2025-26 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Philadelphia Flyers’ Top 10

Aug 4, 2025, 11:30 EDTUpdated: Aug 4, 2025, 13:02 EDT

2025-26 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Philadelphia Flyers’ Top 10

Credit: Steven Ellis

Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses and so much more.

The criteria for being labeled a “prospect” are simple: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included, with goaltenders needing to be 25 or under.

Today, we’re breaking down the Philadelphia Flyers.

I loved what the Flyers did at the draft. Porter Martone? One of my favorites. Jack Nesbitt? I get the fit. Jack Murtagh, Shane Vansaghi and Carter Amico in the second? Nice.

The Flyers bulked up their pipeline in a big way earlier this year, improving upon a group that saw Matvei Michkov, Emil Andrae and Alexei Kolosov play significant NHL games. It was a terrible season for the club, but the youth had a chance to earn their ice time, and that’s never a bad thing for a team that had no hope heading into the season.

Philadelphia is set for another ugly season in 2025-26, but a handful of young prospects should see some NHL time. Don’t be surprised if Jett Luchanko, Oliver Bonk, Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin all start the year battling for NHL roster spots, with potentially all of them heading back down to either junior or Lehigh Valley before too long.

It’s going to be a few more ugly years for the franchise, but at least the youngsters will be worth watching.

Biggest Strength

The Broad Street Bullies are BIG. Like, tough, get out of the way or you’ll die-type guys. If Martone could match his intensity with his build, he’d be an electric power forward. Nesbitt was one of the strongest forwards from the 2025 NHL Draft. Amico stands tall at 6-foot-6, and Vansaghi can hit as hard as anyone. Flyers fans love players who lay everything on the line, and if this pipeline shapes out the way it could, the team might be one of the toughest to play against sooner rather than later.

Biggest Weakness

While the Flyers have some decent defensive depth, I’m not sure they have a difference-maker on the blueline. Bonk is a solid prospect, but I don’t think he’ll be a top-pairing guy. Amico is fine, but missed most of the season due to injury. Spencer Gill is more of a depth guy, too. Philadelphia’s blueline leaves a lot to be desired, and I don’t think the farm system is going to do much to change that in the near future.

Fast Facts:
NHL GM: Daniel Briere
Dir. of Player Development: Riley Armstrong
AHL Affiliate: Lehigh Valley Phantoms
ECHL Affiliate: Reading Royals

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

Philadelphia Flyers forward Jett Luchnako — *Jett Luchanko (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)*

1. Porter Martone, RW, 18 (Michigan State University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted sixth overall, first round in 2025

Martone is going to look like a steal at No. 6. He had arguably the best vision from the 2025 NHL Draft class and has some of the best offensive IQ, too. While his skating might lack and some scouts wish he’d be more physical, everyone agrees that he’s one of the smartest players in this draft class. He just understands the game and how to exploit opportunities. Martone will probably need to line up with a play-driving center to continue producing at the next level, but his ability to absolutely dominate with the puck – and impact the offensive zone without it – makes him so lethal.

2. Jett Luchanko, C, 19 (Guelph Storm, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 13th overall, first round in 2024

Luchanko started the 2024-25 season in the NHL, which was a bit of a surprise. But his excellent training camp was hard to ignore, making the Flyers look so smart for taking him earlier than expected last year. I thought he had a strong showing at the World Juniors, showing some leadership and a developed two-way game. Luchanko has very little to prove with Guelph, so you have to think the Flyers will keep him around again to start the season. Right now, I think the ceiling for Luchanko will be that of a second-line center, but I think his true value will be in the way he does everything so reliably.

3. Oliver Bonk, RHD, 20 (Lehigh Valley Phantoms, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 22nd overall, first round in 2023

*Oliver Bonk (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

It felt like we never saw Bonk at his absolute best. It was almost like his puck game just wasn’t 100 percent where it needed to be. That being said, there was still so much to love. He reads plays well, covers a lot of space and beats defenders with his hockey sense. At the very least, I think he can be a No. 4 or 5 defenseman for the Flyers – someone who can play a lot of minutes if needed, but also a matchup nightmare if he plays 18-20. If he can clean up his puck play and add a bit more pace, Bonk could end up becoming a big piece of the future.

4. Yegor Zavragin, G, 19 (SKA St. Petersburg, KHL)

Acquired: Drafted 87th overall, third round in 2023

Zavragin was one of the better junior-aged goalies in Europe this year, posting solid numbers in the KHL with HK Sochi and SKA St. Petersburg. He was then loaned back to the MHL for the playoffs and put on a clinic with some outstanding performances. Zavragin is a 6-foot-2 goaltender who moves well around the net, and his glove hand is very quick, too. Flyers fans are excited about Zavragin, and rightfully so – especially given the up-and-down nature of Philly’s crease in recent years. He’s under contract with St. Petersburg until 2027, so there’s plenty of time for him to keep pushing for more starts and control his post-to-post movements.

