© Philadelphia Flyers

VOORHEES, N.J. — Jett Luchanko was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers with the No. 13 pick of the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft because of his skating and playmaking abilities.

In order to achieve the status of an NHL player, the forward prospect comprehends the necessity of altering their mindset. They must cultivate a stronger inclination towards shooting and prioritizing it over other options.

Despite taking only 125 shots on goal in 68 games, Luchanko managed to lead Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League with an impressive 74 points, consisting of 20 goals and 54 assists.

Luchanko expressed his strong desire to work on and improve a particular aspect over the summer, next year, and in the years to follow during the Flyers development camp held from July 2-6. He emphasized the need to focus on enhancing the overall skill set and acknowledged putting in extra effort towards achieving this goal.

According to Riley Armstrong, the Flyers’ director of player development, he and his team have already discussed with Luchanko the significance of enhancing his offensive strategy. They emphasized the importance of providing the opposing team with more challenges to consider, rather than simply making a hasty pass to an available teammate.

Armstrong expressed the importance of being a versatile player, stating, “It’s crucial to be a dual threat on the ice. Constantly seeking opportunities to make passes can make it easier for opposing teams, particularly in professional hockey, to identify this tendency through video analysis.”

Goalkeepers possess higher intelligence as they carefully observe the direction of the shot option. However, once a player develops their shooting skills and incorporates it into their gameplay, they will likely outsmart many goalies who anticipate a pass by scoring on the short side.

© Philadelphia Flyers

Luchanko’s style of play relies heavily on his skating abilities, speed, and ability to deceive opponents. Nevertheless, in order to improve his performance, he must aim to surpass the average of 1.8 shots on goal per game he achieved last season.

“The one-man power-play break-in is what we called him in London,” said Flyers defenseman prospect Oliver Bonk, whose team played against Guelph and Luchanko six times in the OHL last season. “Because they just swing it back to him, and one against four he’d skate it in every time. So, he’s a special player.”

Guelph general manager George Burnett said Luchanko’s pass-first approach was in part the 17-year-old being more deferential to his older linemates last season, 20-year-old Jake Karabela and captain Braeden Bowman, who turned 21 on June 26.

Armstrong highlighted the tendency of young players to fall into this common trap, which the development staff of Philadelphia will make efforts to help him overcome.

“You look at [Flyers forwards] Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink, they get up there and they’re playing with ‘TK’ [Travis Konecny] or [Joel] Farabee and they’re like, ‘I’ve got to pass the puck to those guys.’ And we’re like, ‘No, you guys can score goals too.’ It’s good, and when you add more of that into your lineup it’s always better.”

Luchanko, who was Guelph’s nominee for the Bobby Smith Award as the top scholastic player in the OHL last season, is smart enough to understand exactly what’s needed for him to take his game to the next level. It’s why he’s been watching video of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews and Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard for tips on developing a more deceptive shot.

He expressed, “Enhancing my game to become more versatile, like that of a dual threat, is advantageous. I have consistently focused on improving my shooting skills and developing a mindset of taking more shots. Currently, I am putting in tremendous effort to work on these aspects.”