2023 NHL draft: Here is a rundown of the Flyers’ 10 picks

Flyers general manager Danny Brière began his tenure with a blockbuster three-team trade that sent Ivan Provorov to Columbus and brought in two veteran NHL players (and their contracts), three draft picks, and a prospect.

The trade of a veteran who had once been a centerpiece of the Flyers’ future plans for picks and prospects proved Brière is serious about a rebuild. Brière added another future pick, a sixth-rounder in 2024, Tuesday when he traded Kevin Hayes to the St. Louis Blues. But picks are only as good as the players they are used to draft.

» READ MORE: The Flyers’ Kevin Hayes trade shows the reality of the mess Danny Brierè inherited. Buckle up for a long rebuild.

Starting Wednesday, Brière has the chance to add key pieces to his rebuilding franchise when the NHL draft begins at 7 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn.

It’s a top-heavy draft, and Dan Marr from NHL Central Scouting said he expects most of the top 50 players to eventually become good NHL players. The Flyers have 10 picks, including four in the first three rounds. Here’s a look at where they’ll be picking — barring any more trades — in Brière’s first draft.

When the Flyers lost the NHL draft lottery, they lost out on a generational talent in Connor Bedard. They also don’t have the chance to pick Adam Fantilli, another potential game-breaker, or any of the consensus top-five talents (unless Matvei Michkov falls) who are all considered a level above the rest.

Instead, they’ll be picking at No. 7, exactly where they ended the season as the seventh-worst team. However, in such a strong draft, the Flyers are still excited about which player they could get.

Additionally, the Provorov trade gave them another first-rounder, acquired from the Los Angeles Kings. Brière said his staff is extremely excited about picking No. 22 given the depth of talent available.

» READ MORE: 2023 NHL draft: Ranking 10 potential targets for the Flyers at No. 7 overall

The Flyers no longer have a second-round pick because they traded it to the Buffalo Sabres. In a 2021 deal, the Flyers, under former general manager Chuck Fletcher, gave up Robert Hägg, their 2021 first-round pick, and their 2023 second-round pick for defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. They later signed Ristolainen to a five-year, $25.5 million extension.

At the 2022 draft, the Flyers traded away their third-round pick, along with their 2022 fourth-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick, to the Carolina Hurricanes for the rights to defenseman Tony DeAngelo, whom they later signed to a two-year, $10 million deal.

However, they still have two more third-round picks from their moves ahead of the 2022 trade deadline. They acquired a pick from the New York Rangers for Justin Braun and one from the Florida Panthers when they traded Claude Giroux in a deal also involving a future first-round pick and winger Owen Tippett.

Unless Brière trades for a second-rounder, the Flyers won’t pick until No. 87 and then again at No. 95.

The Flyers have multiple picks in the fourth round once again because of Fletcher’s moves at the 2022 trade deadline. He traded Derick Brassard, who had been hurt much of the season, to the Edmonton Oilers for a fourth-round pick, No. 120. They also still have their original pick, which is at No. 103.

The Flyers have their original fifth-round pick at No. 135.

» READ MORE: NHL mock draft: Who should the Flyers take at Nos. 7 and 22?

In one of his final moves as general manager, Fletcher traded Patrick Brown to the Ottawa Senators at the 2023 trade deadline. In return for the player, whom Fletcher had claimed off waivers in the 2021-22 season, the Flyers received pick No. 172. They also have their original pick at No. 167.

Barring any changes by Brière, the Flyers will wrap up the draft with just one pick in the final round: No. 199.