Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone push the Flyers to No. 7 in The Athletic’s NHL pipeline rankings

The Flyers have been outwardly rebuilding for three years now, with the organization stockpiling young talent with the end goal of establishing itself as a consistent contender.

How is the exercise being overseen by general manager Danny Brière and president Keith Jones going?

Fairly well, actually. While there are some differing opinions on the top end of the Flyers’ prospect pool behind Porter Martone, the sheer number of draft picks in recent years helped the Flyers compile a lot of organizational depth and a consensus top-10 system in the NHL.

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On Thursday, The Athletic’s senior prospect writer Corey Pronman listed the Flyers at No. 7 in his NHL pipeline rankings, which incorporate all players under the age of 22 in a given system. The Flyers finished the highest of the eight teams in the Metropolitan Division, and behind (from first to seventh) the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Utah Mammoth, Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, and Seattle Kraken.

The Flyers’ ranking represents a considerable jump from last season. The Orange and Black ranked 13th on the list a year ago, a testament to the team’s work at the 2025 draft when they snagged Martone, Jack Nesbitt, Carter Amico, Jack Murtagh, Shane Vansaghi, and Matthew Gard across the first two rounds. Pronman gave the Flyers an “A” grade for the draft haul, highlighting Martone as a player who “projects as a top-line scoring winger in the NHL who could put up a ton of points and play a heavy game.”

The 22-year-old age cutoff helps the Flyers’ ranking on this specific list with Matvei Michkov being factored in. The Russian phenom, who tied for second among rookies last season with 63 points (26 goals, 37 assists), headlines Pronman’s top 10 Flyers prospects, followed by Martone and fellow 2025 first-rounder Nesbitt. Pronman called Nesbitt, a polarizing draft pick, “a very skilled center with great size” and someone who despite skating question marks, is a “smart” and “reliable 200-foot player.”

NHL roster hopefuls Oliver Bonk, the top-ranked defenseman in the system, and Jett Luchanko come in at No. 4 and No. 6, respectively. They sandwich Russian goaltender Egor Zavragin, who posted a .917 save percentage as a 19-year-old last season in the Kontinental Hockey League. Forwards Jack Berglund (a 2024 second-round pick) and newcomers Vansaghi, Murtagh, and Gard round out Pronman’s top 10 prospects.

One major surprise was that scoring winger Alex Bump, who dominated at the team’s development camp, and whom the Flyers remain extremely high on, was all the way down at No. 11 on this list. While Pronman said Bump is “very creative as a playmaker and handler, and has a good shot from range,” he has questions about his skating and whether his success at Western Michigan will translate to the next level.

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Pronman ranked goaltender Carson Bjarnason, who will turn pro this year with AHL Lehigh Valley, No. 12, and rugged forward Nikita Grebenkin, who was acquired in March in the Scott Laughton trade, as his 13th-best prospect and another who should play NHL games. Finally, he cited Amico, Spencer Gill, Denver Barkey, Samu Tuomaala, and Max Westergård as others who could potentially play NHL games one day.

The Inquirer will have an in-depth breakdown of the Flyers’ top 20 prospects coming out on Sept. 8

1. Matvei Michkov, RW, Flyers, 20

2. Porter Martone, RW, Michigan State (NCAA), 18

3. Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor Spitfires (OHL), 18

4. Oliver Bonk, D, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL), 20

5. Egor Zavragin, G, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL), 20

6. Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph Storm (OHL), 19

7. Jack Berglund, C, Färjestad BK (SHL), 19

8. Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State (NCAA), 18

9. Jack Murtagh, C, Boston University (NCAA), 18

10. Matthew Gard, C, Red Deer Rebels (WHL), 18

11. Alex Bump, LW, Phantoms (AHL), 21

12. Carson Bjarnason, G, Phantoms (AHL), 20

13. Nikita Grebenkin, LW, Phantoms (AHL), 22