Up next in 10
Jack Nesbitt may have boom-or-bust potential for the Philadelphia Flyers, as the center prospect makes the jump from the OHL to the NCAA at Michigan this season.
Ryan Gilbert, Steve Jacot, and Jacob Russell discuss Nesbitt's game as they continue the Flyers Top 25 Under 25 at Broad Street Hockey for Summer 2026.
#nhl #hockey #flyers #letsgoflyers #philadelphia #sports #philadelphiaflyers
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0:00
Hello and welcome back to Broad Street Hockey as we continue the 25, under 25 here of summer
0:07
2026, getting into the top 11. We have three centers. We are recording today, you know, talking about Jack Nesbitt, Jack Luchenko and Jack Berglund
0:15
And we talk about all three of them, but three separate videos for these three guys, starting
0:20
with Jack Nesbitt. I am Ryan Gilbert, joined by two guys I would love to trade up for, Steve Jaco and Jacob Russell
0:27
How are we doing today, guys? Oh, buddy. I mean, I've already talked a bunch of hockey today
0:32
and I'm excited to talk some more. Let's get it to it. I feel like if you trade up for me, I feel like you're getting a low
0:41
I think I said this in the last one. Low ceiling, high floor, though. High floor
0:45
Like, it's like when you take Cam York ahead of Caulfield. Like, it's not the worst thing in the world
0:52
Like, you're getting a solid asset, but, you know. It's a safe pick
0:57
You always wonder what the other one could have been. Anyways. Oh, no, bud. I think you're giving yourself not a good idea
1:03
I know. I know. Listen. Me, though, that's a huge mistake to trade up for
1:07
You don't want to do that. No way. No, no. And Jack Nesbitt is kind of like a low ceiling, high floor
1:13
which is bad for a tall guy like Nesbitt. Six foot five, having a low ceiling
1:17
He's got to be ducking his head left and right there. You know all about that
1:22
I know all about that. That is awful. Top of the show, make sure you check out the Top 25 Under 25 playlist
1:27
on the Broad Street Hockey YouTube channel. Give the video a like, give the playlist a like, comment
1:32
let us know what you think about these guys. Also, subscribe to the podcast feed wherever you get your podcasts
1:38
And, of course, thanks to FanDuel for sponsoring the show here along the way
1:42
And, yeah, Jack Nesbitt here comes in at 11 at our 25 under 25
1:47
He was ranked as high as 8 and 9 and as low as 17
1:52
There was one 17, and the second lowest was 13. So he's in this, you know, eight to 12 range for most people
2:00
Six foot four or six foot five, depending on you looking at elite prospects or the Flyers development camp roster
2:06
Flyers traded up for him to take him 12th overall in the 2025 draft
2:10
And he is committed to Michigan for this next season after spending 55 games, 58 points with Windsor this past season
2:18
I mean, we kind of summed it up like high, high, high enough floor with a low ceiling for Nesbitt
2:24
or do we think his floor might not even be that high? I don't know about his floor right now
2:29
because when I think about Nesbitt, I think about the reaction to him getting drafted
2:34
at the Broad Street Hockey and PHLY draft party where we were all riding high on Porter Martone
2:41
We were all just super thrilled about Porter Martone. And then Flyers moved up
2:47
Okay, people are excited. I think Joe DiMarini was like, oh, is it going to be Eklund
2:51
Or like, you know, there were exciting players that they could have moved up and gotten
2:55
And then they announced Jack Nesbitt and the mood completely soured at the entire party
3:02
And I don't really know if that's fair or not for Nesbitt
3:07
There were rumors that like the Red Wings were going to get him and stuff like that. The Flyers wanted a big center
3:12
They moved up and got a big center. I do get annoyed by the people with the false equivalency
3:17
that the Flyers went ahead and like traded two picks for him. No, they traded
3:22
They swapped spots for one pick and they gave up one pick to move up and get him
3:27
So they only really gave up one pick to go and get him. But it's still a big deal to give up a first for an asset like that, even if it is a late first
3:34
So going out and getting Nesbitt, big controversy because people don't really know if he's going
3:40
to be any damn good. And the biggest thing about him is that he is, in fact, big
3:45
Although, as you noted here, Gilbs, it is debatable on exactly how big he is right now
3:51
Is he six, four, or is he six, five? He's near 200 pounds
3:56
I'd like to see him put some weight on. I'd like to see him truly be a big damn boy
4:00
