From fan to Flyer: Brek Liske fulfills NHL Draft dream

Published 10:20 am Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Brek Liske was going in blind.

Entering the second day of the 2026 NHL Draft on June 27, the Everett Silvertips defenseman knew he would most likely be selected somewhere in the second round. However, even after his conversations with different teams at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo a few weeks prior, he did not have a sense of which one felt strongest about him.

“That’s always how it goes, talking to (Silvertips teammates Tarin) Smith and (Carter) Bear and other guys that had been drafted previously,” Liske told The Herald over the phone. “It’s always the team you never expect, so I kind of knew that going into it.”

Surrounded by friends and family at a cabin in Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, Liske watched 20 picks go by in the second round, including Silvertips teammate Matias Vanhanen (37th overall to New Jersey). Finally, his agent, Jarrett Bousquet, called him. Not only was Liske’s NHL Draft dream coming true, but it would be with the same team he rooted for growing up: The Philadelphia Flyers, who selected Liske with the 53rd overall pick.

For a moment, Liske got to take in the news by himself. He managed to pick up the phone call without anyone noticing, and in that brief moment, only Liske, Bousquet and the Flyers knew. Liske made sure his father, Lonnie, would be the next one. After all, it was Lonnie who first embraced the Flyers fandom before passing it down to the next generation.

“I just kind of like turned around and smiled at my dad because he’s obviously a big Flyers fan,” Liske said. “And yeah, they made the announcement, and then it was kind of a blur from there.”

In his call with Philadelphia media later that day, Liske expressed that Lonnie was probably more excited about the landing spot than he was. Photos quickly made the rounds on social media of a younger Liske decked out in Flyers gear over the years. One picture included Liske standing next to an orange Jeep with a Flyers-themed spare tire cover and a Manitoba license plate that read ‘PHILLY.’ The Flyers even brought up Liske’s fandom during the combine interview.

Liske, a Beausejour, Manitoba native, said that Lonnie can’t remember exactly when he chose the Flyers as his team, but neither will forget the moment the Flyers chose Liske.

According to Philadelphia’s assistant general manager Brent Flahr, the organization had plenty of reasons to select him.

“I think his strengths are his puck game, obviously the way he sees it,” Flahr told reporters at Development Camp in Philadelphia on July 3. “He’s mobile. He’s very confident, swagger. You watch his reads when he goes back for a puck, a lot of times you have to teach defensemen how to do that. His ability to go back under pressure, sort it, make the play is a skill and something that’s innate.”

The Flyers got a closer look at Liske after the Silvertips acquired one of their other prospects, defenseman Luke Vlooswyk, near the WHL Trade Deadline in January. Liske and Vlooswyk ended up paired with each other for the remainder of the regular season, but it was not until Everett thrust Liske onto the top pair alongside Landon DuPont in the playoffs that his stock took off.

Following Silvertips captain Tarin Smith’s season-ending injury in the first round, Liske took his place in the lineup. Rather than shrivel under the spotlight of a bigger role, Liske embraced it. After totaling 24 points in 52 games during the regular season (0.46 points per game), Liske scored 17 points in 18 games (0.94) during the WHL Playoffs, which ranked fifth on the team and tied for fourth among all defensemen.

“(Liske) really stepped in when Tarin Smith got hurt, and (he) probably made a bit of a statement to some of the NHL scouts that maybe had some doubt,” Silvertips general manager Mike Fraser told The Herald in the days leading up to the draft. “That’s a testament to him to be able to come in and handle that workload and play against teams’ other two best players and produce as well, and I think he’s just kind of scratching the surface there on his offense.”

Not only did Liske prove he could excel in a larger role, he did it while playing on his off side. The right-shot defenseman spent the majority of the playoffs to DuPont’s left, which forced him to work on his backhand and learn how to place the puck better. DuPont had a front-row seat, and the top prospect for the 2027 Draft praised Liske’s reliability and consistency.

“He brings it every game, and you know what you’re going to get from him,” DuPont told The Herald in June following his commitment to the University of Michigan for the upcoming season. “I know when he’s on the ice, and he could be on the ice with anyone and I’d still be confident that we’re not going to get scored on. That’s how ‘shutdown’ he is, but also in the offensive zone, he can do everything at such a high level.”

Liske had an immediate opportunity to showcase those skills for his new organization, joining the rest of the Flyers prospects at Philadelphia’s Development Camp from June 29-July 3. After spending a few hours celebrating his selection in Lac du Bonnet, Liske had to pack up for a 6 a.m. flight out of Winnipeg the following morning. Upon landing in Philadelphia, Liske dropped his stuff at the Flyers’ facility before checking in to his hotel, where he met a handful of the other prospects.

In a span of nearly 36 hours, Liske went from hearing his name called to wearing an official Flyers jersey on the ice.

“It was unbelievable,” Liske said. “Honestly no way to describe it. When I was younger, and every kid who plays hockey imagines playing in the Stanley Cup Final. … When I did it when I was younger, my team was the Flyers, right? So I’d imagine it was Philly. I’d imagine I was playing on the Flyers, so that’s kind of the coolest thing, is that it’s kind of everything I dreamed about playing with the Flyers.”

Of course, Liske will not be playing in Philadelphia just yet. After he competes in the World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, Ontario from July 26-Aug. 1, Liske will be back in a Silvertips uniform this fall. Following the departures of Smith and DuPont, he returns as the team’s top defenseman, likely on a pair with Vlooswyk again. Liske had opportunities with college hockey programs on the table, but he felt it was important to return to the WHL as he looks to build off his playoff performance this spring.

The Flyers fully supported that decision.

“His offensive game has been there, but he didn’t get an opportunity,” Flahr told reporters in Philadelphia. “He took advantage late in the year, but I think when you talk to him, he has a lot of colleges that want to bring him in right now. He wants to play one more year of junior so that offensive side of his game can flourish. He can go into college next year and just be more ready.”

In addition to honing his offensive skills in a larger role, Liske is motivated to maintain Everett’s success as the team defends its first-ever WHL Championship.

“I want to further my game, maybe more the offensive side of my game, but things I want to kind of do when I come back that makes sense is kind of keep the same culture,” Liske said. “Coming back for my third year (in Everett). It’s been unbelievable my first two years, so I’d like to kind of keep it the same because I think it’s a winning culture and it’s super fun to be around.”