Photo Credit: Our very own Michael Reaves
The upcoming NHL Draft has Flyers fans pumped and ready to go and for good reason, as the team has been linked to almost every big name for trade purposes. Even with the possibility of moving up and snagging the best player available.
Will some of these picks help the Flyers get back to relevancy here in the near future? People can already hear the voice of the iconic Gene Hart saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Flyers are going to win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers have won the Stanley Cup!.” This draft can be one key to the Flyers immediate success. Without further delay here is my seven round Flyers Mock draft. Let’s go Flyers duh-duh-duh-da-duh.
Round 1: *TRADE* with the Calgary Flames (Pick 9) LHD, Sam Dickinson
This pick makes even more sense, if indeed Matvei Michkov comes to Philly for the 2024-25 season. The Flyers draft a stud with their first pick, finally the Flyers have drafted a cornerstone player at the defense position. Dickinson is a 6’3, LHD, with a booming shot that hits the net nine times out of 10. The Flyers crave his lethal heavy, accurate shot from the point. For once the Flyers have free stocked the Flyers farm system at the very least with a positional need.
Dickinson had a coming out party for the London Knights for the 2023-24 season. For the season, he amassed 18 goals, and 52 assists for a total of 70 points in 68 games played. The Flyers top brass saw him play a lot this season, so they are very much familiar with him and his attributes.
If a person has watched Dickinson play in his first season for the Knights this past year, then one would notice he is a good skater even with his size. That’s what sets him apart from the rest of the pack, and he’s just 17-years of age. He’s a very good distributor with the puck, and he closes gaps well. Dickinson thrives in transition, a good comparable would be that of what Ryan Suter was.
This pick yet again shows the NHL that Flyers are trying to right the ship, as Dickinson restocks the Flyers cupboard as a highly touted defenseman that shows promise. The proud orange clad Philly fans will have plenty to cheer about when they announce Dickinson’s name with the 9th overall pick, and there will be plenty of Let’s Go Flyers chants from the proud faithful inside of their homes.
Round 1: (31) C, Cole Beaudoin (from a trade with the Florida Panthers)
The Flyers traded one of their second round picks to move up and snag Dickinson, and Briere takes advantage of this. He snags a sizeable Center that played for the Barrie Colts, a 6’2 Cole Beaudoin. Obviously, the Flyers know the Barrie organization well, with drafting Tyson Foerster back in 2021. Yes, Brent Flahr was the Assistant General Manager then for the orange and black.
Beaudoin is a sturdy power Center, and is willing to take a beating on his way to the net. The majority of the time, however, he takes two or three defenders with him to the net, thus creating space for his teammates to pot the easy goal. He’s very creative with the puck, and in his second season for Barrie he was more of a playmaker with netting 28 goals in 67 games played. Moreover, he did register 34 assists, as well, to pair with his top penalty killing skills. Beaudoin was one of the most versatile Centers for Barrie, even with his size.
The Flyers could benefit from a fearless player that is willing to sacrifice his body for a dirty goal, and one that has a high motor. Beaudoin is apparently a hard-worker, and if one saw Beaudoin play this past season, then they would have noticed his good pair of hands. Beaudoin has excellent vision of the ice, and has a lethal wrist shot to pair with his good vision of the ice.
*The Flyers traded pick #36 in the second round to move up in the first round*
Round 2: (51) LW, Marek Vanaker
This young 17-year-old in Vanaker became thrusted and trusted into a role with the Brantford Bulldogs in 2023-24. By all accounts, he endured a career season to boot by tallying 36 goals and 46 assists in 68 games played. The Flyers again pick size, as Vanaker stands at 6’1.
Vanaker just knows where to be and when, and he is excellent in the corners. He can pick a players pocket and lead the rush up the ice with ease. Vanaker, a native of Ontario, is excellent around the net. He has a great wrist shot, and he will be a stable force on the power play for the Flyers in the future.
Round 4: The Flyers have no Fourth Round Picks
Round 5: (148) G, Jakub Milota
Milota is a decent sized netminder, as he stands at 6’2. He appeared in 33 games for the Cape Breton Eagles in the QMJHL while registering a 2.82 GAA, and a .905 Save Percentage. He also went 18-11-1 for the Eagles this past season.
The young prospect in Milota looked composed in net from the start of the year in 2023-24, in his first season from Czechia. Milota has some size in net, and has the ability to cut off the angles well. He can improve his rebound control, and skating. However, Milota has the ability to be a draft day steal for the orange and black with stealing big games on consecutive nights. The Flyers have no need to rush his development with the likes of a young promising netminders in Samuel Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Alexei Kolosov waiting in the wings, but there is uncertainty in net, thanks in large part to Carter Hart’s situation from the 2018 Hockey Canada Sexual Assault.
Drafting a goaltender is never a bad thing, as it’s the most unpredictable position the sport has to offer.
Round 5: (150), RHD, Cooper Cleaves
Cleaves is a beast on the blueline, as he stands at 6’4 while weighing 200 pounds. He is only 18-years of age, and he will play for the Vernon Vipers in the BCHL next season.
He has plenty to offer, but Cleaves need some development too. He will play for Dartmouth College in 2025-26.
Round 6: (177) RW, Diego Johnson
Diego Johnson has a motor. He closes gsaps well, and he could be a steal at this point of the draft. For the season, he registered four goals, and six assists for a total of 10 points in 31 games played for the Madison Capitols in the USHL. Johnson needed a good draft season, and he provided that for the competition ahead. He has committed to the University of Wisconsin for the 2024-25 season.
At age 17, Johnson stands at 5’11, and weighs 165 pounds. He is a good reliable penalty killer, that thrives with short-handed goals. Johnson, believe it or not is good as springing his teammates with breakout passes, and he usually places himself in the right positions for a nice easy wrist shot on net. All in all this would be a high valued pick for the Flyers late in the draft.
Round 7: (205) C/RW, Alexander Shen
Shen fell in the draft for good reason. He had trouble scoring at a point per game pace in the MHL. He netted 10 goals and 14 assists in 42 games played for Mamonty Yugry in the MHL this past season.
He has good defensive awareness, and he is willing to sacrifice his body with blocking shots and throwing his weight around, but he has to produce offensively. Shen is only 17-years of age, so he has time to hone in on his development, and get things straight. There is no rush, and he would be worth the pick at this point of the draft.
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