With the first pick of their 2021 NHL draft class, the Flyers selected winger Samu Tuomaala in the second round at 46th overall on Saturday.
Tuomaala's thunder was stolen by the Flyers' fourth trade in eight days. Just as the pick was announced, the club dealt 10-year Flyer Jakub Voracek to the Blue Jackets.
Tuomaala, a native of Finland, was the 10th-ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting, right behind speedy Swedish winger Fabian Lysell, who was taken at 21st overall by the Bruins on Friday. Tuomaala was the 19th-ranked player in the draft by TSN's Craig Button.
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More: A winger with 'dynamic speed' and a goalie headline Flyers' 2021 draft class
The Flyers drafted the best player available on their board. They grabbed four wingers in 2020.
The 5-foot-10, 179-pound Tuomaala scored 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) through 30 games for Karpat at the junior hockey level in Finland.
"We do feel that this draft in particular, because of the lack of viewings on some players, there could be an opportunity in the second round to land a player with upside that maybe wasn't seen as much," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Friday after trading the club's first-round pick in a package for Rasmus Ristolainen."Our scouts feel pretty strongly that the depth of this draft goes through the third round even."
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