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. 11: Alex Bump
2024-25 Primary League/Team: Western Michigan (NCAA) / Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)
2024-25 Statistics: 23 G, 24 A in 42 GP (NCAA) / 3 G, 2 A in 9 GP (AHL)
Age as of 9/15/2025: 21 (11/20/2003)
Acquired Via: 2022 NHL Draft – Round 5, Pick 133
If there’s one prospect whose star is on the rise in the Flyers’ system, it’s Alex Bump. After a sneaky very positive sophomore season on a Western Michigan team which was still flying a little under the radar (relative to some of the more powerhouse programs in college hockey) Bump came into his final collegiate season as an intriguing player to watch, and managed to turn himself into a player you couldn’t look away from.
How did Bump’s 2024-25 season go? Is his stock trending up or down from where it was entering the year?
As we sort of alluded to above, Bump came into this past season with a bit of hype surrounding him already — after all, he finished that second season at Western Michigan producing just shy of a point per game in the most difficult conference in college hockey, and made such an impression on the Flyers’ staff that already at that 2024 Development Camp, Flyers AGM Brent Flahr stated plainly that they view him as an NHL player. It was high praise indeed that he earned, and it certainly put some extra eyes on him heading into this season, and he made sure not to disappoint.
Playing in a top line role for the Broncos, Bump not only managed to increase his production from the level hit in the previous season, but he hit a really notable level of consistency in doing it. Across their regular season, Bump was something of a go-to guy when the team needed offense, and more often than not, he delivered for them, going no longer than three games without registering a point (a cold streak he only hit once back in November, and after that, there were only five games through the rest of the season where he was held off the board entirely). But the postseason is when things cooled off for him, to a degree — when the Broncos hit the NCAA tournament, Bump was shut down (kept off the board but certainly not prevented from creating shots, which he did at a high volume) but all of the extra defensive effort drawn to him opened up some of his teammates nicely, and still allowed them to march their way to their first National Championship win in program history.
From here, Bump opted to go the more strenuous route, declining to sign his entry level contract for the end of the 2024-25 season but for the next, which allowed him to join the Phantoms for the last weekend of their regular season, as well as for their playoff run. And while that postseason time was in some ways a rude awakening for him (more on that later), Bump brought some real flash to his professional hockey debut, and made it clear that he’s ready to at the very least push for a role at the next level with the Flyers. It’s about as successful of a season as he could have hoped to string together, all things considered.
What are we expecting from Bump this season? What should we be looking for from him?
This season, then, is going to be a big one for Bump, and this upcoming training camp is going to be even bigger. The numbers game as far as spots on the NHL squad go make things a little more complicated — particularly as it looks like Tyson Foerster is going to be good to go to start the season after all — but Bump is in a prime position to get a long look through the preseason, and potentially still earn himself a spot on the opening night roster.
But even if this does pan out, we’re still being mindful and measured about our expectations for Bump this season. There’s still some work that needs to go into maturing Bump’s game further, and whether that means a demotion to the AHL at some point to work on it, or some extra grace given while he adjusts on the fly at the NHL level, we’re not expecting the transition to a full time NHL role to be a seamless one. After all, what became most apparent in Bump’s stint with the Phantoms in the spring was that he wasn’t going to be able to get away with the same slippery cuts to the middle for those high danger shots, and he was going to have to work to both get stronger to get around being defended more tightly, and also work to keep from getting frustrated when defenders are hanging on him. He’s not going to have as much time and space to work with, and it’s going to be a process while he figures out how to continue growing and playing a little smarter.
How does Bump fit in the Flyers’ rebuild? Is it likely he’s going to be a part of the next good Flyers team?
As is stands, Bump is in a fight for a spot playing somewhere in the Flyers’ top-6, and while he certainly has a leg up on some of the other prospects in that same tier, it’s a crowded group vying for those spots, between the prospect pool and those already established as contributors at the NHL level. Given the momentum he’s bringing in with him, this isn’t a situation where Bump is at the risk of getting boxed out of a lineup spot for the rest of the foreseeable future if he doesn’t make an impression fast, but it’s also not as though the Flyers are starved for talent and he’ll be able to waltz in and grab a spot with ease. But all of that taken into consideration, while his spot in the organization’s long term plan isn’t a certainty, there’s a lot of value that he can bring with a high-effort, sharpshooting, well-paced game to the whole of what the Flyers are looking to build. This year will be a big one for him as far as carving out a role with the NHL team and their future focused plan, but if he buys in and continues building his game in the right direction, he could well prove that he has some staying power.
What do we think Bump’s ultimate NHL upside is, and how likely is it that he gets to something approaching that?
The good news is that while Bump still has some work to do on his game, it isn’t any major overhauling or targeted growth that needs to be done, it’s more about tinkering with some of the finer points while continuing to build into a more pro-ready frame. Bump is already coming into this camp likely vying for a spot in the Flyers’ middle-6, and that’s about the longer-term role that the Flyers could hope to get from him. This also isn’t a situation where they’ll be looking to introduce him to the NHL game with consistent fourth line minutes and hoping that he can work his way up in the lineup from there, the role that he’ll be introduced into is more or less where they’ll be hoping he can stick. The tools are all there for him to be a useful middle of the lineup winger for the Flyers, and he’s knocking on the door for a spot right there as soon as this season.
