The Philadelphia Flyers are aiming to rebuild their team with size reminiscent of the iconic 1970s Broad Street Bullies. In their recent NHL draft, they selected players renowned for their impressive statures, as six of the nine drafted exceed 6-foot-3. Among these towering athletes are first-round selections Porter Martone, a formidable winger chosen at number six, and Jack Nesbitt, a 6-foot-5 center secured with the 12th pick after the Flyers traded up.
General Manager Daniel Briere commented on the selection, stating that while seeking larger players was not intentional, the opportunity to add size naturally presented itself. In the second round, the team added Carter Amico, a 6-foot-6, 232-pound defenseman, along with three robust forwards: Jack Murtagh, Shane Vansaghi, and Matthew Gard. Murtagh sees himself as a “high-end workhorse,” while Luke Vlooswyk, a fifth-round pick, identifies as a “big defensive, defenseman.” Gard, who plays with the Red Deer Rebels, also received praise for his stature, similarly described by Vlooswyk as “a big kid like me.”
The Flyers’ strategy to bolster size fits well within their developing system, particularly as they balance their roster containing smaller, skilled players like rising star Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko, a notable 2024 first-rounder. Additionally, recent acquisition Trevor Zegras, a 6-foot center, highlights the importance of physicality and size in the team’s future vision.
Family ties played a significant role in this year’s draft, with several players coming from NHL pedigrees. William Horcoff was picked 24th by Pittsburgh, following in the footsteps of his father Shawn, who enjoyed a 15-year NHL career. On the second day of selection, Seattle traded up to select Blake Fiddler, offspring of former player Vernon. Eric Nilson, son of Marcus, joined Anaheim shortly thereafter.
Further into the draft, more familiar lineage appeared, notably during the third round with the selection of Artyom Gonchar, nephew of Stanley Cup winner Sergei Gonchar, chosen by the New York Rangers. Blake Vanek, son of Thomas, headed to Ottawa, with Aidan Park, a native Californian and nephew of Richard Park, rounding out the draft by joining Edmonton sporting a casual hoodie and shorts.
This draft also bore witness to a historic moment as San Jose’s selection of Simon Wang marked the highest rank ever achieved by a China-born player when picked at number 33. In addition, Matous Jan Kucharcik made strides for Italian hockey by being the fourth Italian-born player ever selected when Buffalo took him at 103rd. The draft featured 17 represented birth countries among 224 picks, marking the most diverse selection in 21 years, with Canadian players, numbering 88, achieving their highest presence since 2016.