Philadelphia Flyers 2026-27 Prospect Pyramid

The Philadelphia Flyers have completed the 2026 NHL Draft, selecting three times in the first two rounds. Let’s rank their prospects using a pyramid, tier-list-style format.

What Is a Prospect?

To define a prospect, I’ll be using the NHL’s definition of a rookie. “To be considered a rookie, a player must not have played in more than 25 NHL games in any preceding seasons, nor in six or more NHL games in each of any two preceding seasons. Any player at least 26 years of age (by September 15th of that season) is not considered a rookie.”

The most notable player the Flyers had graduate from this list is forward Denver Barkey, who played in 43 regular-season contests for the Orange and Black in 2025-26. The playoffs are not included in games played.

Tiers: What Do They Mean?

Now, to define the tier-list system. What do the tiers actually mean?

Tier 1 – Superstar

Tier 2 – Top-half-of-the-lineup skater, starting goaltender

Tier 3 – Middle-of-the-lineup skater, borderline starting goaltender

Tier 4 – Bottom-half-of-the-lineup skater, backup goaltender

Tier 5 – Depth

The tiers are a mix of ceiling and projection. They are far from definitive, though—you can move up and down pretty easily, as development isn’t linear.

With only 21 prospects represented, I’m being a bit stricter with this list than I was in the past. Still, there’s decent upside throughout this pool. Let’s dive in, starting from the top of the pyramid.

Tier 1: Porter Martone

Porter Martone only participated in nine regular-season games in 2025-26, so he’s still considered a prospect. But, boy, did he make an impact. The 19-year-old is as much of a surefire star as you can be at his age. His hockey sense was on display at the NHL level immediately, and his high-volume shot did wonders for the Orange and Black.

In the NCAA, Martone recorded 25 goals and as many assists in 35 games. With the Flyers, he had six goals and nine assists in 19 total contests—pretty incredible for a draft-plus-one rookie, especially in a low-event environment. I feel comfortable saying No. 94 will be a superstar one day.

Tier 2: Egor Zavragin

All alone in Tier 2 is netminder Egor Zavragin. He saw a reduced workload in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in 2025-26, playing only 12 games, but his numbers over the last two seasons are nonetheless very impressive for someone his age. Among goalies with at least 50 games played, he ranks 19th out of 35 in save percentage (.918) and goals-against average (2.53).

Zavragin spent some time in Russia’s second-tier pro league, the VHL, and had an otherworldly .949 save percentage and a 1.44 goals-against average in 18 games (so, hardly a small sample size). When you have his athleticism, anything is possible. He was traded in the KHL offseason, so he should get more opportunities in 2026-27.

Tier 3: Alex Bump, Jack Berglund, Oliver Bonk, Jett Luchanko, Jack Nesbitt

At the top of Tier 3 is Alex Bump. The 22-year-old winger saw limited usage in Philadelphia, so his numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but seven goals and four assists in 23 games on 12:58 of average ice time is impressive. Beyond the stats, he showed flashes in transition, and his shot is already quite good.

Jack Berglund, a second-rounder in 2024, has emerged as the Flyers’ top center prospect. He still didn’t play a ton in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), but when he got opportunities higher in the lineup, I liked what I saw. He’s a hard-hitter whose engagement is a plus. His skating isn’t great, but he impacts the game at the pro level. The Flyers might have themselves a 3C.

I’ve started to warm up to the idea of Oliver Bonk becoming a No. 5 defenseman—crucial in any contending lineup. While he’s not all that flashy at either end of the ice, the IQ is a plus, and he showed competence at the professional level. Next season will be an important one for the 21-year-old.

Production-wise, the 2025-26 season wasn’t all that kind to Jett Luchanko: 11 goals and 41 assists in 53 games in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). That is, admittedly, somewhat concerning for a player in his draft-plus-two campaign. But the skating is great, and his all-around game should raise his floor.

Ending things off is Jack Nesbitt. With 32 goals and 36 assists in 68 OHL contests, his production was fine, if not a little underwhelming in 2025-26. But the bullish end here for him is a middle-six center whose smarts and physical engagement make him a pest. I’d like to see more of the latter, but that’s what college is for. He’s committed to the University of Michigan for next season.

Tier 4: Maksim Sokolovskii, Spencer Gill, Shane Vansaghi, Jack Murtagh, Brek Liske, Nathan Quinn, Max Westergård

Fronting Tier 4 is Maksim Sokolovskii, the Flyers’ first-round pick in 2026. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound blueliner is physical and can skate quite well for his size. Some of the on-puck play could use improvement, as could the rest of his game (normal for a 17-year-old), but there’s upside as a No. 5 defender here. With him being as young as he is, I’m preemptively sticking him in this tier—he could definitely move up.

