Should Boisvert, a future ‘impact center,’ have Flyers’ attention? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Despite overachieving for the majority of the 2023-24 season, the Flyers still have a rebuilding mindset. The club’s decision-makers know there’s a need for more talent and that the entry draft remains the best avenue to acquire it.
“The bulk of it still needs to be done through our young guys, mostly through the draft,” general manager Danny Briere said in April.
The Flyers will have a good opportunity to augment their future when the 2024 NHL draft arrives June 28-29 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Like last summer, the Flyers could have up to 10 picks, including two first-rounders. Barring a trade, they’ll make their top overall selection at No. 12. Briere believes the Flyers “can get a very talented player” at that spot.
In the first round of the 2023 draft, the Flyers took a swing on Matvei Michkov at No. 7 and grabbed Oliver Bonk at No. 22. They should also have two first-round picks in 2025.
Leading up to the 2024 draft, we’re breaking down targets for the Flyers at No. 12.
Next up:
Sacha Boisvert
Position: Center
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 183
Shoots: Left
Team: Muskegon Lumberjacks
Scouting report
Boisvert is a center with great size, an advanced shot and a fervor to play the full length of the rink.
The 18-year-old ranked fifth in the USHL with 36 goals over 61 games for the Lumberjacks. Adding 32 assists, he finished the regular season with 68 points and a plus-5 rating. Boisvert put up 11 multi-goal games and 21 multi-point games.
The North Dakota commit had a quieter playoffs, recording three assists in eight games. But that shouldn’t overshadow his pro qualities. Boisvert is a tough kid, he wants the puck and there’s upside.
“He’s another young guy who came into his own this year, had a really strong, consistent performance in the USHL with Muskegon,” Dan Marr, the vice president of NHL Central Scouting, said a little under four weeks ago in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “He’s the guy that brings the combination of skill and physicality, he likes to play that power forward game, he can defend himself, he can win the 1-on-1 battles and he initiates the 1-on-1 battles. This is a guy that when you go into a scrum, he’s going to come out with the puck.”
Boisvert needs to improve on the intricacies of playing center and it’s fair to wonder…