Friday was a very late night. The first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft dragged on interminably. It was a terrible product on television. On the flip side, the folks who came out to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City for the Flyers Draft Party seemed to have a good time. I worked all night in the media room, but could hear what went on nearby.
Flyers general manager Daniel Briere met with the media near the end of first-round on Friday. Earlier, newly acquired center/winger Trevor Zegras met with the local media for the first time. See yesterday’s running blog for the happenings throughout the day. Day Two is all about getting in the picks and going home. Meanwhile, however, it’s also about setting the stage for free agency on July 1.
When I did my mock draft on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com, I had a hard time choosing between James Hagens, Jake O’Brien and Porter Martone. Ultimately, I went with Hagens, although all three players are excellent prospects. Nevertheless, Martone — the league wide consensus best winger in the Draft pool — is an easy-to-justify selection with the sixth overall pick. Skating is his only glaring weakness, and that’s fixable. His defensive play can also use a little more consistency, but should be fine. Martone is arguably the closest to NHL-ready draftee last night.
Over on the Flyers’ website, see my pick-by-pick Under the Microscope series.
8:00 a.m. EDT: Final Thoughts on Night One
For what it’s worth, TSN’s Ryan Kennedy ranked the Flyers’ first night decisions — the Martone pick, the trade up to 12th (for the 22nd and 31st picks), and the selection of Jack Nesbitt — as the ones he felt will pay off the most. Only time will tell. The Nesbitt decision was a bold one with some risk. I am very anxious to track his Draft-plus-one and Draft-plus-two seasons.
The 2025 Draft probably won’t go down in the annals of all-time great Drafts. There simply wasn’t much in the way of superstar talent available. However, Martone could become a bonafide top-line winger. He scores goals from either the right side or when coming down his off wing. So there are some possibilities that the right-handed shooter could play left wing as well as right.
As for Jack Nesbitt, Bob McKenzie ranked the big Windsor Spitfires’ center 17th. Of all pundit rankings, McKenzie’s is the most plugged in to what actual NHL scouts think. He polls the scouts and scouting directors, which reflect in his rankings. Meanwhile, Craig Button’s rankings reflect how an individual former NHL scouting director and general manager feels about the Draft pool throughout the year. These are two most authoritative non Central Scouting sources. Button wasn’t as sold on Nesbitt as McKenzie.
However, final impressions — namely the IIHF Under-18 World Championship — often seem to heavily weigh within Button’s final adjustments to “Craig’s List”. Nesbitt, who won the OHL Coaches’ Poll most improved player award, seemed to run out of steam near the end of the season. He had a so-so playoff and a bit of a disappointing U18s. So that knocked him down a bit to some observers, whereas others looked at his season on the whole. Some felt the combination of size, grit and willingness to go netfront (he’s one of the best in the Draft at scoring on deflections) carries more weight than an underwhelming finish.
As with Martone, Nesbitt needs work on his skating. The issue didn’t scare the Flyers away from Tyson Foerster (who gets from Point A to Point B adequately now at the NHL level), and did not deter the Martone or Nesbitt picks.Today, look for my annual Under the Microscope articles on the Flyers’ Day One and Day Two picks.
We have a couple hours until Round Two of the Draft starts. So I’ll start to get ready shortly and then head back to the media room.
10:30 a.m. EDT: Before the second round
Malcolm Spence is arguably the biggest name still available after the first round of the Draft. The Erie Otters defensemen fell in rankings this season as the year progressed. It may have partially been due to over scouting because he’s been on the 2025 radar for a couple years. Nevertheless, he still has upper-end middle six upside. There is also a variety of other names who were on the first-round borderline.
Jack Murtagh, a USNTPD center, has middle-six tools on one of the weaker recent NTDP squads. Sometimes gives in to frustration and gets dinged for negative body language. But he’s a good all-around prospect.
36th pick: Flyers select …
…nobody. The Flyers traded down two spots for picks 38 and 57.