If he's going to be our big boy center over there. And he's a guy that this is, you know, you could argue that two of the guys that we're
4:08
talking about in this block here are Danny Breer's two biggest mistakes as Flyers GM
4:13
as far as drafting spots in Jack Nesbitt. And we'll talk about him, but Jet Luchenko and Nesbitt's got a lot of work before he
4:21
can really prove the haters and the losers wrong like us. So will he get there? I really don't know
4:26
I don't know what his floor is. I think his floor might not even be in the NHL, frankly, based on
4:31
the people I've heard talking trash on him. But, you know, I'm looking at his elite prospects
4:36
He says that he brings a six foot four frame. There you go. Defensive abilities and sense he
4:42
generates chances by breaking plays on the forecheck with precise stick work and by engaging
4:46
players with his body, bouncing them off the puck. So there are some things to like based on that
4:50
description but everything i've heard he needs some skating work he just needs overall work and
4:56
it feels like he needs to grow into his frame even more this is going to be a big big year for him
5:01
with michigan yeah and and like you said steve he's going to michigan now but with windsor
5:07
it's funny he he does play a game that i can see translating to the nhl level he's huge he does use
5:15
his size. He parks himself in front of the net. God knows
5:19
that the Flyers have looked for a net front guy for quite a while. So, I mean, I think
5:23
in that sort of realm he has the requisite hands I seen him score goals that are actually really really nice um the problem just is like is that next level really there is he going to be a guy who plays
5:40
in the top six of an nhl lineup i just don't think he is unless he's a winger and and he's
5:45
just crash bang kind of you know but but with decent enough hands decent enough skill set to
5:51
be able to score when you play him with good players. I'm not sure if he's got the offensive
5:55
toolkit right now at the OHL level, which is a hell of a lot far away from the NHL level
6:04
to really be a contributor, someone who gets 50, 60, 70 points, because there's still so much to
6:14
do there. There's a lot of his game that needs to be rounded out offensively. But otherwise
6:18
I think he is very physical. I think he is a good checking forward. And that's why I say that
6:24
his floor is high just because I can see him being a fourth line center. It's just one of
6:29
those things where you don't want him to be a fourth line center. You don't need guys
6:35
We talk about everyone they have hanging around, the Ruonans of the world, the two guys we have
6:40
on this list. Noah Cates is probably the best version of a third line center the team's had
6:46
him quite a while right um if he's just allowed to be there um it's it's funny with nesbitt i just
6:53
don't when he was drafted i didn't really see it that much but i've i've actually grown to like him
7:00
a tad bit more i can see what he can bring i just don't know if it's ever going to live up to his
7:07
his draft billing and and like you said i think there were teams he would have went in the top 20
7:11
I think there are teams that wanted to take him. He does have the hockey sense
7:15
He does have decent enough defensive work rate to play at the higher level
7:23
It's just, you know, if he goes to Michigan and puts up a bunch of points
7:27
then maybe you can start to look at him and say, hey, maybe something has started to click here
7:32
But as it stands, the offensive game just isn't really where it needs to be consistently enough
7:38
And that was on a team where you're playing with Liam Greentree. you're playing with Ethan Bellshedz. Like these are
7:42
these are players like they're good. They're good players last year with Windsor. So
7:46
and when you draft a guy at 12, there is a certain expectation that comes with that
7:50
that he's not just going to be a fourth line player. Cause you can always get fourth line centers
7:55
You know, this is not exactly a thing that's really hard to go out and get Chuck Fletcher
8:00
who notably said that the job is hard at being an NHL GM in 2019
8:05
2020, the last time the flyers were like really good and considered a contender
8:10
what does he do at the trade deadline he gets two fourth line centers because he sucks
8:14
what a just chump that guy was but you know you can get guys like nate thompson out there right
8:20
like nate thompson was one of his big gets at the trade deadline who's a fine fourth line center
8:25
no he's not no he's not nate thompson was the bane of my existence during the during the bubble
8:31
playoffs there i did not like it often no it's not the guy you get out for a contender at the
