Philadelphia Flyers Gear Up for 2025 NHL Draft with Ten Picks
Philadelphia Flyers general manager Danny Briere is ready to shift gears in the team's rebuild, aiming to add talent rather than subtract. This weekend, the Flyers will have the opportunity to select six prospects within the first 50 picks of the 2025 NHL Draft.
Earlier this week, Briere made headlines by trading for talented forward Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks, marking an aggressive step in the right direction.
Following the appointment of former Flyer Rick Tocchet as head coach, Briere emphasized that the team's strategy remains unchanged. The Flyers are still in a rebuilding phase, and the draft is a crucial avenue for development.
For fans eager to follow the action, the Flyers are set to enter the draft with ten picks, including six in the initial two rounds, barring any trades.
"It's a lot of ammo to try to do different things. Not necessarily move up or down, but it could be acquiring for the future," Briere noted last week. "There's just a lot of possibilities. I think we like especially the picks starting at 31 through 48."
Briere also expressed confidence in retaining these picks, stating, "There's a really good chance we keep the picks and really build around those guys."
The two-day NHL draft kicks off Friday night with the first round and concludes Saturday with Rounds 2-7. Fans can catch the first round on ESPN, ESPN+, Sportsnet, or TVA Sports, starting at 7 p.m. ET on Friday.
For Rounds 2 through 7, coverage will continue on ESPN+, the NHL Network, Sportsnet, and SN1 beginning at noon ET.
This year marks a historic shift as the NHL introduces a decentralized draft format. Fifty top prospects will gather in Los Angeles for the event, while team executives, coaches, and scouts will convene at central locations in their respective markets or chosen sites.
The draft order was established after the Florida Panthers triumphed over the Edmonton Oilers to secure back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.
As the Flyers look to fill several organizational gaps, their most pressing need is at center. It’s likely they will emerge from the first two rounds with multiple center prospects.
Matthew Schaefer, a 6-foot-2 defenseman from Erie in the Ontario Hockey League, is projected as the No. 1 overall pick in 2025. He topped NHL Central Scouting's final rankings for North American skaters.
Following Schaefer are centers Michael Misa (Saginaw, OHL), James Hagens (Boston College, NCAA), and Jake O'Brien (Brantford, OHL), who ranked second through fourth among North American skaters. Defenseman Radim Mrtka from Seattle in the Western Hockey League rounded out the top five.
Internationally, Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund from Djurgarden in Sweden's second division were ranked first and second among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Fans can access Central Scouting's complete rankings online for further insights into potential draft picks.
