Latest news with #PhiladelphiaFlyers
New York Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Flyers add scoring, size in first round of NHL Draft with Porter Martone, Jack Nesbitt picks
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Headed into Friday's first round of the 2025 NHL draft, the Philadelphia Flyers system had two discernible needs: more size and snarl, particularly considering the way the league is trending lately, and another potentially high-end center. They may have addressed both with Porter Martone, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound agitating winger taken with the sixth-overall pick, and Jack Nesbitt, a 6-4, 183-pound pivot that they traded up to acquire 12th overall. Advertisement Regarding Martone, GM Daniel Briere stuck to his word from earlier this month when he suggested the plan was to select the best player available with the Flyers' highest pick. After there was a run on centers with Michael Misa, Anton Frondell, Caleb Desnoyers and Brady Martin going second through fifth, the Flyers snagged Martone, who posted 37 goals and 98 points in 57 games as a right wing for OHL Brampton this past season. 'We would have preferred a center, but we felt we couldn't pass up on a chance to bring a difference-maker like Porter Martone to the team,' Briere said. A legendary moment. Charles Barkley welcomes Porter Martone to the City of Brotherly Love. #NHLDraft — Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) June 28, 2025 Martone is viewed not only as a scorer but someone who can play an aggressive, physical style when necessary. That was overtly reflected in a trio of players Martone said he looks at as comparables: Corey Perry, Matthew Tkachuk and Wayne Simmonds. He also may be the most NHL-ready player of the draft. For one thing, wingers are typically better able to acclimate to the league more quickly than any other position, and Martone was the only winger selected among the first dozen picks. He also got a brief taste playing with and against NHL players after he earned an invite to the IIHF World Championships in May to skate for Team Canada at the conclusion of his junior season. Martone expressed a high level of confidence that his path to the NHL will be an abbreviated one, and Briere didn't necessarily disagree. 'At the World Championships (playing) against NHL players — I think I proved that I can do that. I think I proved that I fit in,' Martone said. 'But, I'm going to continue to get better every single day.' Said Briere: 'His body, the way he's built, is a little bigger, thicker guy. … He's a really good player already. He's pretty close to being ready. I don't know that it's going to be the right thing to play him this year in the upcoming season, but we'll see. If there's one thing I would say in this draft, he's pretty close to being the most ready out of that group.' Advertisement Martone is also familiar with three current Flyers from his experience at the World Championships: Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and Tyson Foerster, who also skated for Team Canada. Briere said that he received texts from Sanheim and Konecny joyfully approving of the pick, while Foerster 'couldn't say more good things about Porter in trying to convince me to take him.' 'All three of those guys were tremendous to me,' said Martone, who was scoreless in two games in the tournament. 'One thing I noticed over there is how much they loved being a Flyer, and how much they take pride in being a Flyer. … I can't wait to be their teammate.' Nesbitt is more of a project than Martone. While his size and scoring are intriguing — he posted 64 points in 65 games with OHL Windsor this season — his skating is a distinct area of concern. Nesbitt knows it's something he needs to work on, while concurrently adding more bulk. 'I play a very physical game. As a bigger guy, I need to improve my skating and I'm looking to put on a little weight, so that's going to come, as well,' Nesbitt said. 'But, yeah, I'm going to be working a lot of my skating, quick feet. As a centerman, I have to get into the small areas pretty quick, and be able to forecheck.' That's clearly something that the Flyers figure Nesbitt, who was voted the most improved player in the OHL coaches poll, will be able to overcome, considering they paid a fairly hefty price to move up to take him in surrendering the 22nd and 31st overall picks to the Pittsburgh Penguins. According to a Flyers team source, the club was under the impression that Nesbitt, who was 15th in Corey Pronman's final mock draft, would be taken 'in the next pick or two,' which forced them into action. Why did they target Nesbitt so aggressively? 