It’s not often that one team gets to select three times in the opening round of the NHL Draft, but that’s the situation that the Philadelphia Flyers find themselves in. Not only do they have the sixth overall selection, but they’ll also select 22nd and 31st overall.
While they’re projected to take a prospect with offensive upside with their first pick, they could very well be going for some old-fashioned toughness with their later picks in the opening round of the Draft.
The Flyers Are Projected To Select Russian Forward Daniil Prokhorov With The 22nd Pick
The Flyers have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for several years now, having last played beyond the final game of the regular season in 2020 when they took part in the postseason tournament in the Toronto “bubble” amidst the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Philadelphia general manager Daniel Briere has been projected by ESPN’s Rachel Doerrie to select Boston College forward James Hagens with the sixth pick, she has the Flyers opting for toughness with Russian forward Daniil Prokhorov with the 22nd selection.
Prokhorov is referred to by Doerrie as a “freight train on skates,” while also carrying offensive upside.
“The freight train on skates is gaining a full head of steam heading into Friday night’s first round, and the consensus is that a lot of teams love his style of play and believe he’ll go in the early 20s,” she wrote. “Teams with multiple first-round selections tend to take swings with their picks, and Prokhorov is certainly one.
“The Flyers are likely to take a big swing with at least one of their firsts, and a sizable, violently physical kid who has raw offensive abilities that can translate into a power forward is exactly the kind of talent someone like head coach Rick Tocchet would be very excited to develop.”
The scouts at Neutral Zone, who evaluate upcoming NHL talent, described Prokhorov as a “physically imposing power forward”.
“Daniil Prokhorov is a physically imposing power forward with elite shot volume and offensive zone time, showing real potential as a scoring winger at the next level.”
This season with MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg, Prokhorov scored 20 goals with seven assists in 43 games played.
It’s been several years since the Flyers were known as the “Broad Street Bullies” during their most recent championship success of the mid-1970s. With a player known for his physical punishment of opponents like Prokhorov, they could take a step closer to returning to that identity.
