The Flyers are opting not to sign their first-round pick from the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

With a pair of first-round picks in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, then-Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall had the opportunity to give his club a significant boost by hitting on his two early selections.

With the No. 14 overall pick, Hextall first nabbed Joel Farabee, who, by all accounts, has turned out to be a solid piece for the Flyers. The 23-year-old has logged 60 goals and 132 points becoming a regular NHLer, and it's possible he still hasn't hit his ceiling.

Five picks later, though, Hextall whiffed, opting to select Jay O'Brien out of Thayer Academy — a high school player.

O'Brien has struggled to make much of an impression in his five years since being drafted. And now, it's likely he'll never play a game for the Flyers.

Monday afternoon in his end-of-season media availability, interim Flyers general manager Danny Brière revealed the team does not plan to sign O'Brien to a contract, which will make him an unrestricted free agent.

Hockey insider Elliotte Friedman first reported the Flyers' intention not to sign O'Brien Saturday during Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts segment.

With the loss of O'Brien, the Flyers will actually be awarded a second-round compensatory draft pick. Teams can acquire compensatory draft picks by not signing a player drafted in the first round before their rights expire, and O'Brien checks those boxes.

It's unclear whether the Flyers will be able to use their compensatory pick in this year's draft or in 2024. As of right now, the Flyers do not own a second-round pick in either of the next two drafts.

O'Brien, now 23, has spent the last three years playing for Boston University, where he logged 26 goals and 70 total points in 79 games.