'The package,' Briere said. 'The combination of the size, the grit, the playmaking abilities, the goal scoring already. Second half of the season, he took a big step on a really good Windsor team.' Advertisement Regarding his skating, Briere compared Nesbitt with Foerster, who dropped to 23rd in the 2020 draft due to perceived skating issues, but has since become a key cog in the Flyers' future. 'If (Nesbitt) hits as a second-line center, it's going to be a huge asset for us,' Briere said. As for Martone and Nesbitt both having decent size, that's something that, if you believe Briere, was more of a coincidence than anything else. 'It's a nice bonus that they're both tall and will bring us size, as well,' he said. 'But it just kind of worked out that way. It wasn't a plan that we had in mind going into the draft that we wanted to get bigger. It just happened that way.' The Flyers have seven picks on Saturday when the draft resumes, including three in the top half of the second round (36, 40 and 48 overall). Briere said there were opportunities to move up again late in the first round, but after trading a second-round pick to Anaheim as part of the deal for Trevor Zegras, and losing the 31st overall pick in the move to grab Nesbitt, they will likely use at least their three second-rounders on Saturday. (Top photo of Jack Nesbitt: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
CBS News
15 hours ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Who did the Flyers draft? Track every Philadelphia pick in the 2025 NHL draft
The Philadelphia Flyers enter the 2025 NHL draft with 10 selections, including three in the first round and six in the first 50 picks. For the first time in its history, the annual entry draft is being held in a decentralized location — the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The draft will begin at 7 p.m. Friday and resume at noon Saturday. Philadelphia is entering the next phase of its rebuild, kicking it off earlier this week by acquiring highly-skilled forward Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks. Flyers general manager Danny Briere has a busy night ahead of him, whether he makes all six selections or trades some for NHL-ready talent, moves up in the order, or acquires future assets. Track the Flyers' 2025 NHL draft selections below. Who have the Flyers drafted so far? The Flyers have not yet made their first selection. The team's first of three first-round picks is No. 6 overall. Philadelphia Flyers' 2025 NHL draft picks Round 1: 6th overall Round 1: 22nd overall (from Colorado Avalanche) Round 1: 31st overall (from Edmonton Oilers) Round 2: 36th overall Round 2: 40th overall Round 2: 48th overall (from Calgary Flames) Round 3: 68th overall Round 5: 132nd overall Round 5: 157th overall (from Carolina Hurricanes) Round 6: 164th overall Who did the Philadelphia Flyers draft last year? The Flyers left the 2024 NHL draft with seven players, with Jett Luchanko headlining the class at 13th overall. Luchanko made the Flyers' opening-night roster and played four games with the club before being sent back to junior. The 18-year-old will likely have another opportunity to make the NHL roster in the 2025-26 season. The Flyers also drafted center Jack Berglund, defenseman Spencer Gill, center Heikki Ruohonen, right wing Noah Powell, right wing Ilya Pautov and defenseman Austin Moline in 2024.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NHL Draft live tracker: Grading every pick in the first round
Welcome to the 2025 NHL Draft! The NHL offseason is in sight now that the Stanley Cup has been awarded, but more excitement awaits hockey fans before the long dregs of summer at the 2025 NHL Draft. This year, the New York Islanders hold the No. 1 overall pick and will likely draft defenseman Matthew Schaefer out of the OHL with the top selection to kick the night off. Advertisement As is customary in the NHL, the lead-up to the draft saw some movement between teams in preparation for the event. The Philadelphia Flyers acquired Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks in a hopeful change of scenery for the young player. J.J. Peterka is now a member of the Utah Mammoth after a trade from Buffalo. Rumors abound as to where Mitch Marner will end up in free agency as well, as teams look to clear off cap space ahead of the forward's big summer splash. With the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft about to kick off, here are the full list of picks made on Friday night, with analysis and grades as well! 1. New York Islanders 4. Utah Hockey Club 6. Philadelphia Flyers 7. Boston Bruins 8. Seattle Kraken 9. Buffalo Sabres 10. Anaheim Ducks 12. Pittsburgh Penguins (via New York Rangers) 13. Detroit Red Wings 15. Vancouver Canucks 16. New York Islanders (via Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames) 17. New York Islanders (via Montreal Canadiens) 18. Calgary Flames (via New Jersey Devils) 19. St. Louis Blues 20. