Flyers' Briére Sticks to Bold Nature with Jett Luchanko Pick – Hockey Writers – Philadelphia Flyers

The reason for the Philadelphia Flyers selecting Matvei Michkov with Daniel Briére's first pick as general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers was obvious. The Flyers needed top talent, and Michkov was the most talented player available. There were risks with the selection – rumors of character concerns and defensive woes were heard behind Michkov's aura while his formidable three-year contract in the Kontinental Hockey League and the general situation in Russia were the focus of all discussions about him.

Briére and the Flyers received early reassurance that they were on the right track after Michkov sat out his draft and one season and was released from his KHL contract. The actual success or failure of the decision will depend on how Michkov plays for the Flyers. But getting there was no sure thing last year.

That could have cut down on a lackluster front office. The Flyers could play it safe with their first pick in Briére's second draft, especially with this year's No. 32 pick and two 2025 first-round picks on the team. But that's not the way the Flyers go. In selecting Ontario Hockey League center Jett Luchanko No. 13 overall, the Flyers have shown their commitment to the two themes of the beginning of the Briére-Keith Jones era: commitment to top offensive features and finding creative ways to add future assets to the pipeline.

Flyers Choose Skill Over Size

For too long, the Flyers stuck to their old-school ways in the draft. While the era of the Broad Street Bully deserves to be celebrated, and toughness remains important in hockey, previous regimes took that philosophy too far. Selecting players like Samuel Morin (No. 11 in 2013), Steve Downie (No. 29 in 2005), and Tyrell Goulbourne (No. 73 in 2013) over talented players like Josh Morrissey (No. Paul Stastny (No. 44 in 2005) and Jake Guentzel (No. 77 in 2013) came back to bite.

Briére said that before the draft, the Flyers prioritized centers. So, let's compare Luchanko with the next center taken, Konsta Helenius. Not only did Helenius come off the board with the next pick (No. 14 to the Buffalo Sabres), but he was also the best player available, according to ESPN's Meghan Chayka. If Helenius is playing a position of need for the Flyers, why are the Flyers off the board and choosing a different center?

The skills of Helenius and Luchanko tell the story. Helenius is high in hockey IQ and defensive acumen, his main concern is high skill. Luchanko, on the other hand, is a burner. Jett is a very appropriate name, considering his excellent skating ability. Luchanko compared his game to Nick Suzuki, a playmaking center who was also drafted No. 13 overall in 2017 (the pick the Flyers would have had if they hadn't won the draft lottery that year). While Luchanko isn't setting the OHL on fire in terms of scoring, he plays a solid two-way game while also being very versatile. And if he's one of the younger players in the draft at 17, he has more room to grow than an older player with a similar profile.

Maybe Helenus becomes a solid second-line center while Luchanko doesn't improve, and this gamble could blow up Briére's face. But if you're going to go down, you have to go down your own way. Hopefully, the strategy behind the pick will lead to a strong result for the Flyers and Luchanko.

Goods, Goods, Goods

Yes, Luchanko was the only highly skilled player available. One came off the board at No. 12, where the Flyers were supposed to draft when the Minnesota Wild selected defenseman Zeev Buium. The new 50-point defending NCAA champion Denver Pioneers would fit an equal amount of talent to a tee.

However, trading down allowed the Flyers to take Minnesota in the third round. That's not enough to close out a pass on Buium if he were the best player on Philadelphia's board. But if they don't care between him and Luchanko or if they like this center, Briére deserves credit for picking up another arrow to throw on the board. PuckPedia's draft pick value calculator gives the Flyers the slight edge at the moment, with 13 picks and a third-round average worth 30.19, while the 12th pick alone carries a value of 29.98.

If one word describes Briére's time so far, it's art. His handling of the Michkov and Ivan Fedotov situations is certainly appropriate. He took the bad contracts of Cal Petersen and Sean Walker to get the Los Angeles Kings to keep some of Ivan Provorov's salary in return for Provorov's desired return from the Columbus Blue Jackets. When Walker exceeded expectations, he ate up another problematic contract in Ryan Johansen to pull a first-round pick away from the Colorado Avalanche.

Briére received a fifth-round pick in March to save part of Noah Hanifin's cap so the Calgary Flames could send him to the Vegas Golden Knights. Now, he took the third round in a situation where Briére was okay with the trade. This is not a home move per se, but when you accumulate more properties, you open up more options. Briére made another move at the end of the first round, too. While trading the 32nd pick to the Edmonton Oilers in 2025 or 2026 first doesn't give the Flyers any additional assets and delays the pick by a year, the Flyers will at least get an upside in whatever draft they use the pick on unless the Oilers win. the Stanley Cup.

Oh, and think about this. The last time the Flyers and Wild made a trade involving a third-round pick was 13 years ago on Thursday when the Flyers moved the pick in exchange for Darroll Powe. A player selected that way? None other than the aforementioned Guentzel, now one of the top wingers in the NHL and a consistent thorn in Philadelphia's side. The Flyers shouldn't expect that type of player if they invest in their new pick. But it is a reminder that you will never know.

Risk Management

Of course, sometimes, the best trades you make are the ones you don't make. Briére may have learned this lesson the easy way last year when Travis Sanheim moved back after a trade that would have moved Sanheim to St. Louis. clause. Who knows what would have happened if the deal had gone through, but at the very least, Sanheim's value looks higher now than it did last year.

Related: Philadelphia Flyers Get New Shot at Superstar Development with Matvei Michkov

The Flyers have limited their ceiling for far too long by failing to bring in young impact talent. Briére also proved on Friday that he is not falling into the same trap as his predecessors. That doesn't guarantee success—it doesn't even mean you made the right move by choosing Luchanko. But their process is improving, and hopefully, that will lead to success.