Category: Sports News

The Philadelphia Flyers will take as many high-end talents as they can get in the 2025 NHL Draft, but if they want a defenseman, they'll have to trade up to get him.

A lot of the focus has been on whether the Flyers will trade up from the No. 6 slot, but what if the Flyers got aggressive in another way? With the 22nd pick and either the 31st or 32nd pick, the Flyers have plenty of ammo to move up several spots for a player they covet.

The Flyers already alluded to the possibility of selecting a defenseman or a winger in the draft, though nobody is fully convinced that'll happen at No. 6. That just adds further fuel to the idea.

Tri-City Americans defenseman Jackson Smith, who is regarded as one of the top two or three defenders in the 2025 draft class, could very well still be available at the end of or just outside the top 10.

In that event, the Flyers could make something happen to get a potential franchise defenseman that's been compared to Thomas Harley and Travis Sanheim.

The 6-foot-4 blueliner, according to Russ Cohen of SiriusXM NHL and EliteProspects, is coveted by the Flyers, but there are no guarantees to be made there.

For instance, the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers pick 11th and 12th, respectively, so the Flyers can cross those two teams out as potential trade partners.

Teams like Seattle and Buffalo, eighth and ninth, might be more receptive to trading down, especially if Philadelphia is willing to offer up a roster player to help either team make immediate improvements.

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Danny Briere made one of his first trades as an NHL GM with the Anaheim Ducks, so the two sides have some familiarity and, presumably, and open line of communication there.

The Flyers have insisted that they want to start winning games, which means that, soon, they will no longer be able to rely on draft picks to improve the roster, or the cycle will just continue year over year.

If the organization deems Smith to be the defense prospect they need to eventually take the next step, that belief is enough to justify a big draft trade.

Looking at the Flyers' organizational depth chart, the defense cupboard is rather thin. Prospects like Ty Murchison and Hunter McDonald play similar styles and don't have very high ceilings, while time is ticking on players like Adam Ginning, Emil Andrae, and Egor Zamula.

Using a number of draft picks on the defense, whether it's Smith or others, would do wonders for the Flyers going forward.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey,  @TheHockeyNews

Milwaukee Admirals defenseman Mark Friedman has signed a two-year deal in Sweden with Rogle BK, it was announced earlier this week. 

Friedman, a 2014 third round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, split time this season between the Admirals, the Abbotsford Canucks and the Vancouver Canucks. In five NHL games, Friedman went pointless but he collected three goals and 16 assists for 19 points in 41 combined AHL games. 

With the Admirals having made the Calder Cup playoffs, Friedman got into 10 games with the team, putting up a goal and three points. 

Since turning pro at the end of the 2016-17 season, Friedman has gotten into 93 career NHL regular season games with the Flyers, Canucks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Over that span, he scored four goals and added nine assists for 13 points. 

With Friedman off to the SHL, he should get the opportunity to solidify a consistent role for himself that will see him play in all situations. A talented defender, Friedman was never able to grab a full-time NHL role but has the tools needed to be a difference maker for Rogle BK. 

Former ECHL player and coach Spencer Carbery is the 2024-25 recipient of the Jack Adams Award as “the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success,” as selected by the NHL Broadcasters’ Association.

Carbery, who received the John Brophy Award as ECHL Coach of the Year in 2013-14 and the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as American Hockey League Coach of the Year in 2020-21, is the first individual to win the Coach of the Year Award in all three leagues.

In his second season as head coach of the Washington Capitals, Carbery led the team to a 51-22-9 record for 111 points, finishing with the second-best record in the NHL as well as the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2016-17.

Overall in two seasons, Carbery has led Washington to a 91-53-20 record and two appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

During his playing career, Carbery played three seasons in the ECHL from 2007-10 with Bakersfield, Stockton, Fresno and South Carolina. He recorded 73 points (32-41-73) in 181 games and captured a Kelly Cup title with the Stingrays in 2009.

Following his playing career, Carbery entered the coaching ranks, serving as South Carolina’s assistant coach in 2010-11 before spending the next five seasons as the club’s head coach. Carbery’s teams won 40 or more games three times, captured a pair of division titles and advanced to the 2015 Kelly Cup Finals.

Carbery becomes the third former ECHL coach to win the Jack Adams Award, joining Bruce Boudreau and Bruce Cassidy.

May 12, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery walks off the ice after their loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in game four of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Photo Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

Edmonton Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen is among many former Toronto Maple Leafs performing strongly during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and ahead of the Stanley Cup Final, he was asked about his tenure in Toronto.

“Media presence is big there and not always necessarily the best thing, but it does prepare you for the future,” Kapanen told reporters, including TSN’s Mark Masters. “Coming to Edmonton, with it being in Canada, I was used to it. But I think you guys in Toronto, it’s still on another level."

Kapanen’s tenure with the Maple Leafs was an interesting one. A key piece in a trade that saw the Leafs deal Phil Kessel to the Pittsburgh Penguins, expectations were high for the 22nd pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.

It wasn’t until the 2018-19 season that Kapanen broke out, scoring 20 goals and adding 24 assists in 78 games. Before that, however, he had already scored a significant playoff overtime goal against the Washington Capitals in 2017.

