Best Late Rounds Picks in Flyers History

When it comes to the NHL Draft, everyone pays attention to the first and second round picks. After all, that’s where, theoretically, the best players should be taken. Some Flyers first rounders become all-stars and fan favorites like: Eric Lindros, Bill Barber, Claude Giroux, and Brian Propp. Some first rounders become players that might not be great, but become stable team fixtures, like: Mel Bridgeman, Scott Laughton, Justin Williams, and Ron Sutter.

Others have had careers shortened by injuries that eliminated what could have been a promising career, like Nolan Patrick , Ryan Sittler, and Sam Morin. Then there are those players that are just straight up busts. Larry Wright, Mark Suzor, Mike Stothers, Darren Rumble, Bob Currier, and Maxime Ouellet.

When it comes to the NHL draft, sometimes you never know what is gonna happen. Some players pan out and others don’t. However, what can really help a team out is if you can strike gold in a late round pick. Most people expect a first, second, or sometimes even a third round selection to be a performer in the NHL.

Few people expect one who slips through the cracks into the fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh round to even make the club.  And if you can find a strong contributor in a late round that can compliment a great first and second round pick, it makes things that much better.

The following are the best players the Flyers selected in rounds five through seven. Keep in mind, there were several drafts in earlier seasons, when the league was smaller, that had up to nine or even twelve rounds. Those will be considered as well.

Dave Schultz

1969 was a great draft year for the Flyers. Even though they whiffed on Currier with the sixth overall pick (Andre Dupont would be picked two spots later and would be traded to the Flyers in a few seasons), the Flyers hit it big in the second round with Bobby Clarke.

However, a few rounds later the Flyers snagged Dave Schultz in the fifth round. Outside of scoring 20 goals in the 1973-74 season, he was never a scoring threat. However, Schultz’s main contribution was his toughness. He racked up 2,292 penalty minutes (good for 35th all time, but he played in less years than the 34 players above him) in his nine year career, including a record of 472 minutes in 1974-75. (In comparison, Nashville’s Mark Borowiecki led the league this season with 151 minutes).

If he was on the ice, nobody touched Clarke, Barber, or any of the other top players. His role as enforcer helped to lead the Flyers to back to back cup wins.

Don Saleski

Speaking of the 1969 draft, in the next round, the Flyers selected “Big Bird”. Saleski would play an integral role on the Broad Street Bully teams. On his eight seasons with the Flyers, he would score 118 goals, including three straight with 20+. He could also throw down and be an enforcer if needed to be. While never a great player, he’s one that you would love to find in a late round pick.

Paul Holmgren

Holmgren would be selected in the 1975 draft in the sixth round. He spent nine of his 10 year career in Orange and Black. He never lit up the scoreboard much, except for a 30 goal campaign in 79-80. He would be among the team leaders in the clubhouse in the post-Bully era. Later he would be a scout and GM for the team. He’s one of those guys who’s always had the Flyers in his blood and still has an influence on the team today.

Ron Hextall

The guy who replaced Holmgren as GM is also the Flyers all-time leader in wins by a goalie. Hexy was a feisty, fiery guy who could defend the net, fight, and score and was drafted in the sixth round in 1982. Sometimes, his passions got the best of him, but he was a Flyer through and through. In his rookie season, he finished second in the Calder Trophy (to Luc Robitaille) and captured the Vezina Trophy. He would also earn the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Flyers fell in seven games to the mighty Edmonton Oilers dynasty.

Dave Brown

In the seventh round, after Hextall was selected, the Flyers selected Brown. Brown would play in 552 games for Philly over 11 years. While he was not a dominant player, he gave the Flyers a big, physical presence on the fourth line for years; something they needed in the 1980s. As the NHL shifted, he still gave fans a reminder of the good ol’ Bully days.

Pelle Eklund

Again, never a great player, but Eklund was a contributor across nine years throughout the 1980s. He scored a career high 23 goals in 1989-90. Not a major scoring threat, he was a solid player considering he was an eighth round pick in 1983. In comparison, the Flyers have had a lot of players in the first three rounds who never lasted nine years and scored 118 goals for them.

Gord Murphy

Selected in the ninth round of the 1985 draft, Murphy had a solid career as a blueliner. He spent only three and a half years in Philly as he was traded to Boston for Garry Galley, who had a few good years in Philly as well. Murphy would enjoy a 14 year career as a reliable veteran defender.

He would also end up coming back to serve as an assistant head coach for the Flyers from 2014-18.