It\u2019s playoff season for many Philadelphia Flyers prospects. 12 of the team\u2019s prospects are either in or gearing up for postseason appearances throughout the CHL, NCAA, and international leagues. <\/p>\n
The Flyers have two prospects in the 2026 NCAA tournament. All six CHL prospects are gearing up for postseason runs. Four of the team\u2019s international prospects are in or preparing for their postseason chances. <\/p>\n
There is a lot to look forward to as these playoff series begin. For some prospects, it\u2019s just the early stages of their development. For others, it could be the final stages of their junior\/international careers before joining the Flyers organization, or other developmental steps. <\/p>\n
As for the one league that is not quite there for the playoff picture, the USHL, the Flyers have two prospects there that are knocking on the doorstep. 2025 2nd-round pick Carter Amico<\/a> left Boston University mid-season and joined the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL. Amico has a goal and 10 total points in 24 games this season as he is playing his first full season since a knee injury. Muskegon is currently 4th in the East, holding on to a playoff spot. <\/p>\n The other USHL prospect is towering 2024 7th-rounder, defenseman Austin Moline<\/a>. Moline has been out with an injury, limiting him to just a goal and 9 total points in 17 games this season. He plays for the Madison Capitols, who are holding on to the last playoff spot in the East. He is expected to join Michigan Tech in the NCAA next season. <\/p>\n Now, let\u2019s look at the Flyers prospects who have, or are about to start their postseason runs. <\/p>\n Read More: Flyers Prospects Update: Martone\u2019s Season; Luchanko\u2019s Injury; Nesbitt Heating Up<\/a><\/p>\n Michigan State has the only two Flyers prospects in the NCAA tournament<\/p>\n The Flyers entered the season with 8 NCAA prospects. 6 of their seasons have concluded. Both Cole Knuble<\/a> and Noah Powell<\/a> have signed entry-level contracts starting next season with the club, and have both reported to Lehigh Valley (AHL) on ATOs. <\/p>\n Owen McLaughlin<\/a> signed an AHL contract at the conclusion of Boston University\u2019s season and has since been loaned to the Reading Royals. Ryan MacPherson<\/a>, Heikki Ruohonen<\/a>, and Jack Murtagh\u2019s<\/a> seasons have all come to an end. Each player has more NCAA eligibility. <\/p>\n That leaves the Flyers\u2019 pair of Michigan State Spartans as the only two prospects left in the NCAA this season. Porter Martone, Shane Vansaghi, and Michigan State will head to Worcester, Massachusetts, for the NCAA Tournament regionals, where they are their bracket\u2019s top-ranked team. <\/p>\n The Spartans kick off the NCAA Tournament against their region\u2019s 4-seed, the UConn Huskies, on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. EST. If MSU wins, they face off with the winner of Dartmouth vs. Wisconsin on 3\/28. <\/p>\n If they win their regional, Michigan State will head to Las Vegas for the Frozen Four, with games on April 9th and 11th. <\/p>\n Porter Martone<\/a> had a spectacular freshman campaign, tallying 24 goals and 47 total points in 33 games. He was a +27 this year. It is an absolute crime that he is not a top-10 Hobey Baker finalist. <\/p>\n Shane Vansaghi<\/a> scored 4 goals and 11 total points in 33 games, but played a much different role. He was much more of a grinder, energy forward. Though head coach Adam Nightingale knows he can score more<\/a>. <\/p>\n If Michigan State is eliminated before the Frozen Four, that leaves plenty of opportunity for Martone to join the Flyers before the season is over. If not, there are only two or three games left in the season, depending on how far they make it in Vegas. <\/p>\n For Vansaghi, he could very easily play in the AHL next season. He has the strength, mentality, and IQ to turn professional. Returning for a junior season is a strong option as well. That decision remains very much in the hands of Flyers\u2019 management. <\/p>\n The OHL playoff race<\/p>\n The Flyers\u2019 two top center prospects headline the team\u2019s prospects in the CHL playoff race. They are the team\u2019s only two OHL prospects this season, and both will represent the Flyers in the OHL playoffs. <\/p>\n 2024 first-rounder Jett Luchanko<\/a> and the Brantford Bulldogs are the No. 1 seed on their side of the bracket and have a first-round date set with the Sudbury Wolves. Their playoff run begins on Friday. Luchanko has been sidelined with an upper-body injury, but is expected to return during the postseason. Getting Luchanko back will be a big boost for Brantford. However, they are pretty talented regardless. The expectation is that they will make a long run. <\/p>\n 2025 12th-overall