Jett Luchanko named captain of Guelph Storm

Rumors surfaced at the beginning of the season that the Guelph Storm could look to trade Jett Luchanko to a contending team in the OHL.

Some believed that Luchanko could team up with fellow Flyers' prospects Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk on the London Knights. But the trade deadline came and went with Luchanko remaining with the Storm. And not long after, Guelph showed their appreciation by naming Luchanko the 33rd captain in team history.

“It’s an honor to be able to lead such an amazing group of guys, there is no shortage of great people and talent in this organization,” Luchanko said in a release by the Storm. “I’m excited to take the next step with this team and for us to continue to grow and get better.”

Luchanko is in his third season with the Storm and continues to prove that he was worthy of the Flyers selecting him in the first round.

Luchanko named captain of Guelph Storm

There was a brief moment where it looked like Luchanko wouldn't return to Guelph this season. Making the Flyers roster out of training camp allowed him to show that he was ready for the NHL. The Flyers were careful with him, allowing him to integrate himself into the pro level slowly. He appeared in four games for Philadelphia before the decision was made to return him to juniors.

It was the right call as Luchanko needed more playing time than he was getting. Sure, he could've figured things out. But having him try to learn with the mess the Flyers were in at the start of the season was not a great idea for his development. That's why he was scratched for multiple games before the team made the move to send him back to Guelph.

Luchanko has only appeared in 19 games, partly due to his participation at the 2025 World Juniors, while most of his teammates have played in over 40 games. But he has made his time count. His nine goals are third on the team while his 23 points are fourth. Guelph is not in a position to compete, sitting last in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference. Move that to the league and they're second to last.

That's why it was a bit surprising to see Luchanko remain with the team past the trade deadline. But a recent hot streak could see them climb into the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. That could potentially set up a first-round matchup with the London Knights. The two played a wild game back in November with London winning 8-7. Luchanko had four assists in the loss.

"There’s no denying the talent they have there. It’s like playing against any really good team. You want to be the one to prove that you can compete with them and beat them. That’s always the motivation. Hopefully, we can prove to ourselves that we can keep up with them.” Luchanko said in a recent interview with The London Free Press.

Now Luchanko gets to help lead his team as the captain. It's quite the honor in what could be his final season in juniors. Making the Flyers for good is very much on his mind after getting a taste earlier this year.

“Next year, I’ll be working hard toward [making the Flyers]. I know it’s not going to be easy.”