Recapping the Philadelphia Flyers 2025 NHL Draft

Off the cusp of a very important draft for the franchise in the middle of a rebuild, the Philadelphia Flyers had themselves quite the weekend after making all but one of their original 10 selections they were scheduled to make.

Entering the night with 3 first round picks, many believed it too good to be true that the Flyers would make all 3 selections. They ended up standing pat at #6 but moved picks #22 and #31 to move up to #12, which belonged to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The dealing didn’t stop there as they made a shrewd move with Seattle to move down 2 spots from #36 to #38, while also moving up 11 spots from #68 to #57, as they received another second rounder in the deal for their third round selection.

Overall the Flyers did a fairly great job during the draft, which seemingly was focused on adding size. None of the players they chose was shorter than 5’11” and three of them were 6’5” or taller. While their first round left a lot to be desired to some – primarily the trade-up for Jack Nesbitt – they made up for it in the second that left them with glowing marks as they departed from Los Angeles.

Round 1, Pick #6: Porter Martone
Round 1, Pick #12: Jack Nesbitt
Round 2, Pick #38: Carter Amico
Round 2, Pick #40: Jack Murtagh
Round 2, Pick #48: Shane Vansaghi
Round 2, Pick #57: Matthew Gard
Round 5, Pick #132: Max Westergård
Round 5, Pick #157: Luke Vlooswyk
Round 6, Pick #164: Nathan Quinn

Porter Martone (1/6)

Porter Martone was always seen as one of the top prospects of the 2025 draft class. What was unknown was where in the top-5 he would likely be selected, because after Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa, it was a real toss-up between several prospects by the time the NHL virtually convened in Los Angeles.

Martone finished as the third-ranked prospect in Bob McKenzie’s final rankings, which is saying something considering how venerable his lists have been over the year. He had Martone ranked as the fourth-best prospect in both his September and January rankings but all the picks around him were in different orders.

Martone was different than the rest of his counterparts in the the top-5 because he stepped in at 6’3” and 210 pounds but played a more skilled, play-making style, than his frame would suggest. He’s not a nasty prototypical power forward like Tom Wilson, however he makes up for it with his offensive prowess.

As the captain of the Brampton Steelheads in the OHL, Martone finished two points shy of the 100-mark as he corralled 37 goals and 98 points in just 57 games. He was by far the best winger the draft had to offer but it was universally believed he would not make it all the way down to 6.

What stood in his way were the late risers in Brady Martin, Caleb Desnoyers, and Jake O’Brien, who all did just enough near the end of the season and into their respective playoffs to muddy the draft conversation. Desnoyers ended up going 4th to Utah and Martin went right after to Nashville at 5, setting the stage for Philadelphia to select either Martone or James Hagens.

Hagens made the most sense positionally but the Flyers felt they couldn’t let Martone slip even further and essentially went with BPA for their 6th overall selection. They felt that they had a good chance of nabbing a centre down the line with more selections on the way, and they did just that by trading up with Pittsburgh.

While the Flyers have a plethora of wingers, and several that will be impactful at the NHL-level, they didn’t have one of Martone’s pedigree and potential. What they’ve lacked for quite some time was a big winger that can move well, shoot the puck, has a nose for the net, and can be an actual difference-maker.

Corey Pronman – The Athletic – June 10th: “Martone’s skill level and creativity with the puck are elite, especially for a man his size. His reach and skill will allow him to beat a ton of NHL defenders one-on-one. He makes a lot of difficult plays and does so in traffic.”

Adam Kimelman – NHL.com – June 9th: “Martone brings a physical, offensive game that’s been compared to Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, but also the maturity to be Brampton’s captain as an 18-year-old. His decision-making with the puck, ability to use his body to hold off defenders and high hockey IQ stand out, and he’s worked hard to improve his skating.

The Flyers would welcome with open arms the possibility that Martone comes out anything like Brady Tkachuk. They’ve been on the record for years about how they want to be hard to play against and would like to disrupt the opposition as best as possible. The addition of Martone can kill two birds with one stone with the Flyers finally securing a legitimate power forward for the first time since Wayne Simmonds and Scott Hartnell.

Place him on the top line and the first power play unit and see the difference that someone of his unique skill and size can make. While he’s expected to attend Penn State this year as a new recruit, he might not need to be there for much longer than one season, as the Peterborough-native is exceptionally close to being NHL-ready.

