Who will the Philadelphia Flyers select with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft? Experts are split between Caleb Desnoyers, Anton Frondell, and a few other off-board options.
The Philadelphia Flyers came away with the worst-possible outcome in Monday night’s NHL Draft Lottery, because of course they did. The Orange and Black dropped from the fourth-worst record to the sixth overall pick.
While the Flyers likely won’t have a few players in the top tiers to choose from, there does appear to be a consensus top six in this year’s draft. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer and center Michael Misa are at the top, with forwards James Hagens, Porter Martone, Anton Frondell, and Caleb Desnoyers as the next four.
The good news for Danny Briere and the Flyers is that Hagens, Frondell, and Desnoyers are all centers — a position that Philadelphia desperately needs — and Martone could bring a power forward into the fold.
So it should be simple, right? Five of those six players will be taken, and the Flyers will take the remaining one. Well, it’s never that easy.
We’re still over seven weeks away from the 2025 NHL Draft, and things are bound to change, but let’s take a look at who seven different experts have the Flyers selecting with the sixth overall pick.
The Athletic: Anton Frondell, C, Djurgården (SWEDEN-2)
“The Flyers dropping two spots in the lottery wasn’t ideal, but they’re fortunate that the draft is deep at their position of need — center. So, we’ll go with the best available one still on the board here in Frondell, giving the Flyers a couple of potential top-six pivots in their system (including Jett Luchanko, who they nabbed a year ago). The hope will be that at least one of them meshes long term with promising young winger Matvei Michkov. The Flyers once picked a Swede in the sixth-overall spot, too: a guy by the name of Peter Forsberg in 1991. — Kevin Kurz“
With the other five guys in the top six off the board, Kurz takes Frondell to the Flyers here. It’s a safe, consensus pick, and one that adds another two-way center to the prospect cupboard.
Daily Faceoff (Steven Ellis): Caleb Desnoyers, C (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL)
“Desnoyers is a safe bet to become a two-way, top-six forward. I like his physical play, even though he’s not huge. I think he’s a great playmaker and he’s one of the smarter centers in this draft. Desnoyers is a guy you can win with, having done so at various international tournaments already. That ability to stay calm and collected under pressure – and still perform to a high level – should excite Flyers fans.“
Ellis has Frondell going fifth to Nashville, leaving Desnoyers for Philadelphia. Flyers fans are familiar with the Desnoyers name thanks to older brother Eliot, but he was a fifth-round pick. Caleb could be a top-five talent in this draft.
FloHockey (Chris Peters): Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton Wildcats
“Desnoyers is one of the most well-rounded players in this draft. He put up a bunch of points, but provides two-way value, which the Flyers should covet. He seems to fit in with the identity of the team and with some of the more skilled, but smaller players that Philly has brought in, Desnoyers has the work ethic and the compete level to help those players without giving away much offensively.“
We once again see the Flyers land Desnoyers here with the other top five guys off the board.
NHL.com (Adam Kimelman): Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)
“McQueen might be the most intriguing player in the draft class. The 18-year-old has NHL-ready size (6-5, 197) and checks every box a team would want in a potential franchise center, especially for Philadelphia, which has a desperate need for a game-changer at the position. Though McQueen played just 17 regular-season games because of a back injury that sidelined him for five months, the Flyers are uniquely situated to take a chance with three first-round picks this year. Selecting McQueen here would be a big swing, but there’s potential for a giant reward.“
McQueen would be a huge swing for the Flyers. He has a back injury that will likely scare off some teams, but with Luchanko in the fold and two other first round picks? I wouldn’t hate it.
It’s worth noting that Kimelman has the Flyers opting for the big-swing center rather than taking z winger in Martone, who falls to Boston at seven.
NHL.com (Mike Morreale): Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie (OHL)
“The Flyers need more snarl along the blue line and Aitcheson (6-1, 196) not only fills that void but can push the pace with some offensive flair. The 18-year-old was third among OHL defensemen with 26 goals and seventh with 59 points in 64 games, and had 21 power play points (nine goals, 12 assists). Defensively, he’s fierce, gets in the face of his opponent and is physically engaged.“
Reaching for Aitcheson would make a lot of Flyers fans scratch their heads. He’s ranked in the second half of the first round by most outlets. Morreale also has Martone falling to the Bruins.
Sportsnet (Sam Cosentino): Anton Frondell
“Frondell plays a low-key all-around game. He’s also performed at a high level, playing second division pro in Sweden. Frondell does just about everything well, and while he didn’t have a great U18, he has shown he can play successfully with older, faster players.“
We see a second selection for Frondell here with no notable players falling past the Flyers.
TSN (Craig Button): Brady Martin, SS. Marie (OHL), C/RW
Craig Button doesn’t offer a write-up with his mock draft, but has the Flyers taking a chance on Brady Martin. He’s a big center from the OHL who is a late riser, much like Luchanko was last year.
Martin could be worth a pick later in the draft — either if he somehow falls to the Flyers in the 20s or if Briere trades up — but passing on both Desnoyers and Frondell, as Button suggests, likely wouldn’t go over well.
So that’s a final count of two picks for both Caleb Desnoyers and Anton Frondell, passing on Porter Martone twice for Roger McQueen or Kashawn Aitcheson, and looking over both Desnoyers and Frondell for Brady Martin.
Want to read up on some of these prospects who could be future Flyers? Check out our Community Draft Board Profiles below:
BSH 2025 Community Draft Board, No. 4: Anton Frondell is an interesting option
BSH 2025 Community Draft Board, No. 6: Caleb Desnoyers is the playmaking center of dreams
BSH 2025 Community Draft Board, No. 8: Roger McQueen is high-risk, high-reward
