Flyers Must Avoid Brady Martin at 6, But Consider Moving Up for Him

Brady Martin is a popular draft choice for the Flyers at the No. 6 pick. (Photo: Michael Augello, The Hockey News)

With the 2025 NHL Draft rapidly approaching, the chatter around Brady Martin and the Philadelphia Flyers has seemingly increased tenfold. While he's a good prospect, the Flyers must pass on Martin with the sixth overall pick.

Martin, 18, endeared himself to NHL front offices with a dazzling performance at the 2025 U18 World Juniors with Canada, scoring three goals, eight assists, and 11 points in seven games whilst stuffing the stat sheet with 29 penalty minutes and a +15 rating.

Martin, alongside fellow top draft prospects Braden Cootes, Lev Katzin, Cole Reschny, Ben Kindel, and Jackson Smith, won gold with Canada at the tournament.

So, why would the Flyers have to pass on Martin? The answer is simple: they can find a more talented player that early in the draft... but this is not to say that they shouldn't target him again soon after.

For instance, the Flyers have been heavily linked to elite offensive talents like James Hagens, Porter Martone, and Jake O'Brien in recent weeks. It's implied that the Flyers will favor a center, given their needs, like Hagens or O'Brien.

On the other hand, there are some concerns as to whether Martin can play center at the NHL level and if he has the hockey IQ to become productive offensively at the level necessary to justify his potential draft position. This is one of the traits Flyers assistant GM Brent Flahr and his group of scouts values the most.

And if the Flyers ultimately draft a winger, they would be much better off taking a Martone or a Victor Eklund, Martin's leadership and playstyle notwithstanding.

The Soo Greyhounds ace is currently ranked 10th on EliteProspects' consolidated rankings, which would make him a far more attractive prime trade-up target instead of the borderline top-5 selection that many believe he will be.

For example, let's assume that the Flyers draft Hagens sixth, making him the No. 1 center of their future.

That leaves the Flyers with the 22nd and 31st picks to find a deal to move up for Martin, which may exist with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens hold the 11th and 12th picks after the New York Rangers officially transferred their 2025 first-round pick to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Suddenly, the Flyers would have a long-term center core of Trevor Zegras, Hagens, Jett Luchanko, and Martin, with Martin and Zegras having the flexibility to play wing if needed.

Martin finds himself highly coveted around the NHL due to his playstyle, which has drawn some comparisons to Sam Bennett. With Florida winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, everyone is convinced that they must have a Sam Bennett to be a good hockey team.

There may be some truth to that, certainly, but the Flyers cannot acquire the "playoff-type" player at the expense of raw talent and upside.

But, if you can form two long-term duos with, say, Hagens and Matvei Michkov (Line 1) and Zegras and Martin (Line 2), pulling the trigger and helping out a youth-starved team like the Penguins may very well prove beneficial down the road.