Jack Nesbitt (1/12)

The Flyers really wanted Jack Nesbitt and traded away picks 22 and 31 to Pittsburgh to move up and take him. They reportedly had intel that suggested Detroit likely would’ve taken him at 13 and Vancouver definitely would’ve taken him at 15, only creating more urgency to snag him.

Nesbitt was seen as at a reach at his spot by some. TSN’s Bob McKenzie had him ranked 17th and Sportsnet’s Sam Consentino had him ranked 18th, the two highest spots any notable draft board had him listed at. Most boards had him ranked somewhere in the mid-20s with some projecting him to even go in the second round. Regardless of where he was picked, the selection still helped the Flyers address a glaring position of need at center. Nesbitt definitely fits the physical mold the Flyers were looking for throughout their entire draft and brings some solid skills into the fold.

Standing at 6’4” and 185 pounds, Nesbitt is advertised as a strong two-way center who has great vision and is strong along the boards. His biggest knocks are his skating, speed, and his ability to use his body fully to his advantage as he can be physical but isn’t physical enough yet.

Elite Prospects’ 2025 NHL Draft Guide on Nesbitt stated, “Nesbitt brings a 6-foot-4 frame, defensive abilities, and sense. He generates chances by breaking plays on the forecheck with precise stick work and by engaging players with his body, bouncing them off the puck.”

Nesbitt was almost at a point-per-game with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires last season (64 points in 65 games) and will be back with them next season. Expect him to be even stronger and get his footwork in better shape. With due time, Nesbitt could peak as a second-line center in the NHL but could settle as a third-line center, and he could drastically help an organization that will possess Trevor Zegras and Jett Luchanko up the middle when he’s ready to make the jump.

Carter Amico (2/38)

When the Flyers entered the second round, there were plenty of options ahead of them. Many players slipped out of the first round and with 3 selections fairly close to one another, it was going to be a very exciting round.

Just before the second pick of the round was about to be on the clock, the Montréal Canadiens swooped in at the last second and made a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes, allowing them to draft Alexander Zharovsky. Many penned him as a Flyers target, which might have changed the course of the round for Daniel Brière and company.

He ended up making a trade with Seattle two picks later where they received picks 38 and 57 in exchange for 36 and 68. In essence, they jumped 11 picks and back into the second round on the secondary swap in the trade, which allowed them to draft Matthew Gard.

However, with the 38th selection, the Flyers drafted Carter Amico out of the USNTDP. The defenseman had first round talent and the potential to be drafted in the latter half of the round. However, a season-ending injury derailed those possibilities, which allowed him to fall into the Flyers lap at 38.

Amico is unique in the sense that he comes in at 6’6” and 230 pounds but he is tabbed as an incredibly smooth skater. He still packs a punch defensively and physically, which gives the Flyers a real threatening force on the back-end, but it’s his skating ability that has people dropping their jaw.

His season-ending knee injury really derailed his draft season as he managed to only suit up for 17 games, however the Flyers were more than confident in his ability to rehab and bounce back to use precious draft capital on him.

His puck-moving abilities and raw potential is something they don’t in their system – similarly to Martone – and felt like another slam dunk selection. However, Elite Prospects put it best when they said:

“An aggressive, agile defenceman, Amico’s range is nearly unmatched. When he surfs into opponents, he completely erases the middle and then crushes the opponent into the wall. He clears the front of the net with vitriol and then gets play moving the other way. He fakes forecheckers with his edges, then looks into or across the middle for a high-value breakout play.”

Committed to Boston University in the fall, look for Amico to bounce back in a big way as showcase the first round talent he possesses. His range, physicality, skating, and puck-moving were on full display prior to injury but with more suitable choices ahead of him – that were healthy this season – like Blake Fiddler, Sascha Boumedienne, and Henry Brzustewicz, it allowed him to reach the Flyers without a hitch.

He is going to need to work on his overall game while with Boston University but he will be afforded the time and resources to remodel his game post-knee surgery and come back with a vengeance in his draft+1 season.

Jack Murtagh (2/40)

A borderline first round talent who slipped into the second round, Jack Murtagh was Philadelphia’s only left wing selection in the 2025 draft.

A 6’1”, 200-pounder from East Greenbush, New York, Murtagh is a jack-of-all-trades forward whose biggest asset is his skating ability and he can really fire the puck.

Steven Ellis – Daily Faceoff – May 27th: “Murtagh is a skilled puck handler who can absolutely fire a shot and is a bit of a workhorse, too. I think he’s a good skater and has the hockey sense you’re looking for in a second or third-liner.”

