2023 NHL draft: What the data says about history of Flyers' selections
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As soon as the Flyers welcome their newest additions starting Wednesday night at the 2023 NHL draft in Nashville, the questions will begin: how likely are each of them to make an impact on the club?
The Flyers have 10 picks in the 2023 NHL Draft, including two first-rounders and two third-rounders. Hitting on those selections will be key to turning around a club that finished 31-38-13, the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
Using Hockey-Reference, CBS News Philadelphia analyzed every draft pick since the NHL instituted the entry draft format in 1979 to determine how much success the Flyers have had adding talent compared to the rest of the league.
This study was conducted using Hockey-Reference.com and looked only at whether players reached the NHL, not how long they remained in the league or how much success they had while they were there.
Since 1979, 44.9% of Flyers' draft picks have reached the NHL. That's 13th among current franchises, a tick above the league average of 44%.
When you look at individual rounds, the Flyers have been better than expected in some key aspects. 92.3% of Philadelphia first-round picks have reached the league. That's more than two percentage points higher than the league as a whole (89.7%), good for the ninth-best mark among all current franchises. That's positive news considering the club has two first-rounders – 7th and 22nd overall -- Wednesday night.
They're also a full percentage point better than the league at turning late-round picks into NHLers. 33.7% of Flyers picks in rounds four through seven have reached the NHL, as compared to 32.4% league-wide.
In fact, the Flyers historically only have a lower percentage of turning picks into pros in one of the seven rounds – the fourth – that will take place over the next two nights.
Here's a list of the picks the Flyers have in this year's NHL draft:
- Round 1: 7th overall
- Round 1: 22nd overall
- Round 3: 87th overall
- Round 3: 95th overall
- Round 4: 103rd overall
- Round 4: 120th overall
- Round 5: 135th overall
- Round 6: 167th overall
- Round 6: 172nd overall
- Round 7: 199th overall
