NHL draft: Flyers continue to add size, headlined by 6-foot-2 Devin Kaplan and 6-foot-4 Hunter McDonald

MONTRÉAL — After starting the NHL entry draft by selecting Cutter Gauthier at No. 5, the Flyers returned to the Bell Centre to fill out their draft class on Friday.

The Flyers started the day with five picks — No. 69 in the third round, No. 101 in the fourth round, No. 133 in the fifth round, No. 165 in the sixth round, and No. 197 in the seventh round — but traded away their fourth-round pick and two future picks for defenseman Tony DeAngelo and a seventh-rounder (pick No. 220) in this year’s draft right before the start of Day 2.

By picking Gauthier, the Flyers addressed the need for organizational depth at the center position. With the trade for DeAngelo, they added a top-pair-caliber defenseman who can run a power play. Here’s the rest of the Flyers’ moves from a busy second day at the draft:

» READ MORE: Drafting Cutter Gauthier adds action behind the Flyers’ ‘hard to play against’ refrain

The Flyers made it 2-for-2 on draft picks from the U.S. National Team Development Program by selecting forward Devin Kaplan with their first pick on Day 2. Kaplan hails from Bridgewater in Somerset County, N.J. He is a 6-foot-2, 199-pound right winger who shoots right-handed. Last season, he had eight goals and 10 assists in 22 games with the NTDP. Kaplan is committed to play at Boston University next season, where he will join up with Flyers 2018 first-rounder Jay O’Brien.

Kaplan grew up a New York Rangers fan — and a John Tortorella fan. While he was on the wrong side of the New York-Philadelphia rivalry, his older brother is a big Flyers fan. When the pick was announced, his brother happily hugged Kaplan, who turned to him and said, “Philly, baby!”

The young forward said the Flyers were drawn to his versatility and added that he thinks his biggest strength is his athleticism.

“I think I’m a power forward, an athletic power forward who makes space for his teammates but can also make plays for himself, too,” said Kaplan. “I think I can bring a little bit of everything to the table.”

He also is close friends with the Boston College-bound Gauthier, even though Gauthier ignored Kaplan’s two FaceTime calls after he was picked.

“I’m sure I’ll see him later and then obviously the battles we’ll have this year [in college] will be unbelievable, just making each other better while also being really good friends, too,” Kaplan said. “So we’ll be really competitive, but it will be fun to have that competition.”

» READ MORE: How the 1992 draft-day trade for Philly icon Eric Lindros revived the Flyers

The Flyers continued to add to their forward pipeline when they selected Alex Bump.

Bump, 18, is a 6-foot, 194-pound left winger from Prior Lake, Minn. He split time this past season playing for Prior Lake High School and the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League. In 31 games with Prior Lake, Bump registered 48 goals and 35 assists.

His 2.68 points per game helped him win Associated Press player of the year in Minnesota. In 27 games with the Lancers, Bump put up 11 goals and six assists.

Bump is committed to the University of Vermont, but he plans to return to the Lancers next season.

» READ MORE: Tony DeAngelo brings talent and controversy to Flyers

It had been a long day for Hunter McDonald and his family, but there was a happy ending in the sixth round when the Flyers called out his name, sending his parents into tears.

”Hearing your name, it’s kind of crazy,” McDonald said.

At 6-4, 207 pounds, McDonald is already a physically imposing defenseman. He said he has a strong defensive game but sees room to improve offensively.

”I’m defensive-first and take pride in that,” McDonald said. “I want to stay true to my roots and do what I do best.”

Last season, he split time between the USHL’s Omaha Lancers and Chicago Steel. In 54 games, he had four goals, 14 points, and 87 penalty minutes, and was a plus-14.

McDonald feels his biggest strengths are that he’s big and can use his size while still moving well. He said that his long reach is an asset and that he has a good stick. McDonald is heading to Northeastern in the fall to play college hockey.

”Go there and see where that takes me,” McDonald said. “But I’d love to wear the Flyers sweater.”

McDonald falls in line with the Flyers’ strategy to get bigger and stronger.

The Flyers continued with their effort to get bigger, even in the late stages of the draft, selecting 6-4, 194-pound Finnish forward Santeri Sulku.

Sulku, 18, has played in Jokerit’s minor system since the 2020-21 season. Most recently, the Helsinki native suited up for both the under-18 and under-20 national teams during the 2021-22 season. In 35 games with the under-20 team, Sulku posted 13 goals and 19 assists.

“Sulku, he’s tall, lanky, a little raw, but he’s got really good hands, really shoots the puck, can skate,” Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said. “He’s going to have to evolve his game into a more North American style as he fills out and gets stronger. But still a lot of tools to work with. It’s just changing his game a little bit going forward.”

Born on June 13, 2004, Sulku is on the younger end of his draft class and is still a bit behind in his development. Next season, he will head to Sweden to play for the MoDo Hockey J20 team.

Sulku is the only European player selected in this year’s draft by the Flyers.

Against Flyers scout Marty Gendron’s wishes, the Flyers used their last pick to select right wing Alexis Gendron.

Flahr decided to override Marty’s concerns about the pressure his son would face being in his father’s organization, saying he didn’t care about that. He just cared that Alexis is a good player.

“When I arrived to this table, actually [Flyers scout Todd Hearty] told me that it was his pick,” Alexis said. “My dad told me, ‘It’s not mine. It’s Todd and Brent.’ So I was kind of laughing. It’s funny.”

Last season, as a forward for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Gendron scored 30 goals and added 16 assists in 66 games. He plans to play for the Armada again next season.

At 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, Alexis is by far the smallest player in the Flyers’ 2022 draft class and the only one under 6 feet tall.

He thinks his strongest points are his speed and his shot, and he still needs to work on his two-way game.

”Defensively, I need to be better,” Alexis said. “It’s something I’ve been working [on] since the past year. I’ll get better. I know it. Just got to keep working on it.”