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[Philadelphia Flyers]

How Zegras trade could shape Flyers’ draft plans

Before this week, it seemed as if the Philadelphia Flyers were going to have one mission entering the 2025 NHL Entry Draft: stockpile center after center.

With seven picks in the first two rounds at the time, there was no doubt that at least four of those selections were going to be used on players who have at least a chance at developing into an NHL center. But the hockey world is always moving, and GM Daniel Briere felt as if there was an opportunity to acquire a depressed asset, (in this case, that may have been literal) and pounced.

The skilled Trevor Zegras comes to town after a down couple of seasons with the Ducks, with Ryan Poehling, a second-round pick (No. 45) in the 2025 NHL Draft, and a fourth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft going the other way. This move signals the Flyers’ understanding that stockpiling potential high-end talent is the way to take a step forward, but in bringing in a 24-year old with some development time still to go, there could be an aftershock that alters the way the front office and scouting department approach their draft strategy.

Firstly, there is the matter of one less second round pick, with No. 45 now belonging to the Ducks, the Flyers are left with just a measly six picks in the first two rounds, three in the first, and three in the second.

That’s a lot of pretty premium selections, and as a team that basically needs whatever stars they can get, they can definitely afford to spread the wealth and feel pressured into focusing on one specific position. But that being said, with the most expensive and highly sought after position (besides goalie, which is another story) being the number one center spot, the Flyers front office was probably leaning towards drafting a potential 1C with their first pick at number six.

With the acquisition of Zegras giving them another younger project to look at up the middle, they may feel as if there is less pressure to immediately try and draft the first-line center of the future at the six spot. Perhaps, this move opens up the potential of drafting a name like Porter Martone; a big, skilled winger who has slid slightly on draft boards largely due to the fact that he doesn’t play center. Martone would fit seamlessly beside any of the Flyers’ young centers as a big man that loves the front of the net and can keep up with a high pace of play.

Maybe Briere and Co. take a stance that hinges more on finding dominant, powerful wingers that supplement the smaller centers they currently have, with Zegras joining Jett Luchanko in having builds that more closely resemble that of the author of this article rather than, say, Aleksander Barkov. Names like Nickals Backstrom and Nick Suzuki come to mind as two peak scenarios for each of those players, and size on a line is ultimately still size, not every center needs to be a hulking beast as long as some bang and crash is still present. While the need is still obviously present, there’s a chance the Flyers may just lean towards the best player available.

Not taking a center with the opening first round pick would have ripple effects across the rest of the Flyers’ first round, and would drastically increase the likelihood of the Briere and Co. looking towards more established center-ice names like Braeden Cootes, William Horcoff, and Cole Reschny with pick No. 22.

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James Hagens has been a hot topic leading up to draft day, and it’s easy to see why. The shifty and dynamic forward out of Boston College was viewed as one of the most hyped-up prospects in hockey before last season began, but after a less-than-stellar season in the NCAA, has slipped from #1, to #3, to now being a real option for the Flyers at No. 6.

Acquiring Zegras shouldn’t really have any effect on whether or not the Flyers take Hagens, but it is fair to make the observation that if they do, they would be adding two American LW/C-type players who both have fantastic puck skills and more slender frames. That’s not a bad thing! They both have very elite qualities, and may both be fantastic NHLers in their own right. Zegras, to his credit, already has been that, at least in stretches. Doubling up your bets on high-end talent is never a bad thing, and it would give the Flyers prospect pool a shot of potential excellence that it has lacked recently.

But this is the NHL, and size and snarl have become increasingly key buzzwords, especially in the aftermath of the Florida Panthers slithering their way to another Stanley Cup. There will no doubt be some apprehension among some members of the Flyers’ brass about, if Hagens is to slide, whether or not they are building a team that is simply too small. With Konecny, Brink, and Michkov all roster locks, the Flyers would already have three forwards who are 5-foot-10 or shorter right off the bat. Add in the 5-foot-9 Jakob Pelletier, who will likely make the opening night roster at the very least, and that makes it four of 12 who would conventionally be considered “small” by NHL standards.

Hagens is just about 5-foot-11 in his own right, add that to Zegras having a pretty average build at 6-foot flat and 185 pounds, and the simple fact is that a professional hockey team is probably going to take size into effect somewhere down the line. Prospects like Denver Barkey, Oliver Bonk, and the aforementioned Luchanko aren’t very big either, and even if you disregard the size argument entirely, there is merit to having different archetypes of player littered throughout the system, that fact alone was basically the sole rationale behind the Jack Berglund selection in last year’s second round.

That being said, even when looking at the big bad Panthers roster that just recently conquered the NHL, the biggest names on their forward corps, outside of the all important Barkov, are depth names like Tomas Nosek, A.J. Greer, and Jonah Gadjovich. While some of their most important players, those who gave them their trademark edge like Brad Marchand, Evan Rodrigues, and Sam Bennett, are among some of the smaller players on the roster. They just play big, where their roster was really huge was on the back end, which isn’t exactly a new phenomenon. And so, perhaps the real takeaway that teams should learn from Florida is more based in mentality or structure, rather than their raw physical attributes. Chances are, it’s a bit of both.

So with Zegras now in the fold, perhaps names like Martone, the polarizing spark plug Brady Martin, or Jake O’Brien, who has a bit more stature despite being young for his draft year, become more appealing by default. It remains to be seen if the Flyers truly decide to flip the script entirely come June 27, but they’ve definitely shook things up, and made their first-round selections a whole lot more interesting.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...-zegras-trade-could-shape-flyers-draft-plans/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

What Flyers AGM Brent Flahr had to say about Flyers’ 2025 NHL Draft

Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr met with the media Saturday afternoon after Philadelphia made their last draft selection. Here’s what he had to say about both days and the Flyers’ selections.

On whether size was something the Flyers were focusing on:

We were conscious of it, but to be honest with you those picks came kind of back to back to back, we weren’t just going for size. With the players we targeted, it was more a coincidence that all of them have to be that size. It’s certainly something that we’re not against.

On moving two spots back in the second round:

No actually we had a couple of players we were going to be happy with, we got to move up significantly from the third to the second which allowed us to get another player we were happy with. So for two spots we felt it was worth it.

On whether the aspect of a high compete level factored largely into their selections:

For sure. You watch the playoffs, it’s a grrind. To get to the NHL you have to have a tremendous work ethic. Then to be able to have success in it you got to have that side of it. The guys we drafted, it’s part of what we want, it’s part of what Tocchet wants, it’s part of what Danny and Jonesy wants. We want competitive people and I think we did a pretty good job of that today.

On whether Florida’s success in the playoffs had an impact in how teams drafted:

It’s more of a stylistic thing that they’ve got. I think size has always been a factor in the playoffs for years. The way they play they’ve kind of perfected it. So you got to be able to combat that. But there’s different teams who play in the NHL that, whether it’s speed or whatnot, the playoff hockey is a grind. And size certainly helps.

On how much Carter Amico’s injury played in him not going in the first round:

All of it, pretty much all of it. I was lucky enough to see him a number of times early before the injury. I was at the game where he actually reinjured it. The medical reports we got and our staff was able to examine it further. You can talk to him in development camp but basically the previous surgery didn’t take. He’s had it redone, it was successful and our doctors are confident it’s going to be good to go.