Scott Wheeler – The Athletic – June 2nd: “He’s a strong skater and athlete who can play through strong strides and push tempo in straight lines, or round corners with speed to get to his spots. He’s got a dangerous and deceptive in-motion NHL release which he hides well pre-shot, and a comfortable one-timer.”

Murtagh has to work on his puck possession and decision-making before he turns pro, but with a solid frame and strong hockey sense, he could be a good middle-six winger in the future.

Murtagh posted 53 points (22g, 31a) in 56 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program this past season and also posted 18 points (7g, 11a) in 24 games in the USHL. He will head to Boston University next season alongside fellow Flyers draft picks Carter Amico and Owen McLaughlin.

Shane Vansaghi (2/48)

Another potential first round talent that got away was forward Shane Vansaghi, as the Flyers were able to nab him with the 48th overall selection.

The 6’3”, 215-pound right winger is probably a lot closer to the Tkachuks’ style of play than Martone, which is probably why the Flyers loved this selection. His rankings were all over the map with several venerated sources having him in the 24-32 range of the first round to some having him fall within the Flyers range in the 40s, like Bob McKenzie.

His numbers weren’t all that fascinating with 6 goals and 16 points in 37 games with Michigan State University this year. However as a rookie, there were growing pains. With Isaac Howard, fellow Flyer Karsen Dorwart, and Charlie Stramel playing big minutes, Vansaghi wasn’t on the radar as much.

However with Dorwart having signed with the Flyers at the end of the season, Howard looking to play in the NHL in 2025-26 and Stramel not too far behind, that would leave a few vacancies for Vansaghi to take in his draft+1 season.

A common theme over the weekend, Vansaghi uses his size to his advantage, and loves to get to the net however he can. He doesn’t shy away from the rough stuff, he will get in front of the goaltender with ease, and drives to the net with purpose, which is everything the Flyers are looking for from their wingers – especially to complement the skill and IQ of guys like Matvei Michkov and Travis Konecny.

Corey Pronman – The Athletic – June 10th: “He’s a big, heavy winger who drives to the net. He doesn’t shy away from physical play, either. Vansaghi’s biggest issue is his foot speed. I’ve seen slower big guys, but he won’t be able to separate at the NHL level. He projects as a middle six wing.”

Scott Wheeler – The Athletic – June 2nd: “Vansaghi is a heavy, strong, powerful winger who plays with big boy pants on and can bully opponents. He has played a bottom-six role at both the NTDP and Michigan State, but has done it well and has driven into, past and over some college players this season.”

After topping the Big Ten this past season with a 15-5-4 record, expectations remain high at Michigan State so look for Vansaghi to take the opportunity by the neck and make it his own. With key departures expected, he will be featured quite heavily, so he’s certainly a name to keep an eye out for this fall.

His energy and fits the mold of how the Flyers want to play in the coming years and he looks to be a fixture for the coming years when the club is finally looking to get out of their rebuild.

Matthew Gard (2/57)

Rounding out the Flyers’ second-round selections was center Matthew Gard.

Another sizeable player, Gard is 6’5” and 194 pounds. There was a lot of value in this pick according to scouts. A few boards had Gard ranked somewhere in the mid-40s to early-50s, so 57 was a nice landing spot for the Flyers.

Gard’s size allows him to separate himself from opponents and set himself or his teammates up offensively. His bigger strengths are his awareness and defensive abilities, however. He keeps his opponents to the outside of the ice, he is usually in good position, and he can help out down low and rotate extremely well. He’s not afraid to mix it up in front of the net either with his frame.

Scott Wheeler – The Athletic – June 2nd: “Gard is a big, strong center who can really skate and that combination always gets the attention of scouts. He can get after guys on the forecheck, finishes his checks and wins his battles when he’s on top of them, can support play in the defensive zone and still jump into the rush with his skating, gets free for breakaways and has made just enough plays this season to be a talking point among scouts.”

Gard is a center who seems to play a simpler game and just goes where he’s needed without being super flashy. The Red Deer Rebel’s stats don’t fly off the page as he posted 36 points (19g, 17a) in 66 games, but his defensive abilities and high motor make him an intriguing player. He also recorded 1 goal and 3 assists at the U18 World Junior Championship and his two-way display there helped his stock tremendously.