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
- 19. Jack Murtagh
- 18. Spencer Gill
- 17. Shane Vansaghi
- 16. Carson Bjarnason
- 15. Nikita Grebenkin
- 14. Jack Nesbitt
- 13. Denver Barkey
- 12. Emil Andrae
Source
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. 10: Yegor Zavragin
2024-25 Primary League/Team: SKA St.Petersburg/HK Sochi (KHL)
2024-25 Statistics: 6 GP, 2.21 GAA, .941 SV% (Sochi)/ 37 GP, 2.55 GAA, .912 SV% (SKA)
Age as of 9/2/2025: 20 (8/23/2005)
Acquired Via: 2023 NHL Draft – Round 3, pick 87
As the Flyers continue to search for the ever-elusive starting goaltender that will secure their future, younger options in the system keep popping up as the most likely options. And despite a contract that will keep him overseas for the next couple of years, Yegor Zavragin’s KHL play has started to get fans excited for his NHL future, even if they have yet to see him play.
How did Zavragin’s 2024-25 season go? Is his stock trending up or down from where it was entering the year?
Zavragin started this past year so hot that he was recalled early from his loan period at HK Sochi, and returned to his parent club at SKA St. Petersburg (sound familiar?), after his first six games. Out of his first six starts, Zavragin faced over 30 shots in five of them, the one exception being a strange start against his former SKA teammates where he was pulled in the middle of the second period after allowing just two goals. He only allowed 12 goals on 204 shots during his brief time in Sochi, good for a sterling .941 save percentage on a team that struggled to limit chances in their own end.
After transitioning to SKA, Zavragin saw his raw numbers take a downturn, but he also saw a downturn in shots against. He saw 40 shots three times with Sochi, and then never again with St. Petersburg. The sheer quantity decreased significantly, but those quality chances still managed to squeak through when defensive breakdowns occurred. And it’s not as if Zavragin was bad, he still held a .912 save percentage throughout the rest of his season, but it just wasn’t the same heights that he hit early on.
Regardless, Zavragin has asserted himself as one of the most intriguing new KHL goaltending prospects to watch, and the fact that he has already made it to the marquee position of starting at one of the best non-NHL teams in the world, while still only being 20 years old, is pretty impressive.
What are we expecting from Zavragin this season? What should we be looking for from him?
Zavragin should be the starting goalie for SKA this season, who will intend to get the most out of their young goaltender’s last year in the KHL. The team actually had a down year last season, but should be back near the top of their respective conference’s standings, if history is anything to go by. The 5 ’10 Artemi Pleshkov and Columbus prospect Sergei Ivanov will be along to try and compete, but they both don’t have the pedigree and numbers of Zavragin, who will look to become one of the best young goaltenders in the league once again.
The world of goaltending is always difficult to parse through, Zavragin could play another season behind a team that doesn’t quite gel, or, he could 20 shots a night and spend most of the game as a spectator, that is the nature of the position. But Zavragin has the talent to be one of the very best goalies in the league, and while it isn’t a guarantee, it’s definitely a possibility. When he is on his game, he can cover every inch of the net with just a simple push of, and with that sort of game saving ability, it will be intriguing to see if he can bottle that potential up for an entire season. If he can? With a seemingly solid squad in front of him, SKA could make some noise once again.
How does Zavragin fit in the Flyers’ rebuild? Is it likely he’s going to be a part of the next good Flyers team?
Whatever young goalie in the Flyers’ system decides to perform at a high level will have a chance to be their #1 goaltender. Samuel Ersson has shown flashes of good play over his young career, but expecting him to become a starting-caliber goalie on a playoff team seems overly-optimistic at this point. However, he should get another crack or two at being the 1A, especially as the roster around him continues to take shape.
By the time Zavragin’s contract at SKA St. Petersburg runs out in 2026-27, the ultimate decision on Ersson’s own future should already be made. Whether it be him moving to a different team or ultimately becoming a stop-gap/backup, Zavragin should be offered a long enough runway to make himself comfortable at the highest level.
In addition, much of the reason why the organization was so open to the idea of Zavragin staying at SKA for his full deal was due to the fact that the 2026-27 expiration of his KHL contract fits near perfectly with their internal timeline. While this year is likely just going to be another fact finding mission, with a new coach getting acclimated and a potential playoff push somewhere along the way, the season after will certainly be one where the competition clock starts ticking.
If Zavragin can translate the majority of what we’ve seen in the KHL to the NHL, he could end up being the most important piece of the puzzle that ends this rebuild once and for all.
What do we think Zavragin’s ultimate NHL upside is, and how likely is it that he gets to something approaching that?
Again, this is a bit easier to square due to Zavragin’s pro experience, it’s easier to project him as opposed to some of the other goaltending prospects that the Flyers have, mostly due to the fact that he is currently playing in a highly competitive professional league. You would think, that even despite his young age, his experience in the KHL would make the transition a little bit smoother, and when he gets here and is ready for full-time duty, he has the potential to not only be a starter, but maybe a top-15, or even top-10, goalie in the NHL.
While the last two KHL imports that the Flyers have had in net may not have panned out very well, Zavragin has always been a different level prospect-wise. He has the raw skill, size, and explosiveness in his lower half to become something really, really special.
