It's mock draft season, everyone. With the Draft Lottery revealing how the first 16 teams will pick, we can begin to take a look at where certain prospects may end up.
The Flyers had the worst-case scenario outcome happen. Coming in with the fourth-best odds to win the top pick, the exact opposite happened. They were jumped by a divisional rival, as the Islanders won the lottery. Utah took the second drawing, though they could only move up to fourth. That pushed the Flyers down to the sixth spot.
While they are no doubt out of the running for top picks Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa, there is a large group of players that could go at any time before and after the Flyers' picks. There is not much of a consensus beyond the top two selections. That means that many of the experts have different opinions on which players could go where.
Taking a look at five different experts who have released early mock drafts, no player was chosen twice to be drafted by the Flyers. That gives us a large variety of players to take a look at. There is a theme on position, though one expert went off the board in his selection.
Adam Kimelman (NHL) -- Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)
McQueen certainly fits the bill of a center with NHL-ready size. He stands at 6'5" and comes in just under 200 lbs. The biggest concern with McQueen is that he missed a large majority of the season with a back injury. He appeared in just 17 games, but had 10 goals and 20 points. 11 of those points came in the first eight games of the season.
McQueen has a very accurate shot and an ability to frustrate goaltenders with his shot selection. Despite his large frame, McQueen can handle the puck in tight situations. His big frame also allows him to take up space in the crease and can make it hard for any goaltender to get a view beyond him.
He would be an extremely high-risk player to take with the sixth pick. But if the injury woes are beyond him and he is given the proper time to develop, the Flyers could have a top center on their hands.
Mike G. Morreale (NHL) -- Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie (OHL)
The only defenseman mocked to go to the Flyers in the first round, Aitcheson is not looked at by most as a top-10 pick. Most have the defenseman going in the mid to late 20s, or even after that. So by that alone, taking Aitcheson just outside the top-five would likely not fare well with Flyers fans.
Aitcheson has played the role of an offensive defenseman as he led the Barrie Colts in goals (26) and points (59). He surprised his way onto the Colts roster as a 16-year-old in 2022 and has taken a significant leap in production after one goal in his first season and eight in his second. He added 12 points in 16 playoff games. And if the Flyers like the snarl that someone like Hunter McDonald plays with, then they would love what Aitcheson brings to the table.
He's not afraid to get into the face of his opponent, but that can get him into penalty trouble. Aitcheson had 88 penalty minutes in the regular season and 28 in the playoffs. If he can tone it down and keep that physical edge, he could be a force.
Scott Wheeler (The Athletic) -- Brady Martin, C, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
Martin is another player who took a large leap in production. As an alternate captain for the Soo Greyhounds, Martin was second on the team in goals (33) and points (72). That was after 10 goals and 28 points during his first junior season. He was also a force at the World Juniors for Canada, posting three goals and 11 points to help take home the gold medal.
Martin is a player who has risen on the draft boards and may not be a player most expect to be chosen this soon. Sound familiar? Like Jett Luchanko, Martin played on one of the worst teams in the league and was one of their primary sources of offense. His numbers may not be on par with some of the other top players in the draft, but taking the above into context is important.
There isn't much Martin doesn't do for the Greyhounds when he's on the ice. He can play in all three zones and is known as a one-man wrecking ball. He could fit the mold of the type of player the Flyers would be looking to build around. But there is the belief that he may project out as a third-line center. If the top picks are off the board, Martin could be the Flyers' pick. But they should look elsewhere if there are better options.
Kevin Kurz (The Athletic) -- Anton Frondell, C, Djurgården (SWEDEN-2)
Heading overseas for the first time, Frondell has already played a full season of professional hockey and looked the part in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-tier league in Sweden. His 0.86 point-per-game average is the best for a player under the age of 18 in the league's history. And that's saying something when the names on the list included William Nylander, Filip Forsberg, and David Pastrnak.
He is strong in high-danger areas, particularly below the goal line and areas around the net. He is not afraid to throw his body around and that's impressive in a league that features players much older than Frondell. He has a powerful one-timer, but can create scoring chances in multiple ways.
Frondell spent the majority of his season on the wing with Djurgården, but is projected to be a center at the NHL level. He has some trouble at times when it comes to decision-making with the puck, not something you want to see at that position. His transition game also leaves something to be desired.
Charlie O'Connor (PHLY) -- James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA)
Unlike a player like Martin, Hagens has taken a slight fall on draft boards. He didn't have an outstanding year for Boston, but 11 goals and 37 points in 37 games put him at a point-per-game average in his first collegiate season. He has excelled on the international stage, helping the United States to its second straight gold at the World Juniors. It was his third medal at the WJC, his second gold.
Playmaking is a large part of Hagens' game. His vision on the ice allows him to put his teammates in positions to succeed. He can make a lot happen in transition with his skating, giving him the ability to turn things on and force defenders off balance.
As O'Connor mentions, Hagens' playmaking ability could pair well with Michkov's natural scoring ability. Imagine those two on the ice together and terrorizing opponents. The Flyers could be the beneficiaries of Hagens falling down the draft board.