pick Jack Nesbitt<\/a> finished the regular season strong with the Windsor Spitfires. He capped the regular season with a hat-trick vs. Soo, and 8 points (6 goals) in his final four games of the regular season. That pushed the 6\u20195\u2033 center\u2019s season numbers to 25 goals and 58 total points in 55 games. <\/p>\n Windsor is the No. 2 seed in their bracket, and opens their playoff run on Thursday when their series with the Guelph Storm begins. <\/p>\n If Brantford\u2019s season ends before the Phantoms, which seems unlikely, Luchanko could join the Phantoms at the end of the year. Regardless, with the AHL an option for next season, this will likely be his last bit of time in the OHL. <\/p>\n As for Nesbitt, turning pro at the end of the season is a long shot. He can return to the OHL next season. My personal preference is an NCAA commitment. In the long run, that will benefit the player best. <\/p>\n Flyers prospects in the QMJHL playoffs <\/p>\n Spencer Gill<\/a> (Blainville-Broisbriand) and Nathan Quinn<\/a> (Quebec) will each represent the Flyers in the QMJHL postseason. <\/p>\n Gill has missed a ton of time this season due to injury, but has returned in time for the playoffs. In 16 total games this season, the 6\u20194\u2033 defenseman has 3 goals and 11 total points. Gill and the No. 2 Armada begin their playoff hunt vs. the No. 7-seed of the West, the Victoriaville Tigres, starting on Friday. <\/p>\n Nathan Quinn has been a stud this season, leading the Quebec Ramparts with 34 goals and 73 points in 58 games. We mentioned Quinn in our last prospect report \u2013 very good for a 6th-rounder. <\/p>\n The Ramparts are the No. 5 seed in the East, and kick off their postseason vs. the No. 4 Charlottetown Islanders on Friday. <\/p>\n Quinn is expected to go to Northeastern (NCAA) next season. Gill, who already has a signed ELC, is the only prospect in this group that I\u2019d expect to join the Phantoms at the end of this season or next year. <\/p>\n The WHL playoff picture<\/p>\n A pair of Flyers prospects who entered the WHL season as teammates in Red Deer are in the WHL playoffs. They\u2019re just in new places. 2025 NHL draftees Matthew Gard<\/a> and Luke Vlooswyk<\/a> were separated this season. Gard went to Seattle. Vlooswyk went to Everett. <\/p>\n Gard is another prospect we touched on in our last prospect report. His 17 goals and 33 total points in 55 games are not talked about enough as a next step for the defensive center. Seattle is the No. 7 seed in the West in the WHL. Their playoff series with the No. 2 Penticon Vees starts on Friday. <\/p>\n Vlooswyk has had a sound defensive season in both Red Deer and Everett. He is another towering, physical, defensive defenseman in the Flyers\u2019 system. He and the Everett Silvertips are the No. 1 seed out West in the WHL. Their series vs. the No. 8 Portland Winterhawks starts on Friday as well. <\/p>\n I would expect both Gard and Vlooswyk to remain where they are for next season. Although, I am very pro-NCAA. A college commitment would be good for either player\u2019s development. <\/p>\n Flyers International prospects <\/p>\n Now, let\u2019s look at some international prospects. <\/p>\n After a fantastic showing as Sweden\u2019s captain for their Gold-medal run at World Juniors, Jack Berglund<\/a> had a solid year for Farjestad BK in the SHL. In 40 games, the 19-year-old center had 7 goals and 12 points. <\/p>\n Farjestad is in the midst of their playoff run vs. Rogle BK. In one playoff game, Berglund had an assist in Farjestad\u2019s 2-1 win. The quarter-finals series continues on Thursday.<\/p>\n 2022 7th-rounder\u00a0Santeri Sulku<\/a>\u00a0had a 7-goal, 16-point season in 24 games for KooKoo in Liiga. The hulking forward and his team earned a first-round bye in the Liiga playoffs. They will face Pelicans, the former club of Alex Ciernik, who signed his ELC earlier this week. That round begins on Saturday. <\/p>\n 2024 6th-rounder Ilya Pautov<\/a> and Krasnaya Armiya Moskva are in the MHL playoffs. On April 2nd, they open their first-round series with SKA-1946. This season, Pautov had 10 goals and 23 total points in 30 games played. <\/p>\n Wrapping up the International slate, we have 2025 5th-rounder, Max Westergard<\/a>. Wetergard had a solid World Juniors for Finland and played a combined 23 games in the SHL and Hockeyallsvenskan this season. It was in the U20 Nationell that he had his most success with Frolunda U20. In 20 games played, Westergard had 9 goals and 30 points. <\/p>\n Frolunda U20 is in the midst of a playoff series with Farjestad U20. <\/p>\n In my mind, the only International prospect I could see turning pro is Berglund. However, he is signed with Farjestad through the 2026-27 season. That is a situation where only time will tell. <\/p>\n