Recently, the Philadelphia Flyers have been making a dash toward the basement. The team hasn’t won a single game in regulation or overtime since Feb. 25, and selling at the trade deadline didn’t help. Their 28-33-8 record is the fifth-worst in the league, giving them favorable odds to land a top prospect in the 2025 NHL Draft.
With the team desperately needing talent down the middle, the Flyers are in luck. June’s class has a lot of notable centers who could be available to them. Assuming they maintain their trajectory, included in this piece are five center prospects who could be members of the Orange and Black in a few months.
In this one, we’ll be scouting out the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the Western Hockey League (WHL), and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). I won’t include Michael Misa here, who will likely be outside the Flyers’ range without help in the lottery.
James Hagens, Boston College (NCAA)
It didn’t seem realistic at the start of the season, but here we are. With the emergence of several other prospects in the 2025 class and James Hagens‘ somewhat underwhelming recent stretch (six points in his last 10 games), the Orange and Black could find a way to snag him.
Once considered the No. 1 prospect among his peers, it’s possible that Hagens won’t be a top-three pick. While he plays alongside first-round sophomores Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard, Hagens’ 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) in 35 NCAA games are still quite good for a draft-year freshman.
Though modest in frame (5-foot-10, 176 pounds), Hagens is a high-talent center prospect who’d be a fine fit for the Flyers. His skating ability would be some of the best in the Flyers’ organization, and he’s more or less a match skill-wise with Matvei Michkov (who projects as a future superstar more so for his unbelievable deception, not “skill”). Hagens has top-tier vision and is a serious threat on the rush, too.
Though Michkov also has world-class playmaking skills, putting him alongside someone with Hagens’ on-puck dynamism could be the perfect match. It could transcend the Flyers’ rebuild.
Anton Frondell, Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
Next, we have Anton Frondell, who recently signed a one-year extension to remain overseas. He entered the 2024-25 season as a rival to Hagens and dipped below that level due to injury, but he has risen right back up into the top-five discussion. Finishing with 0.86 points per game this season (11 goals, 14 assists in 29 contests), that’s the second-most for a draft-year prospect in HockeyAllsvenskan history. Now sandwiched between Elias Pettersson (0.95) and William Nylander (0.77), it’s quite the honor.
While Frondell has spent some time on the wing, he dazzles as a center. He has some of the best puck control in the 2025 class, and his shooting is arguably the best of the centers I’ll list here. But it’s the all-around game that stands out. Smart, favorable size, strong on the rush, has solid playmaking ability, and can play defensively—the ideal power center.
There’s a possible fit with Michkov here, which makes selecting Frondell all the more enticing. The upcoming draft is filled with high-IQ individuals—this is one of them. His upside is considerable.
Jake O’Brien, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
The Flyers didn’t have much luck in 2018 when they selected a first-round riser with this last name, but Jake O’Brien is poised for great things. Scoring at a 1.71 point-per-game clip over his last 49 outings, don’t be surprised if he is one of the earliest players off the board.
Sticking with the numbers, O’Brien ranks seventh in OHL scoring overall with 96 points (32 goals, 64 assists) in 64 games. While he’s done more than half of his scoring on the power play, production is production.
What sticks out to me with O’Brien’s game is his deceptive playmaking—it’s next-level. Additionally, the plays he’s able to make in tight quarters are very impressive. I’m not the first to point it out, but he’s got some Michkov qualities to his game in this way.
The Flyers could use someone who can think the game at Michkov’s level—O’Brien has that gift. He’s not an exceptional skater, but it doesn’t matter. This is a player who the scouts may really like.
Roger McQueen, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Tell me where you’ve heard this phrase before: “Brandon Wheat Kings power center with injury concerns.” I’ve made the comparison once before, but it’s worth noting that the Flyers already went down this path with Nolan Patrick. That said, Roger McQueen is a different player who possesses an exciting upside.
For one, McQueen is huge. At 6-foot-5 and 192 pounds, his size alone makes him an intriguing player. He’s still learning to use it properly, but puck protection is a strength in his game. While McQueen’s a work in progress, there is certainly skill—he could be a worthwhile project. He shows flashes.
However, the big problem here is that McQueen missed four-and-a-half months of action due to a back injury this season. A draft year is pivotal for anyone, but that’s especially the case for someone who’s still learning to exercise the full potential of his frame. Out of all the top prospects, McQueen had some of the most room for growth entering 2024-25. So, the injury is a bit problematic.
All worries aside, he is still an impact player in the WHL. With 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 14 games, McQueen’s small-sample production has been admirable. His point-per-game rate (1.29) is right above winger Lynden Lakovic (1.22), who could be a top-10 selection in the 2025 class. Brandon is undoubtedly a more intimidating squad when their star center is on the ice—his loss was not ideal. Fortunately, he’s back now and picking up where he left off.
Caleb Desnoyers, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Caleb Desnoyers, another last name the Flyers are familiar with, is tied for third in QMJHL points with 84 (35 goals, 49 assists) in 56 games. He possesses some size (6-foot-2, 172 pounds), high-end playmaking ability, and a great hockey IQ. Like O’Brien, he can make things happen in tight. Also, Desnoyers’ play at both ends of the ice is advanced.
Desnoyers is already one of the best play-drivers and producers in the QMJHL, making him easily the best prospect out of the league since Alexis Lafrenière. Production is key, and Desnoyers isn’t in the upper echelon for the 2025 class in that department for no reason. Especially considering his age, his importance to Moncton’s success stands out.
I don’t think Desnoyers projects to be a championship-level team’s best player, but that’s the case for almost everyone here. What he provides to the Flyers is all that matters. A Desnoyers-Michkov partnership could be exactly what the team needs.
If the season were to end today, the Flyers would be picking fifth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. Accompanying that selection are two other first-round picks and four in the second round. With future assets galore, it might be a busy summer in The City of Brotherly Love.
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