2023 NHL draft tracker: Every Philadelphia Flyers Day 2 selection
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Danny Briere made an enormous statement Wednesday night with his first draft pick as Philadelphia Flyers general manager. This is truly a "New Era of Orange."
The Flyers on Wednesday night took a big swing at Russian winger Matvei Michkov with the seventh overall pick. The selection comes with big risks but it also comes with potentially huge rewards.
Michkov is signed for three more seasons with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.
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"We can't wait to have that answer ourselves," Briere said. "It is what it is. We know he has got a contract for three more seasons. But for us, we just felt after watching him play and after meeting him, we just felt it's a talent that we cannot pass up and if we have to wait, we'll wait."
"We hope that this turns out to be a home run. Time will tell," Briere added. "It's a little early. But we feel when he's ready to come, he could really be a difference-maker. And that's the risk that we were willing to take it to wait a little bit, to hopefully have a difference-maker on our hands."
The Flyers also drafted London Knights (OHL) defenseman Oliver Bonk with their second first-round pick. Bonk is the son of former NHL player Radek Bonk.
Thursday was another busy day for Briere and the Flyers with eight picks. Here's a wrap of all of their Day 2 selections.
Round 2: 51st overall
The Flyers entered the day without a second-round pick but traded up to draft goalie Carson Bjarnason of the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL). Bjarnason, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound netminder, was the top-rated North American goalie by NHL Central Scouting.
Briere traded the 167th overall pick in this year's draft and a 2024 second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks to move up.
Round 3: 87th overall
With the first of two third-round picks, the Flyers selected another goaltender, this time Russian goalie Egor Zavragin.
Zavragin finished as the 12th-ranked European goalie by NHL Central Scouting.
Round 3: 95th overall
The Flyers took their first non-goalie of Day 2 by drafting center Denver Barkey. Barkey is a 5-foot-9, 155-pound center from the London Knights. Last season in the OHL, Barkey scored 22 goals and 59 points in 61 games.
He finished 79th overall among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Round 4: 103rd overall
The Flyers, with the first of two fourth-round picks, selected Fargo (USHL) center Cole Knuble. Knuble, the son of former Flyer Mike Knuble, had 30 goals and 66 points last season in the USHL.
Knuble finished as the 105th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting.
Round 4: 120th overall
The Flyers took left winger Alex Ciernik out of Sweden with the 120th overall pick. Ciernik finished as the 21st-ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting.
Round 5: 135th overall
The Flyers drafted Portland Winterhawks (WHL) defenseman Carter Sotheran with the 135th overall pick. Sotheran is a 6-foot, righty-shooting blueliner who had 23 points in 68 games in his first season with the Winterhawks.
Round 6: 172nd overall
The Flyers drafted Leamington Flyers (GOJHL) center Ryan MacPherson with the 172nd overall pick. MacPherson finished as the 211th North American-skater by NHL Central Scouting.
Round 7: 199th overall
With their final pick of the 2023 draft, the Flyers drafted defenseman Matteo Mann of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL). Mann finished as the 84th-ranked North American skater.