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
- 19. Jack Murtagh
- 18. Spencer Gill
- 17. Shane Vansaghi
- 16. Carson Bjarnason
- 15. Nikita Grebenkin
- 14. Jack Nesbitt
- 13. Denver Barkey
- 12. Emil Andrae
- 11. Alex Bump
Source
Puck drop: 7:00 p.m.
How to watch/listen:
: Flyers website
Pregame reading
- The kids got out on the ice for the first time yesterday afternoon, but there was one notable absence from the group.
- We might only see him sparingly this weekend (more on that later) but before we get to game time, let’s check in with Oliver Bonk as the newest addition to our Top 25 Under 25 ranking.
Pregame watching
Projected lineups
Philadelphia Flyers
Alex Bump — Jack Nesbitt — Samu Tuomaala
Devin Kaplan — Jacob Gaucher — Denver Barkey
Nikita Grebenkin — Karsen Dorwart — Alexis Gendron
Sawyer Boulton — Matthew Gard — Tucker Robertson
Nathan Quinn
Hunter McDonald — Luke Vlooswyk
Andre Mondoux — Ethan Samson
Ty Murchison — Spencer Gill
Austin Moline
Carson Bjarnason
(Joey Costanzo)
New York Rangers
The specific lines for this evening are still up in the air, but the lineup for the series on the Rangers’ side at least is as follows:
Storylines to watch
Big name absences
The Flyers will certainly have no shortage to interesting names worth keeping an eye on that they’ve brought with them to this series, but it remains that the lineup isn’t going to be quite as stacked as it could be. As it stands, the Flyers will be without both Jett Luchanko — who was not on the ice for development camp back in July and was also held off from yesterday’s practice — along with Oliver Bonk — who missed development camp but was able to take place in yesterday’s skate — as they’re both being held out for precautionary reasons. It’s a shame for the both of them in each of their own ways, as Luchanko was likely hoping to use this as a springboard for another run for a lineup spot through main camp, while Bonk, though all but certainly Phantoms bound to start the season, did gain some really high praise from his soon to be head coach who was running the day’s session, who felt that his pace had taken a marked step forward since he saw him last, but it won’t be something he’s able to showcase in this game, at least. We’ll see when they’re able to get back to action, but this also opens the door nicely for other prospects to jump forward into a larger role and make an impression.
Bump, Grebenkin stepping up
All of that said, there are still some big-name prospects taking part in the series, and we’re expecting them to make some real noise. Both Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin, fresh off of solid showing with the Phantoms back in the spring, are coming into this hoping that they can keep that momentum rolling as they head into main camp, and make their push for spots in the Flyers’ opening night lineup. They’re both off to good starts, as they were standouts in Thursday’s practices sessions, bringing both notably high compete levels in drill settings and also allowing each of their shootings to pop. This isn’t an absolute make or break situation that they’re stepping into with these games, but we do recall years not too long ago when players who we expected to come into these rookie games with the leg up ended up having middling showings and putting themselves back foot heading into main camp, as a result. So, while the stakes aren’t sky-high here, they’re also not nothing, and it will be important for these two to not to put the cart before the horse, as it were, and phone it in for these games and place their focus too soon on the NHL preseason. This is their foundation before they move to the next step, and they have to make sure they’re taking care of it.
Goalie Watch (prospect edition)
The Rangers might not be bringing with them the same amount of firepower that they’ve had at their disposal in some of these tournaments past, but we can still expect to see Carson Bjarnason reasonably tested throughout this weekend. And it will be a pretty big test for him as well, ramping up after being banged up at the end of his WHL season (which also prevented him from playing in the Calder Cup playoffs for the Phantoms) and somewhat limited in Development Camp (as is just sort of the nature of the setup for goaltenders broadly), as he heads into his first professional season with the Phantoms, as he’s set to join them on a more full-time basis. He’s not in the position like someone like Bump or Grebenkin, where they’re hoping that a strong showing in this rookie showcase can springboard them and help their chances of making the big club, he’s not there yet, but it will be important for him to settle in quickly, as things are going to be ramping up even more for him in not too long. This is just the first step, but it’s worth seeing how he handles it, all the same.
Source
The Flyers survived two quick goals on New York’s first two shots to defeat the Rangers in a 4-3 overtime win, one highlighted by a few of the fine prospects the Flyers have on the horizon.
The basics
First period: 3:58 – Brennan Othmann (Noah Laba, Scott Morrow), 4:34 – Dylan Roobroeck (Scott Morrow)
Second period: 3:07 – Denver Barkey (Tucker Robertson), 6:16 – Alexis Gendron (Karsen Dorwart) (SHG), 13:29 – Raoul Boilard (Bryce McConnell-Barker, Artem Gonchar)
Third period: 10:02 – Jacob Gaucher (Devin Kaplan)
Overtime: 0:57 – Nikita Grebenkin (Karsen Dorwart, Ethan Samson)
SOG: 35 (PHI) – 24 (NYR)
Some takeaways
No Bonk, Moline, Quinn
The Flyers didn’t dress three skaters: forward Nathan Quinn, defenseman Austin Moline and defenseman Oliver Bonk. Bonk is expected to play Saturday afternoon but his absence looked to be felt somewhat on the backend. The Rangers didn’t really hem the Flyers in their own end much in the first period, but the blueline wasn’t able to establish much in terms of transition early on, simply content to get the puck out and let the forwards try to win one-on-one battles. However, as the game unfolded, Bonk’s absence seemed to be less of a factor. He should get into Saturday’s game but time will tell.
