In the seventh round, 199th overall, the Philadelphia Flyers chose Matteo Mann at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
With the seventh-round selection, Daniel Briere hoped to add raw size to a project prospect. Mann fits that mold. He stands at 6’6″ and 229lbs, clogging shooting lanes at RD.
“I talked with them [the Flyers] a few times before the draft and at the combine. I felt like they had pretty high interest in me. It was definitely a team I was keeping my eye on throughout the rounds.”
Matteo Mann; 6/29/2023
On the back end, the roles are wide open, not just for the upcoming season but for the foreseeable future. Currently, the defensive unit is something like:
Most of those names become free agents at the end of 2023-2024, whether unrestricted or restricted. Then, Ronnie Attard, Adam Ginning, Helge Grans, and Emil Andrae are the signed prospects on the cusp of making the NHL lineup. Yet, another couple of expected names ahead of Mann are defensemen who have yet to sign an entry-level contract, such as Oliver Bonk, Carter Sotheran, and Hunter McDonald. Mann has a few layers of competition to go head-to-head with before he recognizes his dream of playing in the NHL.
The final player selected in a professional draft is known as ‘Mr. Irrelevant.’ For the Flyers and their pool of picks, Mann was the team’s ‘Mr. Irrelevant’ at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Mann, at the 2023 Flyers Development Camp, was a sizeable body to compete with. Mann could be a total shot in the dark, a camp body. A seventh-round pick doesn’t have high NHL expectations, but Mann does at least pique curiosity.
Matteo Mann
Mann is a defenseman cut from the same fabric as the ‘Broad Street Bullies.’ He won’t often contribute in the offensive zone because Mann is the anchor on defense.
“I don’t really feel like offense isn’t a part of my game at all; I think it is there. If you watch me play, you see that in my offensive zone time, I do create shots to the net and offensive opportunities. I definitely believe that’s part of my game that’s there, and will continue to develop.”
Matteo Mann; 6/29/2023
Physicality is the name of his game. Mann uses his body to knock skaters out of position and off their feet along the boards and net front. As the anchor on defense, Mann prioritizes positioning. He can disturb offenses with a chilling hit but is best at defending breakouts.
Due to his understanding of defensive positioning and frame, Mann has an extensive reach that’ll help him separate skaters from pucks.
“One of the biggest parts of my game is playing like that. If you look at the teams that are winning right now, in the NHL, it’s teams that can do that; play physical, step up and move pucks. I think that’s what my game is.”
Matteo Mann; 6/29/2023
Commonly, the Flyers feature an abundance of offensive defensemen in the lineup. About half of the 2023-2024 defensive unit consists of offensive defensemen. Mann represents a prototype that doesn’t receive the appropriate attention in Philadelphia. He is perfect for the attitude John Tortorella wants. At his peak, Mann reflects some qualities of a shutdown defenseman but is unmistakeably an enforcer.
“My game is bringing a presence to the ice. I think that’s what I do. Every game I play; bring a presence, make it known for guys coming around the corner that it’s not going to be easy for them. I think that’s why my game’s effective.”
Matteo Mann; 6/29/2023
For his size, Mann possesses credible skating ability. He’ll have to improve at beating skaters to the forecheck and back skating, but all of that usually improves naturally through player development. Once Mann becomes a faster skater, it’ll help alleviate any other issues, such as overcompensating any positioning or stick skills that’ll translate to a penalty.
(AP Photo/George Walker IV)
