2023 Philadelphia Flyers Three-Round Mock Draft 1.0

After gaining a first-round pick in the Ivan Provorov trade, Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere now finds himself with two assets that can change the fortunes of the franchise for the foreseeable future. 

The Philadelphia Flyers are now in pole position to add two game-changing talents to their prospect pool after earning the seventh overall selection and acquiring the 22nd overall selection from the Columbus Blue Jackets. This year, it seems like anything after the first two picks could be a complete toss-up. Matvei Michkov and Zach Benson are two supremely talented wingers who may or may not slide in the draft due to many different reasons. With just under three weeks to go before the first night of the draft, the late risers are beginning to make their way into headlines. In fact, one of them has started to gain traction with the Flyers at pick seven.

With the seventh pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers select…

Ryan Leonard has seen his draft stock skyrocket in recent weeks, and for good reason. The Amherst, Massachusetts native measured in at a hair under 6’0″ and weighed in at 190 pounds at the NHL combine, but Leonard plays a game much bigger than his size indicates. Leonard plays a fast, intense, physical game reminiscent of Florida Panthers superstar Matthew Tkachuk. Leonard is a gamer who likes to bring the game to his opponents, and offers translatable foot speed and well above-average puck skills to go with his fierce nature. Leonard can also play all three forward positions and can carry a line on his own, making him the perfect storm that you would want leading the charge for the Orange and Black in the playoffs. While Leonard’s skill package isn’t quite as potent as a Zach Benson, for example, Leonard’s nastiness and drive set him apart from just about every other player in this draft. Leonard walks into the Flyers’ top-six the minute he’s done at Boston College.

Pro Comparison: Sam Bennett

In sports, general managers don’t typically make their bread and butter with their top picks. Sometimes, all the difference can be made with the later picks. And, with a draft as deep as the 2023 draft, Daniel Briere and the Philadelphia Flyers will have plenty of opportunity to do just that. After passing on defense in each of their first two picks, the Flyers seize a chance to bolster their blueline here.

With the 87th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers select…

Matteo Mann looks like he could be starting as an edge rusher for the Philadelphia Eagles, and instead, at 6’6″ 220 pounds, skates around the ice and knocks people over with minimal effort. Mann is a massive human being who understands how to use his size to disrupt his opponents on the ice. Aside from using his size and strength, Mann also uses his long reach to make accurate stick checks. Mann doesn’t have a lot of straight line speed, but is very agile for his size and has long strides that he can use in bursts to win races to the puck. Mann is an all-defense, no-offense defenseman who knows his role and plays it well.

Pro Comparison: Kevin Bahl

With the 95th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers select…

The Flyers double-dip on Chicoutimi and scoop up Mann’s teammate Andrei Loshko. Loshko is a skilled winger with prototypical NHL size, standing at 6’1″ and weighing 170 pounds. Loshko is one of the older players in the draft this year with an October birthday, but still made massive strides on his 2021-2022 season nonetheless. The Belarusian winger is a great playmaker who has all the tools in his shed to create offense and reads the game very well. Loshko is a bit timid in the offensive zone and doesn’t always make his way into the sweet spots. If Loshko doesn’t develop as much as he should offensively, he could end up as a skilled bottom-sixer that can chip in some offense here and there and kill penalties if needed.

Pro Comparison: Kasperi Kapanen

Daniel Briere is heading into uncharted waters for the first time as the Flyers’ GM, but this is the perfect draft to make a name for himself. With a draft as deep as this, there’s no better time to get creative and be bold. Trust yourself and go and get your guy.