38th pick: Carter Amico (D)
The Flyers went with Boston University recruit USNTPD right-shot blueliner Amico (6-foot-5 and a half, 232 pounds). A projected first-round pick before the season, Amico has range as well as size. Unfortanately, he suffered a broken kneecap in November. He missed the rest of the season after having to undergo a second procedure. However, the medical reports are positive. and Amico said after his selection that he is finally one hundred percent healthy. Amico is headed for Boston University.
40th overall: Jack Murtagh (W/C)
The Flyers went right back to the USNTDP at No. 40, selecting big swingman forward Murtagh (6-foot-1, 200 pounds). One of the players on a weaker edition of the USNTDP, Murtagh brings heaviness on the puck and an above-average shot. He has more of a winger-type style but said he has been just as comfortable in the middle as on the wing. A player with a projected middle-six upside as a powerful forward. Has a reputation for giving in to frustration at times but he is a hard-working and competitive player. He, too, is headed for Boston University.
48th: Shane Vansaghi (RW)
Yet another player developed through the USNTDP system, power winger (6-foot-2, 212 pounds) Vansaghi debuted as Michigan State freshman in 2024-25. There’s nothing subtle about his game: he hits, he grinds, he makes second- and third-effort plays. Vansaghi tracks on a bottom-six forward path as a pro. His skating isn’t pretty but gets where he needs to go.
57th overall: Matthew Gard (C)
Flyers general manager Briere repeatedly insists the organization is not specifically looking for size in the system. That may be the case, but every pick the Flyers have made so far is a big-framed prospect. Red Deer Rebels (WHL) center Gard did not attend the Draft in LA. He’s a very physical and feisty forward. He also chipped in 19 goals to go with his 81 penalty minutes in a third-line role for Red Deer. Grant McCagg of Recrutes ranked Gard 63rd.
3rd Round and 4th Round: No picks
Thse Flyers traded out of the third round as part of the deal to acquire an extra second-rounder (57th, Gard). There was a lot of sitting around until the Flyers’ had two picks in the later rounds.
5th Round: Max Westergard (W, 132 overall)
A Finnish-born forward playing in Sweden the last few years, Wastergard was a rare smaller-framed player (5-foot-11, 173 pounds) among this year’s Philadelphia draft crop. He dressed in 15 SHL games (four regular season, 11 playoff) for Frolunda and impressed at the U18s. A value pick this late in the Draft. He’s a skills player. The next three or four years will show how far he can take it.
157th: Luke Vlooswyk (D)
A big (6-foot-5, 200 pound defensive defenseman), Vlooswyk makes a good first pass and keeps his game simple. He brings some physicality and competes. Considers Gard his best friend on the team.
6th round: Nathan Quinn (C, 164th overall)
The Flyers took their ninth and final (seventh on Day Two) player of the 2025 Draft by choosing QMJHL forward Quinn (17 goals, 46 points in 54 regular season games for the Quebec Remparts). He likes to go to the net aggressively and plays with some feistiness to his game, in the style of Brendan Gallagher. At 5-foot-11, 173-pounds, Quinn also likes to push the pace and has some setup ability.
Flahr wraps up the Flyers Draft
Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr addressed the media at the end of the sixth round. Philly was done making picks, and had no interest in a seventh-round added selection. Flahr said the organization was aware of a need to add size into the farm system. Moreover, they wanted to add prospects with high motors and physical involvement.
The flyers usually get knocks for their player development.
The improvements with Jett and Nesbitt will test that premise.
I will defer to the Flyers with the Nesbitt pick.
The Martone pick had me wondering if this makes a future trade likely.
Flyers clearly went size this year round 1. Will have to take a wait and see approach to Nesbitt but the Martone pick seems to have fallen in their laps and if this kid turns out to be, as people have been comparing, Corey Perry or the Tkachuks, well then that’s a steal at 6.
Along with Berglund and Ruohonen too
Size matters
Love the size but a lot of those big kids need some plyometrics and leg days.