With the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers have selected Oliver Bonk from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
About Oliver Bonk
While the 2023 NHL Draft is loaded with top-end offensive talent, on defense things are a bit more sparse. Outside of the top one or two defensemen, things are seen as more of a tossup, which has allowed a player like Oliver Bonk to sneak into the first-round discussion.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
This is not to say that Bonk wasn’t deserving of his first-round selection; however, as he has one of the best NHL-caliber toolkits for a defenseman at the 2023 Draft. While he doesn’t excel at any one thing, he has solid skating, great defensive instincts, and a strong offensive game plan that allows him to play anywhere on the ice effectively.
Bonk has been a riser this season for a reason. He has the toolkit of an NHL defenseman, which makes him highly appealing for any franchise looking to make a “safe” bet at the draft.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“Oliver Bonk, son of long-time NHLer Radek Bonk, has been developing as one of the top two-way defenders of his draft class. Projected to go in the late first round, plenty of teams will have their eye on the mobile, defensively sound Ottawa native. His play in all areas of the ice show confidence in his own skills. His best plays begin in the defensive zone, starting with puck retrieval in board battles. While he isn’t a behemoth, he uses his 6-foot-1 frame well and plays a physical game. Once the puck is on his stick, it doesn’t take long for him to make a crisp transition pass or skate the puck out on his own.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft Guide
“While his point production wasn’t record-breaking, his 40 points just begins to scratch the surface of his true offensive potential. He makes smart passes and has a strong shot from the blue line, but during the aforementioned transitions, he sets up a lot of plays that he doesn’t necessarily get credit for on the scoresheet. He plays a game similar to Jared Spurgeon, but of course with the difference being in their size.
“While speed isn’t his strongest suit, Bonk is able to use strong edgework and his great stick-checking abilities to shut down offensive rushes coming his way. He was a minute-eating defenseman who was trusted in all situations of play this season. The future is bright for Bonk as he will continue to develop his skillset which is already reaching a high level. The expectation would be that he would return to the London Knights for the 2023-24 season, but with a player such as him, he could earn a trial run out of training camp depending on who he is drafted by.
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Flyers’ Plans
As a minute-munching defenseman for the London Knights throughout the 2022-23 season, Bonk is already showcasing that he has an NHL skillset, even if he isn’t quite ready for primetime yet. He is the type of player that could step into a bottom-pairing role if the Flyers were desperate, but it would be far better for him to have at least one more season with the Knights before attempting to take on NHL ice time.
If he is able to continue developing physically alongside his on-ice skillset, Bonk should make it to the NHL for Philadelphia in a short time. Now, it’s difficult to tell just where his ceiling is, but he strikes me as a player who will comfortably slot into a role in their top four, taking on 20-plus minutes each night while quarterbacking the second power-play unit down.
This will take time, of course, but the Flyers can afford to be patient and let Bonk develop into the player they believe he can be. They have no need to rush him into the lineup, which bodes well for both player and the franchise, and makes this pick even better.