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Minnesota Wild) 21. Ottawa Senators 22. Philadelphia Flyers (via Colorado Avalanche) 23. Nashville Predators (via Tampa Bay Lightning) 24. Los Angeles Kings 25. Chicago Blackhawks (via Toronto Maple Leafs) 26. Nashville Predators (via Vegas Golden Knights) 27. Washington Capitals 28. Winnipeg Jets 29. Carolina Hurricanes 30. San Jose Sharks (via Dallas Stars) 31. Philadelphia Flyers (via Edmonton Oilers) 32. Calgary Flames (via Florida Panthers) This article originally appeared on For The Win: 2025 NHL Draft live tracker: Grading every pick in the first round
USA Today
16 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 NHL Draft live tracker: Grading every pick in the first round
Welcome to the 2025 NHL Draft! The NHL offseason is in sight now that the Stanley Cup has been awarded, but more excitement awaits hockey fans before the long dregs of summer at the 2025 NHL Draft. This year, the New York Islanders hold the No. 1 overall pick and will likely draft defenseman Matthew Schaefer out of the OHL with the top selection to kick the night off. As is customary in the NHL, the lead-up to the draft saw some movement between teams in preparation for the event. The Philadelphia Flyers acquired Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks in a hopeful change of scenery for the young player. J.J. Peterka is now a member of the Utah Mammoth after a trade from Buffalo. Rumors abound as to where Mitch Marner will end up in free agency as well, as teams look to clear off cap space ahead of the forward's big summer splash. With the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft about to kick off, here are the full list of picks made on Friday night, with analysis and grades as well! 1. New York Islanders 2. San Jose Sharks 3. Chicago Blackhawks 4. Utah Hockey Club 5. Nashville Predators 6. Philadelphia Flyers 7. Boston Bruins 8. Seattle Kraken 9. Buffalo Sabres 10. Anaheim Ducks 11. Pittsburgh Penguins 12. Pittsburgh Penguins (via New York Rangers) 13. Detroit Red Wings 14. Columbus Blue Jackets 15. Vancouver Canucks 16. New York Islanders (via Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames) 17. New York Islanders (via Montreal Canadiens) 18. Calgary Flames (via New Jersey Devils) 19. St. Louis Blues 20. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Minnesota Wild) 21. Ottawa Senators 22. Philadelphia Flyers (via Colorado Avalanche) 23. Nashville Predators (via Tampa Bay Lightning) 24. Los Angeles Kings 25. Chicago Blackhawks (via Toronto Maple Leafs) 26. Nashville Predators (via Vegas Golden Knights) 27. Washington Capitals 28. Winnipeg Jets 29. Carolina Hurricanes 30. San Jose Sharks (via Dallas Stars) 31. Philadelphia Flyers (via Edmonton Oilers) 32. Calgary Flames (via Florida Panthers)
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Flyers Mock Draft 4.0: Final Musings and Ruminations
The Flyers will almost assuredly pick a center for Matvei Michkov in the 2025 NHL Draft. (Photo: Christopher Hanewinc, Imagn Images) It's time for our fourth and final rendition of our 2025 Philadelphia Flyers mock draft, complete with all 32 first-round selections from every team. The perpetually changing rumor landscape has changed our selections over time, with names like James Hagens, Porter Martone, Ivan Ryabkin, Joshua Ravensbergen, Jackson Smith, and more all making their ways into the first round for the Flyers. Advertisement So, what's ultimately going to happen? It's hard to say, but there are now only so many hours before the draft for things to change. Let's talk Flyers and the NHL Draft, yes? 1. D Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders 2. C Anton Frondell, San Jose Sharks 3. C Michael Misa, Chicago Blackhawks 4. C Caleb Desnoyers, Utah Mammoth 5. RW Porter Martone, Nashville Predators 6. C James Hagens, Philadelphia Flyers Rationale: Under GM Danny Briere, the Flyers have developed a reputation for deception around draft time. But you can only perform the same trick so many times before you become a one-trick pony. Advertisement That's why I believe the Flyers are genuinely interested in James Hagens, once the consensus No. 1 player of this draft class, and believe he can be Philly's No. 1 center of the future alongside Matvei Michkov. Hagens confirmed Thursday that he met with the Flyers an additional time following the NHL scouting combine. 