On today’s show, Russ and Rachel break down the Philadelphia Flyers full complement of picks at the 2025 NHL Draft. We discuss first rounders Porter Martone, Jack Nesbitt, the big trades, not picking a goaltender, and trends for the Flyers Draft class. Finally, we discuss the draft as a whole with Russ’s report from LA on the spectacle of it all, the broadcast, and the teams who made the biggest moves at the draft this year.
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24 Comments
Murtagh was directly asked on video today how to pronounce his name, it's MurtAG….like AGriculture.
It’s amazing to me as a lifelong Flyer fan that goaltending continues to be dismissed in this organization!!
Shocking Donner being clueless 🤣. She probably just mad Andrea not going to make the club
A lot of criticism with the first two picks and the trade up for the second. I will say that without knowing truthfully, that DB and staff did not try and work out a deal to move up for the third or fourth or so pick is unfair. I truly liked this draft overall and believe they have the potential to hit a grand slam !! We have great size and the potential for very good NHL caliber pro’s. Like all or most drafts time will tell. Love the show and the great content and honesty. GO FLYERS!!
Rachel you always take shots at the front office we are better off then we where
reports are detroit was taking Nesbit at 13 or Vancouver at 15, so not gonna agree about him not being taken in those spots
Briere is exactly right as we are still years away. Because the NHL has a hard cap, guaranteed contracts and drafting 18 year old players, you can’t rebuild overnight.
Stamkos was drafted in 2008, the Lightning didn’t win the Cup until 2020. MacKinnon was drafted in 2013, the Avalanche didn’t win the Cup until 2022. Barkov and Ekblad were drafted in 2013 and 2014, the Panthers didn’t win a Cup until 2024.
People are putting too much stock in this draft. We are only in year 3 of the rebuild. The teams i named above all took a decade to win a Cup after rebuilding.
I predict that Nesbitt will be comparable to Keith Primeau in a few years.
I like the draft picks. Time will tell how they progress.
Go Flyers
I like the second round picks aside of I pick a defensemen like Kurbin Limatov at 57
Biggest issue is after this draft they have no more major bullets left to wheel and deal with to fill the huge gaps at goalie and center and to a lesser degree D. That was it. That and whatever pick they end up with next year and the phantom 2027 Toronto pick. While they definitely improved and certainly seem like they will be much more fun to watch starting in a couple years , on paper they actually don’t look any closer to being a perennial Eastern playoff contender anytime in the next 5 years.
Martone was my second favorite prospect that could have been available to us, but Hagens was my favorite prospect in a long time. So I'm crushed but can't be too mad as I think Porter is going to be outstanding. I watched Nesbitt a lot this past season and I liked his hockey sense. I liked 25+ players more than him though. I don't think the Flyers can fix skating like they think they can (Foerster is far from a shining example there imo), and I apparently value skating way more than they do. I would have MUCH rather had Hagens and Eklund than Martone and Nesbitt. This organization lacks elite skill way more than size. Overall not happy and I'm now of the belief that this is the same Flyers organization as always. But it's going to be years before these kids are established so I'm trying to manage emotions accordingly.
For anyone that feels that we may have overdrafted Nesbitt and should've sat at 22, just pretend they took Nesbitt at 22 and Murtagh at 31. Then took the rest of the guys with the 3 original 2nd rounders. This seems compeltely possible based on the projections discussed in the other pods. If you're happy with the 4 second rounders then there's no point in handwringing about the trade up to 12
It looks like Nashville was going to get Nesbit. Look it up. Troy’s said they were looking at 12 and someone moved up to get him. Briere was right if he wanted Nesbit.
There is a reasonable chance that none of the Top Centers end of being centers.
Also…do you know how many so called better skilled players turn out to be nothing. The truth is most draft experts are more wrong than right.
Danny Briere is doing a great job. Another hit job on management by Rachel! Not sure why she was so upset “I am so mad”?
Just relax, moderate and ask Russ good questions and from time to time a difference of opinion is healthy.
Unless your scouting players and are freezing your behind off at a 6am game in Detroit between Belle Tire and Little Caesar’s, you don’t have any clue about the prospects. Unless you are in London Ontario to watch Sarina against London, you have no clue.
Scouts follow kids for years! It’s a tough job that requires discipline, patience and having played the game in younger years is almost a necessity. And even then, they make mistakes. But there is no way that you know he made a mistake on the day of the draft when you have never seen the player snd spoken to him.
The fact of the matter is it takes at least 5 years to rebuild. A few team get lucky when they get the top pick or two in a golden year of studs at the top and then maybe they can get the team rebuilt a bit quicker. This wasn’t one of those years!
Russ is the closest thing we have to sharing knowledge with us because he does the leg work!
Think positive and Go Flyers! Be happy, we have Rick Tocchet back! Just my opinion!
1) Is our prospect pool better ? Yes
2) Are we still missing a 1C prospect, defensive prospects and a top goalie prospect ? Yes
We got a better prospect pool but still have the same needs that we had heading into the draft. When I saw the Flyers trade up, I was hoping it was for Kashawn Aitcheson or Jackson Smith.
The draft as a whole was a win. None of us were in the room and cant criticize the trade up without knowing exactly the circumstances that led to it and why. Just deal with it. I trust in Danny B and Jonesy more than any other brass weve had in the past 20 years.
Good grief. The more I watch the more negative you are Rachel. It'll all be okay
Rachel, would
You have taken Hagens over Martone? If not, there would not have been a 1c available at 22 for the Flyers to pick. The only centers available from 22 on, were 2nd rounders at best. Personally, I preferred Martone over Hagens but I can understand where others wanted Hagens. Just happy Nashville took Brady Martin.
Not sure why we are upset that they didn’t take a goalie in this draft. Any goalie that would have been drafted is a good 5 plus years away.
Well guys, your wrong because it was reported that Detroit was going to take him at 13 or the Canucks at 15. The only problem I have is not picking a top Goalie prospect. Find some positivity for once guys🤦🏼♂️
Exactly right, that is reality.
I don’t hate the draft at all. Martone is a stud, and we got some promising 2nd rounders. Nesbit is going to take a few years, but he has good size and skill. His skating will improve. The only thing I keep thinking is that we could have taken Hagens, then grabbed Eklund with the trade. High ceiling/skill center, then a high motor winger. We may look back in relief or regret with that one.