15G, 19A, 34 Points (J20 team)
SPENCER GILL - D
Selected: 2nd Round, 59th overall
Listed Height:6-foot-4
Listed Weight: 185 pounds
Shoots; Right
2023-24 team:Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)
2023-24 RS stats:65 GP, 12G, 34A, 46 POINTS, 62 PIM
HEIKKI RUOHOMEN -- C
Selected:4th round, 107th overall
Listed Height: 6-foot-2
Listed Weight:205 Pounds
Shoots: Left
2023-24 team: Kiekko-Epoo (Finnish J20)
2023-24 RS stats: 37 GP, 20 G, 27 A, 47 Points, 10 PIM
NOAH POWELL - RW
Selected: 5th Round, 148th overall
Listed Height: 6-foot-2
Listed Weight:201 pounds
Shoots: Right
2023-24 team: Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
2023-24 RS stats: 61 GP, 41 G, 31 A, 74 POINTS, 57 PIM
ILYA PAUTOV -- RW
Selected: Sixth round, 173rd overall
Listed Height:5-foot-11
Listed Weight: 167 pounds
Shoots: L
2023-24 team: CKSA Junior Red Army (MHL)
2023-24 RS stats: 46 GP, 15 G, 30 A, 45 POINTS, 14 PIM
Austin Moline -- D
Selected: 7th round, 205th overall
Listed Height: 6-foot-4
Listed Weight: 193 pounds
Shoots: Right
2023-24 team: Shattuck St. Mary's (U.S. Prep/ HS)
2023-24 RS stats: 57 GP, 8 G, 27 A, 35 POINTS, 16 PIM
2) The 2024 NHL Draft class as a whole was not an overwhelming one that is likely to produce a large number of star players leaguewide. There were, however, a handful of potential standouts if not any generational talents and there will no doubt a few players who did not go early in the Draft who someday outshine many players who were taking much earlier. That happens in almost every Draft year.
On the whole, though, the 2024 Draft Class at first blush seems likely to go down in history with years such as 2012 (109 picks who played at least one game in the NHL but relatively few true stars). It wasn't a 2000-like top five (Rick DiPietro, Dany Heatley, Marian Gaborik, Rostislav Klesla, Raffi Torres). I don't think "past can't misses who missed" -- ala Nikita Filatov, Nail Yakupov, Patrik Stefan, Nolan Patrick or Cam Barker -- will be harkened back to for the top-rated players from this year's Draft.
At the some time, this was not a likely League-altering Draft year. It was an OK crop overall, no more and no less. The perspective on a Draft year changes over time, including two-years and one year pre-Draft and then each of the first five or so years afterward. At least so far, the 2025 Draft is being touted as a deeper crop with more potential future NHL star talent than this year's group. We'll revisit this next year, and beyond.
3) One year out from the 2023 Draft, the Flyers seem to have done pretty well so far with many of last year's selections, including not only Matvei Michkov and Oliver Bonk in the first round but also latter-round picks such as Yegor Zavragin, Denver Barkey, and Carter Sotheran taking developmental jumps in their Draft-plus-one year.
I'm not overwhelmingly optimistic that the 2024 crop selected by the Flyers will produce a slew of future impact pros. However, there's at least some potential for a number of players to step up in the seasons to come. The Flyers took a couple of players, including first-round selection Jett Luchanko, who were born a month or less ahead of the minimum-age cutoff to be eligible for the 2024 Draft. They do need to be proven right by Luchanko in bypassing some higher-profile prospects in the top half of the first round.
4) My take on Luchanko -- whom I had at 20th overall in the mock Draft and whose Draft stock rose sharply as the 2023-24 season progressed -- is that he wasn't THAT much of a reach at 13th overall. I personally had the higher-touted Konsta Helenius higher among available centers but there wasn't a big gap. It's entirely possible that Luchanko parlays his draft year into a huge jump in his Draft-plus-one year and beyond.
To be honest, I'm not wild about the logic that the Flyers bypassed Zeev Buium mainly because they already have too many averaged-size/smallish defensemen who are still young. I also don't have enough evidence to say that the fact Buium's agent/advisor is the same one who represents Cutter Gauthier and Ryan Johansen was an actual factor in the final decision. I am a firm believer in BPA (best player available) regardless of position in the first round. There's no such thing as "too much talent" at one position. Either make room for them at the NHL level or trade from a position of strength and depth to fill a different need, which is how good hockey deals get made.
The Flyers have said they had Buium and Luchanko very comparably rated, so that's where position came into play. I can accept that, especially because Buium himself is not an absolute slam-dunk to be a major impact D in the future. But to say there wasn't some risk involved on the Flyers' side is not true. Luchanko could become a very nice middle-six center, at least by earlier indications and he HAS to become at least that to justify the pick in years to come. To me, Helenius (not Buium) is the player against whom to compare in future years.
I'm looking forward to seeing Luchanko take the next steps toward a pro career via his play in 2023-24 and 2024-25. He's not likely to be fast-track type ala Travis Konecny, who reached the NHL at age 19 (Draft-plus-two year), or Joel Farabee (one collegiate season and then went pro). But he doesn't have to be. The long game matters much more.
5) Looking ahead to the 2025 Draft, the Flyers will likely hold three picks in the first round: their own, Colorado's, and Edmonton's. They also hold three picks in the second round: their own, Anaheim's and Columbus's. All Drafts are important, especially amid a rebuild, but the 2025 Draft is absolutely CRITICAL to land both star-level talent and depth.
6) The Flyers 2024 Development Camp runs from July 2nd to 6th. On-ice sessions at the FTC in Voorhees will run on the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. On the 6th, the Flyers will hold pre-scrimmage practices and then the "Team Briere" vs. "Team Jones" scrimmage later in the day to conclude the camp. Development Camp rosters should be released by tomorrow. 2023 Draftees Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey as well as 2024 picks Luchanko, Berglund and Gill are expected to be among the attendees.
Matvei Michkov, who is still in the process of finalizing his NHL entry-level contract with the Flyers and awaiting a work visa from the United States government, is not expected to be at camp. However, he'll be at Rookie Camp come September.
7) The NHL has elected NOT to freeze NHL team rights for restricted free agents who are involved in the Team Canada sexual assault scandal. That means it's decision time for the Flyers on whether to tender a qualifying offer to Carter Hart or relinquish his rights (making him an unrestricted free agent). Philly has easier decisions in terms of tendering players such as Bobby Brink and Egor Zamula.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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