The Florida Pathers are the Stanley Cup champions for the second straight year. I believe there are lessons that Daniel Briere and the Flyers can drawn from what Florida general manager Bill Zito has done with the Panthers. This will be the focus of tomorrow’s blog. Meanwhile, here are your Flyers Quick Hits and Musings for June 18, 2025. Today, we’ll look solely at 2025 Draft prepartions.
Flyers Daily exclusive: Brent Flahr Interview
Flyers Daily host Jason Myrtetus and I conduced an exclusive interview yesterday with Brent Flahr. The discussion took place roughly 45 minutes before the Flyers’ annual pre-Draft press conference led by general manager Briere and assistant general manager Flahr. We covered many of the same general topics as the press conference, but geared portions toward Flahr’s beliefs and priorities in prospect evaluation. Later today, PhiladelphiaFlyers.com will take a similar 10,000-foot view of this year’s top-six evaluation process.
The second half of the special Flyers Daily podcast is a discussion between Jason and me. We talk in more specifics about a few players in this year’s draft class. I fully expect the Flyers to hang onto the sixth overall pick. I do not see them trying to move up to second, let alone fourth.
Here, in all candor, I will tell you that James Hagens is the most naturally gifted offensive player who could realistically remain on the board after the first five picks. I don’t think Caleb Desnoyers (arguably the most complete forward) will make it to sixth. I’d be shocked if Michael Misa makes it to fourth, let alone sixth. Misa is one of two forwards in this Draft pool whom I would not be be surprised to develop into an 80-plus point player. Hagens is the other.
However, I consider Jake O’Brien a likelier pick for Philly than Hagens. O’Brien is taller with a broader (although as yet undeveloped) physical frame. He’s arguably a superior natural playmaker than Hagens. However, Hagens is an overall dangerous attacker top of being a fine setup guy. I expect O’Brien to rack up lots of assists but top out as a low-to-mid 20s NHL goal scorer after he gains experience. I think he’ll score in the mid-teens for a few years when he’s physically ready for the NHL. O’Brien may end being the more well-rounded two-way player.
As for Brady Martin, the Soo Greyhounds center is a central casting “Flyers guy” in the old school way. He’s ultra-competive, very physical and will win a lot of puck battles on sheer persistence and hunger. I have little doubt that he’ll someday have a letter on his NHL sw toeater, possibly even the captain’s “C”. He’ll play in different manpower situations. He’ll see time on a wing as well as center. He will blow up opponents with big hits. He’ll score second-effort goals. He’ll occasionally need to go off for stitches, and then return to the game without slowing down a bit. The motor and the character are there. He’s a “more than the sum of the parts” type of player.
My big question is how much offense Martin will produce in the NHL. Will he be a Scott Laughton comparable? Will he build a Bo Horvat level of production? Will he top out like Mike Richards at his Flyers peak or be more of an LA-level Richards from a points standpoint? I don’t know.
For these reasons, Martin would not be a surprise pick anymore if he goes anywhere from fourth to 10th. However, he’d be a controversial pick if the Flyers take him with the sixth overall selection. Social media and message board forums would go ape, guaranteed. There’d be some angry and vocal detractors even if Desnoyers (who’s offensive ceiling is higher than Martin’s at present). Multipy that by double and you’ll get the likely reaction if the Flyers see take Martin and leave Hagens, Anton Frondell, O’Brien or potential first-like winger Porter Martone on the board if available. Hell, I can easily some “I’d rather have had Viktor Eklund or even Carter Bear or a defenseman” type of comments.
I have no direct knowledge of how the Flyers lean in their final rankings. I DO know that many in the organization really like Desnoyers on his own merits. I also know that, last summer, some in Hockey Ops though Hagens would be the consensus first overall pick in 2025 (no one expects that now). I strongly suspect that some scouts once hoped that Martin flew under the radar, but his stellar U18 tourney for Team Canada made that impossible. Even among casual Draft followers, Martin is now a known quantity.
Flahr indicated that there are still multiple meetings — and debates — to come before the Flyers have their final internal rankings set for Draft night. He said there is not yet a consensus on quite a few spots in the top-six, top-22, and top-31 ranges. Even the cutoff points of tiering the prospect pool differ a bit. However, by the time everyone is at their station in the Atlantic City headquarters, the list will be set. There won’t be last-second audibles in Round One. If all three picks are kept, whomever is atop the “best available player” list will be the pick.
O&B Puckcast Flyers Draft Special with guests Shane Malloy and Russ Cohen
O&B Puckcast hosts Isaiah, Chef and Dan Silver devote the current podcast episode to the upcoming NHL Draft from a Flyers perspective. Topics include the best potentially available candidates for the sixth, 22nd, and 31st overall picks. They talk about potential Draft day trades, possibilities with the Flyers’ four second-round picks. There is also a discussion about whether 2024 first-rounder Jett Luchanko will play in the NHL in 2025-26 or get sent back to the Ontario Hockey League for another season.
This week’s special guest are Russ Cohen (sportsology.com, lockedonpodcasts.com) and Shane Malloy (SiriusXM NHL Radio, hockeyprospectradio.com). Russ, who co-host O&B’s flagship podcast affiliate, Off the Post, has been a colleague and friend of mine for more than 20 years. I’ve known Shane for even longer, dating back to my early days with Hockey’s Future. Shane is well-connected in the scouting world, especially in western Canada. Russ has had boots the ground covering games, tournaments and key scouting events for decades, Both guys really know their stuff, and are always fun to talk with or have friendly debates. That’s really what hockey is all about: getting to know good people, hearing their insights and disagreeing on occasion.
I am sure Flyers fans will enjoy this pod as well as the Flahr interview. If you are into the NHL Draft and are a Flyers fan, you won’t regret setting aside time to listen to the pods.
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