Sennecke, a big winger set to ‘explode offensively,' will be on Flyers' radar

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.

More: Trade candidates? How many picks? Five Flyers things to know for the 2024 NHL draft

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:

Beckett Sennecke

Position: Winger
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 182
Shoots: Right
Team: Oshawa Generals

Scouting report

There's so much intrigue to Sennecke, who is a growing winger with excellent hands and vision.

He has climbed draft boards after putting up 10 games of three or more points for the OHL's Generals, with half of those performances coming over the final two months of the regular season. The Toronto native finished with 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) and a plus-33 rating in 63 games for an Oshawa team that went 40-19-9.

Sennecke then had a monstrous playoffs with 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) and a plus-9 mark in 16 games. He suffered injury in the Eastern Conference championship series, causing him to miss the Generals' final five games.

"Beckett's game just continually improved as the season had gone along," Dan Marr, the vice president of NHL Central Scouting, said three and a half weeks ago in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "Oshawa is a pretty competitive team, strong team, they had a really good season. He was one of the younger players on the team, so he had to earn every second of ice time. Next year, he's just going to explode offensively. This year, he was just going a little over a point a game."

With a blend of force and finesse, Sennecke has first-line upside. He'll have to round out his overall game when he gets to the next level. But it looks like he's just starting to scratch the surface.

"When you watch him play in the offensive zone, he's always a dangerous threat," Marr said. "He reads the ice, he knows how to get open, he's got the speed, the quickness and the skill to take the puck to the net and to bury his chances. He's the guy in the game that's always getting the scoring chances just because he reads the play well and he's always in the right spot."

Sennecke is the 13th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting and considered the ninth-best prospect in the draft by EliteProspects.com. Both TSN's Bob McKenzie and TSN's Craig Button have him at No. 11 overall.

"He still has a long way to go with his strength," Marr said. "Once he gets that strength, it gives him a little bit more confidence, he's going to be one of those power forwards that is hard to stop. He's going to be intimidating against defenders and goalies."

Fit with Flyers

The Flyers will draft who they view as the best player available at No. 12. If Sennecke hasn't been snatched up yet when the Flyers are on the clock, there's a good chance he's that best player available.

The potential seems endless with a 6-foot-3, dexterous winger who will get only bigger and stronger as he develops.

The Flyers' picture on the wing already features promise in Michkov, who is 19 and the organization's top prospect, and the 22-year-old Tyson Foerster, who is coming off a 20-goal rookie NHL season. Add Sennecke and factor in the other 25-or-younger wingers like Owen Tippett, Joel Farabee, Noah Cates and Bobby Brink, and there's a good bit to like.

In a perfect world, the Flyers would love a center to be their best player available at No. 12. But if Sennecke is there, he'd be a real fine addition to the Flyers' rebuild.

More targets

• Flyers should like Helenius, 'one of the top talents in the draft'

• Flyers draft target Catton has 'ingredients' to be first-line center

• Flyers could have shot at Yakemchuk, a defenseman with 'rare combination'

• Flyers draft target Iginla has impressive NHL lineage and 'very high ceiling'

• Eiserman, 'the best goal scorer in this draft,' an option for Flyers?

• 'The full package' Connelly has interesting draft case for Flyers

• With 'no real holes to his game,' Jiricek an option for Flyers at No. 12

• Is Brandsegg-Nygard close to pro-ready and a possibility for Flyers?

• Should Boisvert, a future 'impact center,' have Flyers' attention?

• 'He's a special, special hockey player' — Greentree a fit for Flyers at No. 12?

Subscribe anywhere you get your podcasts:
Apple Podcasts | Youtube Music | Spotify | Stitcher | Simplecast | RSS | Watch on YouTube