WATCH: Jack Nesbitt throws shade at Penguins, instantly wins over Philly

Drew Smith
June 28, 2025
Flyers
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Hey Jack Nesbitt, want to win over Flyers fans on draft night? Easy. Just take a jab at the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Flyers selected winger Porter Martone with the 6th overall pick in Friday’s NHL Draft—an absolute slam dunk of a pick according to pretty much everyone.

Things got a little more chaotic later in the night when GM Danny Brière decided he wasn’t done yet. The Flyers packaged picks 22 and 31 to move up to No. 12 and grab 6’5″ center Jack Nesbitt.

Flyers take Porter Malone and Jack Nesbitt in Round 1 of the NHL Draft

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A post shared by The Liberty Line (@libertylinephl)

That move raised some eyebrows. Most mocks had Nesbitt going in the 20s, and there was plenty of buzz that Philly could’ve just stayed put and landed him anyway. But none of that matters now, because Jack Nesbitt came out swinging in his first official moment as a Flyer—and he hit his target straight in the black-and-gold logo.

Nesbitt dropped a subtle-but-not-so-subtle shot at the Penguins during his post-pick media availability. Flyers Twitter lit up immediately.

It didn’t even matter what his Corsi numbers or skating stride looked like. The kid already passed the first and most important test of playing in Philadelphia, which is obviously acknowledging hate for the city of Pittsburgh.

Jack Nesbitt: “Philadelphia is the better Pennsylvania team out of them and Pittsburgh.”

.@NHLFlyers first round pick Jack Nesbitt: “Philadelphia is the better Pennsylvania team out of them and Pittsburgh.” #LetsGoFlyers #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/DwUQfSxG8B
— Snow The Goalie: A Flyers Podcast (@SnowTheGoalie) June 28, 2025

“I wasn’t really expecting to go that early,” Nesbitt said, adding that the Flyers had been in touch, but nothing felt guaranteed. Now he’s in orange and black, and he’s wasting no time giving the fan base something to rally around.

Flyers fans might’ve been skeptical of the trade-up at first, but if Jack Nesbitt is going to throw shade at the Penguins before he even laces up his skates at the ~~Wells Fargo Center~~ Xfinity Mobile Arena, he’s already halfway to a standing ovation.