Philadelphia Flyers 2025 Top 25 Under 25, No. 19: Jack Murtagh

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Philadelphia Flyers 2025 Top 25 Under 25, No. 19: Jack Murtagh

Welcome to Broad Street Hockey’s Summer 2025 Top Under 25! The series is back and with the Philadelphia Flyers focusing so much on the future, it’s more important than ever. Join us as we rank the 25 best players under the age of 25 for the next few weeks.

No. 19: Jack Murtagh (LW)

2024-25 Primary League/Team: U.S. National Development Team (USHL)
2024-25 Statistics: 7 G, 11 A in 24 GP (USHL Juniors); 22 G, 31 A in 56 GP (NTDP U18)
Age as of 9/15/2025: 18 (8/22/2007)
Acquired Via: 2025 NHL Draft – Round 2, Pick 40

The Flyers made four selections in the second round of the 2025 draft: one was covered in the Honorable Mentions, one was ranked 22nd on our list, and now we cover the third of those picks, Jack Murtagh.

It’s easy to get excited about Murtagh’s upside when you consider he’s one of the youngest prospects the Flyers drafted this summer, thus early in his development curve–and he’s already 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds. Going into the draft, Murtagh was a borderline first-round prospect, and few would’ve blinked if he’d been taken late on Day One; that the Flyers got him with the 40th pick early on Day Two could be one of the steals of the draft. Add in that he’s a natural left winger–a position the Flyers lack depth in–and has a nose for the net, and envisioning Murtagh as an impactful NHL player isn’t much of a stretch.

How did Murtagh’s 2024-25 season go? Is his stock trending up or down from where it was entering the year?

As mentioned, Murtagh is on the younger side (three weeks shy of being a 2026 draft-eligible skater) and very early in his development curve, and the end of his season with the U.S. National Team Development Program may’ve only hinted at what’s to come. Elite Prospects called him “a force down the stretch” in their annual draft guide and that, in a down year for the NTDP, Murtagh was a bright spot on an otherwise underwhelming team. He was fourth in goals (22) and points (53) on the U18 team, and ninth in goals (7) and points (18) on the juniors team; not sparkling totals relative to the rest of the USHL, though to be fair, he only had 24 games at that level.

While playing in the USHL, Murtagh finished with the 16th highest points per game, with 0.75, among skaters that played at least 10 games. It’s not the most mind-blowing numbers but considering that five USNTDP teammates ranked above the East Greenbush, NY native, it could be possible that Murtagh just did not have prime offensive opportunities in those games — if only they could provide time-on-ice metrics.

Murtagh plays with drive, speed, physicality, and has a great shot. The only knocks on his game are his hockey sense and “meh” defense, but having better teammates around him next year at the collegiate level may help him improve on the playmaking that he flashed more often late in the 2024-25 season and not make him feel like he has to do everything himself, as it sometimes seemed on the US team. Murtagh’s stock has been on the rise since the fall, and there’s a good chance it keeps rising.

Did we mention he loves scoring goals? He loves scoring goals.

THE SHOT >> the shot #USHL #FallClassic #Hockey #USAHockey #USNTDP pic.twitter.com/lNNvlVIf9Z

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) September 22, 2024

What are we expecting from Murtagh this season? What should we be looking for from him?

Murtagh is headed to the NCAA next year, joining fellow Flyers prospect Carter Amico at Boston University. The Terriers are annual contenders for the championship title, so Murtagh will be in a great environment for his development. We’d like to see the playmaking evolve so that he utilizes his teammates more frequently, and hopefully continue to put pucks in the net at a high rate. He’ll have to earn his ice time in a competitive program like this, but Murtagh’s motor and effort should gain the coaches’ trust and put him in a position to succeed. On the Terriers, Cole Eiserman is the clear choice for first-line left wing, but behind him should be a healthy competition with Murtagh in the mix for line two–though as a freshman, don’t be surprised if he starts on the third line.

Of course, the transition from juniors to university can be a difficult one, so we’re not expecting any sorts of records, but a continuation of his upward trajectory seems within reach. He’ll need to develop his hockey sense and learn to play smart, not just fast, and plenty of prospects with that sort of profile bust, though there are enough secondary elements to his game to believe he’ll have an NHL career regardless. There’s a good chance that, due to his size, Murtagh adjusts quickly, too, and learns to impose himself through his sheer athleticism. Rounding out his so-so defensive game would be gravy.


How does Murtagh fit in the Flyers’ rebuild? Is it likely he’s going to be a part of the next good Flyers team?

A natural left winger in a pool that has very few? Murtagh’s got a great shot at being a part of the Flyers in a few years’ time. He brings size, goal scoring, energy, good vibes, and nascent playmaking ability–all things that a contending NHL team would want in their lineup.

How long until he reaches the NHL is another question entirely. Though the AHL is changing its eligibility rules next summer, and Murtagh could theoretically be the sole 19-year old on the Phantoms, odds are much higher that lone roster spot would go to Jack Nesbitt if we’re going on draft pedigree (and assuming Porter Martone makes the team outright in a year). That means Murtagh is probably about two years away from signing an Entry-Level Contract, though a gangbusters first season in the NCAA could spice things up. Being realistic, Murtagh probably doesn’t get NHL games until the tail end of the 2026-27 season at the earliest, after his NCAA season wraps up, though a Flyers playoff bid could change the math.

The second barrier to Murtagh being part of the next great Flyers team is the sheer depth of wingers: Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov obviously get top billing, but Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, and Owen Tippett pretty much round out the top nine–and that’s before considering all the other winger prospects in the pipeline, or that maybe Trevor Zegras isn’t an NHL center at all. The NHL roster will likely undergo a number of changes in the coming years but, at time of writing, spots on the wings will be at a premium. Murtagh will need to make quite the impression to snag one of those coveted spots.

What do we think Murtagh’s ultimate NHL upside is, and how likely is it that he gets to something approaching that?

Murtagh is one of those rare prospects with an easy projectability to a middle-six role, but the floor of a good NHL player. If everything breaks right in his development, and Murtagh continues to score up levels and adds some more defensive acumen to his game, he’s got a clear path to becoming a hardworking second-line winger with some special teams utility. If we’re tempering expectations, he’s more likely to become a rock solid middle-six option who can pot 15-20 goals per season–though that will require his brain to catch up with his feet. Even if things don’t work out, it’s still easy to see Murtagh being a good fourth liner due to his work ethic, size and skating. Somehow, he’s a low-risk prospect with enough untapped potential to dream on–and dream, we do.

Previously in Philadelphia Flyers Summer 2025 Top 25 Under 25:

• Intro / Honorable Mentions
• 25. Hunter McDonald
• 24. Cole Knuble
• 23. Samu Tuomaala
• 22. Carter Amico
• 21. Helge Grans
• 20. Jack Berglund

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...ects-2025-top-25-under-25-no-19-jack-murtagh/