7. C Jake O'Brien, Boston Bruins 8. F Brady Martin, Seattle Kraken 9. D Radim Mrtka, Buffalo Sabres 10. D Kashawn Aitcheson, Anaheim Ducks Flyers Have New Trade-Up Possibility in NHL Draft Flyers Have New Trade-Up Possibility in NHL Draft If the Philadelphia Flyers wish to move up in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, the Los Angeles Kings have presented them a golden opportunity to do so. Advertisement 11. C Roger McQueen, Pittsburgh Penguins 12. RW Victor Eklund, Pittsburgh Penguins 13. F Carter Bear, Detroit Red Wings 14. D Jackson Smith, Columbus Blue Jackets 15. F Benjamin Kindel, Vancouver Canucks 16. LW Lynden Lakovic, New York Islanders 17. D Logan Hensler, New York Islanders 18. LW Malcom Spence, Calgary Flames 19. RW Justin Carbonneau, St. Louis Blues 20. C Braden Cootes, Columbus Blue Jackets 21. D Cam Reid, Ottawa Senators 22. C Cole Reschny, Philadelphia Flyers Rationale: Should they draft Cole Reschny, the Flyers will have drafted a center with each of their last three first round picks after Hagens and Jett Luchanko. Advertisement But that's not a bad thing. We don't know what Luchanko's true ceiling is as a promising player playing on awful teams, and the Flyers were basically the only team to value him as highly as they did. Adding Reschny to the mix gives the Flyers a much better chance of having two potential top-six centers in the pipeline and helps further take the pressure off Luchanko to become some offensive maven. Reschny is a versatile forward and was dynamite in the WHL this season, especially in the second half of the year. He'd be a great fit in Philadelphia. 23. G Joshua Ravensbergen, Nashville Predators Advertisement 24. D Blake Fiddler, Los Angeles Kings 25. LW Bill Zonnon, Chicago Blackhawks 26. C Jack Nesbitt, Nashville Predators 27. RW Alex Zharovsky, Washington Capitals 28. C William Horcoff, Winnipeg Jets 29. D Max Psenicka, Carolina Hurricanes Flyers Draft 2025: Who Are the Best (and Worst) Trade-Up Targets for Philly? Flyers Draft 2025: Who Are the Best (and Worst) Trade-Up Targets for Philly? With seven picks in the first two rounds of the 2025 NHL Draft, the possibilities are endless for the Philadelphia Flyers. They could use all seven picks, trade up once, trade up twice, or even trade down like they did in 2024. 30. D Henry Brzustewicz, San Jose Sharks 31. LW Cullen Potter, Philadelphia Flyers Advertisement Rationale: Another small forward Jon, really? Look, Cullen Potter is one of my favorite forwards in this draft class. He's a monster skater and has a full offensive toolkit, and he's a left-shot left wing, which the Flyers really need more of. Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin are probably NHL contributors, but do they have the skating and upside of Potter? No, not in my opinion, at least. Potter will need to put on some weight and strength, but the Flyers already have guys (Bobby Brink, maybe Maxim Shabanov) smaller than the 5-foot-10, 172-pound Potter. Add the talent first, worry about size later. Last year, the Flyers had the inverse strategy, though, so there's concern they again look for the tallest centers they can find within reason at this draft slot. Advertisement 32. D Haoxi "Simon" Wang, Calgary Flames Potential Flyers picks to watch on Day 2 With that all out of the way, there's a surprisingly considerable amount of talent left on the board, including some of my mocked first-rounders from past attempts at this thing. The Flyers need left defensemen, so names like Kurban Limatov and Sascha Boumedienne should be in play at 36. Later in the second round, I could see the Flyers take one, or even two, goalies. Russians Semyon Frolov and Alexei Medvedev (already plays in North America for London, teammate of Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey) are the two best options there. Advertisement I lean Medvedev. Taking the Russian-playing-in-North-America pipeline worked well for the New Jersey Devils last year with Mikhail Yegorov. Other names I like for the Flyers, in no particular order: RW Vaclav Nestrasil, C Ivan Ryabkin, LW Jack Murtagh, LW Kristian Epperson, D Maddox Labre, D Mace'o Phillips, D David Bedkowski, C Milton Gastrin, RW Jakob Ihs-Wozniak.
