Philadelphia Flyers GM Danny Briere recently did an interview with Canadian outlet La Presse, where he explained the thought process behind drafting Jett Luchanko at 13th overall during the 2024 NHL Draft, and compared him to Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki.
Many fans were surprised when Briere traded down a spot to draft Luchanko at 13th overall, especially when prospects like defenseman Zeev Buium and center Konsta Helenius were still miraculously on the draft board. However, Briere maintains that, while the Flyers understood that they had a lot of talent to choose from, they had their minds made up on Luchanko for a while.
Translated from French, Briere said, "We liked Buium very much...[but] Luchanko was a player that all our staff loved. The two players were very close. But for us, at equal value, we preferred the center, given our organization chart for the future."
The strategy went even further, Briere explained, because acquiring the Minnesota Wild's third-round pick gave the Flyers a bargaining chip that allowed them to trade up in the second round, acquiring Spencer Gill at 59th overall.
"It gives us Luchanko and Gill rather than a single player [at No. 12]," he said.
The Flyers believe that Luchanko has a bright future, signing him to an entry-level contract immediately following the conclusion of their development camp back in July. And if the contract wasn't enough proof, Briere even went as far as comparing the 18-year-old's game to that Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki.
"He reminds me a lot of Nick Suzuki," he said. "[He's] not the biggest, but [he's] very effective in all facets of the game."
The comparison is fitting, especially considering that the center named Suzuki as one of his hockey idols.
"He's someone I've seen a lot around and I watched him closely," Luchanko said. "I grew up watching him play, even here in London. He's someone I idolize quite a bit."
Luchanko is expected to participate in the Flyers' preseason training camp, then play out the 2024-25 season in the OHL with the Guelph Storm.
