The Philadelphia Flyers began their draft night by trading down from the 12th to the 13th pick and gaining a 2025 third-round pick in the process. This trade was executed with the Minnesota Wild, who used the 12th pick to select Zeev Buium from the University of Denver. Time will tell if the Flyers might regret not selecting Buium themselves.
Instead, the Flyers picked Jett Luchanko from the Guelph Storm at the 13th spot, adding a talented playmaking forward to their roster. Luchanko is expected to be a valuable addition to the team’s growing pool of young talent, enhancing their offensive capabilities for the future.
This was not the only significant trade the Flyers made that evening. They also opted to trade away the 32nd overall pick, which they had acquired from the Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. This pick was traded to the Edmonton Oilers, the team defeated by the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.
In return, the Flyers received a conditional first-round pick from the Oilers. If the Oilers perform as well next season, this pick will likely be in a similar range as the 32nd pick. The Oilers used the 32nd pick to select Sam O’Reilly, hoping he will develop into a key player as they continue their pursuit of NHL success.
These moves concluded the Flyers’ involvement in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. Their next pick is at 51st overall, which is approximately a third of the way through the second round, scheduled to start early Saturday morning.
The Flyers’ strategic trades on this draft night allowed them to gain valuable future picks while adding a promising young forward to their team. As Stanley Cups are often influenced by picks in the later stages of the draft, the Flyers aim to maximize their opportunities. Overall, it was a productive day for the team, positioning them well for both immediate and future success.
