This could be a situation worth monitoring.
With our first change in the first-round draft order, the Philadelphia Flyers have a new team to keep an eye on in the 2026 NHL Draft.
On Thursday, the San Jose Sharks traded the 20th overall pick to the Buffalo Sabres, who have now jumped the Flyers in the draft order, in exchange for the 27th overall pick and defenseman Michael Kesselring.
By moving down seven spots, the Sharks acquire a defender in Kesselring who is just 26 years old and one season removed from showing legitimate second-pairing promise.
The Sabres, who turned a dreadful start into a wildly successful season, have now interestingly moved up in the draft order, rather than trading that first-round pick to further improve the team... at least for now.
There has been some wide speculation as to what the Flyers were planning to do with the 21st overall, be it taking a center like Ilia Morozov, a power forward like Maddox Dagenais, or a dynamic defenseman like Xavier Villeneuve.
Should free agent Alex Tuch not return to the Sabres and leave for another team, Buffalo could opt to add a more robust combination of size and skill, via Morozov or Dagenais, to replace him in the long-term.
Behind breakout star Konsta Helenius, the Sabres also don't have a sure thing at center for the future.
Josh Norris has had health issues, while Ryan McLeod is best served reprising his role as one of the best third-line centers in the NHL.
The Flyers have been linked to both Dagenais and Morozov and met with both players at the recent NHL scouting combine, and there aren't players with equal size and skill quite like them in the draft slots that follow.
Of course, the Flyers will still be left with their choice of the two, but Dagenais is seen as more of a winger at the next level, despite his ability to play in the middle and on the flank.
If the center in Morozov goes, the Flyers' remaining options at the position would include Jack Hextall, a distant relative of Flyers legend Ron Hextall, the 6-foot-7 Brooks Rogowski, CHL scoring champ Markus Ruck, and Yegor Shilov.
It's worth reminding, too, that the Flyers moved up in the draft last year, and they could certainly do so again if needed, even if it's just to beat the Sabres to the punch.