At the end of January last winter, I was on the receiving end of some constructive criticism from some of my colleagues in the scouting fraternity, major junior hockey and some agents. I had just released my top 32 list for the 2024 NHL Draft and didn’t include Guelph Storm forward Jett Luchanko on my initial ranking. Internally, I felt Luchanko was a prospect on the rise, but he didn’t make the cut. The feedback I received, via texts and phone calls, indicated I had missed an opportunity and Luchanko was a no doubt first-round talent.
One of the things I take most pride in as founder of The Pro Hockey Group, and prospect analyst for Sportsnet, is the fact that myself and my staff scout games and come to our own conclusions on players. We formulate our own opinion without bias from outside sources. It was for that very reason I suggested to those who contacted me to be patient. It takes time to build out a completed draft list. It’s a marathon more than a sprint and mid-season rankings rarely mirror final, end-of-season lists.
By the time my final list was completed and published on June 11, I had Luchanko slotted 12th overall. He was one of my biggest risers from the beginning of the year. I started receiving a different mood of texts. Some of the same people who thought I had him too low to start the season were now accusing me of having him too high.
I couldn’t win for trying!
Eventually the Philadelphia Flyers selected Luchanko 13th overall later that month and he’s made the team out of training camp. Fellow rookie Flyer Matvei Michkov deserves all the attention he is receiving as a potential Calder candidate, but Luchanko is another youngster to keep an eye on as he develops.
Here’s a look at what the Flyers have in Jett Luchanko:
Hockey Sense, Speed, and Compete
There’s no place to hide in the NHL if you have trouble reading and reacting to what is happening, on and off the puck, as a forward. The game has never been played faster than it is today and skaters have to keep up. It’s also imperative to find a way to consistently outwork your opponent. Finishing second in battles isn’t an option.
Luchanko easily ticks off all three boxes.
Here’s an example of Luchanko reading, reacting, and executing at the U18 World Championship last spring in Finland. These are the kinds of sequences that, no doubt, elevated the Flyers’ trust in what Luchanko can provide them in the future:
Transition to pro
It’s one thing to impact the game against junior aged opponents. It takes an entirely different level of preparation and execution to have an impact at the NHL level.
Luchanko reported to Flyers camp in fantastic condition. He works hard off the ice in the off-season preparing his body and fine tuning his skill set and has quickly earned the trust and respect of the Flyers coaching staff. He’s going to contribute his fair share of offence at the NHL level in time, but what gives him a chance to potentially stick right away is his attention to detail. When he isn’t providing offence, he’s around the play creating turnovers, making plays quickly and accurately.
I’ve patiently broken down the following shift from Luchanko’s pre-season game in Boston against the Bruins. He accomplished a lot in the shift without scoring. He was above the play defensively when his group didn’t have the puck, he fought through checks, sprinted to space and made quick and accurate decisions with the puck. It’s the kind of shift that earns trust from NHL coaches.
Sprint
Heading back to check defensively, or pouncing on pucks to attack offensively, with speed is essential to a young player’s success in the league.
Here’s an example of Luchanko getting a taste of overtime in the pre-season. He explodes up ice, directs a puck on net, absorbs a check below the goal line, extends the play and dishes to his wide open teammate in the slot. He gets credit for a secondary assist, but clearly did most of the heavy lifting in the sequence.
Trustworthy
Luchanko is a coveted right-shot centre who has the potential to be a complete player at the NHL level. He can be deployed in a variety of roles.
I started my analysis reflecting upon feedback, sometimes criticism, I received from some of my colleagues for not ranking Luchanko high enough in my early-season 2024 draft rankings.
But Luchanko earned my trust and belief as the season rolled along. Here’s my final report on Luchanko from last spring:
“Luchanko finished his year on a high note winning gold for Team Canada’s U18 team in Finland. He was used in all situations and contributed 2G-5A. Luchanko took key defensive zone face-offs on his strong side. His combination of speed, skill, compete and smarts project him as a top six NHL forward. Luchanko isn’t elite in any one category, but he’s an excellent all-round prospect who contributes better than secondary offence without sacrificing three zone detail. An NHL comparison for Luchanko is Nick Suzuki.”
Matvei Michkov is the prospect everyone is talking about in Philadelphia. In time, especially as the Flyers improve as a team, Luchanko could end being just as important to the team’s success.