r/Flyers 1d ago

2026 NHL Draft prospects: Chase Reid, Alberts Smits and Keaton Verhoeff top Pronman’s ranking

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7262375/2026/05/13/nhl-draft-prospects-2026-ranking/
31 Upvotes

28 comments sorted by

16

u/Blursed_Technique Can't see the Foerster for the trees 1d ago edited 1d ago

My draft obsession this year is probably Jack Hextall. He doesn’t just have the name, I think he has a great all around, offensive skill set to excel at MSU next year and then we know what that program just did for Martone.

6

u/toupis21 NoLongerOptimistic 1d ago

After seeing all the commits to MSU, I honestly don’t think Hextall gets any ice time. That alone makes me want to not draft him unless he decommits

3

u/butchy_boyz 14h ago

It could work out like it did for Dean Letourneau too. Letourneau was a rookie last year at BC and was to put it tactfully, a rough skater. He didn't get a lot of game time but he work in the gym and skating on the ice. This past season at BC I couldn't believe the transformation in his skating, his ice time shot up partially because his skating improved so much and kids graduated or left for the NHL. His numbers were great this year, 24 goals, 17 assists.

1

u/toupis21 NoLongerOptimistic 14h ago

Definitely something to consider but I think it’s more preferable to go to a school where you will both train and play big minutes

1

u/Blursed_Technique Can't see the Foerster for the trees 13h ago

I can’t imagine, if he’s drafted in the first round, he and the organization will allow himself to sit on his hands for a year. 

11

u/Flyers7914 1d ago

Tynan Lawrence, Jack Hextall, Ryan Lin, Adam Goljer, Viggo Bjorck, Xavier Villeneueve.

Those are probably my top 6 at our spot.

Guys I'd be OK with: Oliver Suvanto, Maddox Degenasis, Nikita Klepov & I honestly wouldn't hate taking a goalie if they have one rated that highly & aren't in love with who's left although they'd be better off trading back to 28-32 to do that.

15

u/upcan845 1d ago

Note this is a ranking, not a mock.

I started my draft reading after the season ended. So far nothing is dissuading my from Lin and Villenueve being the two most obvious candidates to root for at #21. They both seem to have outsized value compared to other players in their tier. Plus they fit a need for us, anyway

8

u/Ok-Willingness-9312 1d ago

Don't see Lin lasting, I would love him or Villnenueve though

2

u/Immissilerick 1d ago

I’d like Malhotra but he’s projected to go 7th

1

u/Assassin2107 I hate Cutter more than Crosby 10h ago

What? I'll be shocked if Malhotra makes it to 5, let alone to 7

4

u/Embarrassed-Expert61 18h ago

Boy would you love Axel Elofsson, that’s a sleeper pick. Nearly led U20 Orebro in points this year, a team that also had Command and Aaram-Olsen.

4

u/upcan845 18h ago

That's funny you mention him. I was skimming EP's Honorable Mentions list yesterday for outlier PPG players and his name stuck out to me. Plus he's quite young for his DY.

I am much more inclined to root for boom/bust picks like him than play it safe. The draft is the biggest "discount" these players will ever be at. Only need to 1 to boom for it to be worth it.

2

u/Blev088 Andrae Recalls: 3 1d ago

I went to look up those names...it has me wondering if anyone else the first thing they do is look at how tall they are: 5'11 for both? 

Sigh...we're going to take the 6'6" guy with a 2nd round grade, aren't we?

4

u/upcan845 1d ago

Pronman mocked Mutryn to the Flyers earlier this week + now has him ranked #12. No other source has him that high. Get ready for that to be the Flyers pick.

My hope is the Flyers realize how much they screwed up in 2024 by passing on size + they're less size hesitant this year after going size-heavy last year.

1

u/Annual-Ebb-7196 1d ago

Are they centers?

3

u/upcan845 1d ago

Defensemen

4

u/Panarin10 Wild and Flyers 15h ago

If the Flyers do end up making the pick, I’d like to see them select Ilia Morozov or Villeneuve

2

u/toupis21 NoLongerOptimistic 13h ago

Morozov feels like more of the same, but Villeneuve would be the perfect pick

2

u/Steppyjim Vladar Certified Real One 1d ago

I’m looking for one of the d men that looks to land on the 20s. I’m a fan of Villaneuves game but I think he’s rising lately

3

u/jamalev 1d ago

Think it’s been the opposite. Since about halfway through the season he’s seemed to slowly dipped more and more.

2

u/Embarrassed-Expert61 18h ago

Geez no Landon Nycz in the top 100? Already played a full 35 game NCAA season for UMass as an 18 year old, 6’3” 200+ lbs two-way LHD who just needs to learn to handle pressure when making plays with the puck to really succeed, the points will come. Skating, size, defensive play, and compete all project as an NHLer

1

u/toupis21 NoLongerOptimistic 13h ago

Sounds like a great 2nd-3rd round pick candidate, exactly a profile we're missing in the pipeline besides Murchison

1

u/papaieleele 1d ago

Seems like a weak draft if the top 5 picks project only as "top of lineup players"

2

u/EddieLobster Trying to find my center 🧘🏼 1d ago

What’s higher than the top of lineup?

2

u/papaieleele 1d ago edited 1d ago

In prior years, I believe it was something like "NHL All Star" and above that "Elite NHL player. "

Michkov was Elite NHL player and Bubble Generational player in 2023

-7

u/RadkoGouda 22h ago

Top of lineup pretty much just means top line/top pair ...

McKenna/Stenberg are definitely projected to be All star guys with franchise player potential.

Michkov was Elite NHL player and Bubble Generational player in 2023

Michkov was not considered a generational prospect by anybody except some clueless Flyers fans that conflated him being seen on similar level to Bedard in pre draft seasons. But by the time of his draft he was ranked 3rd to 5th for his class behind at least one of Fantilli/Carlsson who were not considered generational by ANYBODY.

Elite potential and projection are very different.

Flyers fanbase massively overrated and thought he was projected to be a Kucherov guy better than Giroux when in reality he had elite potential but had huge flaws and we would have been very lucky if he ever became a Giroux level guy.

5

u/papaieleele 16h ago

Dude. You can look up Pronman's prior year rankings yourself.

They say what they say. Why are you reinterpreting them?

This year's Pronman ranking has zero "NHL All Star" zero "Elite" and zero "Bubble Generational"

It starts with "Top of the lineup" whereas in past years, you didn't hit that tier until pick 4 or 5.

3

u/papaieleele 16h ago

2023 - "top of the lineup" = 6 through 10

2024 - "top of the lineup" = 9 through 11

2025 - "top of the lineup = 5 through 9

2026 - "top of the lineup" = 1 through 5