On Shane Vansaghi and Matthew Gard being high motor players and if that played a factor:

Well Vansaghi if you had a chance to watch him at Michigan State this year, he gets that whole arena going. A big, big kid. He plays a certain way and there’s not a lot of players like him in this draft or any draft. I think he’s got some work to do to get to the NHL. But once he does I think he’ll be a fan favorite. He’ll be a very welcomed teammate.

On Max Westergard’s play:

Obviously our European guys followed him closely, he had a very good tournament in Texas too, the U-18s. He’s a talented kid. Obviously on the other side with his size he’s not the biggest, he’s going to have to put on some weight and get stronger. He’s quick, he’s got skill, he can create offense by himself. So at that point we thought it was a value pick.

On Porter Martone and what made the Flyers take him despite having several wingers:

He’s a guy who’s name has been arounnd for a while. I’ve seen a lot of him while he was an underage. Just the whole complete package as far as his size, skill, hockey sense. He’s got juice, he’s always engaged around the net, stirring it up and driving people crazy. He’s got that edge but more importantly his skill set is high end when it comes to offense, his ability on the power play to break things down and create things. He does things that a lot of guys can’t. It’s just one of those things where he’s too talented to pass up on.

On whether Jack Nesbitt’s play brings to mind Jett Luchanko’s play in the second half of 2024 and if that factored into trading up for him:

Well Jack actually had a pretty steady year, he had more opportunity and ice time as the season went on. He was a guy who was pretty good throughout. I think initially he was more used in defensive situations, which, for a young player, his details are very good. Then they got him on the power play and he was very good in his net front presence role, retrieving pucks, tips. But he’s a smart player. As for his size he’s going to have to grow into his body. When I watch him play the only thing that I see missing is strength, that’s something that he can work on, it just takes some time.

He was good in the second half and in the end there his team was so banged up he played every second shift for the last series and a half. He was pretty much gassed by the end of it. He’s a guy we’re really excited about, the whole staff in general.

On how the Flyers would rate the draft:

Good, we’re elated with the first round. And the second round, the way it turned out we were very happy. We got a number of players. (Jack) Murtagh we all liked across the board, the staff. He can play a lot of different ways, he can score, he can really skate, he’s competitive, he can bang, crash, go to the net and do all of these things. He’s a terrific kid. But through the second round we were happy with Gard, and obviously Vansaghi. It was a little dull for a couple of rounds and slow-going. But we added a couple of guys, guys that we have time for and we’re excited for at that point in the draft. But as we stated before, at the draft there’s a fall off point. But we got a few guys we threw darts (on). We have some assets and hopefully they have a chance to play down the road.

On whether Martone is close and if other prospects are going to need a little more time:

Certainly Porter is closer than most just because of his experience, he has a late birthday and a bit older but also he’s very experienced. His game is probably a little more mature. He’s got some things to work on in terms of strength and conditioning and that which he’ll do like any young player. Even playing with the men at the end and he elevated his game. Junior sometimes can be a little easier for guys like him. But when you saw he was playing with men he knew where he had to go and move his feet and play with pace. He excelled.

On Amico and Vansaghi being big and strong now and whether that makes them closer to the NHL:

As far as Amico I think he’s naturally a huge human being. I think he’s still got some things to work on and he’s going to college so it’ll take time to round out his game. He needs reps because obviously he missed some time this year which is never good for any young player. But he’s going to be lots here his next couple of years.

Vansaghi is probably a different story. I don’t think he knows he’s ever going to play a different way. I think he’s going to have a more offensive role year this year. He’s a really young guy for college hockey this year. He finds a way to impact games. The way he plays now is probably similar to the way he’ going to play in the NHL. He’s an animal in the gym so you can’t take that away, you can’t punish him for that, that’s for sure.

On Matthew Gard:

Well he’s another player in Red Deer which wasn’t the strongest team. So he was forced to defend a lot. He’s another big kid with a body type like Nesbitt, he’s going to have to fill out and get stronger the next few years. He projects to be a very good skater and responsible defensively and more offense then he was able to show in situations this year. He’s a competitive kid, he’s got an edge. He’s in a good environment where he’s going to play a lot. We’ll see. It should be a good year for him.

On if Martone and Michkov gives the Flyers great depth on the right side:

I do and I think with Porter he could play his off side on the power play for sure. It should be a pretty good tandem. But I’m pretty sure whatever side he’s on he’s pretty capable.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...flahr-had-to-say-about-flyers-2025-nhl-draft/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers getting high marks from experts for 2025 NHL Draft

The Philadelphia Flyers had seven picks in the first two rounds 10 days before this weekend’s NHL Draft. After landing Porter Martone, trading up to get Jack Nesbitt, and making some more moves in the second round (Jack Murtagh, Carter Amico, Shane Vansaghi and Matthew Gard), the Flyers ended up receiving some high praise from those in the know regarding the annual draft. Here then is a round-up of what some were saying regarding what Danny Briere, Brent Flahr and the scouting staff were able to achieve Friday night and Saturday.

Corey Pronman, The Athletic:​

“The Flyers got Porter Martone with their first pick. He was my third-rated player overall in the draft, and someone who I think, despite his subpar skating, has the makings of a potential first-line winger with size. They then proceeded to trade up to pick Jack Nesbitt. I’m a fan of Nesbitt’s game. I agree with their assessment that he could be a second-line center, again with size, even if I wouldn’t have traded up to get him; I do understand their pressing need for centers, though. Those were two premium pieces Philadelphia acquired early on Day 1. The Flyers added a lot of size in this draft overall, but they picked big guys who can legit play. Carter Amico and Matthew Gard are highly athletic. Shane Vansaghi is very skilled. Martone and Nesbitt project as important players for this team, but they have a really good chance to get a third useful NHL player from their Day 2 picks.”

Flyers Draft Grade: A

Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff​

“Talk about getting tougher to play against. Nesbitt, Amico, Shane Vansaghi and Matthew Gard are absolute physical beasts, and Martone can flatten guys if he needs to, as well. I love Martone, because while they didn’t get their main positional need at No. 6 – a center – they got the best winger, who happened to be the best player available at the time. Amico could be a graet value pick at No. 38 – he missed most of the season due to an injury, but he’s an absolute unit. Nesbitt can be the team’s No. 3 center, while Vansaghi and Gard are going to be miserable to contain.”

Flyers Draft Grade: A+

Kyle Cushman, The Score​

The Flyers’ prospect pool lacked size, and they certainly addressed that by adding 6-foot-3 Martone, 6-foot-5 Nesbitt, 6-foot-6 Amico, and more later in the draft. Martone has thrilling potential with his playmaking. Trading up for Nesbitt was rich. Vansaghi is a menace on the forecheck. Philadelphia eventually becomes harder to play against with this kind of draft class.

Flyers Draft Grade: B+

Scott Wheeler, The Athletic​

They clearly set out with a plan with their six picks in Rounds 1-2 and accomplished it by adding size/strength at each of them. I didn’t love the Nesbitt and Amico picks, which I think come with some risk, but I liked the other four and Martone’s a big deal.

Flyers Draft Grade: “Overtime Winner”

Mary Clarke, USA Today
(grading drafting of Martone and Nesbitt in Round 1)​

Martone’s stock was rising ahead of the draft due to his unique skillset of being a power forward who can play hard and beat opponents with skill. It’s a bit surprising he fell to No. 6 to the Flyers, but he’ll slide in along nicely with Matvei Michkov, Trevor Zegras and the rest of Philadelphia’s young, but talented core.

