For the first time since 2021, the Flyers will not be picking in the top-10 of the NHL Draft. And it's the first time since 1985 that they hold the 21st overall selection. With that, it's a little bit harder to project which players may be available to them by the time their pick comes along. Ranking after the first few players can vary drastically depending on where you're looking.
The Flyers have a few areas they could address with their first pick. While they won't find a franchise-altering center toward the end of the first round, there are plenty of solid options available to them. Some strong wingers could be added to the pipeline, even if that is currently an area of strength for the organization.
It could likely come down to who the best player available is at the time. So with that, these are four players who have either been recently mocked to the Flyers or ranked in an area where Philadelphia could conceivably grab them.
Alexander Command, C, Orebro HK (SHL)
Command led the Örebro HK U20 squad during his first season in the U20 Nationell, Sweden's top junior league, with 17 goals and 44 points. He was ninth in the entire league, an impressive feat for the 17-year-old. Command excelled in the playoffs as well, finishing third on the team in points. He was also a star for Sweden at the World Juniors, helping the team win the gold.
Command’s play this season has risen him up draft boards, as he wasn’t necessarily talked about at the beginning of the season. His work ethic is one of the biggest trademarks of his game, making him a rather perfect fit for the Flyers. Whether he’s fighting for the puck or looking to land a hit, Command doesn’t seem to take a shift off.
He earned a promotion to the SHL, playing six games for Örebro HK. He’ll most likely return to the U20 team, but it’s noticeable that he was given a chance in Sweden’s top league.
Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown (USHL)
Hextall took a large step forward in his second season with the Youngstown Phantoms. He was fifth on the team in goals (20) and fourth in points (58). That was after posting eight goals and 34 points a year ago. His performance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup also put him firmly on the map. Hextall had seven points in five games, playing a large role in the United States taking home gold.
Hextall is a versatile player, able to line up at center or on the wing, a useful trait at the NHL level. He’s also a power play threat, finishing the year with 31 points on the man advantage. The Flyers would love to have that kind of skill in their pipeline.
Hextall will be playing for Michigan State next year, which should be a good test going up against older and stronger players. Porter Martone could also tell him a thing or two about the Spartans.
Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw (OHL)
His playmaking and vision are some of his best traits, but don't sleep on his potentially lethal shot either. Klepov is another player on this list who can do damage on the power play as well. 38 of his points came on the man advantage. He also chipped in a few shorthanded goals, showing he can make an impact on the penalty kill.
Klepov will be joining Hextall at Michigan State next season, a program that always tends to see big names coming its way. That should help him bulk up and fine-tune some other parts of his game.
J.P. Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops (WHL)
There was a point during the season where Hurlbert was miles ahead of everyone else in the WHL scoring race. Ultimately, he finished fourth in both goals (42) and points (97). He earned the WHL Rookie of the Year Award, posting 10 more points than the next closest rookie. Hurlbert has been a consistent goal scorer at every level he's been at thus far.
Hurlbert has spent time at center, but is known more as a dual-threat winger. As for his skills, he is said to have an NHL-caliber shot and a speedy release, getting the puck off his stick almost immediately after it's passed to him. And what a surprise, he's been a power play threat as well. His awareness on the ice can set him apart from the rest and open up his teammates as well.
He will be heading to the University of Michigan this upcoming season, a place his family is quite familiar with. Hurlbert will need to improve his defensive game and overall pace, but his offensive skills have outweighed them thus far.
