Philadelphia Flyers: 2026 NHL Draft Preview

After a second-round appearance, the NHL Draft takes a bit of a back seat as compared to recent years of the Philadelphia Flyers’ rebuild. By making it among the final eight teams in the playoffs this season, the Flyers will select 21st overall in the 2026 NHL Draft.

To get you ready for one of the centerpieces of the offseason, here is our comprehensive NHL Draft Preview ahead of the first round, including targets for the Flyers, a history of the 21st overall pick, and the possibility of any movement out of the 21st pick.

5 Targets at 21st Overall

• C Alexander Command - A center projected to be in the range of the Flyers’ pick, Command is a tireless worker with an endless motor. A little like the Flyers’ selection of Denver Barkey, but with more size at 6-foot and 186 pounds, Command’s combination of work ethic and smarts make him a solid player that should fill a useful role at the NHL level.
• D Xavier Villenueve - A true puck-moving defenseman that could be the perfect package of offensive ability and skating to be a long-term solution to the power play. With comparables like Lane Hutson and Shayne Gostisbehere, Villenueve is a high-upside pick who was a point-per-game player with Blainville-Boisbriand in the QMJHL last season. He might be slightly out of the Flyers’ range in the early 20s, but you never know at that stage of the draft. 
• F Maddox Dagenais - A rising prospect in the draft who has a great shot and has rounded his game to be a solid power forward. He has mastered the reverse hit and added better playmaking to be a more dynamic forward. The big question is whether he can consistently do it at the highest level and if he sticks at center in the long-term.
• D Tommy Bleyl - An explosive and dynamic defenseman with plenty of offensive talent. Bleyl scored 13 goals and 81 points in 63 games with Moncton in the QMJHL. He’s got a lot of the tools needed to succeed, a solid defender and a great skater, but still has some things to work on to reach his projected ceiling as a top-four defenseman. 
• C/RW Jack Hextall - The forward played both center and wing with the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL and had 20 goals and 58 points in 59 games. He’s a productive two-way forward with the physical element already established in his game. His skating needs improvement and speed is not his calling card, but he’s projected to be a middle-six forward with proper development.

Recent Picks at 21st Overall

The Flyers have had the 21st overall pick twice in franchise history. In 1985, they selected forward Glen Seabrooke. In 1980, they selected defenseman Mike Stothers. 

Recent picks at 21st overall include Cameron Reid (NSH 2025), Michael Hage (MTL 2024), Charlie Stramel (MIN 2023), Owen Pickering (PIT 2022), Fabian Lysell (BOS 2021), and Egor Chinakhov (CBJ 2020).

Other notable selections with the 21st overall pick include Filip Chytil (NYR 2017), Robby Fabbri (STL 2014), Mark Jankowski (CGY 2012), Stefan Noesen (OTT 2011), Riley Sheahan (DET 2010), Tuukka Rask (TOR 2005), Colby Armstrong (PIT 2001), Marco Sturm (SJ 1996), Saku Koivu (MTL 1993), Bryan Smolinski (BOS 1990), Kevin Lowe (EDM 1979), Dennis Maruk (CAL 1975), Syl Apps (NYR 1964), and Gerry Meehan (TOR 1963).

Will the Flyers Trade Up?

If the Flyers want a shot at one of the more likely impact players to come out of the 2026 draft, they will likely need to move up to get him. That isn’t exactly easy with only four picks at your disposal. 

That said, the Flyers could find other ways to get creative with this. Perhaps a first-round pick is the cost of some immediate improvement for a team that wants one of the Flyers’ current roster players. The Flyers also have the 2027 conditional first-round pick from Toronto that could be moved, but it seems unlikely the Flyers will do.

It’s always possible the Flyers try to move up a few spots, but would they move their only two picks at the top half of the draft this year for one or two places? That seems doubtful. So don’t expect the Flyers to be moving any higher than 21st overall.

Will the Flyers Trade Down?

This is a much greater possibility for the Flyers. After moving their third-round pick last week in the deal with Toronto for Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit, the Flyers are down to just four picks in the 2026 draft. And an easy way to recoup some picks is to move down in the first round and try to get something else for later.

Perhaps the Flyers trade back a few spots and get another second-round pick or add a third-round pick back into the mix. Maybe the Flyers decide to punt on the first round entirely and add a bundle of picks for Day 2. When there’s no clear-cut choice for the Flyers to make with their selection spot, a move down is always a decent possibility.

The 2026 NHL Draft begins on Friday night at 7 p.m. with the first round. Rounds 2 through 7 to complete the NHL Draft will be on Saturday starting at 11 AM.

Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on social media @Kevin_Durso.