If you were a coach, you would have a challenging time finding reasons not to like Jett Luchanko. He may not be the flashiest player in the world, but Luchanko is an excellent skater, playmaker, and defensive forward, and is a physical freak. Luchanko took a considerable step on a weaker Guelph Storm team in the OHL and was far and away their best player. Luchanko’s 1.22 points per game played may seem underwhelming for an NHL lottery pick, but when realizing he was 0.2 points per game above his next closest teammate put things into perspective. Following his OHL season, Luchanko stepped back into professional hockey, this time with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he played his final 16 games of the year. In the nine regular-season AHL games, Luchanko was solid and showed off his playmaking with three assists. In the playoffs, Luchanko took it to the next level with six assists in only seven games. This is a sign of the type of player Luchanko will be down the road in the NHL: one who brings his game to the next level come late spring. Luchanko projects as a defensively elite second-line center and a player NHL teams are jealous of. Luchanko’s immediate future next season is uncertain, but it would not be shocking at all if he earns a spot with the Flyers and remains in the lineup.

Drafted 13th overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft as a 17-year-old, Jett Luchanko made an impressive debut by earning a spot on the Flyers roster out of training camp. Known for his elite speed and dependable defensive play, Luchanko was trusted by Flyers Head Coach John Tortorella to be part of the opening night lineup. After playing four games with the Flyers, he has since been sent back to the Guelph Storm of the OHL.

Luchanko is known for his impressive speed, ability to maneuver through defenses, and creating scoring opportunities, making him a potential threat whenever he has the puck. He is responsible in the defensive zone and can transition quickly, a style the Flyers have adopted under Head Coach John Tortorella. At 17, Luchanko was one of the youngest players in the draft, but with his work ethic and ever-improving defensive game, he could prove to be a very good top-six center for years to come.

Luchanko was selected 13th overall by the Flyers.

Luchanko’s on-ice testing at the CHL top prospects game is making scouts talk, but the projectability of his game is what has seen him crack the first round on Bob McKenzie’s list, among others. We’re not as sold — despite his team-leading 53 points in 48 OHL games — that there’s enough skill to make him worth the first-round bet, but the combination of raw athletic ability, high motor, solid skating and defensive acumen makes Luchanko an easy-to-project player. There’s a role in the NHL as a third-line checking forward in Luchanko’s near future, and for an August birthday, that’s rare.

DRAFTPRO – 2024 7-ROUND CONTRIBUTOR MOCK DRAFT

47. Detroit Red Wings – Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph Storm (OHL) SUMMARY: The Wings love the two-way ability, intelligence, and work rate this projected NHL center brings to the table. While he does not look like a top line high-end offensive point producing prospect, he does look like a middle six two-way, gritty performer that they are looking to add to the roster as they get closer to NHL playoff participation. – Dan Stewart

DRAFTPRO 2024 NHL DRAFT COMBINE REVIEW

Agility & Balance: Pro Agility – Right (sec)D Stian Solberg – 4.08F Jett Luchanko – 4.23D EJ Emery – 4.23F AJ Spellacy – 4.24F Terik Parascak, F Sam O’Reilly – 4.25

Anaerobic Fitness (Wingate Test): Mean Power Output (watts/kg)F Jett Luchanko – 12.9D Alexis Bernier – 12.8F Linus Eriksson – 12.7D Sebastian Soini – 12.7F Aatos Koivu – 12.6

Anaerobic Fitness (Wingate Test): Peak Power Output (watts/kg)F AJ Spellacy – 18.3F Maxim Massé – 18.1F Linus Eriksson – 18.0D Ben Danford – 18.0F Michael Brandsegg-Nygård – 17.9

Anaerobic Fitness (Wingate Test): Fatigue IndexF Oliver Josephson – 35.1F Ondrej Becher – 39.7F Ryder Ritchie – 40.5F Emil Hemming – 40.9F Christian Humphreys – 41.6

Wing Span (inches)F Dean Letourneau – 83.25D Gabriel Eliasson – 81.00D EJ Emery – 80.75D Jesse Pulkkinen – 80.75F Erik Mateiko – 80.25

