Corey Pronman details what to expect from the Philadelphia Flyers’ new prospects and how they fit into the farm system.
2023 Draft Grade: A
Not everyone in the NHL believed in Matvei Michkov. But I did, and Philadelphia eventually showed they did as well. He has a chance to be a game-breaker offensively if he hits, and despite all the risks in his profile I liked this pick a lot. After Michkov, the Flyers added talent. I think Oliver Bonk can have an NHL career. Carson Bjarnasson is a solid goalie prospect. And a couple of their other picks have shots to play games. But it will all come down to Michkov. If he hits, this draft can be a big success, but it is not a sure thing.
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Draft Class
7. Matvei Michkov, RW, SKA ST. PETERSBURG (RUSSIA)
December 9, 2004 | 5′ 10″ | 172 pounds
Tier: Elite NHL player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Elite
Hockey sense: Elite
Compete: NHL average
Shot: High-end
Player comparable: Nikita Kucherov
Background: Michkov posted huge numbers in Russia’s second tier pro league before being loaned to one of the worst teams in the KHL in Sochi. With Sochi, he was one of the most productive first-year draft-eligible players ever in the KHL. Hs owns the best 17-year-old season in Russia’s junior league history, besting Nikita Kucherov. He is second among its 16-year-old seasons, narrowly trailing Kucherov. He led SKA’s MHL team to a championship in 2022, scoring 13 goals in 17 junior games. He scored three goals in two games at the cancelled 2022 world juniors. At the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky he scored eight goals and 13 points in five games, leading Russia to gold. He was named tournament MVP at the 2021 U18 World Championships, scoring 12 goals and 16 points in seven games.
Analysis: Michkov is one of the very best first-year draft eligibles I’ve ever seen from inside the offensive blue line. He has truly special offensive skill and hockey sense. His mind operates differently from other players in how he sees the play develop and he always seems to find ways to figure into scoring chances despite not being the biggest or fastest. His mind is special, but he’s freakishly skilled with the puck too, and can make elite stickhandling plays seem routine. He can make plays at a high level, but Michkov is a finisher who will score a lot of goals as a pro. His skating is more elusive than fast and I wouldn’t call him a high-compete type either. He’s signed in the KHL through the 2025-26 season, but he projects as a game-breaking elite scoring winger in the NHL.
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Thoughts on the pick: In Michkov, they get a player with game-breaking offensive qualities, one of the most skilled and intelligent forwards I’ve seen as a draft eligible. There are risks, and it’s why he fell a bit in the draft. He’s small, not a great skater, and the KHL contract/Russia war were major risk factors for NHL teams to consider. But Michkov was worth the risks. He’s an elite offensive talent, and for a management group just beginning a long rebuild they could stomach the risks. Michkov, Cutter Gauthier and likely future high picks can begin to form the nucleus of a contending group in Philly.
22. Oliver Bonk, RHD, LONDON (OHL)
January 9, 2005 | 6′ 2″ | 180 pounds
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Player comparable: John Marino
Background: Bonk was a big-minute defenseman for a top OHL team in London this season. His progression is quite notable after not even being a regular player in the league last season. He made Canada’s U18 team this summer but didn’t play much. He is the son of longtime NHL player Radek Bonk and was a second-round pick in his OHL Draft.
Analysis: Bonk’s toolkit looks like an NHL defenseman. He’s a 6-foot-2 right shot with strong mobility and offensive touch. Bonk is able to skate pucks up ice, make some skilled plays, and shows good poise from the blue line. He’s not a standout with the puck, but he can be a decent puck mover at higher levels. Defensively he’s solid due to his feet and reach. Bonk isn’t overly physical but he can defend well enough as a pro. He projects as a top-four defenseman in the NHL.
Thoughts on the pick: Bonk is a safe pick for the Flyers after the big swing at No. 7 on Michkov. Between his frame, mobility and puck-moving ability, Bonk looks like an NHL defenseman. He has a chance to be a second-pair blueliner for them down the line.
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51. Carson Bjarnason, G, BRANDON (WHL)
June 30, 2005 | 6′ 3″ | 190 pounds
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Background: Bjarnasson played the bulk of the games this season for Brandon. He was the backup goalie for Canada at the Hlinka. He started for Canada at the U18 Worlds, but struggled and couldn’t finish the tournament after suffering a concussion. Bjarnasson was undrafted in his WHL Bantam Draft.
Analysis: Bjarnason has decent size at 6-foot-3, to go with very good quickness and ability to make the tough saves. His hockey IQ is probably his best trait, though. Bjarnason is consistently square with pucks, and makes difficult stops seem easy due to how well he reads and reacts to the play. He has a lot of efficiency in his game. He has NHL potential, but was inconsistent this season, with major highs and lows in his play. It’s hard for me to say he for sure has an NHL career, but I think he has a decent chance to do so.