Next is 2024 second-round pick Spencer Gill, whose 2025-26 campaign was derailed by injury. I am still a fan of the upside—he’s got decent puck-carrying ability and a two-way presence—but there’s a world where he doesn’t become a regular NHL defenseman.

Shane Vansaghi, a second-rounder in 2025, saw a scoring reduction from his freshman year at Michigan State University—from 16 points in 37 games to 11 in 35. But his projection is the same. He could be a physical bottom-sixer for a long time in Philadelphia if he hits his ceiling.

Jack Murtagh, another one of those 2025 second-rounders, has fallen quite a bit for me. I was very high on him, but a disappointing showing in college has him in the middle of Tier 4. He could certainly work his way back up, though, as the traits I liked a year ago are still there: physical engagement, a shot, and decent skill.

Brek Liske was the Flyers’ No. 53 pick in this year’s draft. From a production standpoint, it was a tale of two seasons in a sense, as he recorded 24 points in 52 regular-season games, then 17 points in 18 playoff contests for the Western Hockey League (WHL) Everett Silvertips. He’s a 6-foot-2, 187-pound right-shot defenseman who is decently mobile, is comfortable with the puck, and can put up points when given the opportunity (Everett is stacked on defense).

Nathan Quinn is the biggest riser on this list. The 2025 sixth-round pick was excellent in his draft-plus-one showing, recording 36 goals and 43 assists in 69 games across the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) regular season and the playoffs. He’s a 5-foot-11 center, and players drafted as late as he was rarely make it, but he could be an exception.

Closing out the tier is Max Westergård, a fifth-rounder in last year’s draft. The 18-year-old winger, though small in stature, has a high-end motor with second-round skill. He had 20 goals and 33 assists in 35 games in Sweden’s top junior league. The hope is that he turns pro full-time in 2026-27—that should tell us a lot (although he has played several games against men already).

Tier 5: Heikki Ruohonen, Martin Psohlavec, Carter Amico, Carson Bjarnason, Matthew Gard, Devin Kaplan, Cole Knuble

Now, for Tier 5. This might even be a little low for Heikki Ruohonen, whose international performances have caught the eye of Flyers fans. The 2024 fourth-rounder could be a solid two-way center for the Orange and Black.

I’ll be honest and say that I don’t know too much about Martin Psohlavec, so I pivoted to the public scouts somewhat with this ranking. The 6-foot-5 netminder had great numbers in his draft year, putting up a full-season save percentage of .928 with a 1.90 goals-against-average, 36 wins, and 11 shutouts across 50 contests. Tobias Trejbal, drafted earlier in the second round by the Calgary Flames in 2026, had similar numbers in his draft-minus-one campaign before coming to the U.S. Psohlavec could soar up this list—I’m mostly pleading ignorance since Czech tape is hard to find.

Next, I unfortunately had to bump down 2025 second-rounder Carter Amico. He’s a bigger right-shot defenseman who could have solid upside, but this past season wasn’t a great one for him—he left college for the United States Hockey League (USHL). He has plenty of time to develop, though.

Carson Bjarnason wasn’t super high on this list last year, and after a tough first professional season, I have him in Tier 5. The 2023-drafted netminder has potential, to be sure, but a .877 save percentage in the American Hockey League (AHL) and a .881 save percentage in the ECHL leaves a lot to be desired.

Matthew Gard, a 2025 second-rounder, is a huge center who plays the part. But with 18 goals and 19 assists in 60 games across two teams in the WHL, is the production good enough to be an NHL-caliber player? I think he can make it, but there are reasonable question marks.

Devin Kaplan’s AHL production this past season wasn’t all that great for a 22-year-old: 13 points in 49 games. With his size (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) and physical upside, however, there’s a world where he’s a reliable fourth-liner.

Ending off this prospect pyramid is soon-to-be-22-year-old forward Cole Knuble. He had nine goals and 22 assists in 36 collegiate contests at Notre Dame, then recorded three points in seven games in the AHL. Smaller forwards—he’s 5-foot-11—with this production don’t usually become regular NHLers, so perhaps he’s worthy of being off this list entirely. But the traits are nice, as he works hard.

Once Martone and Bump graduate from this list in 2026-27, I’d argue that the Flyers have a fairly average pool—lots of depth, but nothing truly spectacular, minus Zavragin. But what are your thoughts?