Flyers Sign Former Draft Pick to AHL Contract

The Philadelphia Flyers have signed former draft pick center Owen McLaughlin to an AHL contract.

McLaughlin, 22, was the Flyers’ 7th-round, 206th overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft. He’ll be 23 later this month.

McLaughlin is a Phoenixville, Pennsylvania native, and played for the Valley Forge Minutemen and The Hill School before going off to the USHL. He then attended Mount St. Charles Academy before playing in the USHL for the Sioux City Musketeers.

McLaughlin played four years in the NCAA, three for the University of North Dakota and his final year at Boston University.

Throughout college, McLaughlin was a good scorer, but never put himself amongst the NCAA elites.

I can’t lie and say that I watched a lot of McLaughlin at North Dakota, but I had a few chances to watch some Boston University games this season, and was impressed.

McLaughlin finished the year with just 5 goals and 17 points in 34 games. It was how he was used that impressed me. He was clearly trusted by the BU staff, playing primarily top-six minutes. McLaughlin was even playing a 2C role before Tynan Lawrence’s mid-season arrival. He was used on both the power play and penalty kill during the game I attended in person.

The stipulation here is that this is not his entry-level contract. Instead, it is a two-year AHL deal, per Tony Androckitis. The Flyers would have had until August 15th, 2026, to sign him to his ELC.

According to Bob Rotruck, the Phantoms’ Director of Communications, McLaughlin will begin his AHL deal in the ECHL with the Reading Royals.

It is a prove-it deal for the Flyers’ former draft pick.

Read More: Flyers Sign Son of Former Player to Two-Year ELC