8:35
trade deadline absolutely not but nate you can get nate thompson's you can get derrick grants you
8:40
can get i'm trying to think who was the guy that they got all achari for this and then who was our
8:47
buddy at the end of last season luke glendening how did i forget because he's so forgettable but
8:53
luke glend you can get guys like this right like you can find players like this you want guys that
9:00
are going to be third or second line players and i think really out of this group of centers for
9:05
this to be considered a success for danny briere one of these guys is going to have to be a second
9:10
or third line player i think i think nesbitt could be that though i think it's a little bit
9:14
disrespectful comparing nesbitt to nate thompson and derrick grant and no no i'm not comparing him
9:20
to that but i'm saying if his if he's a fourth line player yes those guys are fourth line players
9:25
I really need Jack Nesbitt to be a third or up because I think he's got the frame for it
9:32
It sounds like he's got the hockey sense. But again, getting that offensive work to where it needs to be
9:38
And we also need people to keep up with these wingers because we have seen the limitations
9:43
of having Matthew Mischoff play with subpar offensive centers. We've seen the limitations of Travis Connecty playing with those kind of guys
9:51
You know, you have really talented guys at the wing. you need guys to compliment them in the middle
9:56
Yeah, and I think Nesbitt can be, though. I think Nesbitt should be
10:01
The most likely outcome is a middle six center. It might only be third line, maybe a decent second line
10:07
with good wingers that the Flyers have, but there's no real negatives to his game
10:12
With a big guy, he finally relearned how to tie his skates
10:16
at development camp last year, skipping, missing an eyelet. He could get better skating there
10:24
I don't do the top. Keep finding these guys. I don't do the top islet. Was it just the top islet
10:28
I didn't see the story. I don't know if it was the top one, but a little trick to miss one of the islets
10:31
to tie up my laces, and it's definitely helped a lot. I swear to God. So he's purposefully missing the islet
10:38
Yes, missed one of the islets. Riley Armstrong told him that trick there
10:42
Yeah, you got this. I swear to God, the last 10 years of Flyers hockey is just teaching guys how to skate
10:46
Well, and getting the right skate size for Jack Berland, who we'll talk about later today
10:52
But yeah, like Jack Nesbitt, Craig Budden had him going to the Flyers at 22 So having to trade up to 12 is an issue especially if he does top out as a fourth line center if you wasted two picks not three four or one extra pick to get to get a fourth line
11:08
a fourth line center but at the same time he's going to hold value around the league he was
11:16
somebody that the blues asked for for a robert thomas trade reportedly like he's going to be
11:20
somebody that i could see the flyers trading in a package for a 1c or a 2c down the road oh for sure
11:28
he's good to have in the pipeline and going to michigan now michigan is pretty much like a
11:34
semi-pro team they have late dupont's going there i was looking at this roster they got a bunch of
11:39
nhl drafted players insane it's crazy some of these they got dupont michael hage will horcoff
11:46
jp hurlbert cole mckinney henry muse nesbitt aiden park like these guys drew shock malcolm
11:54
spence adam valentini their goalies ivan kovic these guys are all nhl players in the future
12:01
and i love maybe a couple of them oh and cameron reed i forgot cameron reed sorry cameron reed
12:05
no and i love that for him i love having that level of talent around him and i also really
12:11
like the competitive nature of what college hockey has turned into in recent years. Part of what
12:16
benefited Martone so much last year was going to Michigan State, getting into that weight program
12:22
and just working out with all those NHL caliber and playing against all those NHL caliber
12:27
type prospects. I think this is a really good thing for him. This is a guy I'm being hard on
12:33
but I really want him to work out because this is the kind of player the Flyers need. If he can be
12:38
at 2c that's a huge win for danny brea right there because you do need players like this and he could
12:44
be hard to play against but let's see how it is right because like i do like the size i do like
12:49
a lot of the intangibles with this guy and i like he does seem like a smart hockey player so if he
12:54
works out this is a really big win for the flyers but this is i think maybe the biggest what if of