Body Composition Yuhasz % Body FatD EJ Emery – 3.64D Sam Dickinson – 3.64F Ethan Procyszyn – 6.84F Simon Zether – 7.11G Mikhail Yegorov – 7.11

Force Plate: Vertical Jump (inches)D EJ Emery – 27.23F Jett Luchanko – 24.63D Veeti Vaisanen – 24.22D Will Skahan – 23.88D Stian Solberg – 23.84

Force Plate: Squat Jump (inches)F Jack Pridham – 19.52F Aatos Koivu – 19.08F Linus Eriksson – 18.96D EJ Emery – 18.82F Tij Iginla – 18.38

Force Plate: No Arm Jump (inches)D EJ Emery – 23.57D Veeti Vaisanen – 21.91F Jack Pridham – 21.21F Jett Luchanko – 21.11F Linus Eriksson – 20.75

Musculoskeletal: Bench Press 50% Body Weight – Power (watts/kg)F Cole Beaudoin – 8.71D Lukas Fischer – 8.26F John Mustard – 7.78F Cayden Lindstrom – 7.69D Sebastian Soini – 7.54

Musculoskeletal: Left Hand Grip (lbs)F Jett Luchanko – 172F Cayden Lindstrom – 168F Erik Mateiko – 166F Sacha Boisvert – 163F Michael Brandsegg-Nygård – 160

Musculoskeletal: Right Hand Grip (lbs)F Jett Luchanko – 175F Cayden Lindstrom – 166D Colton Roberts – 165D Gabriel Eliasson – 162F Jack Pridham – 162

Musculoskeletal: Pull-Ups Consecutive (max #)D Zeev Buium – 16D Lukas Fischer – 15D Colton Roberts, F Jack Pridham, F Cole Beaudoin, F Oliver Josephson, F Tij Iginla – 13F Kamil Bednarik, F Ethan Procyszyn, F Kevin He, F Tanner Howe, G Mikhail Yegorov, F Rilet Patterson, F AJ Spellacy, F Max Plante, D EJ Emery – 12

Musculoskeletal: Standing Long Jump (inches)D EJ Emery – 123.0F AJ Spellacy – 119.3G Mikhail Yegorov – 115.8F Jack Pridham, D Alexis Bernier, F Dean Letourneau – 114.5F Linus Eriksson – 113.8

NHL teams give their final draft rankings a tweak.

The week also serves as a time for NHL scouting staffs to get together and give their draft boards a tweak three plus weeks before the big event. While this is not the last time a name can move up or down the board it is the last time any substantial changes are made.

2024 Eligible Prospects who stood out.

EJ Emery of the Under-18 US National Development Team, Stian Solberg of Vålerenga in Norway, A.J. Spellacy of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, Cole Beaudoin of the OHL’s OHL’s Barrie Colts, Lukas Fischer of the Sarnia Sting and Jett Luchanko of the OHL’s Guelph Storm were names that stood out in the physical testing with their athleticism and strength.

DRAFTPRO – 2024 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW – CANADA

Slotted on the forward line alongside Jett Luchanko and Ryder Ritchie. Iginla was strong on the puck, resilient and found ways to get his stick on pucks. When sizing up against his opponent to protect the puck, he was effective at opening up his skating gait by widening his stance, to distribute the strength in his lower body making it more difficult for opponents to knock him off the puck, by opening up his gait it provided that needed additional time and space for Iginla to find his teammates and make a play. This may sound familiar but Tij is an Iginla who likes to score goals. Iginla finished third in total points on the team with 12 points, 6 goals and 6 assists, in 7 games. Iginla averaged just below 4 shots per game in the tournament, about one shot less than his shots per game in the WHL this past season. Iginla elevated his game during the knockout stages of the tournament, recording 7 of his 12 points in the final 3 games, including the eventual game winning goal in the gold medal game against the United States. The gold medal winning tradition continues to run in the Iginla family, like his father Jarome, Tij carries a gold medal for Team Canada.