Flyers’ Prospect Spencer Gill Could Be a Top-Pairing Defenseman
The Philadelphia Flyers were heavily criticized for their 2024 NHL Draft, mostly because they passed on Zeev Buium. With him soaring up prospect rankings , the doubters’ voices have only grown louder. But some good might be coming out of the class, too. Enter Spencer Gill.
Selected 59th overall, the Flyers might’ve been onto something with the 6-foot-4, 214-pound defenseman. While not a high-end point-scorer, he could be a top-pairing player someday.
Breaking Down Gill’s Game
The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) is known for its dynamic scorers, but Gill was not one last season. In his draft-plus-one campaign, he notched six goals and 29 assists for 35 points, along with a plus-30 rating, across 51 contests. Those totals are just okay.
However, the Flyers didn’t draft Gill to light up the QMJHL. As you might have guessed, he’s physical and can seal off opponents. Though not necessarily an elite shutdown type (not yet, at least), Gill is intelligent and effective in his own zone. With a long stick and an ability to retrieve pucks, his defensive game is inspiring.
But what truly sets Gill apart from other big defensemen is that he’s mobile, an effective puck-mover, and great in transition. The result of all these promising traits has been, from the eye test, completely controlling the pace of play. Gill excelled last season with the Rimouski Océanic due to his efforts in all three zones, both on and off the puck.
Able to support his teammates offensively, there are plenty of intriguing aspects to Gill’s game. He hasn’t gone pro yet, but it’s hard not to ponder and get excited about his ceiling.
Gill’s Upside: Colton Parayko-Esque
After watching a lot of the St. Louis Blues last season, I saw traits in their top defenseman, Colton Parayko, that reminded me of Gill. Of course, this is a best-case scenario outcome. But there are some similarities.
First, for some background. A third-round pick in 2012, Parayko didn’t make his NHL debut until 2015–16. By that point, however, he was already a key player for the Blues. It didn’t take long for him to become a top-four staple, playing north of 20 minutes a night. Averaging 33 points per 82 games in his career, he’s a capable point-scorer despite unspectacular numbers in the NCAA.
Where the 6-foot-6, 228-pounder differentiates himself from other big defensemen is his mobility, puck-carrying ability, and transitional play. Parayko has terrific shutdown numbers, in part because he controls the pace of games.
Aside from being a high-level puck-carrier, which Gill is not, the foundation of Parayko’s game is similar. If Gill hits his ceiling, he could look something like the Blues’ top guy.
What to Expect from Gill in 2025–26
In the offseason, Gill was traded to a different QMJHL club: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. This normally wouldn’t be all that notable, but it could be a big opportunity for him.
Offensively, Blainville-Boisbriand has some star power. Boasting two first-round picks from the 2025 NHL Draft (Justin Carbonneau, Bill Zonnon), there are dependable players to feed pucks to.
Most interestingly, though, is Xavier Villeneuve on the blue line. He’s an incredibly dynamic left-shot defender who is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft—arguably a top-10 talent. A potential partner for Gill, the two can complement each other perfectly and evolve their games as a result. If the Flyers like what they see, Villeneuve could end up being a member of the Orange and Black.
Gill is in a good situation for this upcoming season. It’s a glass-half-full take, but he could show signs of the ultimate ceiling: a top-pairing defenseman. Did general manager Daniel Brière and the Flyers find a steal?
Maple Leafs prospect Jacob Quillan believes he can be a full-time NHL player
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Jacob Quillan hopes that he can make the jump to the NHL on a full-time basis soon.
He was announced to the 2025 Prospect Showdown roster on Tuesday alongside the Leafs’ other top prospects in Easton Cowan, Ben Danford, and Tyler Hopkins among others. Quillan and his fellow Leafs prospects will soon head to Montreal to square off against the Ottawa Senators on September 13 and the Canadiens on September 14.
When asked by reporters what he hopes to get out of the weekend festivities, Quillan simply stated that he wants to keep improving.
“Just take every opportunity I can to get better, try to prove myself, and find a spot on the team,” he said. “I put the work in every day in the gym, on the ice, nutrition stuff like that. So I think I’m looking forward to it this year.”
He is coming off his first pro season in the Leafs organization after joining towards the end of the 2023-24 campaign with the Toronto Marlies. Having spent the majority of this past season in the AHL, he recorded 37 points (18 and 19 assists) in 67 games played while going scoreless in two playoff games.
Quillan also got to make his NHL debut against the Senators on January 25th, though he only registered 5:21 of ice-time after a knee-on-knee collision with Nick Cousins that knocked him out of the game.
“I believe I can. I put the work in every day, so I’m confident in myself and my abilities,” he said on his chances of making it back to the NHL this year. “It kind of made me realize what I’m pushing towards, and it showed me how good those guys are in the NHL. They showed that I have a lot of work to do, so it’s good to get a taste of that.”
He stated that his goals for the upcoming season were to improve his all-around game with an emphasis on playing sound defensively and limiting scoring chances against. Many people in the organization are confident that he can achieve it, as Quillan mentioned that Marlies coach John Gruden told him recently that he hoped not to see him down in the AHL this year.
The focus currently is on having a good showing at the Prospect Showdown while also passing down some wisdom he learned about the pro-lifestyle to his fellow prospects.
“He’s a great player, great playmaker. Looks like he got faster this year a lot,” he said of Cowan. “It’s gonna be fun playing with him and [Borya] Valis out there. They’re two good players, so I’m excited to see what we can do.”
