With their seventh and final pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers selected defenseman Austin Moline in his hometown of Las Vegas. A product of Shattuck-St. Mary’s boarding school in Faribault, Minnesota, the 6-foot-5, 201-pounder was selected in the seventh round, 205th overall.
A physically imposing blueliner, Moline is the first player to be selected in the draft from “Sin City.” He is part of a solid Flyers’ draft class highlighted by first-round pick Jett Luchanko, which also includes one other defenseman and five forwards. A bit of a gamble on the part of the Flyers due to his age and experience, the 18-year-old is committed to play in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) this season and for Northern Michigan University during the 2025-26 campaign.
Shattuck-St. Mary’s
Shattuck-St. Mary’s (SSM) is a coeducational college preparatory school that admits students in grades six to twelve. Steeped in a proud ice hockey tradition, former students and alumni who wore the maroon, black, and white jersey of the SSM Sabres include Teddy Blueger, Sidney Crosby, Erik Haula, Jack Johnson, Amanda Kessel, Clayton Keller, Ryan Lindgren, Jonathan Toews, and Cam York. The school’s Hockey Center of Excellence has several levels of teams that play seven-month schedules consisting of 50 to 75 games. The school has often been referred to as the “Hogwarts of Hockey” for its success on the ice and ability to develop future professional players.
Moline played for SSM for parts of three seasons. Last season, the right-shot blueliner had 41 points (11 goals and 30 assists) and 22 penalty minutes in 71 total games. He was the leader of a group of massive defensemen who suited up for the Sabres’ 2023-24 squad. Considered by scouts to be a solid two-way defenseman, the teenager was ranked 181st overall in the top North American skaters category by Central Scouting. Moline was praised by scouting reports for his range while defending the rush. He’s also considered an offensive-minded defenseman. Offensive numbers during his final season at SSM are evidence that he doesn’t hesitate to join friendly forwards on the rush.
Brooks Bandits
Moline is set to join a Brooks Bandits team that began the 2023-24 campaign in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) before moving to the BCHL to close out the season. The Bandits will enter their first full season in the BCHL this fall and will rely heavily on NHL prospects like Moline to make a full and successful transition to the new league. As the team’s BCHL roster continues to unfold, Moline will have the opportunity to assume a valuable leadership role on his club’s roster. A season in the BCHL will serve as a critical step in his development as the defenseman will arguably be exposed with the first big test facing tougher and more polished competition on a more regular basis in the juniors.
Moline will join fellow Flyers prospects Denver Barkey, Jett Luchanko, Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill, Carter Sotheran, and Carson Bjarnason in North American junior-level leagues this season. An impressive group of top-tier talent in Philadelphia’s system, this list provides an excellent preview of potential future stars for the franchise. The Flyers have been happy with the development of prospects like Barkey and Bonk in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Despite playing different positions, the anticipated development of Moline appears to be following a similar blueprint to that of Ryan MacPherson. MacPherson just finished up his only season in the BCHL with the Penticton Vees where he put up respectable numbers for the club. The centerman will join the University of New Hampshire playing NCAA Division I hockey in the fall.
Northern Michigan University
Moline is committed to Northern Michigan University for the 2025-26 campaign. The Wildcats finished the 2023-24 season with a disappointing record of 12-16-6. Following the conclusion of the campaign, seven-season head coach Grant Potulny stepped down to pursue a position in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Hartford Wolf Pack. His replacement was announced on June 26, when former Northern Michigan player Dave Shyiak was appointed the team’s fourth head coach. Northern Michigan also fielded a team with 12 seniors and graduate students on the roster. The 2023-24 Wildcats roster featured two players drafted by NHL clubs; graduate student forward Jack Perbix (Anaheim Ducks) and senior center Artem Schlaine (New Jersey Devils).
With so many changes coming to the coaching staff and roster, Northern Michigan will look toward talented underclassmen prospects like Moline in coming seasons to make the team more competitive in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) that includes tough conference play against teams such as Michigan Tech and Bemidji State.
Road to the NHL
Moline is still several years from competing at the highest level of hockey. The towering blueliner has a way to go on the road to the NHL that will include stops in the juniors, college ranks, and potentially time in the minor leagues as a pro. That being stated, he is absolutely a player that Flyers fans should keep an eye on. If he can continue to bulk up, increase the physicality of his play, and successfully transition the intensity of his prep school game to the BCHL and NCAA Division I stages, he certainly stands a chance of joining Philadelphia or another club in the big leagues. When looking at the talented two-way defenseman Austin Moline, the old adage, “You can’t teach size,” seems to ring true.
