After brief NHL taste, Flyers’ Jett Luchanko ready to chase gold with Canada’s World Junior team

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
After brief NHL taste, Flyers’ Jett Luchanko ready to chase gold with Canada’s World Junior team
Credit: (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

Nobody could have predicted that Jett Luchanko would have made his NHL debut less than four months after going 13th overall to the Philadelphia Flyers last June. Even Luchanko was surprised.

But an outstanding showing during the pre-season helped cement the two-way center’s spot deeper down in the lineup. All eyes were on Matvei Michkov early on, but Luchanko’s inclusion showed they had another high-end forward prospect in waiting – and he fully deserved to start the year with the big club.

“I dreamed of (playing in the NHL) as a kid, but didn’t really know what I thought it would be like or what I expected,” Luchanko said. “But it was really cool to be alongside those guys and learn from them as much as I can. Hopefully, I can get back there as soon as possible.”

Luchanko was ultimately sent back to the OHL’s Guelph Storm after just four games, which was always the best move for his development. And he’s been good, registering 20 points in 16 games on a rebuilding Guelph team. In fact, between Philly and Guelph, there was never expected to be much winning for Luchanko this season.

That is, of course, until he was named to Canada’s World Junior Championship team last week.

Luchanko is set to play in his third tournament with Hockey Canada after winning silver at the 2022 U-17s and gold at the 2024 U-18s. An excellent showing at the World Junior Summer Showcase back in August didn’t hurt, either – he might have been a bubble guy before that, but his play there, and his inclusion on Philadelphia’s roster, likely helped seal the deal early on this season.

“He played in the (NHL), and that’s not easy to do, especially as an 18-year-old,” said Calgary Flames prospect OHL rival Zayne Parekh. “I’ve grown up playing against him for the last three or four years. He continues to get better and better. He’s such a skilled two-way forward, and he’s a great kid, too.”

Luchanko is one of Canada’s premier 200-foot centers heading into the tournament. He might not be counted on as a real play driver, but the speedy playmaker has already shown his versatility and ability to play with anyone. He doesn’t need to be flashy to be good – he just has to be smart and make the right plays. Sometimes, the simple plays are the right plays.

“His mix of speed and physicality and hockey sense made him so intriguing at the draft,” a scout said. “He’s not flashy, he’s not going to produce incredible numbers. But he’s a coach’s dream because he does so many things so well and gets results.”

Luchanko takes pride in his game – not everyone is going to be a 50-goal scorer in junior. But on a Canadian World Junior team with plenty of quality scorers, you need guys who can do everything. Canada’s depth at center means even someone with NHL experience like Luchanko could fall deeper down. Luchanko has primarily skated on the fourth line with Mathieu Cataford and Tanner Howe at camp. If that sticks, it could be Canada’s hardest-working trio.

“It’s just cool getting a chance to play with these guys and try and make a difference,” Luchanko said.

Luchanko is one of three Flyers’ prospects suiting up for Canada this year. Defenseman Oliver Bonk and goaltender Carson Bjarnason are also both expected to play crucial roles, with Bonk returning for a second tournament. Luchanko is the only one to have tasted NHL action, though. Many view him as a leader on Canada’s team, even as a first-timer.

Luchanko entered the camp with five multi-point efforts over his final 10 games, which isn’t easy for a player on a team sitting last in their division. Now he’ll have some of the best scoring support he has ever played with, and Luchanko could prove to be a matchup nightmare deeper down the lineup if he ends up sticking there.

“He might be one of the most purely competitive forwards on this team,” another scout said. “He’s playing some excellent hockey this year. He looks like a complete player, and he plays with so much confidence.”

Canada is looking to bounce back from an ugly quarterfinal loss to Czechia last year. They’ve got a lot more depth than 2024, featuring three players with NHL experience (Colorado’s Calum Ritchie and Carolina’s Bradly Nadeau are the others). So, while it’s not expected that Luchanko will play high up, you can bet on him still being an extremely valuable asset for a team chasing glory on home ice.

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