Quietly, Canadian phenom Dima Zhilkin is emerging as a perfect fit for a Flyers franchise in position to add another foundational piece in 2027.
As the Philadelphia Flyers continue to keep an eye towards the long-term future of the franchise, it's never quite too early to talk about the upcoming drafts and their prospects. And with what is expected to be two first-round picks in the 2027 NHL Draft, the Flyers have yet another opportunity to add two key pieces to their prospect pool.
The obvious caveat with any talks about the 2027 draft is that the Flyers just made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time sine 2020. Regardless of the various different perceptions of the team's talent level, the Flyers are a team trending upwards.
At the same time, the Flyers themselves have admitted that 2026-27 could be a step back for them. They tried and failed to get Leo Carlsson with an offer sheet, and nothing came of the Zach Werenski trade rumors.
As we stand here today, the team's two biggest additions were veteran grinder Noel Acciari and presumed backup goalie Joseph Woll.
The Flyers are seemingly well aware of their regression potential, and that could put them in a position to land a skilled prospect in the 2027 NHL Draft next summer.
One prospect the Flyers should be following early in the process here is none other than Canadian forward Dima Zhilkin, a 5-foot-10 right-shot right wing who is currently the captain of the OHL Saginaw Spirit.
Zhilkin, 17, was born to Russian parents, but was brought up in Toronto, Ontario, alongside older brother and fellow NHL prospect Danny Zhilkin, a forward in the Winnipeg Jets organization.
The undersized winger is smaller, more dynamic, and an agitator in comparison to his brother; the younger Zhilkin recorded 100 penalty minutes for Saginaw last year.
More recently, Zhilkin scored five goals, two assists, and seven points for Canada at the U18 World Juniors in April, then continued his dominance at the World Junior Summer Showcase, bagging three goals and an assist in a brief two-game cameo for Canada.
Aside from his average size, Zhilkin is the full package. He has speed and soft offensive skills, and plays with the aggression and edge that will assuredly endear him to the Flyers and Flyers fans, similarly to Matvei Michkov.
Zhilkin is currently ranked ninth overall by Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis, which, by extension, means that the Flyers would be out of the range of the 2027 draft class's top centers, unless that Toronto Maple Leafs pick plays in to their hands perfectly.
And in that case, why not get a center AND Zhilkin?
While Zhilkin is ranked highly now, it's entirely possible he slips to a more reasonable range for the Flyers, like the mid-teens or early 20s, due to his size. For example, we saw Zach Benson slip to the Buffalo Sabres at 13th overall in 2023, and he's starting to develop into a real force with similar traits to Zhilkin.
Another winger isn't what the Flyers need, no, but eventually, someone with an equal amount of talent will have to replace Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny when those two are in their mid-to-late 30s. In four or five years, investing in someone like Zhilkin could pay dividends for the Flyers.
