The Philadelphia Flyers made Jett Luchanko the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft back in June. It was a bit of a surprising pick at the time considering the options on the board. However, general manager Daniel Briere and head coach John Tortorella liked what they saw in him during his junior days. And it appears he has made another massive impression in training camp.

Shockingly, the Flyers announced Luchanko as part of the team's opening night roster. Philadelphia opens its season on Friday against the Vancouver Canucks. If he suits up, Luchanko will become the youngest player in franchise history. Tortorella and Briere spoke a bit about why the 18-year-old made the team out of camp.

“As I (said) the other day, you could see his maturity right away,” Tortorella said on Monday, via The Athletic. “Where he is right now he deserves through his play, and just how he’s handled himself.”

Briere, meanwhile, spoke about Luchanko's speed, comparing him favorably to elite skaters in the NHL. However, it wasn't speed alone that factored into this decision. The Flyers general manager went further with his analysis on Monday.

“You start watching him play, and it’s just all the little details in his game, the way he supports everybody, makes players around him better,” Briere added, via The Athletic. “Especially defensively, in the neutral zone, always in good position. And offensively just supporting his teammates, keeping plays alive.”

What Jett Luchako brings to Flyers roster

Philadelphia Flyers center Jett Luchanko (17) during the second period against the New York Islanders at Wells Fargo Center.
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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Jett Luchanko is certainly a skilled player. And he does have upside that could see him become an impactful NHLer down the line. However, the decision to carry the 18-year-old forward is rather surprising. Luchanko scored two points throughout the preseason. Both points were assists and they came in the team's first preseason game.

However, there may be some method to this decision. Philadelphia desires more speed, especially down the middle of the ice. As mentioned, the Flyers like the speed Luchanko brings to the team. His speed could be a valuable asset down the stretch if he remains on the roster.

John Tortorella also mentioned his speed on Monday. “Speed up the middle is so important in our league, and he has it. How he sees the game, how he sees the play away from the puck, has given him the opportunity to still be playing (with the Flyers),” the Flyers coach said, via The Athletic.

Luchanko is playing on his entry-level contract. He can play up to nine games before his entry level contract kicks in. If this happens, he can no longer return to junior hockey. However, Philadelphia can send him back to junior if he has not played nine games. At this time, though, a decision has not been made about how long he will be on the roster.

“I get that there’s different rules with him. Everybody’s going to bring up the nine-game thing,” Briere said, via The Athletic. “There’s no decisions made on that one way or the other. It’s going to be on a daily basis, just like everybody else.”