Grade: A-

A trade! The Flyers traded the Penguins their two remaining first round picks in this draft to take big center Jack Nesbitt. This also feels like a reach, as Nesbitt could have been available in the early 20s when the Flyers were drafting next, but he’s a solid two-way center that helps Philadelphia fill out the center position.

Grade: B

Nicholas Nathanson, Bleacher Report​

The Philadelphia Flyers are getting an absolute steal in Porter Martone. Martone, the No. 3 prospect per B/R’s final board, possesses an incredible offensive skill set. He tallied 98 points in 57 games with the Brampton Steelheads of the OHL this past season. However, the one concern is his pattern of hovering around the zone. To an extent, he’ll need to become a bit more aggressive on both ends, but the result is still a massive win.

Flyers Draft Grade: A

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-getting-high-marks-for-2025-nhl-draft/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Evaluating the Flyers’ 2025 NHL Draft

That’s a wrap on the 2025 NHL Draft. It was a bit of a wild one for the Flyers, with a bit of trading done and still a number of big additions made. At the end of the day, we saw nine new players added into the mix, making up a class which the national pundits are overwhelmingly viewing in a positive light.

But how do we, the in-market, foremost experts on the team feel about how things went? Honestly still largely the same, but let’s still get into it.

The Breakdown​

Porter Martone (Round 1, Pick 6)
RW, Brampton (OHL), 6’3, 205lbs
EP weigh in: While Martone is known as a power forward, it’s more accurate to describe him as a playmaker. The patterns of the game seem imprinted in his mind. Constantly scanning the ice and knowing his teammates’ tendencies, system’s rotations, and the expected movements of defenders, he stays connected with linemates, avoids coverage, and puts himself in advantageous spots to make the next play. He builds deft passing plays, moves ahead of the opposition, and preys on defenders’ and goalies’ expectations, manipulating them to open up great scoring possibilities.

The Martone pick, in short, feels like a slam dunk. We could quibble about the Flyers leaving James Hagens on the board despite being in pretty desperate need of centers, but the truly high-end player that they got in Martone softens that blow. Martone brings a stellar mix of power, pace (if not outright scorching speed), and slipperiness which allows him to be both incredibly successful as both an individual chance creator but also as a playmaker. His frame is also pretty close to professional ready, and while conversations will be open about letting him make a run at making the team out of camp, taking the more patient approach with him (especially if the rumors are true that he intends to leave the OHL and head to Penn State this season) might not be the worst thing. All the same, the Flyers still got themselves one of the more pro-ready players in this class, and that makes him even more exciting.

And, all told, as much as the Flyers do need help down the middle, they also still need a boost generally of high-end players to put them over the edge, and Martone certainly brings that.

Jack Nesbitt (Round 1, Pick 12)
C, Windsor (OHL), 6’5, 185lbs
EP weigh in: Nesbitt brings a 6-foot-4 frame, defensive abilities, and sense. He generates chances by breaking plays on the forecheck with precise stick work and by engaging players with his body, bouncing them off the puck.

While the Martone pick was an easy, hugely exciting one, something more curious unfolded with their second pick of the night. The Flyers packaged their 22nd and 31st overall picks in a trade with the Penguins to move all the way up to the 12th spot, and spent that pick on Jack Nesbitt.

And in the moment, this felt like a big surprise. Nesbitt seemed like an option that might well have been there for the Flyers when they got to 22, but something moved them to get aggressive to move up to grab him early (very early, one might argue). Now, it’s no question why the Flyers would find Nesbitt an attractive get — he adds a ton more size to their leaned undersized center pool, while bringing some physicality and sound two-way play. He’s already well projectable as a third line center, with the potential to outperform that projection if he can make some major strides in improving his skating game. And it’s commendable that they found their guy and stuck to their plan, making an aggressive play to go get him. But was it too aggressive, given the cost and the value of the player? Time will tell.

Carter Amico (Round 2, Pick 38)
RHD, USNTDP, 6’5, 225lbs
EP weigh in: An aggressive, agile defenceman, Amico’s range is nearly unmatched. When he surfs into opponents, he completely erases the middle and then crushes the opponent into the wall. He clears the front of the net with vitriol and then gets play moving the other way. He fakes forecheckers with his edges, then looks into or across the middle for a high-value breakout play.

With their third pick of the draft and their first of the second round, the Flyers completed something of a trifecta of Big Boys. For their first defenseman taken in that draft, the Flyers picked up Amico, who plays a heavy, physical game, but still brings a nice enough blend of elusiveness and a bit of finesse. There’s some nastiness here, to be sure, but he brings enough skill to allow him to beat opponents in a number of ways. And this pick lines up well with an emphasis we saw from the Flyers in last year’s draft as well — they want to add size particularly on the back end. They’re stocking up nicely in this area, but did well in picking up Amico to add a player who brings a whole lot more than just his size.

Jack Murtagh (Round 2, Pick 40)
C/LW, USNTDP, 6’1, 198lbs
EP weigh in: An explosive winger, Murtagh powers past – and through – opponents with explosive strides. If there’s a puck battle, he’s involved, throwing hits, digging under sticks, and popping right back up after getting knocked down. He sticks with every play and never gets deterred. Turning puck battles into chances, Murtagh always looks off the wall after winning possession. He powers through contact to unleash quick-release wristers with his feet moving

The Flyers got back to adding to their forward group with their second pick of the second round, but stuck around in pulling from the NTDP for the second pick in a row. With Murtagh, they got a solid center/wing pivot who plays a hard nosed, powerful game. He’s the tenacious type of player that one could see fitting in nicely with the group of forwards they’re assembling both in the pipeline and with their young core at the NHL level (while also giving them a bit more of that much-coveted size). Murtagh was projected by some to go earlier in the 30s, so the Flyers end up with good value, picking him up with the 40th overall pick.

Shane Vansaghi (Round 2, Pick 48)
RW, Michigan State (NCAA), 6’3, 212lbs
EP weigh in: After breaking plays and getting some space in the neutral zone, Vansaghi carries the puck in, dangles around defenders, and fires a missile to the top of the net. He bypasses sticks in his firing motion, dragging the puck toward him to release or aiming through defenders. On top of those skills, Vansaghi also has his moments as a playmaker, landing passes in transition and from below the goal line. Even under heavy pressure, he seems to retain an awareness of the ice and an ability to add a touch of deception to his feeds. Instantly after the pass, he gets open for a return feed, showing an above-average tactical understanding of the game.

It is, in short, a total shock that the Flyers were still able to pick up Vansaghi with the 48th pick. Combining his player profile (bringing a combination of size, power, physicality, and dynamism of offensive production) with the head start he’s gotten in his development in having made the jump to the college level with Michigan State this season, Vansaghi seemed to be rising on a lot of boards on those last few weeks leading up to the draft, but inexplicably (as seems to happen with some players every year) found himself falling when the day ultimately came. It’s a shame for him, we suppose, but it’s a great value that the Flyers have gotten, as they’ve addressed their size desire with a player who will also give their offensive game a big boost.

Matthew Gard (Round 2, Pick 57)
C, Red Deer (WHL), 6’3, 198lbs
EP weigh in: Proactive and calculated, Gard gets above the puck, guides attacks to the outside, clamps down on sticks, and supports down low. In the rare instance he’s not already positioned perfectly, his open-ice speed and reach propel him back into the play. And he’s just as effective on the forecheck, combining these same skills with physicality.

