New Flyers Thoughts: Three Essential Rookie Camp Questions

Anthony Mingioni’s Flyers blogs are powered by Summit Public Adjusters. Have you experienced damage to your property? Don’t panic! You’re in good hands. Summit works for YOU, and not the insurance companies. Call Brendan Gillespie at 215-919-1434.

The Philadelphia Flyers will begin their on-ice preparations for the 2025-26 season this week with their annual Rookie Camp. The Flyers’ invited prospect group will include a combination of their recent draft picks and some of their top performers from July’s development camp.

The camp will conclude with a two game Rookie Series in Allentown, PA with the New York Rangers prospects. The first game will take place Friday September 12 at 7:05pm at the PPL Center, with the second on Saturday September 13 at 5:05pm.

This will be the fifth consecutive season that the Flyers have played the Rangers in the Rookie Series, with Philadelphia holding a 4-3-1 record over New York.

With prospects such as center Jack Nesbitt and defenseman Spencer Gill headed back to their junior hockey teams, the focus here will mostly be on players entering their first full pro season who might gain traction towards NHL time.

So with that in mind, here’sIn three essential questions I’m thinking about heading into Philadelphia Flyers Rookie Camp:

1. Can Jett Luchanko Earn An Immediate Flyers Spot?

Even with the Flyers making several offseason moves to improve their center depth, the position remains an area of need.

As a result, Jett Luchanko, the team’s first round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, has another opportunity in front of him to make the team.

Last season, Luchanko showed impressive speed and anticipation through last year’s preseason and initial regular season audition. However, as the pace of play increased in the regular season, it became apparent that he wasn’t ready.

After four games, the Flyers sent him back to the OHL club, the Guelph Storm. Serving as team captain, he finished with 56 points in 46 games for an offensive-starved club.

Following the end of the Storm’s season, Luchanko got to join the Phantoms, scoring a combined nine points (all assists) in a combined 16 regular season and playoff games.

Now Luchanko faces another audition with the Flyers this fall, with a new coach in Rick Tocchet to impress. But due to his age and his entry level contract, the option once again remains the same: make the NHL or back to Canadian juniors.

Due to recovery from a minor groin injury, Luchanko did not participate in development camp. This will be first on-ice action since the end of the Phantoms season and will act as a testing ground.

Interestingly, Guelph recently named a new captain in Charlie Paquette and Luchanko was not included among the team’s leadership group.

Does this signal anything about Luchanko’s future if he does end up back in the OHL? Possibly one with more offensive firepower to augment his skill set?

Time will tell.

Regardless, Luchanko is focusing on making that a moot point by carving out an NHL roster spot.

2. Can Carson Bjarnason Impress With A Crowded Crease?

Carson Bjarnason, the first of the Flyers recent young goaltending prospects, will make his professional debut this season.

He does so with a very mixed bag of team options in front of him.

Put simply, Sam Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov ended last season as the worst statistical netminding group in the National Hockey League in 2024-25.

Between injuries and two prolonged slumps, Ersson didn’t come close to sustaining starter-worthy performance for the season as a whole. The other two goalies — Russian netminder Fedotov and young Belarusian counterpart Kolosov — simply weren’t good enough at any point.

With the Flyers signing of former Calgary Flame Daniel Vladar, it’s possible that Fedotov or Kolosov might be on their roster as a third goalie. Or both could end up in playing in the AHL.

So into this group, the 6 foot 4, 207lb Bjarnason will attempt to carve out his organizational spot with the Phantoms.

Last season, Bjarnason grew physically and statistically with the Brandon Wheat Kings, posting a 2.93 goals against average and a .913 save percentage. After recovering from a late season lower body injury that prevented him from playing with the Phantoms, he put forward a solid performance during development camp.

Bjarnason enters this season with the expectation that he will continue growing his game under goalie coach Kim Dillabaugh. The best case scenario sees him working in a tandem with Fedotov with more opportunities to earn ice time.

However, if Kolosov is in the mix, Bjarnason could see ECHL time. He will eventually have deal with fellow 2023 draft pick Yegor Zavragin as competition for plating.

For now though, he will look to put on a strong performance in rookie camp to firm up his status.

3. Beyond Alex Bump, Who Could Emerge As A Roster Option?

With Tyson Foerster still progressing in his injury recovery, he will need time to build up his strength for game action. That means left wing Alex Bump likely will get a long look in training and has a great chance to make the opening night roster.

Keeping that in mind, here’s some players in Rookie Camp to keep an eye on who might figure into the Flyers roster at some point this season.

Oliver Bonk

Even if the Flyers defense might be set with their top two pairs (Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, and Nick Seeler), Bonk will be a player to focus on.

The Flyers 2022 first round pick was an all situations defender for the Memorial Cup champion London Knights. He was a power play weapon as well (Bumper Bonk), but we’ll see if that carries over in his first professional season.

Last year’s preseason didn’t go well for Bonk. He struggled in his initial action and was sent back to London. With another year of development behind him, this camp will gauge how much growth he’s made since then.

As the season progresses, injuries to the big club’s defense could put him on the radar for NHL minutes.

Denver Barkey

Bonk’s teammate in London, Barkey sparked the Knights’ Memorial Cup run as the team’s unquestioned leader. The left wing had a tremendous final junior season with 82 points (25 goals) in 52 games. He enters his first pro season with the reputation of being a tenacious penalty killer.

While his size (5 foot 10, 155lbs) likely limit his NHL looks this season, Barkey has a chance to figure into the Flyers top nine in the coming seasons.

Ty Murchison

The Flyers signed two sizable free agent defensemen in Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert this summer. So the pathway for similar-type young blueliners like Ty Murchison would seem to be pretty steep, even after a strong four game AHL audition last season.

However, there’s always a need for physical defenders and shot blockers like the 6 foot 2, 205 lb. Murchison. How he enhances those traits with Lehigh Valley, while increasing his pace of play, will determine if his road leads to the NHL as a lower pairing option in the years to come.