The Flyers 135th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Elliot Desnoyers, has been named to Team Canada’s National Junior selection roster. In what has been some of the darkest days for me personally as a Flyers fan, we finally got a sliver of positive news.

Elliot Desnoyers was drafted in the 5th round in 2020 by GM Chuck Fletcher. The scouting overview on Desnoyers at the time was he already had an extremely solid two-way game, he just needed to pick up his offensive side and show he’s capable of putting up points. Desnoyers plays in the QMJHL, which is already known for being a very offensive-heavy league, so having a two-way game down at a young age is enough for a GM to take a flyer on with the 135th overall pick.

Elliot Desnoyers was then traded from the Moncton Wildcats to the Halifax Mooseheads and didn’t look back. He finished 7th in the QMJHL in points, scoring 21G-28A-49P in 37 games. Desnoyers bursted onto the scene with his new team and showed scouts that he indeed has that offensive side to his game.

His season did end with him suffering a hip injury, ultimately having to get a procedure on it. We saw Elliot Desnoyers get an invite from the Flyers to come skate in Voorhees towards the end of last season, letting him rehab under their close eye. On May 5th, 2021, the Flyers signed Elliot Desnoyers to his ELC, along with Olle Lycksell. Getting an ELC a year after getting drafted, goes to show you the strides this young man has taken in his overall game.

Now, we fast forward to this past offseason. Elliot was skating with the big boys before training camp and even got a pretty nice look in camp for a kid that had ultimately zero shot of making the team. He even got some preseason action and made sure Philadelphia wouldn’t forget his name after he was sent back to his junior club.

In his first taste of NHL action ever, a kid that is definitely not known as a fighter, let loose on a Boston Bruin. That’s how you win this fanbase over.

Look at Elliot Desnoyers battling Moore in front of the net. Give me all of this.

This season, Desnoyers leads the Halifax Mooseheads in points and is currently tied for 5th place in the QMJHL with 14G-20A-34P in 20 games. Chuck Fletcher and his staff wanted to see Elliot go back down and really cement himself as the leader of that hockey team. He’s done just that, and now he’s starting to get gain some national recognition.

Elliot doesn’t have the big name like teammates, Connor Bedard, Kent Johnson, Shane Wright, Cole Perfetti, Mason McTavish, Zach Dean, or Hendrix Lapierre, but he brings a “Swiss army knife” option to Team Canada. He can play in all situations and can play up and down your lineup.

Let’s not forget another player Chuck Fletcher drafted at 135th overall in the 2015 NHL draft. Doesn’t ring a bell? Let me show you.

No, I’m not saying Elliot Desnoyers is the next Kirill Kaprizov, and if you think I am, I hate you. Chuck has just had some good luck when it’s come to finding some pretty good players late in drafts. When you can draft a player that’s been top 5 in his league for the last 2 years, and recently gets selected to a junior team’s roster that’s LOADED with talent, I think you’re doing a pretty good job.

I’m excited to see what Desnoyers does with Team Canada and how he ends his last year in the QMJHL.

Mandatory Credit: Zack Hill - Flyers PR