Jett Luchanko has been under scrutiny pretty much since the moment he was drafted in 2024. The Flyers surprisingly traded down one spot and selected the forward with the 13th pick. Many questioned the selection, as most had him pegged as a late first-round pick, or even an early second- rounder. Add in the fact that the Flyers' trade with Minnesota saw Zeev Buium come off the board, and the head-scratching was even larger.
Luchanko's stock rose after a big season with Guelph and an impressive stint with Canada at the World Juniors. The Flyers have seemingly gravitated toward late-season risers, so with that, it wasn't a shock. Luchanko is also a center, a position the Flyers need to get right sooner rather than later.
His recent play has left much to be desired. His offense has dropped since his draft season, which is an alarming sign. His seven goals this past year were far below the 21 he posted a season prior. But there may be an explanation. Since being drafted, Luchanko has played in Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley, Guelph, and Brantford. You could also add his time with the WJC squad. That's a lot of travel time for a teenager.
There's also the injury bug. After being traded to Brantford in November, Luchanko later missed some time with a fractured jaw. And he's dealt with a core injury that has followed him for at least a year and a half. Luchanko finally had surgery to address the issue this summer. Dealing with that when trying to shake off the criticism couldn't have been easy.
Even with that in mind, Luchanko's offensive decline still needs to be addressed if he wants to become an NHL contributor. Now that he will be in a much more stable situation, that work starts now.
Jett Luchanko must show he can become the player the Flyers envisioned
Luchanko is expected to begin the season in the AHL with the Phantoms and should be given plenty of runway with one team. The organization should be putting him in the best position to succeed. That should come with exclusive time down the middle. With Brantford, Luchanko shifted to the wing for the majority of the season. When a player is so used to controlling play from one spot, a position change can have consequences.
He won't have that excuse anymore. The Flyers will have a direct line of communication and control over where he plays. That felt like part of the reason he made the NHL roster out of camp the last two seasons. All eyes will now be on whether he can take that much-needed step in his development. He's only 20, so it's not as if he doesn't have room to become the player the Flyers hope he can be.
Luchanko's speed is the biggest asset of his game. He will need to translate that into being more assertive with the puck. His playmaking skills have flashed, but there needs to be more of a selfish nature in his game. It's hard to say what needs to happen to make this next season a true success. Producing offensively is obvious, but it's more about the little things as well. Is he driving the offense when on the ice? Is he earning the situations he's being put in? Is he giving the Flyers no choice but to bring him up?
The jump to professional hockey can be a difficult one. The coaching staff can only do so much to push Luchanko in the right direction. He needs to prove to everyone that his recent play doesn't define the player he is. The belief will follow from there. Because right now, it's hard not to envision a scenario where Luchanko tops out as a bottom-six contributor. And that is not the makings of a player taken in the first round.
He will need to use the upcoming season to show that he is much more than that. And the Flyers really need that to happen.
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