Philadelphia Flyers 2026 NHL Mock Draft 1.0: First 3 Rounds – Hockey Writers – Philadelphia Flyers

The 2026 NHL draft is coming up in about a month. With the Philadelphia Flyers making the playoffs for the first time since 2020, they will be picking after the regular season, but this year’s class remains to be seen. Here are three round mock drafts for picks 21, 53, and 85.

Round 1, Pick 21: Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver Giants (WHL)

Taking a 5-foot-11, 176-pound defenseman with a first-round pick goes against the Flyers’ draft philosophy, but Ryan Lin could be an exception. After all, assistant coach Jaroslav “Yogi” Švejkovský spoke highly of the young blueliner back in November (from ‘Why ‘everywhere’ Ryan Lin is one of the top defensive prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft,’ Athletic – Nov. 26, 2025).

Lin is one of the most complete players in the class. He is a great skater, can carry the ice, defends well, and had a strong production in the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season, with 57 points in 53 games.

As for why the Flyers would draft a defenseman under 6 feet, the addition of David Jiříček at the trade deadline shows that the team wants more offense on the blue line. Lin, despite being a two-way defenseman in my eyes, can help fill that void. His vision has the potential to be dangerous on the offensive end.

At the very least, we know that people inside the Flyers organization love Lin’s game. In this mock, I think they like him enough to take him at 21^St general.

Perhaps the biggest question here, though, is whether he’ll be around when the Flyers are drafted. In the latest Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler draft, the Utah Mammoth selected Lin at 19 years old.^th overall (from ‘NHL Mock Draft 2026: Predicting all 63 picks in first 2 rounds,’ Athletic – May 19, 2026). Maybe dropping two more spots is promising, but younger players tend to fall.

Round 2, Pick 53: Oscar Holmertz, C, Linköping HC (U20 Nationell)

Center is a pressing need for the Flyers. But by the time they hit in the first round, many of the best prospects at center will be gone. So, I waited them out until the second round and cut Oscar Holmertz at 53^rd general.

Holmertz is smart and skilled with the puck. U20 Nationell, Sweden’s top league, is not the most sought-after destination, but he makes a lot of high passes, and his shot is quite good.

Vision and perspective are important to the central thinker. Holmertz, at least in his publicly available photos, appears to have them. The 6-foot, 192-pound Swede would be a perfect choice.

Round 3, Pick 85: Lars Steiner, RW, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)

On the surface, picks like this conflict with the Flyers’ needs and general philosophy. They already have too many right-wingers, and one under Lars Steiner (5-foot-10, 176 pounds) doesn’t make sense on paper. But what he lacks in size and position, he helps in competition and high scoring—two traits the Orange and Black desperately need.

Steiner recorded 30 goals and 25 assists in 44 games in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) this season. Finishing fourth among draft year prospects in points per game, that kind of production is hard to find once you get to the mid-third round.

Despite the numbers, however, Steiner’s physical involvement and shooting ability are excellent. You can make a case that he’s the top 35 talent in the class, and considering the areas where he excels, I think the Flyers might be open to taking a chance on him at the No. 85 pick.

I’m going to be honest and say that the 2026 NHL Draft probably won’t have many explosive flyers—they don’t have the quality or quantity of picks to make a big splash. But that doesn’t mean they can’t add much-needed talent to their pipeline. Lin, Holmertz, and Steiner could be important pieces of the puzzle in the future.