In June of 2019, Chuck Fletcher found himself with some big shoes to fill as he took on his first draft with the Flyers. Being the first successor to known drafting guru and former General Manager, Ron Hextall, Fletcher knew he had high expectations to meet. Hextall restocked the Flyers’ farm system with a plentiful group of talented prospects and Fletcher did not want to deplete the system. Hextall was infamous for finding the hidden gems amongst the draft class and it appears Fletcher borrowed a page from Hextall’s book when he selected defenseman Mason Millman in the fourth round.
Millman is a great skater with excellent stick-handling capabilities. His ability to remain calm and poised helps him stand out amongst other prospects. His passing is sharp and he has a keen ability to hit the net, but can improve on the power behind his shot. As the league continues to transition a faster game, a quick defenseman like Millman could be everything the Flyers are looking for.
It’s no secret that the Flyers are stacked with young talent in the pipeline but a big part of their development will be taking advantage of every learning opportunity. Millman recognizes the importance of taking it all in and told Philly Sports Network, “Camps are a great learning experience,” Millman said, “I was one of the youngest kids there. I was just trying to learn off guys like Rob Michel, and wanted to be a big sponge back there.”
Millman was born on July 18, 2001, in London, ON, CAN and he’s been playing hockey for as long as he can remember. He’s more than grateful for everyone who helped him along the way. Millman was sure to credit the people who matter to him the most, “I just want to say thank you to my family. Thanks for taking me to all those 6am practices. Thanks to my sister for cooking my meals, as I can’t cook (Laughing). I love them, I can’t thank them enough.”
Millman continued about Philadelphia, “It’s definitely cool coming from Ontario, and being a Knights fan with all their support. Going to Saginaw, it’s such a small city. There are not many people there. Coming to Philly, it’s very special. For people to have my back from people I never even talked to, it’s very cool and special. I just turned 18-years-old, I can’t thank those people enough for having my back.”
Like most prospects, Millman is taking it day by day and staying true to the way he knows to play: “I just try to play my game,” Millman says.
The Flyers could benefit from a prospect with high hockey IQ, impressive skating abilities, and strong accuracy but he’ll need to put in the work to develop and get more of a look at future camps. Millman is feeling the pressure but he plans to put his best foot forward, “There’s definitely a little bit of pressure,” Millman says, “I just try to play my best day in and day out, and hopefully that takes the pressure off. Just try not to think about ice time or points. Take that as far as I can go.”
Mandatory Photo Credit: Alex Mcintyre
