One of the things that's cool about this time of year is thinking about all the different moves the Flyers could make. It's fun to ponder who they could select with their first selection in the draft and who might be available. After that, it is up in the air.
Does Daniel Briere attempt to move up in the draft? Does he trade picks away to acquire an NHL star? Does he stay put and hope that at least one of the three first-rounders will be gold later on?
If Briere stays put, one of the more intriguing prospects that could be around when the Flyers draft at 22nd is Cullen Potter. Potter is an 18-year-old center who plays at Arizona State. Now, we can presume that the Flyers, most likely, would try to draft a center with their first pick. Still, it wouldn't hurt at all to grab a second one. Potter would be a good one to take a peek at.
Potter is a relatively new prospect who has been getting notice. He spent the 2023-24 season with the U.S. National Development Team, where he scored just nine goals with 13 assists. After committing to Arizona State, he scored 13 goals with nine assists.
Ok, those numbers don't exactly jump off the boards and scream at you. But let's be honest, Arizona State isn't a hockey powerhouse either. The team went 21-14-2 and lost to Denver in the NCHC Conference semifinals. Denver went on to win the Frozen Four.
Back to Potter. He is a center, but can also fill in at left wing. Both are positions that the Flyers could use. Center is more of an immediate need, but a guy who can fly down the ice on the left side would be a great complement to Matvei Michkov.
Speaking of speed, that seems to be Potter's best trait. He is 5'9", a little small on the center side of things, which might make him perfect for playing on the left wing. Just about every scouting report says that Potter can flat out fly and race down the ice. In their report on him, the Hockey Writers said,
"While Potter’s defensive game isn’t anything to write home about and sometimes his decision-making can lead to turnovers, he’s still very reliable in all three zones. Not only is his skating dangerous on the rush, but he also uses his speed to back-check and disrupt the opposition’s offensive attack. Many scouts believe Potter is the best-skating forward and one of the fastest in this year’s draft class. His offensive IQ, exceptional skating, and elite hands make him an extremely dangerous player that any NHL team would love to add."
He is rising in the ranks, as some scouts say he could be the fastest skater in the draft. He is raw, yes. However, his speed and IQ make him highly desirable. The fact that he is easily coachable, too, means he could improve as time goes on.
If you want someone who could potentially be a star someday, Potter could be it. It's been a while since the Flyers had someone with flat-out speed on the left side. You can see here in his first goal with ASU what potential he has.
Again, envisioning someone like that flying up the ice with Michkov on the other side makes me smile. If he is available with the 22nd pick, he might be a gamble, but he could be worth rolling the dice on.