Five players the Flyers could target with the No. 7 overall pick in the NHL draft

No more wondering; it’s official: The Flyers will be picking seventh in June’s NHL draft. The only question remaining is what are they going to do with the pick.

This year, the first two picks are all but set. “Generational prospect” Connor Bedard is all but assured of going first to the Chicago Blackhawks, while Adam Fantilli is widely expected to be picked next by Anaheim.

After that, Matvei Michkov, Leo Carlsson, and Will Smith are projected to round out the top five picks in some order. (Michkov being signed in the KHL through 2026 and the geopolitical concerns with Russia could alter this scenario).

» READ MORE: Examining the Flyers' options after Bedard and Fantilli

So where does that leave the Flyers at No. 7?

In this year’s draft, the Flyers are more likely to add a piece for the future rather than land a player who will make an immediate impact. The last time they picked seventh, they chose defenseman Ivan Provorov, who debuted two years later at 20. However, Provorov has not evolved into the dominant No. 1 defenseman they were expecting.

Other teams have struck gold in the No. 7 slot. While not “Connor McDavids” like Bedard is projected to be, some of those players have turned into All-Stars. Dylan Cozens (2019) is already a 30-goal scorer for the Buffalo Sabres, while Clayton Keller (2016, Arizona Coyotes), Jeff Skinner (2010, Carolina Hurricanes), and Nazem Kadri (2009, Toronto Maple Leafs) have all made All-Star teams.

Here are five players the Flyers might have their eye on at No. 7 when taking into account the team’s needs and how the players might fit under coach John Tortorella:

Winnipeg Ice star Zach Benson has shown steady improvement since entering the WHL. He’s gone from 10 goals to 25 to 36 goals this season. He also creates offense as a playmaker, evident by his 62 assists in 60 games. With 98 points, the winger finished behind only Bedard among 17-year-olds in WHL scoring.

Benson is on the smaller side at 5-foot-9 and 163 pounds, but he makes up for it other areas. He possesses elite puck skills and creativity to go along with underrated quickness.

But Benson’s biggest strength might be his hockey IQ. Benson, who finished a plus-68 on the season, balances offensive creativity with defensive responsibility and is a good decision-maker. He also competes hard despite his stature and killed penalties in junior.

Benson’s smarts, as well as his hard work in the defensive zone, might appeal to an organization with Tortorella at the helm. The Flyers also need creative offensive players, which Benson has proved himself to be in spades. He has a lot of potential, but as a smaller player, there is some risk in terms of how/when he might translate at the NHL level.

Some media outlets have Moore projected to the Flyers, while others place him outside the top 10. Moore is lightning-fast and is probably the best skater in this draft class. (He’s been compared to Connor McDavid and Dylan Larkin in this regard.) That said, he sometimes struggles to translate his speed into production with the puck.

A member of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP), Moore (5-11, 176 pounds) will play at the University of Minnesota in the fall. The center represented Team USA in the recent U18 World Junior Championships and scored nine points (4G, 5A) in seven games. This past season with the NTDP, he tallied 75 points (31G, 44A) in 61 games behind fellow projected first-rounders Will Smith, Gabe Perrault, and Ryan Leonard.

Although Smith, Leonard, and Perrault may have overshadowed Moore some, that might work in the Flyers’ favor and keep him on the board until they pick at No. 7. Moore is also a player who might fit with Tortorella because of his efforts on the defensive end of the ice.

While Moore’s undeniable speed is tantalizing, it also might mask other deficiencies in his game that could be exposed in the NHL, where everyone is fast. The consensus is that Moore will need time to refine his game playing college hockey.

Moore’s NTDP teammate, Leonard, doesn’t have his speed, but he makes up for it with strength and competitiveness. While Leonard topped Moore’s stats with 94 points (51G, 43A) in 57 games, he had the benefit of playing on the program’s top line with Smith and Perrault. He is a goal scorer first and foremost, and can put the puck in the net in a variety of ways.

Leonard (6-foot, 192-pounds) also brings versatility both in terms of his skill set and the flexibility he provides within a lineup. A strong skater, he can play any forward position, and boasts a strong two-way game. His aggressive mentality and doggedness on the forecheck would seem to mesh perfectly with Tortorella’s coaching philosophy. The Massachusetts native’s stock is on the rise after a monster U18 World Juniors where he racked up 17 points (8G, 9A), including the gold medal-winning goal, in seven games.

Leonard is one of the strongest players in the draft, both physically and mentally. He throws his body around, will block shots, and is not afraid to go to the hard areas. Leonard would seem to check a lot of boxes in terms of what the Flyers typically look for in a player and given his attention to detail, he has a low-floor as a prospect. Leonard is set to attend Boston College next season alongside Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier.

Another player who can play multiple positions, Dvorský has experience at both center and right wing. At 6-1, 201 pounds, Dvorský has the advantage of already being physically mature, and he has experience in all situations.

The 17-year-old Slovakian has been playing in Sweden’s second- tier, HockeyAllsvenskan, for two seasons. As he has started to find his footing against older players, Dvorský has demonstrated both scoring and playmaking potential. He increased his production from three points in 17 games to 14 points in 38 this past season. Unlike the North America-based prospects, he has been playing professionally against grown men, which might help accelerate his adjustment.

Dvorský has good puck skills and has shown proficiency as a goal scorer at various underage levels. Like the forwards above, Dvorský’s defensive play is sound and something that could make him appealing to the Flyers. However, he needs to work on his skating to keep up with NHL forwards and there are questions regarding his ceiling.

The only defenseman on this list, Reinbacher is the clear No. 1 blueliner in this class but might be a bit of a reach at No. 7. The Flyers still lack a bona fide No. 1 defenseman, especially a right-shot one, which makes the Austrian appealing, but other concerns such a lack of goal scoring and creativity up front could take precedence. The 6-2, 187-pound Reinbacher has been a late riser up draft boards and now looks like a potential top-10 pick.

Reinbacher, 18, currently plays for Switzerland’s EHC Kloten. He has proved to be solid defensively at keeping opponents to the outside despite his age. He doesn’t take unnecessary risks and often makes the simple play, showing patience amid pressure.

In an offensive-minded NHL, Reinbacher’s ability to put the puck on the net can’t be overstated. He’s got a good shot from the point, and he can create offense for others by getting the puck inside. Reinbacher’s skating abilities aren’t ranked highly, but teams might view that as fixable.

The Flyers do have some defensemen they’re excited about in the pipeline in Cam York, Egor Zamula, Ronnie Attard, and Adam Ginning. However, there are questions about several veterans and the Flyers still finished tenth-worst in defense (3.37 goals against per game) last season, something Tortorella might look to address.

Given that the Flyers have holes both up front and on the blue line, this decision will mostly boil down to how highly they rate Reinbacher.

» READ MORE: Danny Brière’s ‘fire for self-improvement’ has prepared him for his dream job with the Flyers