Flyers trade with Penguins to move up and draft massive center Jack Nesbitt at No. 12
“He looks like a Flyer to me,” said president Keith Jones
ATLANTIC CITY — In a surprise move on Friday, the Flyers made a deal with their Keystone State rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Philly sent Nos. 22 and 31 across the state to Pittsburgh for the No. 12 pick, selecting center Jack Nesbitt from Windsor of the OHL. Former Eagle Brandon Graham made the pick.
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“He looks like a Flyer to me,” president Keith Jones said on ESPN.
According to general manager Danny Brière the Flyers “tried not to show our hand” in regards to their interest in Nesbitt.
“He’s big, he’s strong, he knows how to play the game at both ends of the rink,” amateur scout Dennis Patterson said. “He’s going to be a force next year and the year after in Windsor. They look like a Memorial Cup team with him coming down the middle. It’ll be exciting for him.”
Nesbitt is a tall (6-foot-5), physical pivot who lives at the front of the net, plays a 200-foot game, and compares his game to Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn. This past season, he finished with 25 goals and 64 points in 65 games, chipping in six power-play goals and two more while shorthanded.
“I would choose [Benn] or Adam Lowry,” Nesbitt said via Zoom on Friday when asked who he compares his game to. “They are both big guys and captains. I look at myself as a leader on the Windsor team. They are big centermen who are trusted in all areas of the ice, 200-foot players, great offensively, and put the puck in the back of the net.”
A left-shot, the Sarnia, Ontario, native added another five points (two goals, three assists) in six games for the gold-medal winning Canadians at the U18 World Championships in May.
“I play a very physical game and as a bigger guy I need to improve my skating and I’m looking to put on a lot of weight, and that’s going to come as well,” he told reporters on Friday.
“I’m going to be working a lot on my skating and quick feet, and as a centerman, I’m going to have to get out of those small areas pretty quick and get on the forecheck. I’ll definitely work on my skating a bunch this summer.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.