After 2018-19, however, Kapanen’s production with the Leafs not only began to wane, but he was also benched after sleeping in and being late for a practice. Kapanen was dealt back to Pittsburgh in 2020, a move that was partly due to his play but also a means of shedding salary.

After a few seasons with the Penguins, questions about his defensive ability began to permeate, putting his overall reliability into question. His struggles culminated in being placed on waivers in February 2023. Later that year, he was convicted of aggravated DUI in Finland and opened up about his struggles with alcohol.

Report: Kapanen suspected of aggravated drunk drivingST. LOUIS -- With training camp less than two weeks away, the last thing the St. Louis Blues want to deal with is an off-ice issue.

The Blues re-signed Kapanen to a one-year, $1 million deal, but he again struggled with the same on-ice issues that have plagued his career. He was placed on waivers and claimed by the Edmonton Oilers. Although he sat out all of Round 1, Kapanen has since been a key contributor, including scoring the overtime Game 5 clinching goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2. In three games against the Dallas Stars, Kapanen maintained strong forechecking and penalty-kill contributions.

This was very much Kapanen’s last chance to show he belonged in the NHL. When it has mattered the most, he has shown that he can play the way teams need him to for sustained success.

Maple Leafs Invite Knights Goaltender Austin Elliott To Training Camp After Memorial Cup TitleLondon Knights goaltender Austin Elliott has a ticket to an NHL training camp this fall.

'I'll Be Ready For Camp': Why Maple Leafs Prospect Easton Cowan Believes He's Prepared For The NHL After Memorial Cup WinToronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan has his eyes peeled for the NHL next season.

Maple Leafs Hire Derek Lalonde As Assistant Coach: What He Brings To Toronto's BenchThe Toronto Maple Leafs officially announced on Friday the addition of Derek Lalonde to their coaching staff as an assistant. This move filled a  vacancy on head coach Craig Berube’s staff after associate coach Lane Lambert departed to become the Seattle Kraken’s new bench boss.

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The Philadelphia Flyers, as expected, were one of the busiest teams at the NHL Scouting Combine, giving some clues of their intentions leading up to the 2025 NHL Draft later this month.

Of course, the Flyers are one of many teams in desperate need of center talent, regardless of how certain individuals may fall on draft boards. But is that enough to sway their draft strategy entirely?

So far, we know that the Flyers have met with virtually every top prospect under the sun, including James Hagens, Porter Martone, Michael Misa, Anton Frondell, and Caleb Desnoyers.

Desnoyers is one of the fan-favorite projections for the Flyers, though many have their doubts that the talented center falls to the sixth pick. Fortunately, new information tells us that the Flyers can very well go and get their guy after all.

With the fourth overall pick (trade with Utah) in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers select...

Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

The Flyers have explored trading up before, and this year's draft should be no different for them. Moving up four spots to get the second pick from San Jose might prove to be too rich for Danny Briere and Co., but there's a world where they don't need to move up that high to snag Desnoyers.

In this scenario, the Flyers trade a Day 2 draft pick - possibly one of their second-round picks - to Utah, along with the sixth pick, to move up with Desnoyers in range.

It's been said that Utah covets forward Brady Martin, who has a strong likelihood of falling to six where the Flyers would've otherwise been.

Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, and James Hagens come off the board with the first three picks here, prompting the Flyers to move up and get their guy before it's too late.

With the 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers select...

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Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

With an uncertain immediate future in goal, there is no such thing as having too many goalie options if you're the Flyers. The jury is still out on Sam Ersson and Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov may or may not return to North America with the requisite drive to carve out an NHL career.

As for the prospects, Carson Bjarnason is starting his pro career this fall, while Egor Zavragin will be playing in the KHL for the foreseeable future.

Joshua Ravensbergen, a massive 6-foot-5 netminder with excellent puck tracking skills and the knowledge of how to use his large frame to his advantage, is the top goalie prospect in this draft class and should help give the Flyers the best pool of goaltending prospects in the NHL immediately.

Yes, the Flyers have needs at the skater positions, but with the team's perpetuated issues in net, Ravensbergen would be a slam-dunk value selection late in the first round. He could very well end up becoming the best goalie the Flyers have in their entire system, NHLers included.

With the 31st overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers select...

Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State (NCAA)

If Shane Vansaghi was a better skater, he very well could have been a top-15 pick in this class. He's not a better skater, but he is arguably the most tenacious player in this class with a playstyle that will immediately make him a fan-favorite in Philadelphia.

The Michigan State ace possesses perfectly adequate puck skills to justify a first-round selection and combines them with an unrelenting motor that allows him to physically impose himself against all who dare stand in his way.

Vansaghi, who was already teammates with Flyers prospect Karsen Dorwart, is the stereotypical 'Flyer.' How that's taken is open for interpretation, but added explosiveness in tandem with his 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame could allow the St. Louis, Missouri, native to enjoy a long and prosperous NHL career.

Given his pugilistic style of play, the Flyers should be hoping that happens with them and not with other NHL teams.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey,  @TheHockeyNews