Anticipation is growing for the 2025 NHL Draft and the offseason in general. In this Philadelphia Flyers Mailbag, I tackled some of your questions about those topics.
Flyers Sixth-Overall Pick Questions
The Flyers’ own first-round pick is set at sixth overall. Read everything you need to know, courtesy of the questions asked below.
Do You Think the Flyers Pick a Player at No. 6 That Is Appropriately Ranked Near That Pick? – @orangestreak
My guess is as good as anyone’s on this one, but I think so. The most egregious “reach” I’ve seen consistently connected to the Flyers has been Brady Martin, who I have ranked 12th on my big board (and some have higher). It’s tough to define “appropriately” in this context, but I doubt they’ll be taking someone who nobody had going in their top 10.
Related: Flyers Might Like Brady Martin at Sixth Overall in 2025 NHL Draft
While some feel that Jett Luchanko at 13th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft was bad value for where the Flyers picked him, he’s more or less producing how someone of his caliber should. You can argue that trading down with Zeev Buium still available was a misstep, as he’s showing elite upside, but Luchanko can feasibly be a second-line center for the Orange and Black.
I’m Starting to Like the Idea of Drafting Jake O’Brien at Sixth Overall. Thoughts? – @PSE4133
Funny enough, Jake O’Brien is my sixth-ranked prospect in this class. So, naturally, I think he’d be a great choice for the Flyers at No. 6—he’s got first-line center upside.
He played for a star-studded Brantford Bulldogs team, but that shouldn’t take away from his production. In 66 games, O’Brien accumulated 32 goals and 66 assists. For context, Michael Misa was the only other draft-eligible player out of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to put up at least 90 points.
As you can probably tell from his stat line, O’Brien is a playmaker. He’s got some of the best vision in the class, making him super crafty off the rush and inside the offensive zone. I’d argue his two-way game is still developing, but he has upside in that department.
What could also make O’Brien attractive to the Flyers is his IQ. He’s one of the few centers out there who can think the game at Matvei Michkov’s level. Despite his physical limitations as a 32-year-old with an extensive injury history, Sean Couturier falls under that umbrella, and the two played incredible hockey together down the late-winter, early-spring stretch. O’Brien is also a decade and a half younger and arguably more gifted offensively than Couturier was in his draft year—this could be a great match.
Is “Potential Fit with Michkov” Important for This Pick at No. 6? Based on This, How Would You Rank Potential Picks? – @timkastelle
I used to lean that way, but this could very likely be Philadelphia’s last chance to pick this high during the Michkov era. Fortunately, the bar is low to be productive with a player of Michkov’s caliber. On the flip side, it usually takes a high draft pick to acquire someone who can drive their own line. The latter is what the Flyers need more of.
A potential fit with Michkov is still an important consideration, but it shouldn’t be at the forefront of the Flyers’ minds. They will have opportunities down the line to find the right match.
With that being said, the best player on the Flyers’ board may also be a great theoretical fit with Michkov. To me, the three best in this department are all centers, in no particular order: Caleb Desnoyers, O’Brien, and James Hagens.
Desnoyers is a great fit for some of the same reasons as O’Brien, while Hagens has the combination of playmaking and skating ability that the others don’t. In my opinion, all three of these centermen have first-line upside, but adding Michkov to the mix is a total game-changer.
Flyers Goaltending Questions
No team had a worse save percentage than the Flyers did last season. After a disappointing 2023–24 campaign between the pipes, they regressed. Naturally, it is a major talking point for the team—let’s answer some of your questions.
Does It Make Sense to Use One of the Late First-Round Picks on Another Goaltending Prospect? – @FfejTacks
Yes, but it depends. Joshua Ravensbergen, out of the Western Hockey League (WHL), seems to be the only goaltender who’s a real first-round threat. The way I see it, the Flyers would need to A) have him as their number-one goalie in the class and B) see him as the most impactful player on the board to justify such a decision. Otherwise, I’d pivot to the second round, or even later.
I’m as big as anyone on Egor Zavragin. Being a full-timer in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) as a teenager is unprecedented, yet that’s what he did in 2024–25, and he put up some great numbers. It’s early in the development process, but I think the Flyers have something here. Still, it’s never a bad idea to stack up the goaltending pipeline.
So, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Flyers used a first-round pick on a goalie, but I’m not sure it’s necessary. Their No. 1 netminder might be projected to go in the second round, for all we know.
What Could the Flyers Realistically Do (About Goaltending) Until Their Prospects Are Ready for the NHL? – @CBMarshall901
The Flyers don’t have many options to immediately better their play between the pipes. The best goalies on the pending unrestricted free-agent market right now are probably Jake Allen and Anton Forsberg, who were both backups this season. The only starter on the market is Alexandar Georgiev, who put up a .875 save percentage across 49 contests. It’s slim pickings.
At this point, the Flyers might want to explore the trade market. Just last offseason, the Washington Capitals acquired Logan Thompson for two third-round picks—his 31–6–6 record and .910 save percentage led them to the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Los Angeles Kings swapped Pierre-Luc Dubois and his unwanted $68 million contract for Darcy Kuemper, who is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.
To improve the Flyers’ goaltending, general manager Daniel Brière must be savvy. It’ll be hard to do, but getting creative is ultimately the most realistic path to improving on that front.
Who Should Be the Phantoms’ Starting Netminder Next Season? – @HendrixHockey_
Cal Petersen’s 31 regular-season games played led the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2024–25. But with his expiring contract and underwhelming .885 save percentage, that honor will go to someone else next season.
This is a tricky question to answer since there’s uncertainty around Aleksei Kolosov’s future. The Phantoms’ American Hockey League (AHL) starter would be him in a perfect world, but it’s possible he returns to the KHL and eventually moves on from the organization entirely. So, I’ll eliminate him as an option.
It all comes down to 31-year-old Parker Gahagen and 19-year-old prospect Carson Bjarnason, assuming he doesn’t return to the WHL for another season. Though the former is set to become a free agent in the summer, he had a .916 save percentage on a team where nobody else stopped 90% of their shots. A Gahagen-Bjarnason tandem would be in the Phantoms’ best interest.
If they’re both healthy, I think we could see a 1A and 1B type of situation, with the veteran getting the most starts. Though you want the young guy to get as much action as possible, Bjarnason has yet to make his professional debut. He’ll have to gain the trust of head coach Ian Laperrière, but he should get a decent role if he chooses to stay in the AHL.
Your questions were much appreciated! With only six weeks to go until the 2025 NHL Draft, it’s an exciting time of year for the Orange and Black.
