Insight: Should Hextall trade down?

For the first time in a decade the Philadelphia Flyers have a top five selection in the NHL Entry Draft. What general manager Ron Hextall decides to do with that pick however, remains to be seen.

The last time the Flyers chose so high in the draft, they selected US National Development Team product James Van Riemsdyk second overall after losing out on the lottery odds to select Patrick Kane. It was a bitter pill to swallow and it’s effect is still felt by the organization 10 years later. This time around, the team will likely have their choice of a future top line center in Nolan Patrick or Nico Hirschier or a future top pairing defenseman like Miro Hesikanen or Cale Makar.

Another option exists, though: trading down in the draft to acquire even more future assets. When the Flyers overcame the lottery odds and leapt up 11 selections in the draft, Hextall’s offseason plans suddenly became a lot more interesting. Should he and his scouting staff determine that none of the above mentioned players will have an immediate impact on the club, could he move the pick to another team in the top 10 with the promise that the Flyers receive additional picks or assets? 

A team like the Vancouver Canucks are starving for a game-changer like Nico Hirschier and would likely pay a high price to land him. Ditto for the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes. Or, how about the expansion Vegas Golden Knights? Certainly GM George McPhee would love to make headlines at the team’s first draft.

Whatever Hextall decides to do, the reasoning behind his decision will be the return. If the reports are to be believed, the New Jersey Devils who select first overall, appear to be most interested in Hirschier. If that leaves Patrick to the Flyers, can they fetch as high a return for the pick? Or do they use the pick on the big, prototypical two-way center? So many questions this offseason for the Flyers, but for once Flyers fans can actually get excited about the NHL Entry Draft.