5 prospects Flyers could realistically select with No. 7 pick

The 2023 NHL Entry Draft is here, and the Philadelphia Flyers are picking No. 7 overall in the draft order. While elite-level prospects like Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, and Leo Carlsson will all likely be off the board by the time the Flyers are on the clock, they'll still have some solid options to choose from when they make their selection.

Of the many talented prospects who will feasibly still be on the board at No. 7, five stand out in particular, and each of them have the potential to play a vital role in helping the Flyers return to relevance in the not-too-distant future.

The prototypical Flyer is someone who's tough, gritty, and hard to play against. Fans have come to roll their eyes when hearing those traits muttered over the last several years, but make no mistake — Ryan Leonard is the perfect Flyer.

Leonard isn't the biggest player available. He's listed at 5-foot-11 and 181 pounds. But you wouldn't be able to tell by watching him play. The Massachusetts-born forward plays with the heart of a lion, and there's no question he'd become a fan favorite with the Flyers in due time.

He offers more than just toughness and grit, though. He's also immensely skilled. Leonard is coming off a superb 2022-23 season with the USNTDP, having posted 51 goals and 94 points in 57 games. He also dominated at the U18 World Championship, logging eight goals and 17 points in just seven games. His eighth goal of the tournament just so happened to be the gold medal-winning goal in overtime.

Watching Leonard, it's impossible not to see hints of Matthew Tkachuk at times. His high-end talent is undeniable, and his compete level is off the charts.

It's possible Leonard may be off the board by the time the Flyers make their pick. But if he's still available, it will be extremely difficult to pass him up.

Speaking of high-end skill...

Zach Benson is a bit of a divisive prospect. On one hand, he's tremendously talented. He's coming off an impressive 36-goal, 98-point campaign with the Western Hockey League's Winnipeg Ice and finished third in the entire league in total points behind only Chase Wheatcroft and Bedard.

However, he's also small. And that's sure to be a red flag for some teams. At 5-foot-10 and just 160 pounds, there's concern that he won't be able to withstand the physicality of the NHL. But small players have conquered the NHL in the past, and there's no reason to assume Benson can't do the same.

Flyers general manager Danny Briere can certainly relate to Benson in that regard. Briere has never been known as a physical specimen, but he still put together an outstanding career as a high-end point producer.

Perhaps Briere sees a little of himself in Benson?

Remember when the Flyers' prospect pipeline was filled with young, dynamic defensemen like Ivan Provorov, Shayne Gostisbehere, Robert Hagg, and Travis Sanheim? Well, three of them are no longer with the organization, and Sanheim was a no-trade clause away from being moved to the St. Louis Blues last weekend.

The Flyers could use another young defenseman to add to their cupboard, and David Reinbacher may be the prospect they have their eyes on.

Reinbacher, a native of Austria, is arguably the top defenseman eligible to be selected in this year's draft. He has good size, measuring at 6-foot-2 and 187 pounds, and has already impressed playing against grown men (including former NHLers) in Switzerland's top pro league (the National League). The right-shot defender logged three goals and 22 points in 46 games with EHC Kloten, and he's already established himself as one of the league's better blueliners at just 18 years old.

Reinbacher doesn't offer the type of high-end skill a player like Benson or Leonard would, but he does offer a ton of promise as a potential first-pair defenseman one day.

The Flyers have many holes to fill on the roster. They're extremely weak down the middle of the ice, and there's not much help on the way. Their prospect pool currently isn't loaded with many no-doubt-about it centers. Cutter Gauthier, the Flyers' top prospect, has shown a ton of promise, but he may end up being better suited to play on the wing when he eventually makes the jump to the NHL.

If the Flyers feel the need to add a legitimate center to their pipeline, Dalibor Dvorsky could be a good option.

Dvorsky, who just turned 18 on June 15, already has an NHL-ready build. At 6-foot-1 and 201 pounds, one could argue the Slovak forward is physically developed enough to play center in the NHL tomorrow.

Dvorsky plays a reliable 200-foot game that most coaches (especially John Tortorella) would love. But he also isn't the type of player who should be expected to bring fans out of their seats. He does a lot of little things very well, but it would be nice to see him take a leap and really dominate for his SHL club.

Aside from Bedard, Michkov might be the most interesting prospect in this year's draft.

Under normal circumstances, Michkov would likely be considered the No. 2 prospect in the draft class. However, because he is under contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League for three more years (and not to mention the geopolitical climate in Russia), some teams aren't convinced Michkov will be worth the gamble.

Well, for the Flyers, Michkov absolutely is worth the gamble.

Michkov is coming off an outstanding 20-point campaign with HC Sochi. He averaged 0.74 points per game this past season, which is the most in KHL history for a player under the age of 19. And at 16 years old, he broke Alex Ovechkin's record as the youngest player ever to suit up for Russia's men's national team.

Yeah. Michkov is really freaking good.

Players like Michkov don't come around often, and if he's still on the board at No. 7, the Flyers have no choice but to take the big swing.