Slow start
The Flyers had the first shot on goal of the game but the opening moments were a feeling out process between both sides. Alex Bump, on a line with Samu Tuomaala, made a nifty pass towards the slot early but no Flyer was there to take advantage. That shift was followed up by another decent one featuring Jacob Gaucher centering Denver Barkey and Devin Kaplan.
Perhaps the biggest chance for the Flyers was late in the first when Bump was fed a pass by Tuomaala who was stopped by Rangers goalie Hugo Ollas.
Power play pleasurable
The Flyers got their first power play in the second period. The first unit featured Ethan Samson as the high man with Bump and Barkey also buzzing around. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, a Samson shot from the point beat Ollas but hit the iron.
On the second power play, Bump and Barkey were electric, making fantastic and crisp quick passes all over the ice to get prime scoring chances. In short, the Flyers might have had three or four power plays like that all of last season. Combined. Although there was some carryover time into the third, Philadelphia lost the opening faceoff of the third and the Rangers easily killed the remaining 25 seconds.
Carson’s iffy start
Carson Bjarnason had a bad start to start the game. The Flyers’ early momentum went up in smoke when the Rangers Brennan Othmann scored on Flyers goalie Carson Bjarnason through the wickets for a 1-0 lead. And shortly thereafter, Bjarnason again looked a bit leaky as the shot by Dylan Roobroeck from the boards somehow found its way between his arm and body to give New York a quick 2-0 lead before the game was five minutes old. Not a great confidence boost.
Minutes later, the Flyers needed to kill a roughing penalty to Gaucher to keep themselves from getting into a hole. Fortunately the newly acquired Tucker Robertson was fine on the kill, making a nice transition play to give himself a decent shot. For the most part, the Flyers seemed to insulate Bjarnason a bit more in their own zone as the keeper steadied himself the rest of the opening frame.
The second period wasn’t a busy one for Bjarnason but he gave up his third of the night, this one a tie-breaker as Raoul Boilard snapped a wrister high over Bjarnason to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead. He made some important saves down the stretch in the third, especially on an odd-man break for New York that he managed to get a piece of. And strong stops came on Gabe Perreault midway through the third. Overall he showed composure after a shaky start.
Barkey has some bite
Denver Barkey had a decent opening period, racing hard down the ice for a scoring chance to try and cut the lead in half. But the pass was too far ahead of him to get good wood on it. Barkey hit paydirt in the second with a great shot that eluded Ollas. Barkey was the recipient of a fantastic cross ice pass from Robertston, finishing with a shot that cut the deficit in half.
BARK!
: https://t.co/0nWZ7p2m4u | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/tVHcN7gGXd
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 13, 2025
Late in the second Barkey beat defenseman Scott Morrow and almost beat Ollas on what would’ve been a pretty tying goal.
Nifty Nesbitt
Forward Jack Nesbitt opened the second period with a subtle body check behind the net prior to getting a good scoring chance early. Once again the line of Nesbitt, Bump, and Tuomaala were making things happening, just not capitalizing from their hard work. He also threw a nice reverse hit early in the middle frame as the Flyers began to get their game going.
A turning point of sorts took place after a slashing penalty to Andre Mondoux about five minutes into the second. The Flyers went up ice and Karsen Dorwart looked to have a glorious chance to score, as did Alexis Gendron. But it looked like he hit the post. Moments later, officials determined Gendron’s shot went in, tying things up 2-2.
After review, it's a shorty from Alexis Gendron and we're tied up at 2!
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 13, 2025
But back to Nesbitt. The first thing you noticed with him is his size, and his ability to use that size to his advantage. After the Flyers first man advantage, Nesbitt went to the dirty area to get the go-ahead goal. He wasn’t successful but the Rangers had a very difficult time moving him from Ollas’ doorstep.
Big bodies
The Rangers seemed to be feeling pretty good taking the body a bit more to the Flyers although defenseman Ethan Samson was throwing his weight around. A lot of the Rangers big guys are massive, some pushing north of 6’4″ and 6’5″ like Nathan Aspinall and Roobroeck. However, the Flyers didn’t back down, with the Rangers Corbin Vaughan and Tuomaala got together. It was evident the two teams didn’t really like each other from the get-go.
Two minutes into the second Vaughan and Gaucher dropped the gloves with Vaughan seemingly getting the upper hand. The tussle seemed to energize the Flyers somewhat as Dorwart had a good shot that Ollas once again stopped. Later in the second, Vaughan and Sawyer Boulton went at it and Boulton filled him in quite nicely, clocking him with an uppercut that stopped Vaughan. Boulton then called out the Rangers bench before heading to the locker room.
Tuomaala makes most of it
Samu Tuomaala might have had the odds against him in terms of other draft picks ahead of him in the Flyers pipeline. Yet, he made the most of the first game on a line with Bump and Nesbitt. Whether he was the beneficiary of having two highly-talented linemates with him, or the fact he was making his own chances, Tuomaala was very good. He was especially fine on the second power play when he fed Nesbitt in close before having a stellar attempt himself. The Flyers were dominant in the second and it showed in the 20-6 shot advantage.
