June 08, 2026
Matt Krohn/Imagn Images
Finnish prospect Juho Piiparinen (left, No.6) is a right-handed defenseman who should be on the Flyers' draft radar.
The Flyers are at a continued need for centers.
Given the recent trade rumblings around the Islanders' Mathew Barzal and the Red Wings' Dylan Larkin, a good chunk of other teams around the NHL are, too.
But they're so in demand now because quality centermen have suddenly become harder to come by, along with right-handed defensemen, which always have been.
Long-term, and in terms of affordability, striking gold in the NHL Draft is always the best bet.
The Flyers aren't going to have any guarantees, though, sitting at No. 21 in the order later this month.
Even so, general manager Danny Brière should have an interesting list of choices at the positions that should still be a priority for the organization.
Last week was an initial look at five prospects the Flyers could draft, which you can check out HERE.
This week is a look at another five, who are all either centers or right-shot defensemen...
Command will have just turned 18 by the time the draft rolls around (his birthday is June 16), but already, he plays the center position very maturely.
He has an ability to slow the game down and take a read of his options with the puck on his stick, and away from it, he seems great at pivoting into open ice to give his teammates a lane for either a scoring chance or to at least keep the puck cycling around in the offensive zone.
Command often has himself in the right place, and just a step ahead of where the puck is heading to be able to make a play on it. At a listed 6'1" and 187 pounds, he has the strength to be able to win battles for possession, along with the frame to shield the puck and step into a good shot when it's there. He can also handle the puck with his head up and zip an accurate pass right on the tape.
Command scored 17 goals and 44 points with a plus-10 rating through 30 games for Örebro in Swedish juniors this past season, and got a six-game sample in the pro-level SHL at still just 17 years old.
He's a center who's committed to all the little details, and would slot in nicely behind current center prospect Jack Berglund, who's much further along now, to keep the Flyers' pipeline at the position moving along over the next several years.
The highlight package from HSD Prospects below is a good show of how Command consistently works himself into a good spot to make a play, both with and without the puck:
Bleyl is a lanky right-handed shot who can fly down the ice and make a play.
The 18-year-old defenseman produced a 13-goal, 81-point season for Moncton in the junior QMJHL, finishing the year with an absurd plus-58 rating – a finicky stat, sure, but usually a pretty good sign when it's that high.
Bleyl's skating is his strength. He can use it to create separation quick, fluidly walk along the offensive blue line, and when he's going downhill at top speed, his hands and vision are both fast enough to make a crisp pass or get a good shot away.
He can move a little too fast sometimes, rushing the puck into danger when there was no reason to, and at 6'0" and 170 pounds, he will need to pack on weight over the next few years to handle greater physicality.
However, those are very fixable problems, and his commitment to Michigan State for the 2027-28 season, given the increasing strength required to last in the NCAA, should force him to work on those.
NHL Draft Pros on YouTube, who always crushes it with video scouting at this time of year, has a good breakdown of Bleyl's game and how he uses his skating to his advantage below:
Another right-shot defenseman, and another 17-year-old approaching the draft (he'll turn 18 on Aug. 10), Piiparinen is a big skater who can place a pass anywhere he wants to.
At a listed 6'3" and 203 pounds, Piiparinen already makes himself tough to knock away from the puck and can use his reach to cut down space and sweep the puck away from oncoming attackers.
He can move pretty decently, but Piiparinen's best trait right now is his pinpoint breakout passing into the neutral zone, or when he has the puck and is surveying up top from the point.
Piiparinen produced 13 points through 15 games in Finnish juniors this past season, and held his own in the pro Liiga with three assists and a plus-6 rating through 29 games.
Below is a quick look at Piiparinen's puck-moving ability at the junior Finnish level, via Prospect Shifts on YouTube:
Shilov was a constant on the highlight reel for Victoriaville this past junior season, using his quick thinking and playmaking to rack up 32 goals and 82 points through 63 games.
The Russian-born center plays fast, and when he's controlling the puck, the game moves at his pace, which often opens up a chance either for himself or a teammate.
He's a downhill player, but likely a longer-term project, as Shilov is slated to return to Victoriaville for next season, then go to college at Penn State for the 2027-28 season, per Elite Prospects.
But he's a gamble on future offensive upside, which the Flyers do still need and can often be tougher to find the later into the first round it gets.
Shilov's highlight package, via Prospect Shifts:
A big center who can bulldoze his way to the net and dig deep into the corners to break away with the puck, Morozov was a bruising force of a forward for Miami, Ohio, yet with enough skill, too, to dish the puck where he needed or unleash a booming shot when he had an open look.
As a 17-year-old freshman, Morozov scored eight goals and 20 points through 36 games, and at 6'3, 201 pounds, skated with a level of physicality that let the other team know he was out there every time he hit the ice.
If the Flyers want to continue to aim for size and aggression, like they did with last year's draft haul, then the Russian-born Morozov would be a sound pick, albeit maybe with a more limited ceiling compared to others given his play style.
A glimpse into Morozov's game, via HSD Prospects:
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