The 2023 NHL Draft is upon us. It’s GM Danny Briere’s first draft at the helm of the Flyers, and the first year of The Rebuild. Briere’s started the offseason well, netting a second 2023 first round pick in the trade that sent Ivan Provorov to Columbus–and by all accounts, he’s just getting started at accruing draft capital.
It’s time to gamble on some big swings.
One of the most consistent criticisms of the Flyers’ drafting tendencies has been their preference for high-floor, low-ceiling players that stabilize the team’s middle-six forward corps and bottom-four defensive pairings. This is all well and good, but without some high-end, elite talent on your top line, you’re not going to win any Stanley Cups–and the most efficient and cost-effective way to get and retain that talent is to draft and develop players.
The Flyers are at least a few years away from any form of playoff contention, let alone Cup runs; now is the perfect time to draft players with major upside, because you have the time to see who can cut it at the NHL level, and who can’t. With Briere accumulating a plethora of picks, the Flyers also have the benefit of the odds: more picks means a better opportunity that at least one of your selections will hit. The extra picks allow for something of a safety net, too, since you can balance your swing choices with one or two safe ones.
It is worth mentioning that, over the past few years, the Flyers’ drafting tendencies have shifted towards a “swing” mentality. Cutter Gauthier, Bobby Brink, and Ronnie Attard, for example, are somewhat swingy picks–and at least in the case of Gauthier, it’s looking like a hit. Whether this push for higher upside players came from AGM Brent Flahr or former-GM Chuck Fletcher will become apparent at this year’s draft, as Briere is now the one calling the shots. If Briere continues–or expands–this pattern of taking swings, then perhaps Flahr had always been approaching the draft this way. Their joint press conference last week seems to show a unified vision that embraces a bit of risk:
“We want the best player three, four years down the road. It’s not a rush as far as who’s going to be playing first. There’s a lot of guys that will play sooner, but who is going to become the best NHL player is our focus.” – Brent Flahr
“I’m not worried if it’s three, four, five years down the road that they become the best they can be. It’s about the development of the player. I’m not worried about next year or the year after.” – Danny Briere
Those sure sound like some executives willing to take calculated risks on high-upside players and, more importantly, give them the time and space to reach their potential–something previous prospects have struggled with.
Who’re some eligible draftees that fit the bill? Oliver Moore is my personal favorite; he’s the best skater in the draft and fast as hell, but scouts are worried he’s too one dimensional and too small to cut it in the NHL. Another player that might be worth a swing is Andrew Cristall, who has extraordinary puck skills and offensive ability, but lacks compete and energy–potential deal breakers for a Flyers organization hammering home effort and accountability. In a forward-heavy draft, Gabe Perreault finished with the fourth most points all-time in the USNTDP: 177 in 86, behind Jack Hughes, Clayton Keller, and fellow draft eligible Will Smith. However, scouts have qualms that his points are a result of being on a stacked line with Smith and Ryan Leonard, rather than his own playmaking abilities, and that his production (and size, once again) won’t translate to the NHL. Then, of course, there’s Matvei Michkov, a player who could go in the top three on talent alone but is shrouded in smoke and mirrors because of the Russia situation and questions about his defensive acumen and skating; it’s not impossible that Michkov drops to where the Flyers can select him.
No matter which direction the Flyers take, they have the opportunity to draft two high-impact players in the first round in an uncommonly deep draft. And who knows? Maybe Briere will work some magic on draft day and nab another pick, or trade up to a better position. It should be an exciting draft regardless…and you can watch it unfold live with us at the Broad Street Hockey Draft Party! See you there!
What players do you think the Flyers should take a swing on? Let us know in the comments!
