Flyers Suddenly Boast Robust Group of Center Prospects After 2 Strong Drafts

Flyers prospect Heikki Ruohonen has been drawing heaps of praise at the World Junior Summer Showcase this week. (Photo: David Reginek, Imagn Images)

Center has long been seen as a position of great weakness for the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers, but that just doesn't seem to be accurate anymore.

In the 2024 and 2025 NHL Drafts, the Flyers went out and selected a total of six centers, headlined by first-round picks Jett Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt.

Filling in behind those two are Jack Berglund, Heikki Ruohonen, Matthew Gard, and Nathan Quinn. And, all but Luchanko and Quinn are 6-foot-2 or taller.

The biggest thing--no pun intended--is how players like Ruohonen and Berglund are coming along as prospects one year removed from being selected by the Flyers at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Berglund, 19, has been stuffing stat sheets at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Minnesota this week ahead of his last World Junior Championships push with Sweden later this year.

The 6-foot-4 forward went from playing eight SHL games in his draft year to 17 SHL games this past season, and, if all goes according to plan, Berglund will be playing in Sweden's top hockey league full-time this year.

Just from seeing him play in person at the Flyers' development camp at the beginning of July, Berglund is a real handful to play against and knows how to win battles, whether it be with finesse or with power.

My current assessment, as mentioned earlier this week, is that Berglund will be a regular bottom-six contributor with the skills to complement more skilled forwards on a top line or power play if necessary.

Berglund's draft classmate, Ruohonen, has drawn his fair share of plaudits at the Summer Showcase, too.

And, as a fourth-round pick, Ruohonen's positive developments have to be encouraging for a Flyers franchise that hasn't had too many hits in recent years, especially late in the draft.

Ruohonen, like many Finnish forwards in the NHL today, is a wildly intelligent two-way forward who won't necessarily 'wow' you with skill, but still capable of putting a move on when appropriate.

On Wednesday, Daily Faceoff prospect expert Steven Ellis remarked, "Ruohonen has had an extremely impressive tournament. The Finns don’t have a lot of highly skilled players, but guys like him work their tail off all game long and can wear you down. He made some great plays today, but none better than the effort that led to the 5-1 goal early in the third period. Konsta Helenius will likely be Finland’s No. 1 center in December, but I think Ruhonen [sic] deserves all the praise he’s getting this week."

Sometimes, international competition will bring out the best in these young players. That's what we're seeing so far with Berglund and Ruohonen at the Summer Showcase.

Right now, the Flyers have Luchanko and Nesbitt penciled in as potential No. 2 centers, and Ruohonen, Berglund, and Gard as potential No. 3 and No. 4 centers.

The verdict is still out on the smaller and less-heralded Quinn, but he'll undoubtedly factor in at some point, too.

For the Flyers, this is a great place to be after adding Trevor Zegras via trade earlier in the offseason.

No, they didn't draft the No. 1 center everyone was hoping they would (James Hagens, anyone?), but they still ended up with Porter Martone, and they still have plenty of time to make further additions.

Suddenly, the center position is shaping up to be a surprising strength for the Flyers.