5. Jack Nesbitt, C, 18 (Windsor Spitfires, OHL)

Acquired: Drafted 12th overall, first round in 2025

Nesbitt was often one of Windsor’s better shot generators this past year, and while he didn’t put up Liam Greentree numbers, he still finished at close to a point per game. He’s a big, 6-foot-4 center – teams typically like that. I wish he had more top speed, but I think Nesbitt has a solid ceiling. He demonstrated his ability to excel around the net during the U-18s, creating havoc and pushing opponents around while jumping in on rebounds. Some scouts don’t know if he’ll be more than a third-line center, but his mix of size and offensive awareness makes me convinced he’ll be a good NHLer as a baseline.

6. Denver Barkey, C, 20 (Lehigh Valley Phantoms, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 95th overall, third round in 2023

Denver Barkey of the London Knights — *Denver Barkey (Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)*

Barkey had another productive season, registering 82 points in his fourth year in the OHL. He played just 50 games due to injury, but he was still so dominant as a playmaker. That continued in the playoffs, where he had 20 points in just 10 games, and another seven at the Memorial Cup. It was an exceptionally productive season for the undersized forward, but the real test will begin once he kicks things off in the AHL. He has done a solid job of improving his physicality, and he’s as good a support player as you’ll find. While Barkey isn’t big at 5-foot-10, I think he’s versatile enough to play anywhere in the lineup.

7. Alex Bump, LW, 21 (Lehigh Valley Phantoms, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted fifth round, 133rd overall in 2022

Bump had an excellent sophomore season at Western Michigan, leading the team to a national title. He then finished off the AHL season with three points in two regular-season games before joining the team for the playoffs. He loves to generate scoring chances, and he’s no slouch as a playmaker, either. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made the Flyers out of training camp, but I hope the team spends significant time with him working on his skating. He has the skill to be a decent middle-six threat for the Flyers, but scouts are worried about his pace once he jumps to the NHL.

8. Jack Murtagh, C/LW, 17 (Boston University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 40th overall, second round in 2025

I liked the Flyers’ selection of Murtagh – it felt like a good value pick. Murtagh is a skilled puck handler who can absolutely fire a shot and is a bit of a workhorse, too. I think he’s a good skater and has the hockey sense you’re looking for in a second or third-liner. I’ve been impressed in most of my viewings this year, and he’s one of the primary reasons to watch the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He’s speedy, works hard and when you put it all together, he’s a difficult player to contain. I think he can become a middle-six forward.

9. Shane Vansaghi, RW (Michigan State Univ., NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 48th overall, second round in 2025

*Shane Vansaghi (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

Vansaghi has exactly what you’re looking for from a bottom-six forward: he hits hard, brings energy, and never gives up on a play. We saw him bounce all throughout the MSU lineup this year, and he has always found ways to produce. I think Vansaghi already possesses many pro traits, such as a good work ethic, a powerful release and a commitment to two-way dominance. I wouldn’t be surprised if Vansaghi is a full-time NHLer right out of college – perhaps as early as next season. The upside isn’t high – I don’t expect him to explode offensively – but I like him.

10. Nikita Grebenkin, LW, 22 (Lehigh Valley Phantoms, AHL)

Acquired: Traded by Toronto Maple Leafs in 2025

Acquired in the Scott Laughton deal, there were many in the Toronto area who were sad to see Grebenkin go. That’s partly because he has a big personality, but he also gave it his all every shift. Grebenkin loves having the puck on his stick. He can be creative in 1-on-1 situations, doing his best to deke guys out and create a chance. He’s better as a setup guy, especially when paired with a speedy, skilled shooter. Grebenkin does an excellent job of cycling the puck. He’s able to shrug off shoves from bigger players, keep the play alive and then generate a scoring chance. Grebenkin has also figured out how to use his size to push opponents around – so much so that I can see him becoming a solid support player in the bottom six.

The rest: Karsen Dorwart, LW (22), Devin Kaplan, LW (21), Alexis Gendron, RW (21), Samu Tuomaala, RW (22), Jon-Randall Avon, C (22), Matthew Gard, C (18), Max Westergard, LW (17), Nathan Quinn, C (17), Jack Berglund, C (19), Ilya Paitov, RW (19), Noah Powell, RW (20), Heikki Ruohonen, C (19), Alex Ciernik, LW (20), Cole Knuble, RW (21), Ryan MacPherson, C (20), Santeri Sulku, LW (21), Owen McLaughlin, C (22), Austin Moline, RHD (19), Carter Amico, RHD (18), Luke Vollswyk, RHD (18), Hunter McDonald, LHD (23), Spencer Gill, RHD (18), Ty Murchison, RHD (22), Ethan Samson, RHD (21), Carson Bjarnason, G (20)

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