Fill in the blank: with the 32nd pick, the Philadelphia Flyers select…
We’ve already reviewed the options for who the Flyers could draft with the 12th overall pick. Now it’s time to see who could be available at the 32nd pick, originally owned by the now Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and acquired by the Flyers in March 2022 in the Claude Giroux trade.
There are plenty of names to look at in the 2024 NHL Draft, but the players that the Flyers may consider drafting with their second first-round pick also could fit some of their needs. With that in mind, here are a few names worth noting:
Dominik Badinka
A mobile right-handed defenseman with some offensive talent and late in the first round would be another nice add for Philadelphia, similar to the Oliver Bonk pick in last year’s draft. One plus for Badinka is he is bigger than Bonk, listed at 6-foot-3 and 183 pounds. He plays a nice two-way game and could have some top-four potential with good hockey sense.
Badinka didn’t put up too many points this year for the Malmo Redhawks in the SHL with a goal and three assists. For the J20 Malmo Redhawks, he did score two goals and 11 assists with a plus-8 rating. Appearing in the Swedish league will help him grow as a player and could certainly be a benefit to a team like Philadelphia.
Cole Hutson
The brother of NHL defenseman Lane Hutson, who seems to be a star in the making, is available and would be a phenomenal pick. Depending on where this pick ends up, this could be a bit of a reach, but nonetheless would be a great add.
He may not be as exciting of a player as his older brother, but he is almost as flashy and explosive. Hutson had a fantastic year for the U18 National Team, tallying 15 goals and 36 assists for 51 points in 51 games. He is currently committed to Boston University where he will learn from one of the best NCAA programs.
Dean Letourneau
A 6-foot-6 center who can skate and has plenty of offensive ability late in the firstt round? Check, check, and check. It may be another pick to take a chance with late in the first round, but if it’s anything like how Danny Briere’s first draft went last year, taking some chances at the right time could ultimately pay off in the long run.
Letourneau certainly needs to work on a few parts of his game, such as his stick-handling and puck protection, but at St. Andrews College in the Prep Hockey Conference, he played quite well. In 14 games, he notched 14 goals and 25 points. While playing a majority of his games for the U18 AAA team, he scored 61 goals and 127 points in 56 games. He’s currently committed to Boston College.
Cole Beaudoin
As The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler describes Beaudoin, “he is a very well-rounded player who supports pucks well on both sides, protects pucks well against defenders and can be relied upon defensively and offensively.” A player like that would be a nice add for the Flyers to their lineup.
Beaudoin took a big jump in points this year for the Erie Otters. In four more games, Beaudoin added 20 goals and 22 assists from his previous output, finishing with 28 goals and 62 points in 67 games played.
One last possibility that Briere could explore is to use this pick in order to trade up in the draft. It is highly possible if a player like Konsta Helenius, Adam Jiricek, or Sacha Boisvert is available in a spot that they are comfortable trading up to. They may have to include a player like Scott Laughton to get it done, but there is plenty of time to discuss what the Flyers GM will be up to during his second NHL draft.
Up next in the annual Flyers offseason series is the upcoming free-agent class, and who they may target.
