Jett Luchanko pledges Philadelphia Flyers allegiance after being drafted No. 13 - "Wouldn't want to be selected anywhere else" 

The Philadelphia Flyers selected Jett Luchanko of the Guelph Storm with the No. 13 pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL draft. The OHL star center was excited to be chosen by the Flyers and shared his excitement in a post-draft interview.

When asked about his feelings on being selected by Philadelphia, the young center called it an unbelievable experience. He immediately pledged his allegiance to the team:

“It's unbelievable. It's a great organization, and I wouldn't want to be selected anywhere else. It's an honor,” Luchanko said.

“It was crazy, especially with my family beside me, and having Michael Buffer do the announcement. It was an unbelievable experience, and I'll never forget it,” he added.

He mentioned having positive discussions with the Flyers leading up to the draft, which made him feel they were interested. So their selection wasn’t a complete surprise to the youngster.

When asked if he had been to the city before, Luchanko admitted he hadn’t been to Philly, but had driven through it before and has family living nearby. He expressed enthusiasm about joining a rebuilding team with young talent on the roster.

He also mentioned that he has played against some of the young Flyers players before and is excited to be on the same team as them. When asked if there is a current Flyer he looks up to, Luchanko named Travis Konecny:

“Travis Konecny. He's from a similar area to where I'm from, and I think I play a similar game to him. I've always followed his game closely.”

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Fans react to Flyers drafting 17-year-old Jett Luchanko in Round 1

The Flyers faithful were quick to react online to their first-round pick. While some fans welcomed Jett Luchanko, some voiced their displeasure in the comments.

Following are some fan reactions on X/Twitter:

“Completed screwed that pick up. Congrats. This is why we are directionless and a terrible team. TERRIBLE.”

“Same old Flyers. Let’s take the 200 foot forward instead of the goal scoring prospect,” wrote one user.

“He might well have been there at 32, based on draft rankings. All of that credit DB has earned with the Flyers fan base just got dumped down the toilet,” commented another fan.

Meanwhile, some fans welcomed him with open arms. They lauded the youngster’s game and believed he could bring something good to the lineup:

“Love the pick, super fast, two way forward and one of the youngest players in the draft.”

“Really good on the pp. should play well with michkov on the pp in the future,” commented one user.

“Congrats!!! Welcome to the Philadelphia Flyers Jett Luchanko!!!,” wrote another fan.

Jett Luchanko has earned his fair share of praise from scouts for his speed and agility. While the player is still quite young, it remains to be seen how fast he can adapt to the Flyers' playbook.