13:00
this pack of centers right here yeah and it's going to be interesting to see if he's able to
13:05
make Team Canada for the World Juniors here as a 19 now. Yeah, 19, going to be 20
13:11
in January. He didn't make the roster last year as a 12th overall pick, which
13:15
kind of sucks. You know, Canada is stacked at forward, but played at the Summer Showcase, was named player of the game
13:21
in one of their games there. So we could see him play for
13:25
Team Canada this winter as probably a bottom six center. Yeah, I think there's definitely a case
13:31
that he should be on the team if not just in that role. But if he gets going with Michigan, I mean, it's kind of going to be a two-headed monster
13:42
Well, not a two-headed monster. Double-edged sword is kind of the more apt ogy
13:47
But with all those guys that I just mentioned, real top, top prospect players
13:54
I mean, first, second round picks. I think every guy I mentioned, maybe besides Muse, who's going to be injured anyways
14:00
I think they're all first or second round picks. and while that's good to play around nesbit it is going to be interesting to see if he enters a
14:08
mode where he's kind of already playing down the lineup like it's not i don't think it's embarrassing
14:13
or or or a detriment to him if he starts as the third line center because like where do you put
14:18
some of these guys um guys who are returning even you know the valentini's of the world the
14:23
the uh the michael hages of the world as long as he's there um yeah it's it's gonna be weird but
14:31
if he starts hot and and he is able to play well with whatever line mates he's put alongside i think
14:39
yeah he's going to be on the world junior team and he has a chance to rack up some points he has a
14:43
chance to really actually turn his offensive game into something more if he can really find find a
14:49
role and and find a groove in a league where i think his his size will suit him it'll help him a
14:56
lot yeah 25 goals each of the past two seasons at Windsor uh the season before last he did a play
15:02
on the under 18 team uh two goals five points in six games for them so he can put the puck in the
15:08
net he's a big body it's just a matter of if he's able to you know you do be better than that against
15:14
top players in college and then maybe turning pro what do we think is next for Nesbitt do we think
15:20
he might turn pro the end of this season join the phantoms we think it's going to be more of a
15:25
situation where maybe he goes two years at Michigan what do we think would be most likely
15:29
I'm kind of inclined to think maybe a second season at Michigan but I could see him see him
15:37
joining the Phantoms what's interesting about the Phantoms and this is a guy we will be talking about
15:41
on a video shortly but Jack Berglund it looked like he was going to come over and he went back
15:47
to Sweden so you know there I think there's space on the Phantoms if he does want to join up in the
15:53
next year or two but yeah i'm not sure what is best for his development at this point but uh
15:58
i think maybe like working on his game at the college level might be best but it really is a
16:04
coin flip yeah i i think it all kind of comes down to what he does this season with michigan
16:11
like if he has a really good year with michigan and puts on some weight coming into the season
16:15
yeah i think he's ready for the ahl i think he could definitely uh you know play there you saw
16:21
Oliver Bonk play there last year. Guys like that. So I think he definitely physically ready It just a matter of if he can keep up with the offensive game at that level um yeah if he shows us a jump in that department this year uh with michigan i
16:39
think you can have the conversation but right now i think it makes more sense for him to go back for
16:43
a second season if he just continues kind of on the path that he's on right now he's got the skill
16:49
there like if he can wrangle it all together and polish it up i think he's got enough to be maybe a
16:56
second line center you know second third line center or maybe a really good third line center
17:00
which is honestly not the worst case scenario right for a guy in that spot um and i think even
17:07
if he doesn't stick at center in the nhl i think there's honestly a really interesting
17:12
career arc of him as a power winger, a power forward. Just hard in the corners, hard nose. He kind of
17:22
abandons a bit of that defensive... It takes a lot of effort to play center defensively. It does. You can just
17:31
become a raging bull out there. Let it all loose on the
17:35
