June 10, 2026
Kirby Lee/Imagn Images
The Flyers will have another important name to call to the NHL Draft stage later this month.
The Flyers hold the No. 21 pick in the NHL Draft at the end of the month.
It's a different spot for them compared to the past few years, when they were picking within the top-10 and expecting some lean seasons ahead, but hoping they could restock the prospect cupboards for the long haul and strike on a future star while they were at it.
So far, that's been according to plan for general manager Danny Brière.
Porter Martone arrived late this past season and looks like the franchise guy, some notable prospects made their way up to the NHL and a few others are knocking on the door, and thanks to steady development and some shrewd trades and signings, the Flyers broke out into a playoff team that Philadelphia was ready to start believing in again.
But they're far from done. The future is still the priority for the Flyers, Brière has continually stressed, and the No. 21 pick in the draft this month will factor into it, even if it's further back in the order this time.
And there are a lot of ways it can go depending on how the order ahead of the Flyers shakes out.
Here's a look at who some writers and pundits think the Flyers will end up with, based on an initial roundup of mock drafts a couple weeks out...
From Adam Kimelman:
The Flyers have selected a center in the top two rounds four times in the past two years, but they could look to further strengthen that position if Command is available here. He plays a high-compete, 200-foot game and never takes a shift off. He's smart, solid and a strong skater who can be relentless on the forecheck, with an edge that is reminiscent of former Flyers center Scott Laughton. [NHL.com]
Analysis: Command will turn 18 next week, but approaches the draft as a highly mature center who always seems to find himself in just the right spot on the ice. That's a valuable sense to have as a center, and along with a high motor and a 6'1" frame that should fill out and be able to last at the pro level, those can combine to carry Command far.
He'd be another nice center prospect to put next to Jack Berglund and Jack Nesbitt, who are each expected to have a floor as a middle-six centerman in the NHL, even though the majority of the appeal in their tape is in all the little things that make a play work, not the big moments that catch the highlight reel.
From Mike G. Morreale:
The Flyers could use more high-end forward talent in their pipeline, especially down the middle, and Hextall fits that need well. The right-handed shot had 58 points (20 goals, 38 assists) in 59 games this season. Hextall (6-foot, 188) is considered a playmaker, and the 18-year-old has taken significant strides since the start of the season, becoming more efficient and polished with the puck. Hextall creates separation with his smooth edgework, finding open lanes and developing into a more consistent scoring threat as the season progressed. He's committed to Michigan State next season. [NHL.com]
Analysis: Hextall would be another smart and responsible center option, who can even surprise you as an increasingly sly playmaker.
He'll play for Michigan State next season, adding to the pipeline the Flyers have started to establish there with wingers Porter Martone and Shane Vansaghi, and being there should do wonders for him gaining a ton of strength in the gym and adapting to a style much more similar to a pro game on the ice. His development might be lined up to take a huge leap in the months after his name is called.
One more thing: When he was covered in the initial waves of prospects the Flyers might pick at No. 21, and even right now, his last name likely raised an eyebrow.
Yes, he is related to Ron, but he's a distant relative. They never met, as The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jackie Spiegel learned at the scouting combine last week in Buffalo.
Just want to clarify one thing, as I see a lot of places misreporting. One of the players I spoke at length with this week was Jack Hextall. He is a distant relative of Ron Hextall; the prospect's father is his cousin. Jack has never met Ron. https://t.co/WJFK8clTiI
— Jackie Spiegel (@jackiespiegel93) June 6, 2026
From Scott Wheeler:
The 6-foot-7.25, 240-pound Sokolovskii was the talk of the combine this year. The belief is that he’s going to go in the first round and potentially as early as the early 20s. He’s a physical specimen who can move, and while his game is still very raw in a lot of areas, he started to put his game together in the second half of his rookie season in the OHL this year. He’s the Flyers’ type, and they have a track record with the London Knights. If Bleyl is still here, I could see them targeting him over Sokolovskii as well. [The Athletic]
Analysis: The Flyers' recent track record with the Knights is forward Denver Barkey and defenseman Oliver Bonk. Barkey became a full-time NHLer way ahead of schedule, and Bonk looks like he's about to join him if he has a good camp at the end of the summer.
Sokolovskii's selection would likely put another good London prospect back into the system.
The 17-year-old blueliner from Kazakhstan will get a more thorough look sometime next week, but the quick breakdown of him: He's big, and he can move.
Sokolovskii is a left-handed shot, though, and if the draft order falls a certain way, right-shot defensive prospects like Adam Goljer, Tommy Bleyl, or Juho Piiparinen might still be available. Either of those latter three would arguably be just as appealing, all while knowing that steady right-handed defenseman have been universally much harder to come by across the league.
From Steven Ellis:
The Flyers love drafting big dudes, and the 6-foot-3 Suvanto would be a good fit. Suvanto spent most of the season playing against men in Tappara, where he has shown he can play a reliable two-way game. I wish we saw him put up better numbers against junior-aged players, though. Still, I really like his play away from the puck, and I thought he looked solid at the World Juniors in a variety of roles. I think we’re talking about a big, middle-six guy here, but I want him to find another gear offensively. [Daily Faceoff]
Analysis: The Flyers put a priority on big, tough skaters at the draft last summer, and if they stay with it, Suvanto is a big, tough center who looks positionally sound, strong in the faceoff circle, and brutal to fight against in puck battles.
His knock is his skating, but he's 17 and already playing as a pro in Finland, and the Flyers have been willing to stay patient and help their prospects work on the skating part, so long as the other elements of their game are already strong.
Suvanto is easy to see as a fit into the Flyers' long-term center picture, but he has to be there. There's a good chance he might get picked up before in the 10-20 range.
Via Kyle Cushman's and Josh Wegman's projections:
Standing at 6-foot-7 and 236 pounds, Rogowski is a behemoth on the ice, though he moves surprisingly well for his size. Teams will hope he can become a unique middle-six piece. [The Score]
Analysis: Another prospect due up for a deeper dive next week, but the short and sweet for now: Rogowski is huge. When he's on the ice, there's no mistaking him, and the difference in power between him and most other junior skaters in the OHL is an advantage that lets him roam pretty freely to where he needs.
That's a fleeting advantage, though. The question with Rogowski, as he starts to move up the ladder, is can he round up a complete game to last once the competition starts to catch up to him in strength and speed – because it will.
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