Philadelphia Flyers 2026 Mock Draft 5.0

The NHL Draft is just a day away, and come Friday night, the Flyers will be back on the clock. 

But you know what that means now, it’s time for another mock draft for the Philadelphia Flyers. 

Even though the Flyers are not in a lottery position for the first time in years, there is still plenty of value at the current pick they hold: No. 21. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020. 

But this time around is very different for the Flyers. After making nine selections last summer, the team will only have four after trading a third-round pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

This mock draft has the Flyers moving up in the second round, leaving Daniel Briere only three picks to help improve his squad as they are still rebuilding for another playoff run.

Round 1, Pick 21: Liam Ruck (RW, Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL)

“This kid is a hell of a player,” said former NHL scout and general manager Craig Button. 

And he’s not wrong at all. The 18-year-old led all draft-eligible players with 45 goals in 68 games in the WHL. He put up 104 points, second in the league to only his twin brother, Markus Ruck, who had 108. For a player who is ranked in the mid-20s, those numbers are staggering. Just from seeing the general numbers, you would think he should be gone before 21, but if he isn’t, the Flyers should be all in on this. 

Ruck, standing 6-feet and 174 pounds, is a complete winger. He plays with elite goal-scoring instincts that can translate at any level in professional hockey. He is a little undersized, but he’s still a teenager and will develop. He can still perform at a high level, and his work on the special teams could give the Flyers some excitement when looking at him. He scored 16 power-play goals and three shorthanded goals. 

If the Flyers can land Ruck at 21, the right wing would look very scary in the future, teaming up with Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov. He is committed to the University of North Dakota for the 2027 season to play Division I hockey. 

TRADE: Round 2, Pick 42: Jakub Vanecek (D, Tri-City Americans, WHL)

The Flyers are moving up in the second round to select one of the most intriguing under-the-radar defensemen in the draft class. They would be sending their current second-round pick (No. 53) and their seventh-round pick (No. 213) to the Nashville Predators in exchange for No. 42. Briere has shown throughout his rebuild that he values draft capital and that he isn’t afraid to maneuver on the fly. 

The 6-foot-2, 198-pound lefty shooter from Czechia impressed a lot of people in his first season in the WHL. In 59 games, he recorded 35 points, scoring 14 times and assisting 21, which led all American rookies in scoring and ranked sixth in points-per-game among all WHL first-year defensemen.

“He’s a solid two-way defenceman that skates well, defends well, and will chip in offensively when it’s required,” Ams Head Coach Jody Hull said. “To me, he’s a complete defenceman, and he’s only going to get better as he matures.

Playing for his country, Vanecek was part of Czechia’s silver-medal-winning squad at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. Although he never appeared in any games, he finished with five points at the IIHF U18 World Championship in seven games, as his country won bronze.

The Flyers have young offensive defensemen developing, and Vanecek is a steady presence who can be useful on the back end and not hurt you. During the Flyers’ playoff run, their defensemen were on the ice for very long shifts. Getting someone who can eat big minutes is just what they need in a young defenseman. 

Round 6, Pick 181: Ben Wilmott (C/LW, Barrie Colts, OHL)

The Seattle-born center, who turned his draft stock completely upside down, saw that it paid off for him massively. After being passed over in his first eligible year, Wilmott responded with 27 goals and 39 assists for 66 points in 66 regular-season games for both the Barrie Colts and London Knights. That’s before factoring in 22 points in 20 games in the postseason for the Colts, with his draft stock jumping up a whopping 94 spots in the NHL Scouting rankings. 

At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, Wilmott brings a lot to the table. He’s a strong passer, strong on the rush, and competes hard in every zone. He’s still developing on adding more speed and playing away from the puck, but with a commitment to Ohio State for the 26-27 season, he’ll have the time he needs to work and improve on his current skills. 

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