If he can become a little better offensively, the Flyers may have found themselves a nice piece that could work out on their third or fourth line in the future. Noah Cates comes to mind as a player with similar tendencies when he was developing.

Max Westergård (5/132)

One of the smaller players in stature that the Flyers selected, Max Westergård is an interesting winger coming out of the Swedish league.

Coming in as one of the younger players in the draft, the 17-year-old could legitimately be seen as a hidden gem, having been picked so late in the 5th round. Ranked 89th by Consolidated Rankings, 62nd by Tony Ferrari from The Hockey News, 46th by Recruit Scouting, and coming in as the 30th-ranked European skater, the Flyers should be excited.

Coming in at 5’11” and 170 pounds, Westergård is profiled as a two-way winger with fantastic instincts on and off the puck that is mixed in with fantastic speed and skating. He creates space for the rest of his teammates and drives the net, which is something the current batch of Flyers lack.

Westergård spent the majority of the 2024-25 season with Frolunda HC J20 of the J20 Nationell, where he tallied 19 goals and 50 points in 41 games. He was good enough to earn a short stint with the big club in the SHL, where he went pointless in 4 games.

Internationally, he added 8 goals and 20 points in 23 games for Finland U18 in all competitions and is once again expected to make an impact this coming year. After having done so well in the J20 Nationell, there’s always the chance that he cracks the SHL roster once again, which would be a massive step for the soon-to-be 18-year-old.

He still needs to add to his frame to properly translate his game to the North American ice, however he will have plenty of time to develop with Frolunda in the Swedish circuit, as well as a stint down the road with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms most likely in the cards once he’s ready for the move.

Westergård being the full package as a winger is everything the Flyers could have hoped for with such a late selection. Stylistically, he probably matches well with what Bobby Brink brings to the table. While small in stature, Brink isn’t shy of getting to the dirty areas and competing, while also harnessing offensive abilities and defensive acumen.

With a few years to develop, it will be interesting to see how he evolves and whether or not his style of play fits the North American game.

Luke Vlooswyk (5/157)

The last defenseman selected by Philadelphia in the 2025 draft, Luke Vlooswyk is another big-bodied righty that the Flyers sought out (6’4”, 201 pounds).

Vlooswyk’s defensive game is raw but revered. He has a long reach and can position his stick well to break up plays. He also isn’t afraid to use his body and knock opponents off the puck when he has to.

From Elite Prospects’ 2025 NHL Draft Guide, “Defending the rush, Vlooswyk’s mobility, stick work, and instincts shine. He catches opponents with his feet moving after waiting for them to enter his space, never overextending. He excels at tying up opponents and taking them into the wall, immobilizing them and freeing possession.”

His game on the other side of the puck and his skating are what need more seasoning though. Vlooswyk’s acceleration and agility aren’t where they need to be just yet if he has aspirations of playing in the NHL someday. Vlooswyk’s decision-making with the puck needs work too, but another season with WHL Red Deer will give him the opportunity to hone his skills and keep improving.

He seems destined for a couple seasons with the Phantoms when he turns pro, but a third pair defenseman or even a second pair fill-in who can kill penalties would be an ideal role in Philadelphia for Vlooswyk in the future.

Nathan Quinn (6/164)

The Flyers may have gotten a steal in center Nathan Quinn at the spot they drafted him. Quinn was ranked 72nd by Draft Prospects Hockey, 91st by Smaht Scouting, 113th by McKeen’s Hockey, 119th by FC Hockey, 125th by Elite Prospects, and 147th by Recruit Scouting; getting Quinn at 164 seems to be incredible value for Philadelphia.

The smallest player selected by the Flyers at 5’11” and 172 pounds, Quinn is a solid playmaker who can also shoot relatively well. Playing for the QMJHL’s Québec’s Remparts, he racked up 46 points (17g, 29a) in 54 games, leading the club in assists in the process.

From the Elite Prospects 2025 NHL Draft Guide, “A net-driver, Quinn creates space in the slot with his body, taking the inside lane to the goalie to catch passes and fire. He can pass the puck off the boards and spot teammates in space across the ice and behind him, relaying them the puck to expand the attack and generate higher-quality looks.”

Quinn needs to work on his faceoff abilities and needs to build some muscle in order to have a legitimate NHL future. However, his high hockey IQ, strong motor, and play-driving capabilities make him an interesting player with some upside.

Quinn will head to Northeastern University beginning with the 2026-27 campaign.