Gaucher gets equalizer
After two great saves from Bjarnason to keep the Flyers in it, Philadelphia tied things up on what looked like a nothing play. Devin Kaplan took the puck over the blue line and made a fine pass to an open Jacob Gaucher who beat Ollas clean to tie the game 3-3.
Jacob Gaucher has 2/3 of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick for those counting at home.
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 13, 2025
Nikita, I need you so
Just under a minute into overtime, Nikita Grebenkin made a great play and better shot in overtime, beat Ollas and giving the Flyers an exciting 4-3 victory in the opener.
NIKITA GREBENKIN WINS IT IN OT!
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 13, 2025
Finally, kudos to Jason Myrtetus
Doing the color commentary for the Flyers broadcast, kudos to Jason Myrtetus who has had an incredibly arduous 2025 to say the least but is coming out the other side of things doing what he does best. All the best moving forward, my good man!
Source
Nikita Grebenkin had a pair of assists but that was the high point of what was a choppy, chippy affair between the Flyers and the Rangers Saturday afternoon at PPL Center. The result was a 5-2 loss that concluded the Rookie Series at a win apiece.
The basics
First period: 5:46- Scott Morrow (Dylan Roobroeck)
Second period: 0:51- Jackson Dorrington (Scott Morrow, Brennan Othmann), 5:10- Ethan Samson (Nikita Grebenkin), 11:14- Jaroslav Chmelar (Gabe Perreault, Scott Morrow) (PPG), 15:09- Alexis Gendron (Nikita Grebenkin), 17:19- Noah Laba (Brennan Othmann)
Third period: 17:30- Gabe Perreault (Unassisted) (ENG)
SOG: 23 (PHI) – 31 (NYR)
Some takeaways
Carson returns
Carson Bjarnason played the first half of the Rookie Series finale Saturday afternoon. And he didn’t see a lot of rubber early as the Flyers opened the game with a few strong shifts highlighted by the line of Alex Bump, Jack Nesbitt and Samu Tuomaala. Bjarnason was tested on a quasi-breakaway while New York was short-handed and made the save on the first shot, unlike Friday night. Unfortunately, on the Rangers initial power play, he couldn’t make the save on a Scott Morrow wrister in the slot.
Down 1-0, the Rangers quickly came back down the ice and nearly had their second but the puck didn’t beat the post. Bjarnason stopped 14 of 17 shots he faced before Philadelphia switched goalies midway through the second.
Few tussles
Although there was a few fights Friday night, the Saturday tilt started off chippy. Halfway through the first Brennan Othmann threw a punch at Jack Nesbitt who obviously got under Othmann’s skin, drawing a penalty. The referees weren’t quick to break things up and roughly a minute later both sides were back at it again, although no fights ensued. The parade of penalties didn’t really create much of a flow in the game, with special teams being front and center most of the opening frame. And to end the first another scrum ensued, causing a few more pushes and shoves as the officials continued to slowly but surely lose control of the proceedings.
In the third Hunter McDonald appeared to be cut with a high stick and was bleeding. But the officials never saw it. It was indicative of what was essentially a rather chippy, choppy affair from start to finish. Finally Samu Tuomaala (not a typo), dropped the gloves against Rico Gredig and gave more than he took. Thankfully he wasn’t injured in the fight after playing just 46 games last year in Lehigh Valley.
Rico Gredig drops the gloves #NYR pic.twitter.com/lXoxbF2kVi
— David(@DaveyUpper) September 13, 2025
Minutes later Devin Kaplan delivered a heavy check on Case McCarthy and they fought. Kaplan fell after taking a punch and the officials quickly stepped in.
Sloppy in own zone
The Flyers didn’t give up much on Friday night, nor did they spend a lot of time hemmed in their own zone. Sadly, in the opening 10 minutes of the first, Philadelphia was guilty of a few miscues. And just bad giveaways. Tucker Robertson’s attempt to skate through some Ranger forecheckers resulted in a giveaway and a Flyers minor penalty. Fortunately as the first went on they appeared to be tidier.
In the second, with two minors to the Flyers, the Rangers had a great five-on-three for roughly 90 seconds. However the blueshirts were content with staying around the perimeter. Toss in Flyers defender Spencer Gill breaking his stick and there was all kinds of fun for Philadelphia. Seconds later the Rangers made a nifty passing play ending with Jaroslav Chmelar putting it in for a 3-1 lead.
Bump good, not great
While nothing amounted to any prime scoring chances, Bump drew an early penalty. The power play wasn’t given much of a chance to work as Philadelphia was called for a minor about 30 seconds into the man advantage. In the second, Bump had more ice as both teams played 4-on-4. That space unfortunately caused an odd-man rush for the Rangers. Defenseman Jackson Dorrington put a nice shot behind Bjarnason to give New York a 2-0 lead early in the second.
