Flyers draft: Our emoji reactions to Matvei Michkov and each of the Flyers’ 10 draft picks

As the 2023 NHL draft went on, the Flyers proved with pick after pick that they truly are committed to rebuilding.

They took several big swings, beginning with their pick of Matvei Michkov. The Flyers paired them with some safer selections, but overall, they prioritized prospects with higher ceilings and lower floors. With the organization committed to a process that could take some time, the Flyers front office didn’t shy away from players who could use more time to develop — or who are committed to another team like Michkov is.

» READ MORE: The Flyers’ big swing for Matvei Michkov could prove to be a ‘home run’ for their rebuild

The Flyers also addressed the blue line on in, proving they believe they need to build from the back. They took two goalies and three defensemen in their 10 picks, and continued to add center depth, an area that has bit them in recent years.

Every pick is a gamble (as proven by their 2017 draft), so it’s hard to grade players years before they do or don’t pan out. But we assigned a label and an emoji to describe our gut reactions to each pick:

The Flyers went for high risk, high reward with their first pick, and that’s what a rebuilding team should do. The organization has some good prospects in the system, but no one with the potential of becoming a leaguewide star. If Michkov hits on his projection, he’ll be a game-breaker and a franchise-type player. He has the chance to make them more than just competitive. Michkov won’t contribute for another few years, but the Flyers won’t be ready before then anyway. Every pick comes with some level of risk when you’re drafting 18-year-olds, but Michkov’s development will be a key to the Flyers’ future success.

The Flyers prioritized positional need over best player available and played it safe instead of taking another flier on upside. While Michkov has a high ceiling, Bonk has a high floor. General manager Danny Brière said Bonk was the only defenseman left on the board they had ranked in their upper tier. Bonk is very much a “what you see is what you get” blueliner. He plays lockdown defense and projects as an NHL regular. But he hasn’t consistently proven he has the skill level to be a game-changer, and it’s uncertain if he’ll ever develop into a top-pair defenseman. In Bonk, the Flyers got a known quantity and fulfilled an organizational need.

Bjarnason has the potential to be a steal of a pick, but it will all depend on his development. The goalie has some concerning tendencies (drifting, lack of balance in his stance, and overshooting into empty space), but they’re all ones that can be ironed out and are particularly hard to predict. However, he has size (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) and plays particularly well with his legs. Bjarnason made a big leap last year, which is encouraging, especially considering the Flyers’ recent success with developing goalies. They’ve added depth with this pick and took a big swing for a high-risk, high-reward player.

Considering that assistant general manager Brent Flahr said he had a feeling that once the first goalie went, a flurry would go, it was a smart move to trade up for Bjarnason, who was NHL Central Scouting’s No. 1-ranked North American goalie prospect.

The Flyers have a history of discovering gems in net throughout Europe, including prospects Sam Ersson (Sweden), Alexei Kolosov (Belarus), and Ivan Fedotov (Russia). They’re seeking out another one by taking Zavragin — Central Scouting’s No. 12-ranked European goalie — with their second of back-to-back goalie selections. Zavragin posted a .920 save percentage last year in Russia’s top junior league and the Flyers clearly saw something they liked in him. Flahr mentioned that Zavragin will likely be the national team goalie for Russia, which has a good track record of producing quality netminders.

In prospect profiles, Barkey is described as “having that dog in him,” appropriate enough given his name. When speaking about him, Flahr said he has a good motor. He may be undersize, but Flahr said he shows all the traits needed for a smaller player to succeed at the next level. Barkey’s dogged competitiveness fits the culture the Flyers are trying to build.

» READ MORE: NHL draft Day 2: Flyers select two goalies, add Mike Knuble’s son in Round 4

The Flyers are plenty familiar with Cole Knuble, who is the son of former Flyers winger Mike Knuble. But while Mike was 6-3 and 225 pounds, Knuble is relatively undersize as a center at 5-10, 185 pounds. Still, he plays with an element of physicality that his father possessed, too. Flahr said that Knuble was on the Flyers’ list late last year, but he went undrafted. He made big improvements to his game this year and won the USHL’s player of the year award. Knuble especially improved his skating, according to Flahr, after putting on weight and growing stronger.

Čiernik has explosive speed that allowed him to blow by players his age. He has hands to match his feet, allowing him to pull off moves at high speeds. However, when playing against older opponents, his speed didn’t make as much of a difference. Čiernik certainly has some qualities to be excited about, but he’s also a bit of a risk. The Flyers have to hope that he finds his stride and that last season was just a temporary setback. If nothing else, Čiernik will keep things light with his humor, but hopefully, he’ll also be light of foot while maneuvering around defenders at the NHL level.

At 6-foot-3, 202 pounds, Sotheran is a mountain of a right-shot defenseman from the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. Flahr lauded Sotheran’s ranginess and his ability to defend. Additionally, Sotheran is strong in transition, using his strong hockey IQ to move the puck up the ice and put his teammates on the attack. Sotheran may have a longer journey to the top of the mountain (the NHL) compared with his peers, but he is yet another upside play for the Flyers.

Flyers amateur scout Rick Pracey lives close to where MacPherson played for the Leamington Flyers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. Flahr said that Pracey compared the 6-foot, 167-pound center to Noah Cates in terms of their two-way game and competition level. MacPherson’s physicality stands out at both ends, making him the type of player that the Flyers covet late in the draft.

At 6-6, 230 pounds, Chicoutimi Saguenéens defenseman Mann has raw talent that enticed the Flyers with their final pick of the draft. Take one look at the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights and it’s clear that their key to success partially hinged on their physically imposing blue line. But while Mann’s size is coveted in today’s game, he still has a way to go before proving he’s capable of playing at the NHL level. He knows how to use his size to his advantage by being physical, but his skating needs work in order to take the next step in his career. The Flyers added some beef on the blue line with this pick, but they’re planning on being patient with Mann so he can go from rare to well done.