With the 27th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers have selected massive defenseman Maksim Sokolovskii from the OHL London Knights.
After chatter about moving down in the draft, the Flyers finally did so, acquiring the 27th, 62nd, and 120th overall picks from the Sharks in exchange for their 21st overall pick.
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With the 21st overall pick, the Sharks selected defenseman Ryan Lin.
Sokolovskii, 17, is widely regarded as the meanest, most physical player in the entire 2026 draft class, making him a perfect fit for a Flyers organization looking to get bigger, stronger, younger, and better on defense.
The Kazakh defender is a surprisingly strong skater for his 6-foot-7 size and will never hesitate to throw the body as hard as he can, as often as he can.
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Of course, the Flyers have a deep history with the Knights, having drafted Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk in 2023, and they continue to draft from the OHL.
First-round picks Jett Luchanko (2024) and Jack Nesbitt (2025) also hail from the OHL, and Matvei Michkov is the Flyers’ last first-rounder to come from outside one of the CHL’s best leagues.
Sokolovskii was ranked 22nd overall by EliteProspects, and his physicality was graded an 8.0 out of 9.
“Undeniably the draft’s meanest, most physical player with the potential to become so much more; a high-probability NHLer with top-four upside,” their draft profile summary on Sokolovskii read.
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Sokolovskii will have to improve his puck handling and passing skills, but he has the size, athleticism, and aggression that just can’t be taught.
He is committed to the University of Maine for the 2027-28 season.
