Danny Brière, Brent Flahr discuss Flyers’ 2023 NHL draft strategy and priorities

If anyone has a first-round pick they’re willing to give the Flyers, feel free to hit up general manager Danny Brière’s phone, he joked Thursday. A second-round pick would do, too.

As it stands, the Flyers hold picks No. 7 pick and No. 22 in next week’s draft but then won’t select again until the third round at No. 87. In a particularly deep draft, the Flyers would love to add more picks in the higher rounds.

» READ MORE: Two first-round picks gives Danny Brière and the Flyers a multitude of options

Despite all the rumors swirling, Brière said he doesn’t know how realistic adding a third first-rounder is. But, as he’s reiterated since the offseason began, he’s willing to listen on anything. That could mean trades that involve picks, prospects, or veteran players.

Brière has already made one big trade by sending Ivan Provorov to the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 6. One of the next obvious candidates to go factoring in the team’s rebuild is 31-year-old Kevin Hayes. It’s not that easy, though, Brière cautioned. In addition to his hefty contract, Hayes is a unique player.

“These big six-foot-five centerman, they’re not easy to find,” Brière said. “So to replace him would be tough as well.”

This could just be posturing from Brière to try and drive up Hayes’ price, but with six days until the draft commences in Nashville, Brière said it seems like front offices around the league are “getting down to business a little bit more” and starting to return more of his calls. Maybe, just maybe, Brière will be able to add a second-round pick, if not another first.

» READ MORE: Which players could the Flyers trade? Here are some possibilities.

“Honestly, everything’s on the table; we’ve had discussions in both directions,” Brière said. “It would have to make sense for both sides, whoever’s involved. I’m not taking anything off [the table]. But I would think that if something like that were to happen, it’s probably going to be on the draft floor, depending on how the board falls during that day.”

This year’s draft is a deep one for goalies. There are quality first-round caliber defensemen, although it’s not a particularly deep draft for blue liners, assistant general manager Brent Flahr said.

But they’re nowhere near as elite as this year’s forward class, headlined by solidified No. 1 pick Connor Bedard.

The Flyers could always stand to add depth at both goalie and especially defense, but they’re not prioritizing particular positions. As Flahr told The Inquirer in May, they’re looking to draft the best players available.

What happens if there are two players of equal talent when their pick comes around? Is position the deciding factor then? Not necessarily, Brière said Thursday.

“We will dive deeper and deeper and deeper into it,” Brière said. “We’ll ask our guys to find something. There’s got to be a difference somewhere. So it’s kind of going back to videos, to their charts, to the interviews. ... One trait that can make the difference. That’s kind of my approach with it more than, especially early in the draft, more than the position that they play.”

When it comes to the goalies, Flahr anticipates that once one goes, other teams will start snatching up the others.

“Now, if they all go, then you’re not just drafting a goalie to draft a goalie here,” Flahr said. “But there’s some depth. So I would assume at some point, we’ll have a chance to get one.”

Other than the scouts based in Russia, no NHL front office member has been face-to-face with Matvei Michkov since 2021. However, he’ll be in Nashville, and the Flyers are one of the teams who have asked for an interview with the Russian goal scorer ahead of the draft.

So far, the Flyers have done as much as they can to evaluate Michkov. They have one scout, Ken Hoodikoff, who is based in Russia and has watched him and relayed what he’s seen. They’ve also done lots of video work. But when it comes to his game, there are certain intangibles you don’t get from video or second-hand information, Brière said at the NHL combine. For example, how does he interact with teammates and coaches on the bench?

Flahr said they’ve talked to as many people as they can to get an idea of his character, from his KHL teammates to his team’s doctors. They’ll spend as much time as they can with him in Nashville before the draft and then go from there.

» READ MORE: Russian prospect Matvei Michkov presents a dilemma for every team — but even more so for the Flyers

Michkov, who is widely considered a top-three talent this year and is signed in the KHL through 2026, is the highest-profile Russian player in the class. However, the same availability concerns given the war in Ukraine extends to all the Russian players.

“There are some quality players from Russia.,” Flahr said. “They’re gonna go high in this draft, probably before we pick maybe even at 22. ... We will put our list together as we see fit, but for whatever reason, it is a strong year in Russia, and we’ll have to make a decision.”