With the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers have selected Jett Luchanko from the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
About Jett Luchanko
While the NHL often relies on size as a defining factor to select a player early in a draft class, it’s also been proven time and time again that work ethic and tenacity can offset size and allow a player to earn a selection in the early first or second rounds of the draft.
For Jett Luchanko, hard work is a perfect description of his game. He has a brilliant hockey mind, plays a strong two-way game, and possesses a non-stop motor that allows him to be in the right places to make the right plays.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
When it comes to his skillset, Luchanko has shown solid playmaking abilities, which led him to post 20 goals and 74 points in 68 games played for the Guelph Storm of the OHL. Overall, his offensive skillset is top-notch, as he knows how to rely on his speed and skill to put the puck in the right spot for his scorer to take a high-danger shot.
There are parallels you can draw between Luchanko and other undersized first-round selections on draft night (Issac Howard, Easton Cowen) which shows teams are willing to take those chances on a player with his abilities. To put it simply, any general manager will be thrilled to add him to their prospect pool.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
Luchanko’s main attributes are his work ethic and his smarts, which is evident in the recent OHL coach’s poll where he was voted in the top three as the smartest and hardest working player from the Western Conference. Even his on-ice testing before CHL Top Prospects game shows the skill that he has, scoring very well. He possesses great smarts, a high-end drive and motor every time he’s on the ice. He shows no fear and is always displaying a willingness to constantly battle in the tough areas. He needs to add more strength to his game, but that tenacity in addition to his speed always makes him a thorn in the side of the opposition to break up plays and force a turnover.
Offensively, Luchanko is a very silky-smooth playmaker, driving the play every time and displaying great hands in tight spaces and high traffic areas. He has great speed and agility and has a very strong first few steps in order to create separation quickly to get out of high-pressure situations. Even when in that spot, he’s very calm and shows no panic.
Luchanko is a very deceptive puck distributor. When you think he’s going to shoot, he quickly looks off for a pass fooling both defenders and goaltenders. He easily draws players in to open things up and can connect with his teammates easily, be it with cross seams or making quick give-and-go plays. He plays at a fast pace and combined with his speed, edgework, puck skills and control, he’s hard to contain in transition or when attacking the offensive zone. If he wants to be a dual threat, he needs to work on his shot and make better decisions with his shot selection. Though, he does a great job to get in tight on goalies and finish off plays with his hands and skill.
Continue reading the full player profile here.
How This Affects the Flyers’ Plans
With Philadelphia building out their lineup for the future, it makes perfect sense to take Luchanko 13th overall. He’s the type of player who could realistically contribute to them in two or three years if he continues to take steps in his development. With a core of developing players to build around, he could be setting up someone like Matvei Michkov for the next decade if they both make it to the NHL.
As always, he’s likely going to need a few years before this step in his career happens, but there’s all the potential for Luchanko to be either a top-six playmaker posting 70-plus points each season, or a third-line centerman bringing energy and defensive responsibility to a game-breaking line. Either way, there’s no bad outcome if he takes that next step in his career.