Jackson Dorrington makes it 2-0 #NYR Othmann has 2 Assist pic.twitter.com/lnd9f5sD8W
— David
Unfortunately, Bump, Nesbitt and Tuomaala were stuck in their own zone for some time midway through period two. After an icing, Tuomaala had a chance to dump the puck in for a much-needed change but couldn’t deliver. However seconds later Bump had a chance to tie things up, nearly beating Tung close in but the puck went wide. On the whole Bump’s first 40 minutes paled somewhat to Friday’s game. Yet he did have his moments. He probably would like to have the play back late which resulted in an empty-netter for the Rangers which made it 5-2.
Murchison steady at times
Ty Murchison didn’t make a lot of noise or heads turn in the first game. In fact, he looked to be banged up after crashing heavily into the boards in the third period. But he was no worse for wear Saturday. In fact he was pretty good initially. Paired with Spencer Gill, Murchison was making some solid, quick, high percentage plays when he wasn’t winning puck battles and keeping the puck (and most defenders) in front of him.
The drawback? Well, Murchison looked rather foolish late in the second period when he was undressed by Brennan Othmann. Othmann fed Noah Laba for his first of the contest to make it a 4-2 game. While there was a lot of hockey left to play, it appeared that took some of the wind out of the sails for Philadelphia. Nothing was coming easy for the Flyers after two periods.
Laba makes it 4-2, That was gross by Othmann, he now has 3 Assist in this game. #NYR pic.twitter.com/SQuVP25WkE
— David
Murchison had a chance early in the third to redeem himself, getting a pass from Bump and taking the wrister which hit the post. He also took a penalty in the third, sending Cooper Moore dangerously into the boards with a check in the back.
Not generating much
With so many penalties, the Flyers couldn’t sustain hardly any momentum for roughly the first half of the game. Whether it was the second of a back-to-back pair of games or that the Rangers were simply doing a better job of making life a little more miserable for Philadelphia, the Flyers didn’t create much. The few chances they had were essentially one-shot affairs. That was before Ethan Samson’s shot cut the Rangers lead in half. Defenseman Austin Moline made a great backhand pass from the boards to Nikita Grebenkin who fed Samson for the goal.
Samson from the spot.
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 13, 2025
That goal seemed to energize the Flyers and finally woke them up a bit in subsequent shifts.
Hey Joey, how you doin’?
Joey Costanzo took over from Bjarnason with roughly 29 minutes left in the tilt. And he made his first save with ease, a good confidence boost for him with having no warm-up before taking the ice. He was also nearly tested on a short-handed breakaway by the Rangers but the shot went wide. Costanzo, on a tryout, was probably just happy to be playing anywhere as he’s hoping to land a spot somewhere in the Flyers organization. Given the goalies in the system it’s probably doubtful he sticks around.
Costanzo had little to no chance on the Rangers fourth goal. He did make a few good saves in the third to give Philadelphia a puncher’s chance down by two. This was highlighted by a save he made on Casey Terrance six minutes into the third.
With about three minutes to go in the third the Flyers pulled Costanzo for an extra attacker. On the whole Costanzo stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced.
And who can forget Nikita
Grebenkin had two assists on the first two Flyers goals, the second resulting from some battles he won just inside the Rangers zone. Grebenkin fed Alexis Gendron who beat Tung clean to make it 3-2. A solid Rookie Series for the forward who continues to make a case to find a place somewhere in the Flyers lineup.
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In the 2019 NHL Draft, the Anaheim Ducks selected Trevor Zegras ninth overall. The following year, Anaheim took defenseman Jamie Drysdale with the sixth overall pick. Both scored their first NHL goals in the same game within a few minutes of each other. Drysdale first and then Drysdale assisting on Zegras’s tally.
Fun fact: Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale scored their first NHL goals within minutes of each other! Drysdale even assisted on Zegras' goal!pic.twitter.com/ZfukUo4WXs
— NHL (@NHL) June 23, 2025
Both showed promise at times in California. But within a span of 18 months both players found themselves on the outs on the West Coast, and then members of the Philadelphia Flyers. As is well known, Drysdale was the key piece of a trade that shipped out Cutter Gauthier to Anaheim after his kerfuffle with the Flyers, ignoring both Flyers general manager Danny Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones. Drysdale had his ups and downs to begin his stint in Philadelphia but in 2024-25 had a milestone season: his first nearly fully healthy year since the 2021-22 season while playing 70 games. And last year saw him score against Anaheim in a 6-0 pasting in Gauthier’s return to Philadelphia. Revenge is sweet sometimes.
Now, with Trevor Zegras hoping to provide the Flyers with a great season that is essentially a make-or-break year for him with Philadelphia, Drysdale could find himself being the truly huge benefactor of Zegras’ arrival. It’s doubtful he’ll see the same chemistry Zegras might find with Matvei Michkov, Travis Konecny or some other Flyers winger. Yet there is nobody currently on the Flyers roster who has played more games or minutes with Zegras than Drysdale. Nobody knows his moves, what he’s thinking, or what he’s capable of on the ice (or on the power play) more than the blueliner.
So, with Drysdale and Zegras both playing out the final year of their respective contracts, could it be a case of a great Zegras year translating into a career season for Drysdale? Or possibly Drysdale, being used as the high defenseman on a power play unit with Zegras, being the catalyst for the center finding his game again? There’s a very strong case that Zegras could bring out the best in Drysdale, which would certainly make the Gauthier trade look a lot better than some skeptics think it currently does. Either way, there’s proof the two have played together. And on the power play.
