The Philadelphia Flyers are starting to turn the corner in their rebuild thanks to the early arrival of Matvei Michkov last season. The Russian winger topped not only the Flyers’ pipeline but was ranked as the top NHL-affiliated prospect last year.
However, with Michkov graduating out of prospect status, and a new crop of youngsters across the NHL after last month’s draft, the Flyers have a new name to focus on.
The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler released his updated top 100 prospects list on Monday, and the Flyers had a few prospects represented throughout he ranking.
It’s no surprise that one of the newest members of the Flyers was listed as their top prospect by Wheeler. In fact, Wheeler ranked sixth overall pick Porter Martone as the ninth-best prospect across the league.
The 18-year-old winger stands at 6-foot-3 and plays an even bigger game. He’s put up big numbers at every level and is aiming to make the Flyers this season — but Gavin McKenna’s commitment to Penn State could impact that.
Here’s a snippet of what Wheeler had to say about the Flyers’ new top prospect:
“Martone has a pro game and frame. He battles for pucks when he’s on them, goes to the net, finishes his checks and will drop the gloves. He handles the puck extremely smoothly for his size and can be quite noticeable in possession when he’s playing with confidence and intention… He has a lot of attributes (size, strength, power, shot, playmaking, puck skill) and he’s going to score goals, make plays and potentially impose himself in the NHL when he really comes into his own. He’s a stud, and most NHL clubs love his skilled power forward game, even if some softened on a couple of his attributes. Martone has the talent to become a high-end point-producing winger in a strong 6-3 package.”
Martone was ranked right behind James Hagens, who went directly after the Flyers’ pick this year, and Zeev Buium, who the Flyers — among other teams — passed on last year, was ranked fifth by Wheeler.
The debate between Martone and Hagens will likely be one that rages on throughout their careers, and I’m sure fans will react rationally to Buium’s ranking, especially since Jett Luchanko was quite a bit further down the list.
But the Flyers did have a defenseman in the top 50 in Oliver Bonk. Wheeler ranked the 2023 22nd-overall pick at 45.
“Bonk’s smarts are his game’s defining quality but he has also defended at one of the highest levels in junior hockey over the last couple of years, has an impressive feel for coverage and timing and escapes pressure well despite having average feet (they were once an issue but no longer are for me, though they won’t be an asset at NHL speed of play),” Wheeler wrote. “He influences the game through his effectiveness, his reads, his anticipation, his defensive know-how, his play-calling and the consistency of his habits. He knows where to be and how to play. He sees the ice at an advanced level both with the puck but maybe especially so before he gets it so that he knows where to go with it. He’s not a high-end skill guy who plays the game offensively with a ton of ambition, but he moves play along, his outlets are clean, he manages the puck, he keeps the chain going and he has some unique utility/attributes (including his talked about proficiency playing the bumper on the power play).”
Bonk is turning pro this year and could be in a battle for a roster spot in training camp. Wheeler expects the defenseman to play in the NHL in the upcoming season, potentially full-time, but at least to start.
For Flyers fans looking to get a bit more agitated: Gabe Perreault, who was drafted one pick after Bonk in 2023, was ranked 13th by Wheeler.
The final Flyers prospect on Wheeler’s ranking is the aforementioned Jett Luchanko. Wheeler ranked Luchanko at No. 54.
“He has a chance to be a reliable, fast, intelligent all-situations center, but I don’t see a ton of offense in his game in terms of a top-of-the-lineup NHL outlook and expect him to become more of a middle-sixer than a true top-sixer,” Wheeler wrote. “He has quieter tools and habits that should help him (the routes, the pressure points, the penalty killing upside, the strength, the skating, good poise on the puck and vision), but he doesn’t have loud elements that really scream NHL skill player.”
Of course, Luchanko started last season with the Flyers but only played four games before being returned to the Guelph Storm in the OHL. The Storm were one of the worst teams in their league last year, but Luchanko managed 21 goals and 35 assists for 56 points in 46 games.
The center joined the Phantoms at the end of the season, putting up three assists in nine regular-season games and six more helpers in seven postseason contests.
Luchanko is in the mix for a roster spot again this upcoming season, especially since the only other option is returning to the OHL.