87. Egor Zavragin, G, KHANTY-MANSIYSK JR. (RUSSIA-JR.)
August 23, 2005 | 6′ 2″ | 183 pounds
Analysis: Zavragin is an intelligent goalie with decent size. He tracks the puck well, shows good aggressiveness in net and competes well. He’s been the top goalie for the 2005-born age group in Russia for several years. My one question with him is about his quickness, and whether he’s a legit NHL athlete.
95. Denver Barkey, C, LONDON (OHL)
April 27, 2005 | 5′ 9″ | 155 pounds
Tier: Has a chance to play games
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Background: Barkey played a big role on London this season and was an important part of Canada’s Hlinka team as well. He was the 16th pick in his OHL Draft.
Analysis: Barkey has a lot of things to like about his game. He has good skill and vision and he competes his butt off. He plays without fear and gets to the inside which is what you like to see from a smaller player. He’s a good skater, with strong speed and edgework and has shown in junior he can be a reliable two-way player. Whether the toolkit is dynamic enough at his size to be an NHL player, though, is up for debate but you love the way he plays.
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103. Cole Knuble, C, FARGO (USHL)
July 1, 2004 | 5′ 10″ | 185 pounds
Background: Cole Knuble was one of the top forwards in the USHL this season as a second-year draft eligible. He was one of the top players at the World Jr. A Challenge as well, and captained Team USA to a gold medal. The son of former NHL player Mike Knuble, Cole is committed to Notre Dame.
Analysis: Knuble is a hard-working and skilled center who coaches leaned on at the junior level. He has strong puck skills and playmaking ability and showed an ability to consistently generate offense at the USHL level. He’s a fine skater but he’s not a burner especially for a smaller player so whether he can be a good pro remains to be seen, which is why he was passed over once already. He’s a bit of a longshot but some scouts believe he could make it.
120. Alex Ciernik, LW, SODERTALJE (SWEDEN-2)
October 8, 2004 | 5′ 10″ | 174 pounds
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Background: Ciernik has had a solid season in Sweden between the junior and men’s second tier ranks and was also a notable part of Slovakia’s U20 team. He was loaned from his main Allsvenskan club to a bottom club midway through the season. He scored 12 points in five games at the U18 worlds B pool in 2022. He played a big part in Slovakia’s U18 team that won silver at the Hlinka Gretzky in 2021.
Analysis: Ciernik is a talented scoring winger. He has the speed and skill for higher levels. His skill can stand out, especially the plays he makes in full stride, with flashes of high-end hands. He can make plays on the move and from a standstill. Ciernik’s shot is also quite good, and he’s a guy who can help a power play due to his various offensive tools. I wouldn’t call him a top-end offensive player, and his compete level off the puck, while not poor, is average. So the debate is: As a 5-foot-11 player, where does that fit in an NHL lineup? He could make it, he has talent, but I can’t sit here and tell you I for sure see a top-nine winger.
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135. Carter Sotheran, RHD, PORTLAND (WHL)
June 26, 2005 | 6′ 3″ | 202 pounds
Background: Sotheran played a limited minute role with Portland this season without regular special team time. He’s developed well since being a fifth-round pick in his WHL Bantam Draft.
Analysis: Sotheran has moments when he looks like an NHL defenseman. As a 6-foot-3 right-shot who can skate like an NHLer and has some skill when he’s transitioning pucks up ice, it’s easy to envision him in the league. There’s a lot of work to do around the edges, though. His offensive playmaking isn’t there consistently, nor is his defensive play. I think there’s reason to believe, given that he’s so young and has size and skating, that the defending will come, but it’s a lot of projection with Sotheran as opposed to banking on how he played this season.
172. Ryan Macpherson, C, LEAMINGTON (GOJHL)
March 2, 2005 | 6′ 0″ | 167 pounds
Analysis: MacPherson has good puck skills and hockey sense. He has average size and his skating is just OK. He played at such a low level, in the GOJHL, that it’s tough to tell how much his offense will translate to higher levels.
199. Matteo Mann, RHD, CHICOUTIMI (QMJHL)
December 31, 2004 | 6′ 6″ | 230 pounds
Background: Mann was a top four-defenseman for Chicoutimi this season. He is the son of Ottawa Senators assistant general manager Trent Mann. He was a third-round pick in his QMJHL Draft.
Analysis: Mann’s value comes from his pure physical tools. He is a 6-foot-5 220-plus pound defenseman who skates well for his size. He projects to make a lot of stops as a pro due to those athletic tools plus the fact he has a lot of physicality in his game. Mann’s offensive outputs are a major issue, though. I’ve seen enough plays from him over time to think his sense can be good enough as a pro given his size and feet, but he struggles with the puck on his stick, and whether he can move it versus men is a big question.
(Photo of Matvei Michkov: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