That’s not to say the duo haven’t played tons together. Not by a long shot. But a lot of that was circumstances, namely injuries to Drysdale. In 2020-21, Zegras and Drysdale both played a total of 24 games over the course of the season. Yet in those 24 games, Zegras played with Drysdale a total of 21:24 on the power play. That ranked sixth overall on the team (including goaltenders) and second only to Kevin Shattenkirk in terms of defensemen. Shattenkirk led all blueliners in time played with Zegras on the power play with 33:32. But again, not a huge sample size because both Zegras and Drysdale combined played a mere 48 games.
The biggest sample size (and possibly the most amount of proof the two have some synergy) came in 2021-22. Zegras that season played 75 games while Drysdale played a career high 81 contests. So neither player was hampered by injuries. That season, Drysdale led all Anaheim players (including the goaltenders and the forwards) with 132:40 time on ice with Zegras on the power play. It ended up being 5:52 more than goaltender John Gibson and 7:39 more than forward Ryan Getzlaf. It was also the year that Zegras and Drysdale found themselves earning points on the same power play goal eight times. So eight of the 32 points Drysdale earned in 2021-22 came on goals, primary assists, or secondary assists that Zegras also either scored or assisted on with the man advantage. That’s a quarter of Drysdale’s production all season! If you break down that a bit more, that’s a tad over 10 per cent of Drysdale’s offensive production in his career as he has 70 points in 217 games.
The first of these eight instances came on Nov. 24, 2021 basically during garbage time against the Colorado Avalanche. Down 5-1, Zegras set up along the boards with Drysdale at the point and being one of the safer, high percentage options. A few passes between the two resulted in a shot from the point which Sonny Milano deflected in. And although it was a small amount of time, it looked as if the power play was being run through Zegras, much in the same vein as Claude Giroux once did with the Flyers. The second goal featuring both earning power play points was on Dec. 3, 2021 against the Flames. Here the goal was set up on some nice feeds, with Drysdale passing across his body to Zegras. With a lot of Flames paying attention to Zegras, he found the seam and fed a lovely cross ice pass to Vinni Lettieri for a one-timer.
In their Feb. 11, 2022 contest against Seattle, the pair almost scored 30 seconds prior to eventually getting their points. Getzlaf received a pass from Drysdale. He one-timed it but the save was made. The rebound went directly to Zegras who missed a golden chance. However the next rush up ice hit paydirt. Zegras, looking quite comfortable along the boards, made the Kraken defender cheat towards him. Zegras passed it to Drysdale who, with a lot more space and time, ripped a shot that Rickard Rakell got a piece of.
Rick Rolls To Lead
Rickard Rakell (11) Goal
Jamie Drysdale (17) Assist
Trevor Zegras (21) Assist
Chris Driedger Against
Kraken 2 – #Ducks 3 2nd
Credit: NHL / ESPN
️#SEAvsANA #LetsGoDucks #AnaheimDucksGoooaaalll pic.twitter.com/V2Lx03kvVH
— Anaheim Sports (@AnaheimSports1) February 12, 2022
Less than a week later against the Oilers, Zegras got a pass from Drysdale in the Edmonton zone. Zegras had ample time to find a play and slid a gorgeous pass that Sonny Milano deflected. And two days later, against Vancouver, Zegras again held the puck quite a while before seeing one of the defenders move towards him. From there Drysdale found more space after Zegras passed him the puck, and got a clear shot to the net for a Rakell deflection.
Ricky Makes It Three
Rickard Rakell (12) Goal
Jamie Drysdale (19) Assist
Trevor Zegras (23) Assist
Thatcher Demko Against#Ducks 3 – Canucks 0 1st
Credit: Ballys#ANAvsVAN #LetsGoDucks #AnaheimDucksGoooaaalll pic.twitter.com/dOBL56VYl2
— Anaheim Sports (@AnaheimSports1) February 20, 2022
The last three instances were all Zegras goals. The first of these was March 1, 2022 against Boston. Late in the game, with the scored tied 3-3, Drysdale again up near the blueline found Zegras to his left. Zegras had three defenders approaching him but managed to get a great shot off for the game-winning goal. On March 4, 2022 against Vegas, Zegras was the benefactor of a Drysdale slapshot from the point. The shot never got to the net but instead was shoveled over to Zegras who got his wrister over the goalie and under the crossbar.
Again, it wasn’t the most jaw-dropping, highlight-reel goal. But it demonstrated that there’s a chemistry or synergy Zegras has with Drysdale, and Drysdale has with Zegras. They are both able to either find an opening for the other. Or create enough space for themselves to generate a great scoring chance.
Finally, on April 9, 2022, Zegras scored again on the power play, this time against what is now his new team. Drysdale earned a secondary assist and former Flyer Gerald Mayhew was on the ice for Anaheim as Zegras scored. The goal made it 3-2 for the Ducks late in the middle frame. It was the last power play goal both Zegras and Drysdale were a part of together.
In 2022-23, Zegras was healthy and played 81 games while Drysdale was reduced to eight due to injuries. As a result, Zegras and Drysdale were on the ice for a total of 2:22 of power play time all season, and just 42:48 at even strength. In 2023-24, their final season (or part of a season) as teammates, Zegras played 31 games while Drysdale played 10 with Anaheim. Yet even in this short sample size, Drysdale was on the ice with Zegras with the man advantage for 20:28, which was second among Anaheim defensemen who were on the same power play unit with Zegras. In terms of even strength, the pair were on the ice together for 50:10 before Drysdale was traded to Philadelphia in January 2024.