four check and become hectic. I think there's something to be said there
17:39
Maybe even get to see that at Michigan. They're going to have a bunch of centers. interesting
17:46
Steve, you are muted, unless you're just trying to mouth words very nicely there
17:50
I thought I was losing my mind. We got it figured out. That's all good
17:55
But we saw that with Trevor Segrist this year, right? Where Trevor Segrist, when he was at wing
17:59
he was sicko mode on offense. He was just one of the best players on the ice
18:03
And then at center, really good, but just not the same offensive player that he is when he's at the wing
18:09
so there there is a trade-off there for you know to be sure and maybe he could be like a loss and
18:15
kraus type player or something like that if he goes over to the wing but the flyers really do
18:21
need him to work out at center if they possibly get yeah it definitely depends how michigan his
18:26
season of michigan goes to see what he does next year and i know there was some hope that he would
18:30
be the 19 year old exception for the phantoms this year and that's like oh i want to see my
18:35
prospects now but it definitely makes sense developmentally for him to go to college for a
18:40
year where he is playing against older players and skilled players and all of that good stuff
18:45
uh before we close this out here nesbitt definitely deserves to be the third out of him
18:51
luchenko and bergland right i think right now but again this is a big year this is a big year for
18:57
all those guys but i think especially for nesbitt and luchenko nesbitt i think has the most approved
19:04
of the bunch here. Luchenko has a really fascinating year because he has to prove
19:10
himself offensively. I think Luchenko is one of those guys, and we'll talk about him in a minute
19:14
but Luchenko is one of those guys that has at least shown that he has good hockey sense that
19:19
can play a two-way game. Well, at least the defensive part of the two-way, but I think
19:24
Nesbitt has to prove more of what type of player he is and also to justify that draft pick and the
19:31
move up for him because there is a big difference between moving up for a guy and moving back and
19:36
selecting a guy like you did with luchenko versus nesbitt yeah i uh i think it's probably nesbitt
19:45
and third right now i could see him and luchenko flipping but i think bergland's just done too much
19:52
he's looked too good with the swedish team and we'll save that for later but yeah he's just looked
19:57
too good uh he's popped too many times um to not be front of the line here and and and as but you
20:05
know i think he's still got a chance i think there's still definitely a chance if he goes out to michigan has 30 40 something points kind of out of nowhere you're talking about a guy now
20:14
who is in a whole different level of um just a whole different level of prospect capital for
20:22
trades and stuff like that if you did want to let him go um and and i think he's got a chance to to
20:28
put up some gaudy numbers just with who he's playing with as long as everything goes right so
20:32
we'll have to see i i think they're they like him i think there's still like a an attachment to
20:38
nesbitt i don't think he's going to be out of the out the door immediately unless it's you know in
20:43
one of the big trade whenever that comes like the the actual moment that changes everything
20:50
if that actually comes to pass. So I think for right now, Nesbitt comes last out of those three
20:56
but I think he's got a chance to maybe catch Luchanko by the end of the year, honestly
21:00
Yeah, I am very much in agreement with everything you said, Jacob
21:04
Yeah, I had Nesbitt slightly ahead of Berglund in my rankings. Nesbitt 10, Grabenkin 11, and Berglund 12
21:11
Just because I think people look at Nesbitt and Berglund's draft position
21:16
and have higher expectations for Nesbitt that he hasn't met yet. and Berglund's kind of over-exceeding expectations so far
21:23
now that he has the correct size skates. But they're very close
21:27
You can easily see both of these guys taking a step forward this year
21:31
And yeah, if Nesbitt goes point per game at Michigan, we could be talking about, all right, third line center on the Flyers next year
21:37
Let's see if he can replace Cates or whoever there. So yeah, a big season ahead for Jack Nesbitt
21:43
Make sure you check out our other videos on Luchenko and Berglund in the rest of the 25 Under 25 playlist
21:50
Like the videos, comment, subscribe. Once again, thanks to Thandl for sponsoring the show
21:55
and read and subscribe at broadstreethockey.com
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