Flyers Draft Maksim Sokolovskii 27th Overall

Evaluators split widely on him, which is why he was one of the most-discussed names among scouts this spring. NHL Central Scouting ranked him 40th among North American skaters, while public boards ranged from the low 20s to the 50s. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler compared his profile to Nikita Zadorov, a fitting reference given that London also developed Zadorov. The projection is a shutdown, top-four defenseman if the puck management arrives.

THW Prospect Profile Excerpt

Sokolovskii isn’t shy about using his size to his advantage. He’s a punishing bodychecker and loves the opportunity to haul someone down to the ice or pin them to the boards with no chance of escape.

Unlike many bigger players, the Knights’ massive defender is a decent skater, moving smoothly across the ice and using his strides efficiently to cover long distances. He also doesn’t make a lot of mistakes while defending, playing a calm, patient game that helped London finish top-10 for the fewest goals allowed in the OHL.

But just because Sokolovskii is big doesn’t mean he isn’t a risky pick. He may have NHL-ready size, but his hockey sense has a long way to go before it catches up with his frame. He’s also not a great stickhandler, and if he’s able to create a turnover, he’ll either let a teammate pick it up or move it away from himself as quickly as possible.

Continue reading the full player profile here.

How This Affects the Flyers’ Plans

Philadelphia traded down from No. 21 to No. 27, picking up extra capital from the San Jose Sharks, and spent the pick on the biggest and most physical player in the draft. It is a polarizing swing, one some evaluators considered a reach, but it fits what the Flyers have said they want: more size on the left side of their blue line and a defensive identity that matches Rick Tocchet’s.

This is the team that rode a shutdown defense to its first playoff berth since 2020, an upset of the Pittsburgh Penguins before a second-round sweep by the Carolina Hurricanes. General manager Daniel Brière’s young core is ahead of schedule, so Sokolovskii is a long-term project rather than a need-filler. If his puck management develops under a defense-first staff, the payoff is a punishing, minute-eating shutdown defenseman.