This final pick of the second round, though, is a little less flashy. They certainly add a good bit more size into the mix with this pick as well — are we detecting a theme here? — but there’s a good and solid game to be found here too. Gard plays, generally speaking, a good support style of game, checking well and creating space to set up his teammates for chances, and, what’s more, looks pretty projectable to stick down the middle. His game might not dazzle, but it brings a high floor and looks like it could serve well to click with some more shoot-first style wingers. It’s another size pick, to be sure, but a size plus some additional offensive skill pick, so at least there’s that.

Max Westergard (Round 5, Pick 132)
LW/RW, Frolunda (J20 Nationell), 5’11, 168lbs
EP weigh in: Wherever Max Westergård goes, he finds ways to produce. He’s a productive two-way winger whose offence flows through his off-puck instincts and ability to anticipate. He shows a strong inside drive in all situations, which helps his teammates too as he can give them space behind him. He goes in first in battles and is relentless in his will to win the puck.

We’re getting into more of the lottery ticket part of the draft here, but Westergard remains an interesting pick here. One of the youngest players in the draft, and already having shown some promise in limited SHL minutes at the end of this past season, the Flyers are making something of an upside bet on Westergard. He plays an uptempo, hard checking, defensively minded style that aligns nicely with what they look to be building towards at the NHL level. Obviously he’s a long ways away from getting into that mix — and indeed, it remains to be seen whether he’ll put it all together enough to become a good pro in North America — but the Flyers are taking the chance that they can get a little more out of him, given the extra developmental runway he has, which might well be a good bet.

Luke Vlooswyk (Round 5, Pick 157)
RHD, Red Deer (WHL), 6’5, 201lbs
EP weigh in: Defending the rush, Vlooswyk’s mobility, stick work, and instincts shine. He catches opponents with his feet moving after waiting for them to enter his space, never overextending. He excels at tying up opponents and taking them into the wall, immobilizing them and freeing possession.

Vlooswyk is another size-first pick, and the Flyers are getting a quite raw defender, but one who has the chance to develop into a good shutdown defender, if things break his way and he can keep developing on his more raw tools. We don’t have too much more of a breakdown on this pick other than we suppose it’s good that they made sure to get one more defenseman and didn’t leave it at just Amico, and it’s certainly another datapoint that tells us that size was a target in this draft.

Nathan Quinn (Round 6, Pick 164)
C, Quebec (QMJHL), 5’11, 172lbs
EP weigh in: A net-driver, Quinn creates space in the slot with his body, taking the inside lane to the goalie to catch passes and fire. He can pass the puck off the boards and spot teammates in space across the ice and behind him, relaying them the puck to expand the attack and generate higher-quality looks.

Of course, it’s a positive that size wasn’t the exclusive focus of this draft, and the Flyers made another interesting pick on an undersized forward with their final selection of the draft. Quinn is another very young player (with his late-August birthday) and he’s already taking a big step forward in his development, as he’ll head to Northeastern and make the jump up to the NCAA level in the fall. He’s still a bit raw, and he’s going to need a longer development track to get to where he needs to be, but there’s an intriguing amount of offense in his game, and this feels like the perfect bit of a swing to take with a sixth-round pick.

Final Thoughts​

As much as the Flyers might have claimed heading into the draft that they weren’t going to go out of their way to get players with size in this draft, and as much as they might try to paint the fact that they did go overwhelmingly after size here as something of a happy coincidence, it feels clear that this was a pretty intentional play. Now, it’s also not just them making it in isolation, as we saw a large number of teams this year going more after size, so maybe we can cut them a bit of slack as we take this into the context of the larger league drafting trend. All the same, the Flyers used this draft to beef up their pipeline, providing a good bit of balance to a group that was leaning on the smaller side, on the whole. They continued the trend from last year and added two more — notably, just two — big defensemen to the mix, but they expanded on that ethos and really seemed to make a concerted effort to add some more size up front as well.

It’s also notable that for the second year in a row, the Flyers didn’t take a goalie in the draft. Now, given the quality of the goaltenders in this draft and how things fell with the better of those options, it’s hard to be too down on the Flyers for not picking one up, but with how weird goalie development often is, and to what degree drafting them feels like just loading up on lottery tickets, it’s interested that they didn’t make any additions to that part of the pipeline for another year.

But, all in all, as funny as it might be to point to the size obsession this time around, the Flyers did a nice bit of work in this one. The Martone pick couldn’t be better, and while it’s fair to say that they made a bit of a reach in trading away assets to move up for Nesbitt, they did really well to recoup that value, particularly with their first three picks in the second round, capitalizing on some really good players falling a bit farther than they probably should have. The Flyers come out of this draft having surely addressed what they came into this weekend wanting to address, and with a both more high-end and well-balanced prospect pipeline coming together for them, and that’s pretty unequivocally a success.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/evaluating-the-flyers-2025-nhl-draft/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers announce 2025 Development Camp roster and schedule

This certainly is a busy time of year for the Flyers and their fans alike. With the craziness of the draft now over and done with, and the potentially lively day of the opening of free agency on the horizon, the Flyers have announced that they’ll be jumping right into their annual Development Camp to close out a frenetic week.

Development Camp will open with its first day of on-ice sessions on Wednesday July 2, and will carry into Thursday. We’ll then see a nice little day off for the Fourth of July on Friday, and then things will resume for both days of the weekend. The complete schedule is below:

DATE	TEAM	DEFENSE/FORWARDS	FULL TEAM
Wed., July 2	JonesBriere	8:30-9:15 a.m.10:45-11:30 a.m.	9:30-10:30 a.m.11:45-12:45 a.m.
Thurs., July 3	BriereJones	8:30-9:15 a.m.10:45-11:30 a.m.	9:30-10:30 a.m.11:45-12:45 a.m.
Fri., July 4	NO	ON	ICE
Sat., July 5	BriereJones	8:30-9:15 a.m.9:30-10:15 a.m.	1:30 p.m.(both teams)
Sun., July 6	5-on-5 Scrimmage	6:00 p.m.

Because of the volume of skaters being brought in again this year, we’ll see the players split up into groups through the first three days, to keep things a little more manageable, when the focus will be drill-style activities. But on Sunday, though, we’ll see the groups all coming together again for a 5-on-5 tournament to close out the camp, which is always a fun one. All sessions will be, as always, free and open to the public.

The Flyers will be bringing a pretty loaded group to the ice this time around. Most excitingly, this will be fans’ first opportunity to get eyes on members of this most recent draft class, headlined by first round picks Porter Martone and Jack Nesbitt, as well as some of the second round steals in Jack Murtagh and Shane Vansaghi (but not Carter Amico, who’s still working his way back from the knee injury). We want to keep expectations reasonable for their very first development camp (which is taking place after an already pretty whirlwind weekend), but it will be nice to get an introduction, all the same.

It will also be a good chance to check in with some of the development camp returnees, like Jett Luchanko and Alex Bump, fresh off of their AHL debuts, as well as Denver Barkey, Oliver Bonk, and Carson Bjarnason, as they head into theirs.

Check out the full list of campers. pic.twitter.com/SgMtdiunhp

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) June 30, 2025

Whoever you’re there to see, it’s bound to be a nice bit of action (and a little more hockey to sustain us as we get deep into summer).

