NHL draft 2026: Flyers’ picks, targets and more – NBC Sports Philadelphia - United States News Beep

At the NHL draft last summer, the Flyers had six picks in the first two rounds alone.

For this draft, they’re slated to make just four picks total over the seven rounds.

That doesn’t mean the draft is no longer important to the Flyers, who are coming off a big step in their rebuild. For the first time since 2020, they made the playoffs and also won a series.

But at the 2026 NHL draft this weekend, the Flyers still have important opportunities to potentially supplement their team now and in the future. The first round is Friday (7 p.m. ET/ESPN), while Rounds 2-7 come Saturday (11 a.m. ET/NHL Network).

Danny Briere has been involved in the Flyers’ draft operation since 2020, but this marks his fourth as general manager. Brent Flahr, who oversees the club’s amateur scouting efforts, is running his eighth draft with the Flyers as assistant general manager.

For a second straight year, the team’s draft headquarters will be at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Let’s look at everything else you need to know.

When do Flyers pick?

Here’s a breakdown of the Flyers’ selections:

• Round 1 — No. 21 overall

• Round 2 — No. 53 overall

• Round 5 — No. 136 overall

• Round 7 — No. 213 overall

Will Flyers make more trades?

Briere has made two trades over the last 10 days. We’ll see if he has anything else in store.

The draft is a time when teams use current and future picks as ammunition for deals. Contending clubs are typically trying to add established players to their roster, while future-focused clubs love some more picks.

Last week, Briere said the Flyers would be willing to listen on trade offers for their first-rounder this weekend.

“Absolutely,” the GM said. “Everything’s on the table. It has to make sense. We want to make sure that it helps us for the future; not just for one season or a few months.”

Briere has always been open for business. Considering where they’re slotted, the Flyers might not be married to this first-round selection.

However, picks in the 20s don’t exactly net the juicy trade returns like lottery spots do. And with just four selections, the Flyers probably wouldn’t mind making their first-round pick. After all, good players can be found in the 20s. Look at Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster as some examples.

While Briere will listen, it doesn’t sound like he’ll want to give away first-rounders in 2027 and 2028 too easily. The Flyers don’t want to totally disregard the future. They had a promising season, but it didn’t make them a bona-fide contender overnight.

“I don’t know that we’re quite there yet, but we’re certainly willing to listen on different ideas,” Briere said. “I’m not too keen on trading future first-round picks because you never know where it can go. We’re not a Colorado or Carolina at this point where you know you’re going to be finishing and picking late in the first.”

As always, keep an eye on Rasmus Ristolainen. His name being connected to trade rumors has become a recurring theme here. The 31-year-old defenseman is entering the final year of his contract. The Flyers have valued him highly in trade talks and that’s not expected to change.

What’s Flyers’ philosophy?

The Flyers will draft with a best-player-available approach at No. 21. They did that at No. 6 last summer, despite all the buzz about needing a center. They took a winger in Porter Martone and that sure has paid off.

“Especially in the first round, I think we try to be careful, try to go with the best player,” Briere said. “Because we have a pretty decent pool of prospects coming. It’s not like we’re depleted; we still have some really good ones at almost every position.”

The Flyers could use more talent down the middle. They’re hoping Jett Luchanko, Jack Berglund or Jack Nesbitt can eventually develop into a second-line center, but there’s no guarantee there.

“You can’t have too many of them, that’s for sure,” Flahr said of the center position.

The Flyers have taken just four defensemen over the last two drafts. They haven’t taken one in the first round since 2023, when they selected Oliver Bonk with their second pick. They could look to replenish on the left side at some point.

In the first round, what player and position they go with will depend on how the board falls.

“There are a number of different players and obviously at 21, we’ve got to wait and see what the teams in front of us do,” Flahr said. “We have it set up through layers, which we always do. Maybe you can trade up. Or maybe there’s an option if there’s a big layer behind us that we’re happy with, maybe there’s a chance to move back and add another pick, as well.”

Brent Flahr, Danny Briere