It’s probably a safe bet that Zegras and Drysdale won’t be tied at the hip on the ice, although Drysdale jokingly hinted the pair were so close off the ice they “peed” together. That intangible is probably just as welcoming for Drysdale as it is for Zegras, knowing the other will be there through the ups and downs of a regular season. What is fairly evident is that the Flyers are hoping both Zegras and Drysdale can recapture some of that magic that made them look so promising. And that both remain healthy to make the case that they are at the very least two pieces of the Flyers future.
Of course that synergy also depends on how Rick Tocchet sees the Flyers power play. If he goes with Travis Sanheim or Cam York over Drysdale, then obviously Drysdale might have his work cut out for him. However if both have played together before, and had some effectiveness on the power play, why wouldn’t you try them out to start the season? It seems like a very low-risk, high-reward proposition.
If that happens, there’s a very good chance the power play will end up being improved (not counting the likes of Michkov or Konecny). And with that it’s conceivable both Drysdale and Zegras are extended for a few more seasons as the Flyers turn the corner not just towards the playoffs but contention for 16 post-season victories. Should both players get the best out of the other, and the sum being greater than the parts, then that’s the best-case scenario for the players, the general manager and the team.
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It is extremely important to note that absolutely none of the below is real. This is an entirely fake work of satire by an individual who could and should probably put his brainpower to better use. Thanks for reading!
Labor Day has passed and hockey season is almost upon us. Training camp is around the corner and the Philadelphia Flyers have some intriguing young players that are going to battle for a spot on the roster. We all know the big names, like Alex Bump, Oliver Bonk, and Carson Bjarnason. However, there are many more exciting names that have a potential to make an impact for the orange and black this coming season. Here are six guys that have an outside shot of making the 2025-26 Flyers.
Mobley Stanjerging
Age: 22
Position: Center
Nationality: Scandinavian???
Stanjerging has a high motor, but his skating is garbage. He looks like he learned how to skate just last month. He has smooth hands from years of playing competitive table shuffleboard. His shot has been described as “fine” and “okay”. Despite the lack of upside, Stanjerging is a locker room favorite, often putting together playlists and doing close-up magic for the team. He blindly does anything a coach asks him to do. He doesn’t have the talent, but he’s the man.
Jaxcksyn Carter
Age: 19
Position: Defense
Nationality: Canadian
Carter grew up on the mean streets of Calgary. He plays with an edge that reflects his history. Carter is a big hitter who leads by example. His ceiling is very low. If he’s lucky, Carter will have a career like Zac Rinaldo. He has put up 9 points over 3 seasons in the Q. But, oh man, can Carter hit. He was smashing guys against the boards in practice to the degree that the coaching staff had to issue him a cease and desist and suspend him for multiple practices. The important thing is that he hits. People love hits.
Aleksandr Raspinagainoff
Age: 21
Position: Left wing
Nationality: Russian
Raspinagainoff is a risky prospect, known for his fiery personality and tendency to break off from a play entirely to do whatever interests him at a given moment. He was 7th in the KHL in scoring last year and lauded for his creativity. He was benched for long stretches of the season, however, due to showboating and hogging the puck. There were entire power plays where Raspinagainoff would shoot, collect his own rebound, and then shoot again. Raspinagainoff is a high-risk, high-reward prospect.
Filip Btylll
Age: 20
Position: Left wing
Nationality: Czech
Btylll is one of the fastest prospects I have ever seen. He glides along the ice effortlessly, leaving opposing defenders in the dust. He doesn’t take advantage of his speed. In fact, he is hesitant to handle the puck at all, skating full laps of the rink and causing a number of offsides penalties. Scouts have questioned if Btylll understands that he’s playing ice hockey and not in a speed skating competition. If he can figure out what he’s doing out there, he could be a tremendous resource for a hockey team.
Émile Croquembouche
Age: 20
Position: Left wing
Nationality: Canadian
A sweet and savory defenseman, Croquembouche stacks up the points, but does not provide much as far as actual defense goes. His hesitancy to backcheck is a major red flag. His juniors team experimented with Croquembouche at wing last season, but he kept dropping back to the blue line to line up slap shots.
Ctephen Anderssen
Age: 23
Position: Goaltender
Nationality: Danish
Anderssen is an intriguing goaltending prospect. He had spent his entire life without having deflected anything until he was pelted with snowballs as a 16-year-old nerd. Anderssen stopped all of them.
Anderssen’s body type is a challenge, he’s what doctors call “over 50% legs”, meaning his legs make up most of his height. He’s great in butterfly but his recovery time is what one scout described as “glacial”.
© Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Wayne Allyson
Age: “None of your business”
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Canadian
Wayne Allyson seems familiar. Where do I know him from? He’s got jet black hair that doesn’t seem natural for this skin complexion. He’s playing a fun, reckless style, but he seems to really be getting hurt quite a bit. I like him, but he doesn’t seem like a player that you can ultimately rely on.
Where do I know this guy from?
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