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-announce-2025-development-camp-roster-and-schedule/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Flyers sign Lane Pederson to one year, two-way contract

The news keeps on rolling in, folks! The theme so far today has largely been of the Flyers making moves to shore up their depth heading into the season, and this most recently announced signing falls well in line with that. Per the folks over at PuckPedia, the Flyers have signed forward Lane Pederson to a one-year, two-way contract, which will pay him $775,000 at the NHL level and $525,000 at the AHL level.

Pederson, a center, has spent the last two seasons playing for Bakersfield, the AHL affiliate of the Oilers. During the 2023-24 season, he put up a respectable 22 goals and 52 points in 66 games played, and then managed five goals and 12 points in 18 games last year, before his season was cut short by a shoulder injury which required surgery to repair back in February (but one would imagine he’ll be good in time to start this season).

And while Pederson will surely be in the mix for an NHL job out of camp, it feels more likely that he’ll serve as a boost of the center depth down at the AHL level with the Phantoms. And this, too, is pretty sorely needed. With Jett Luchanko not being an option for them for the regular season, Elliot Desnoyers not receiving a qualifying offer yesterday, and the situation with a few of their other AHL veterans up in the air still, the Phantoms’ center depth has taken a pretty major hit, and they’re going to need bodies to fill out their lineup as well. What’s more, with the group of very young forwards already down there (a group which is only going to get younger this season, with the recent OHL graduate in Denver Barkey and NCAA graduates in Alex Bump, Devin Kaplan, and potentially Karsen Dorwart joining the mix), Pederson as a more veteran player in that league will be able to offer a bit more stability while those young players are settling in and learning the ropes. It’s all about balance, as they say, and the Flyers have done well to add a nice bit of it here.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/flyers-sign-lane-pederson-to-one-year-two-way-contract/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Wednesday Morning Fly By: Not too silly

*Day one of Free Agency sure was a wild one. Danny Briere did a bunch of Things, none of them huge or particularly groundbreaking, but some solid low-level signings that should shore some things up next season. Like, for example, bringing in Dan Vladar to try and get the goaltending back to like… average. [BSH]

*He also brought in center Christian Dvorak, who, most notably, can win a faceoff. That will be helpful. [BSH]

*The rest of the signings were depth moves, really. A couple of defenseman were brought in on one year deals; we’ve got former Canuck Noah Juulson… [BSH]

*… and then former Senator Dennis Gilbert. One assumes one of these guys will be the seven. Gilbert bring some size, which we know the Flyers felt was lacking on defense. [BSH]

*Last up was a little bit of center depth for the Phantoms, mostly, in the form of former member of the Oilers organization Lane Pederson. [BSH]

*Jackie’s got a little more info on the New Guys over at the Inky. [Inquirer]

*If you take a little perusal at the full list of signings that were made yesterday, you could argue that Danny Briere’s best move was not doing something completely insane like signing Cody Ceci for over $5m. [Sportsnet]

*In addition to the FA signings there were quite a lot of trades made. Some better than others. [ESPN]

*There was, of course, a Danny Briere presser following all of today’s activities. [BSH]

*And finally, in case you missed it, looks like Tyson Foerster might miss a bit of time to start the season. Which is less than ideal. [BSH]

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/wednesday-morning-fly-by-not-too-silly/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Why Flyers are better off without Maxim Shabanov

The electrifying Russian winger decided to sign with a team that wasn’t the Philadelphia Flyers. Maxim Shabanov, the top KHL free agent this summer, after months and months of rumors and reports that he was going to sign with the Flyers, has chosen to sign with the New York Islanders instead.

While it would have cost the Flyers nothing but a contract and a roster spot — since Shabanov wasn’t leaving his childhood team to go play in the AHL — we think that they could certainly be better off not even having to go through bringing the 25-year-old winger on board.

Sure, this might just be coping with not being able to have another potentially fun, new player on the Flyers, but there are real concerns about Shabanov even being able to play in the National Hockey League.

When Shabanov was heavily rumored to be signing with the Flyers, we turned to someone who actually watches the KHL, to get their read on the player and how his game could potentially translate. Elite Prospects’ Dylan Griffing, who scouts all three major Russian leagues for the premier public prospect website we all know and love, was able to give some clarity on what Shabanov in the NHL could look like.

Will his game translate to the NHL? If not right now, what would need to improve?

“I struggle with seeing a smooth transition to the NHL. It’s not for a lack of skill in Shabanov – he’s a very talented player – but there is an objective difference between how defense is played in the KHL vs. the NHL. In the NHL, space creation is much more difficult and relying on slipping off the radar of the opponent is not a tactic that breeds success.

The obvious limitation comes through his size, as well. He avoids physical play like the plague which works enough at the KHL level with the level of engagement that defensemen have; however, in the NHL, he won’t have the luxury of being able to pull off a quick spin to put his back to the defender to open up his playmaking game because of how much more aggressive NHL defenders are to close off plays like that. In terms of improvements to make, it’s a bit tough to say before he starts playing games in North America.

There’s always the chance that his skill and speed clears the physical gap, but in my opinion, Shabanov is what he is at this point. He’s highly skilled, pacey, and loves to carry pucks through the middle. If you take out the inside game, he may just be a perimeter playmaker where he has the vision and passing skill to succeed. However, now we’re looking at a player who can get stuck to the walls, which is a recipe for disaster with his frame. It’s a Nikita Gusev type situation, a player who is too good for the KHL, but might just not have the NHL style in him.”

While we have all seen the viral highlights that has Shabanov weaving his way through some defenders and twirling around with the puck in between his legs, someone who understands what the winger brings to the entire game, has doubts about how he will be in the best hockey league in the world. And, as Dylan mentions, we have seen a whole lot of forwards who were KHL MVP finalists end up not being able to stick in the NHL just because of the faster pace and just how much better the players are.

Could Shabanov pull all of those fancy moves against NHL defenders? Maybe some, but most would close the gap much, much quicker and be right on top of him and his 5-foot-8 frame.

There are doubts from smart people, but we would also not be surprised if he was able to figure it out and try to limit the perimeter play. And if that happens, the Flyers would still be in a position to be completely fine.

Even with Tyson Foerster potentially being out to start the season, Shabanov would be in a tough battle with multiple wingers to earn a spot on the roster. Alex Bump is the most bullish Flyers prospect we have seen in a while and he brings a much more complete package than Shabanov; Nikita Grebenkin is a heavy winger that can bring that desired physicality; Porter Martone might surprise everyone and make the team ahead of schedule; and even some outliers like Devin Kaplan, Alexis Gendron, Karsen Dorwart, and of course Jett Luchanko, would provide some resistance for Shabanov making the team. Nothing would be certain and the second the 25-year-old Russian winger experiences an NHL training camp, he might find himself slightly over his head.

Call it cope, but we would still be publishing Dylan’s quotes about being skeptical if Shabanov could be an NHL player even if the newest Islander signed in Philadelphia. It would be getting a fun player for free, but also now without him, it’s nowhere near the end of the world and the Flyers might have multiple wingers who bring a more complete game, not even make the team out of camp.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...r-off-without-maxim-shabanov-khl-free-agency/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Denver Barkey won’t stop asking to get on the ice with Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers are holding their annual Development Camp in Voorhees this week, giving fans a chance to see some top prospects for the Orange and Black show off their skills up close and personal.

We’ve already gotten our first look at Porter Martone on the ice with the Flyers, but a few prospects are absent from the on-ice portion of camp due to injury.

One of those players is 2023 third-round pick Denver Barkey. Barkey suffered a high ankle sprain in the OHL playoffs, missed a few games, but returned to help the London Knights win not only the OHL Championship but the Memorial Cup as well.

While Barkey has been told that he won’t be participating in on-ice activities this week, it’s not stopping him from trying.

Riley Armstrong said Denver Barkey comes up to him every day asking to get on the ice.

But Flyers are not going to push it, they’re keeping him off ice as he nurses some things after long junior season.

Armstrong said Barkey has developed chip on shoulder to prove people wrong. pic.twitter.com/X18rVoqBRi

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) July 3, 2025

It must be particularly frustrating for Barkey, who also missed Rookie Camp and Training Camp last year as he recovered from mononucleosis.

The 95th overall pick from 2023 has risen up the Flyers’ prospect ranks in recent years thanks to his high compete level on a great London team. After putting up nearly a point per game (59 points in 61 games) in the season leading up to the 2023 draft, Barkey has really broken out in the last two years with a total of 184 points (60 goals, 124 assists) in 114 regular-season games and 47 points (15 goals, 26 assists) in 28 playoff games.

Barkey captained the Knights this past season despite London having a few more highly-touted prospects, including Oliver Bonk, which shows just how much he means to his team. He played a key role in the Memorial Cup, recording a point in all five games with a total of seven points in the tournament.

Even though he stands at just 5’10”, you wouldn’t be able to tell that from the way Barkey plays the game. He gives his all every single shift and isn’t afraid to throw the body or get into the dirty areas.

And he has the skill to go with it.

Denver Barkeypic.twitter.com/RHJHNaTehh

— London Knights (@LondonKnights) June 17, 2025

Barkey will be turning pro this year, whether it’s with the Flyers or more likely the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the AHL level. But don’t be surprised if Barkey does everything he can to make it as difficult a decision as possible for Danny Briere to keep the smaller winger off the Flyers roster. There will be a handful of prospects looking to compete for a roster spot come the fall.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/denver-barkey-wont-stop-asking-to-get-on-the-ice-with-flyers/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Friday Morning Fly By: Happy 4th, y’all

*A long weekend with fireworks and barbecues, what could be better? Alex Bump that’s what. [BSH]

*Bump remains cocky as hell and you absolutely love to see it, but he’s not the only one with aims on making the team out of camp this year. [NBC Sports Phily]

*Speaking of these motivated youths, Charlie has some thoughts on why the Maxim Shabanov rejection will make training camp a lot more interesting this year. [PHLY]

*The Flyers didn’t add anyone super flashy or life-changing on July 1, but that doesn’t mean the additions won’t help push this team towards a playoff spot. [BSH]

*The most significant signing was definitely goalie Dan Vladar, because if nothing else, it ought to give the Flyers something resembling cromulent goaltending. Which will definitely help with that playoff goal. [Inquirer]

*With the new additions and draft picks and such it’s a fine time to take a look at the updated depth chart. [The Athletic]

*Anyway what have we learned from this year’s free agency signings thus far? [ESPN]

*Who, if anyone, is left worth signing? [Sportsnet]

*And finally, Denver Barkey: he got that dog in him. Pun both unintended and unavoidable. Enjoy the long weekend, fam! [BSH]

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/friday-morning-fly-by-happy-4th-yall/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Alex Bump aims to make Flyers after unselfishly joining Phantoms at end of season

The Philadelphia Flyers kicked off Development Camp on Tuesday, giving fans their first chance to see some of the newest members of the Orange and Black. While most of the excitement is understandably about first-round picks Porter Martone and Jack Nesbitt, it’s a fifth-round pick from 2022 who might be the most exciting name to watch at Development Camp.

Alex Bump was selected by the Flyers with the 133rd overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. He was a high school product who only had 27 games with the Omaha Lancers in the USHL under his belt, so it makes sense that teams weren’t lining up to draft him.

However, after another season in the USHL, Bump joined the Western Michigan Broncos, where he really broke out. He had 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points in 38 games as a freshman, and 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists) in 42 games while wearing an “A” this past season.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference in Bump’s game is his willingness to shoot the puck. After a respectable 160 shots in 38 games (4.2 per game), he jumped all the way up to 5.9 shots per game as the winger fired 248 shots in 42 games.

Bump was among a handful of prospects who joined the Phantoms for the final few weeks of the season and playoffs in the spring. He had a goal and two assists in three regular-season games, plus two more goals in seven postseason contests.

While some college players want to get a taste of the NHL right away, Bump was focused on the bigger picture.

Bump on why he didn't have his NHL ELC start last season:

"Just playing more meaningful games in the (AHL) playoffs. Definitely more intensity, guys care, I think, a little bit more.

I didn't think it was really worth it to waste one year on my contract for one game."

— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) July 2, 2025

It would have been exciting for fans to get a look at the shoot-first winger at the end of a disappointing season. But it’ll be even more exciting if (or when) Bump is a key contributor for the Flyers in the final year(s) of his ELC.

And it’s quite possible that Bump gets a shot sooner rather than later.

Tyson Foerster’s status for the start of the season is up in the air due to an upper-body injury. Foerster suffered an injury at the World Championship that resulted in an elbow infection, Briere explained Tuesday.

The Flyers also let Jakob Pelletier walk without a qualifying offer, and while he may not have stuck long term in Philadelphia, it’s one less winger with NHL experience that Bump has to compete with.

Bump may end up as one of the promising prospects on the Phantoms as he turns pro this year, but his ultimate goal is to make the Flyers roster this season

Alex Bump said “absolutely” he’ll be aiming for Flyers, said he’s staying in his lane and will try to make Danny Briere choose him for the roster. pic.twitter.com/mQSRlp7hE6

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) July 2, 2025

And it sounds like he could be one of the guys to watch, not only for fans, but the front office has their eyes on him as well.

“We have some young guys,” Briere said when asked about replacing Forester in the lineup. “Maybe Alex Bump, maybe Porter Martone … There’s other guys who could perform, who maybe they get a look early in the season if they have a good camp.”

Bump made it easy to imagine him in Orange and Black this fall with the way he was shooting on Day 1 of Development Camp.

Alex Bump with a nice shot. He’ll be pushing for Flyers come fall. pic.twitter.com/x43egX5oc0

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) July 2, 2025

The shoot-first mentality is one of the many things Bump can bring to the Flyers. It doesn’t hurt that he is a left winger, which is a bigger need than on the right side with Matvei Michkov, Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, and Bobby Brink all more comfortable as RW.

Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong was on the ice with the prospects and saw Bump’s game up close and personal. He also spoke highly of the winger’s chances of making the roster.

“I think he’s going to have a great shot to make it out of camp if he brings his game.”

– Riley Armstrong on Alex Bump pic.twitter.com/Gw5JQvGO1d

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) July 2, 2025

Bump is already a bigger body for the Flyers, standing at 6’2″ and 194 pounds. He’s shown that he can play against his peers at the college level and didn’t slow down too much as he ramped things up in the AHL against pros.

It’s only one day on the ice, and Development Camp is more about, well, developing and teaching rather than evaluating, but it sure sounds like Bump will be a name to keep in the conversation this summer, leading up to training camp.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/p...ts-alex-bump-aims-for-nhl-after-ahl-playoffs/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Why free agent signings help Flyers towards playoffs

The Philadelphia Flyers of 2025-26 will look a lot different in some respects than in 2024-25. The Flyers went into the season hoping they would be okay in goal, decent on the power play and strong enough up the middle to contend for a playoff spot. Or at least play meaningful games like they did in 2023-24. However, as you’ll recall, there were a few hiccups. Goaltending was horrid. The power play was as bad as the goaltending. And as for the center position, there were some obvious needs that bandages and tape couldn’t really resolve. In short, the Flyers needed to do something this offseason to address some of those issues.

Although the 2025 NHL Draft saw the Flyers get some great reviews on their overall selections, one of those players (Porter Martone) might be ready to hit the ground running with Philadelphia in October. Otherwise, they’re not getting much help this year from kids who are still a few years away. So, the only other routes to try to fix these problems are through trades, offer sheets and signing unrestricted free agents. The offer sheet route has been a source of speculation, but as of this posting, Flyers general manager Danny Briere hasn’t done the deed. That leaves the trade option and the free agent option, both of which Briere has delved into.

In trading for Trevor Zegras (and not really giving up a lot in return), the Flyers have taken a solid first step to get immediate help at center. Zegras was switched to the wing in Anaheim and didn’t appear to be a happy camper. A fresh start here in Philadelphia should make the transition a bit smoother. At least that’s the hope. The same offensive output should also get the Flyers out of the doldrums concerning the power play. A 25th-ranked power play at season’s end might result in a parade down Broad Street. Somewhere in the middle of the pack and Zegras (along with Travis Konecny and Matvei Michkov) should all win the Hart Trophy! But by far the most obvious means to try fixing these glaring issues is through free agency. And once July 1 emerged on the calendar, Danny Briere did just that.

That’s not to say the Flyers went big game hunting and landed the creme de la creme of the free agent market. Not by a long shot. And Briere would be the first to tell you that isn’t what happened. However, three of the five players Philadelphia signed (the exception being Lane Pederson and Dennis Gilbert, two players who should start the season with Lehigh Valley) could be with the big club and make some sort of impact. It won’t guarantee a top seeding or top three seeding in the Metropolitan Division. What it should do is make the Flyers one of the teams well within a wildcard seeding. Or close enough to be in the mix down the stretch.

The biggest acquisition not named Trevor Zegras has to be Dan Vladar. Vladar comes to Philadelphia with the reputation of being a decent to good tandem goaltender. None of his statistics are leaps and bounds above Sam Ersson’s, but Vladar’s presence should provide some much needed stablity in that position, something the Flyers never had at all last season. Without Ersson (the team’s number one almost by default), Philadelphia got very little help in terms of earning points with Ivan Fedotov and/or Aleksei Kolosov between the pipes.

For instance, the Capitals got 20 wins out of Charlie Lindgren last season. By comparison, Fedotov and Kolosov combined for 10. Granted Montreal’s supporting tandem won about the same number of games as the Flyers duo. But if you can’t get at least decent starts out of them, you’re putting yourself at a severe disadvantage before the season gets underway. Simply put, the backups can’t suck nearly as bad as last year for the Flyers to have a fighting chance at playing game eighty-three.

Vladar should alleviate a good chunk of that concern. Nobody anticipates him playing 55 to 60 games (at least as of now) but he should provide some much needed rest for Ersson, something he really hasn’t had since 2023-24 before the Flyers goaltending situation imploded. Vladar is tall (6’5″) and beefy, so he should take away a bit more net just by simple, good positioning. He should also be a sounding board of sorts to Ersson having played around the same amount of NHL games as the Swede. He has some experience in the NHL, something Ersson couldn’t really talk about with Fedotov or Kolosov. And, at age 27, he’s not a relic like some NHL goalies who signed for five years on July 1. In short, it’s a short-term attempt to remedy a problem any rebuild can’t realistically overcome: horrible goaltending. As well, if Vladar comes in with the mindset to make it a 50/50 tandem, or possibly try to become the number one, that competition should hopefully get the best from whoever is still here in September and isn’t named Ersson.

Next up, the Flyers addressed the center ice position. Aside from the evident upside to Zegras with his offensive production and potential down the middle, Philadelphia added another centerman in Christian Dvorak. Dvorak has some great tools, namely he’s big, he can win more faceoffs than he loses, and he plays a good two-way game. He can also handle some special teams work, particularly the penalty kill. And he’s in Rick Tocchet’s good graces. Some find the $5.4 million for a year a little loopy for a 33-point, bottom six forward. But for a season? On a team not near contention for a Stanley Cup? Please….

Dvorak should end up being the fourth-line center, replacing Ryan Poehling if Couturier, Cates and Zegras are penciled in as the other three. Of course, if Jett Luchanko explodes in training camp and the exhibition season then Philadelphia could be moving a piece to the wing (would suspect Couturier) to make the center position a little younger and speedier. Dvorak’s addition also should lessen the dearth at center depth. They don’t look like all-stars, but they do look a little more appealing than they did to start last season. Again, not the panacea for a playoff spot, but puts them a little closer to that discussion.

The other two pieces the Flyers added were one-year deals for depth blueliners. Again, both Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert are big, and they can play big. The money and term is irrelevant, as basically Briere looked at the market and decided to take a low-risk move on both. The injury to Rasmus Ristolainen and his return remains cloudy, and if Egor Zamula takes a step back this season, the hole will be filled by either Gilbert or Juulsen. The best guess would be the two newly signed defensemen end up the sixth and seventh defensemen this year. It puts no pressure on any of the youngster like Oliver Bonk or Hunter McDonald to make the opening night roster. It does flesh out some small but basic needs the Flyers have now that Erik Johnson is no longer in the cards.

So, Briere added a goaltender, he added a fourth-line center and he added some depth pieces on the back end. Overall it’s not rolling the dice with any of these signings. Should they pan out and play well, they should help the Flyers get closer to a playoff spot or possibly help secure one. The additions also should make Philadelphia a harder team to play against. However, like any other team playing 82 games, there’s no blueprint to a regular season. News of Tyson Foerster’s injury could throw his season into some limbo while also messing with the chemistry he had with Noah Cates and Bobby Brink. Injuries up front, or to a key defenseman like Travis Sanheim, is something that would severely hamper a playoff spot.

Perhaps one question this coming year would be what the Flyers would do if they were in a playoff spot or within reach of a spot around the trade deadline. Would Briere resort to looking towards the future and attempting to acquire draft capital by swapping out Juulsen, Dvorak and Gilbert to contenders looking for depth pieces? Would he be willing to do what he did in 2022-23 with Sean Walker again in February 2026 when it appears these moves aimed to get Philadelphia closer to the playoffs? That’s a bigger question for later in the season.

As it stands now, the Philadelphia Flyers had some holes to fill in free agency. And they have filled them. How well they’re filled is up for debate. One thing seems to be a bit clearer: the Flyers are looking to take a step forward this year. And the signings of Dvorak, Vladar, Juulsen and Gilbert are indications they might be a little closer to that achievement than at any point since Danny Briere took over. For a team looking to improve while also not impeding the progress of its youth in the big picture, these one-year and two-year signings couldn’t have been better executed and timed. Philadelphia has a little more up front, a little more on the backend, and we think a hell of a lot more in goal. Those aren’t bad things when it comes to trying to get into the playoffs.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/why-free-agent-signings-help-flyers-towards-playoffs/

 

[Philadelphia Flyers]

Top 5 Flyers wins of 2024-25 season

The Flyers had fewer wins this in 2024-25 than they did the previous season. Yet there were a few of the 33 Ws that were more memorable for a few reasons. Here then are the top 5 wins by the Flyers over the colorful, eventful 82-game schedule.

5) Flyers 7, Wild 5 (October 26, 2024)​

The Flyers were reeling a bit early in the year. After winning their season opener the team then went winless in their next six including a home-and-home to Washington. However on this Saturday afternoon, a lot of things went right, particularly for Flyers captain Sean Couturier. Opening the scoring 78 seconds in, Couturier (who also earned his 500th NHL point with the goal) would have one of his best games all season. He could’ve probably ended up with four or five goals had he got one or two more bounces. But he ended up with his best offensive game in some time.

Matvei Michkov had a goal. Hell Nick Seeler and Rasmus Ristolainen also scored goals. Yet Couturier’s scoring touch emerged in the third, putting the Flyers ahead 5-4 roughly halfway through the third, banging home a rebound before falling down. Both teams traded goals, with Couturier assisting on Ristolainen’s eventual game-winner to make it 6-5. The icing on the cake was Couturier scoring an empty-netter for a five-point afternoon, including his second career hat trick in the regular season (he had another in the playoffs against the Penguins). It was a sign that Couturier might be back. Or at least still had something left to give.

4) Flyers 6, Oilers 3 (February 22, 2025)​

Following a 3-2 win against Pittsburgh which snapped a five-game winless streak, the Flyers entertained the defending Western Conference champions from Edmonton. And namely faced Leon Draisatl and Connor McDavid, arguably two of the best players in the league for some time. Philadelphia had their work cut out for them and were down 2-1 after the opening period thanks to Draisatl scoring his 41st goal of the year. However, the following two periods the Flyers effectively shut down the Oilers and their two biggest stars.

In the second period Owen Tippett had a pair and Andrei Kuzmenko scored a power play goal as part of a four-goal outburst. Edmonton countered with a goal from Mattias Ekholm. But after that the Flyers were like glue to the opposition, outshooting the Oilers 32-18 and leaving McDavid with no points, two shots and a plus/minus of -3. Ty Emberson of all people lead Edmonton in shots with four of the 18. Meanwhile the duo of Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier combined for six points (three each) as Philadelphia earned an impressive win over the subsequent two-time Western Conference winners.

Philadelphia goal!

Scored by Owen Tippett with 07:34 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier.

Philadelphia: 4
Edmonton: 3#EDMvsPHI #LetsGoFlyers #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/vP7vftT6QX

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) February 22, 2025

3) Flyers 8, Rangers 5 (April 9, 2025)​

Philadelphia was playing out the stretch by this point, having been officially eliminated after losing to Montreal on April 5. Nonetheless, with nothing to play for (although losses key to getting more lottery balls), the Flyers visited the Rangers in what was one of the strangest games all year. Less than two minutes in, the Rangers were awarded a penalty shot, but Mika Zibanejad failed to connect.

Zibanejad gets an early Penalty Shot and misses wide. That’s the 11th consecutive PS that the Rangers have failed to convert on. Been a long time since they scored on one of these #NYR
pic.twitter.com/YFnYt4mTYH

— Mike @ Top Shelf Hockey (@topshelfhkyvids) April 10, 2025

After the first period the Rangers, on a short-handed goal, led 1-0. After 40 it was still rather defensive and tied 2-2. However in the third the floodgates opened. Nine goals were scored, six by the Flyers, three by the Rangers. With just under 13 minutes left the Rangers were ahead 4-3 thanks to the recently acquired J.T. Miller putting New York in front. The Flyers responded, and in a huge way.

Goals by Jakob Pelletier, Sean Couturier, and Tyson Foerster put the Flyers up 6-4 with just under five minutes to play. New York got within a goal late but Philadelphia scored twice in the empty net. The first was by Foerster, giving him a hat trick for the night. The second was by Owen Tippett, who finally potted his 20th goal of the much maligned season to quieten a few people. Aleksei Kolosov made a few more saves than Jonathan Quick, giving the Flyers an 8-5 win. A win (which included a three-assist night from Nick Seeler) that meant nothing in the end. Yet it still made it fun to watch.

2) Flyers 2, Bruins 0 (October 29, 2024)​

An afternoon game in Boston has often resulted in heartbreak the last two decades, specifically late in the season when two points were desperately needed. On this early season game, the Flyers visited the Bruins. And they did a great job checking them into the ground. The Bruins had four power play opportunities. The Flyers were perfect on each. They were outshot but not by a large margin, with both teams giving very little room in the neutral zones and offensive zones.

Following a scoreless first period, the Flyers took the lead on a goal from Tyson Foerster who had plenty of room and time to beat Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo. After that, they played a tight checking game, rarely out of position and rarely letting Boston into areas where they could score. Joel Farabee would score an empty net goal as insurance and the Flyers walked away with a highly impressive 2-0 win, the Flyers first regulation victory in Boston dating back to the 2011-12 season.

1) Flyers 6, Ducks 0 (January 11, 2025) ​

The date was marked on the calendar since the season’s schedule was released in the summer. A day that the Flyers and their fans would focus on one person: William Gauthier. As has been well-documented, Gauthier was drafted by Philadelphia but decided he didn’t want to play for them. And essentially hid on Flyers general manager Danny Briere and President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones while the pair were in Europe to discuss the situation. Gauthier was traded in January 2024 to Anaheim with a second-round pick and defenseman Jamie Drysdale coming back in return. The distance from Philadelphia to sunny California was vast, but everyone knew he had to play at the Wells Fargo Center sometime. And on that early January night, both the Flyers and their fans were relentless.

No bottles were thrown, but barbs in the form of chants, posters and boos rained down on Gauthier. Chirps from Travis Konecny and others after the whistles were abundant. And the Flyers, in a rarity during the 2024-25 season, laid a can of whoopass on the Ducks. Roughing minors were the order of the evening, with former Flyer Radko Gudas and Matvei Michkov getting into it briefly. After getting an early 1-0 lead, the Flyers poured salt into the wound with Drysdale scoring on the power play.

Power play goal for Philadelphia!

Scored by Jamie Drysdale with 01:49 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Travis Konecny and Morgan Frost.

Philadelphia: 2
Anaheim: 0#ANAvsPHI #LetsGoFlyers #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/j3SqlF399o

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) January 12, 2025

Things settled down in the second as Philadelphia made it 3-0 on an Owen Tippett power play goal. And in the third the Flyers turned it into a laugher with Ryan Poehling making it 4-0 just 24 seconds into period three. Then Matvei Michkov scored a power play goal to make it 5-0.

Power play goal for Philadelphia!

Scored by Matvei Michkov with 12:24 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Travis Konecny and Jamie Drysdale.

Philadelphia: 5
Anaheim: 0#ANAvsPHI #LetsGoFlyers #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/AwTWeZHwGp

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) January 12, 2025

Garnet Hathaway scored shortly after Michkov’s goal, making it a comfortable 6-0 lead. As for Gauthier, he was held pointless and ended up a -1, with three shots on goal. It was a statement game by the Flyers, and one that William Gauthier won’t soon forget.

Source

Source: https://www.broadstreethockey.com/post/top-5-flyers-wins-of-2024-25-season/