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It’s been a quiet few days around the Flyers since the Anaheim Ducks matched the five-year, $90 million offer sheet signed by Leo Carlsson on July 3. The Flyers have re-shifted their focus to internal contracts. The silver lining in Anaheim matching the offer sheet is cap space. The Flyers temporarily have the most cap liquidity in the NHL: $31,499, 999 per Cap Wages.
- They want to get their two arbitration players — Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale — signed to new contracts prior to hearings. With recent salary cap inflation, the costs have gone up for both players. However, neither player is even asking for the kind of money some social media GMs have predicted they’ll get. Zegras, for example, isn’t going to get anything like $12 million AAV. The question is whether Philly can keep it closer to $9 million than to $10 million.
- The Flyers have had conversations about a potential Rasmus Ristolainen extension.
- Philly is still in the market for a power play defenseman.
Team Toyota Spotlight: Oliver Bonk
Flyers 2023 first-round pick Oliver Bonk (drafted 22nd overall) turned pro during the 2025-26 season. A preseason lower-back injury start of his campaign significantly.
Bonk finally joined the Lehigh Valley Phantoms lineup on December 6, 2025. Coming off a Memorial Cup championship with the OHL’s London and back-to-back World Junior Championship appearances for Team Canada, Bonk entered the American Hockey League with high expectations from many fans.
However, Bonk unsurprisingly had some growing pains for a while. He had to adjust to the pace of the pro game, tweak his gap control and make somewhat quicker decisions on breakouts. Offensively, he did not record his first point until his 10th game in the AHL.
Thereafter, Bonk started to turn the corner. He improved as the weeks and months went along despite the Phantoms hitting the wall as a team. Lehigh Valley ultimately missed the playoffs. Individually, the rookie posted 19 points (six goals, 13 assists), 22 penalty minutes and a minus-14 rating. Note: With the exception of fellow rookie defenseman Ty Murchison, much of the Phantoms’ roster finished underwater in plus-minus. As is often the case, the plus-minus said more about the team itself than the player. Even so, Bonk still has some adjustments to make in his second pro season.
Bonk enjoyed a memorable NHL debut in the Flyers’ final regular season game. The young defenseman scored an early first-period goal. Later, he added an assist for a two-point night. Subsequently, he dressed in one playoff game during the series against Carolina.
One of the main questions moving forward: As a junior player, Bonk became a fixture on the bumper in London’s power play. However, it’s rare for a defenseman to play into the slot as a pro. However, some people in the Flyers’ organization — president of hockey operations Keith Jones for one — feel it’s possible for Bonk to do it in the NHL ultimately, too. He’s been better from the bumper than the point.
Even if he does not become a power play regular in the NHL, the Flyers are high on the right-handed shooting defenseman’s two-way game. He may need more AHL season, but will get a long look in training camp.
Bonk’s competition in camp includes fellow right-shot defenseman David Jiricek. While Jiricek, 22, is no longer waiver-exempt, Bonk could be loaned to the Phantoms without needing waivers. This won’t be the sole factor in the depth chart competition. However, it does give Jiricek an edge at the start. Jiricek is the subject of the next Team Toyota Spotlight.
Flyers Summer Caravan schedule
Every summer, the Flyers Caravan tour comes around to various areas to promote the upcoming season. There are always special autograph-signing appearances by Flyers Alumni. Likewise, Gritty, the Ice Team, and in-arena host Everett Jackson are regulars at these events. There are also swag giveaways, inflatables and other family-friendly attractions. Preliminary dates:
Wednesday, July 29 – Voorhees, NJ
5:30-7:30 PM | Flyers Training Center | 601 Laurel Oak Road, Voorhees, NJ 08043
Tuesday, August 4 – Cape May, NJ
2:00-4:00 PM | Congress Hall Great Lawn | 200 Congress Place, Cape May, NJ 08204
Wednesday, August 5 – Mays Landing, NJ
6:00-8:00 PM | Mays Landing Ball Hockey | 3155 Leipzig Ave, Mays Landing, NJ 08330
Thursday, August 6 – Ocean City, NJ
12:00-2:00 PM | Sport and Civic Center | 6th St and the Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226
Wednesday, August 19 – Exton, PA
5:30-7:30 PM | Miller Park | 220 Miller Way, Exton, PA 19341
What can the Flyers expect from Noel Acciari
In the opening hours of free agency on July 1, the Flyers signed 34-year-old veteran center/winger Noel Acciari to a two-year ($2.8 million AAV) contract. Most likely, the player will replace the role formerly played by Garnet Hathaway. He also brings some versatility like unsigned free agent Luke Glendening.
Eariier this past week, Acciari did an introductory Zoom call with the Philadelphia media. For more, click here or watch below.
Flyers Alumni calendar
The 12th annual edition of the Flyers Alumni Fantasy Camp is right around the corner from August 14 to 17, 2026, at the Class of 1923 Arena on the University of Pennsylvania campus. Due to a recent cancellation, two spots opened up for the usually sold-out event.
This year’s Flyers Alumni coaches: Mark Recchi, Mark Howe, Patrick Sharp, Joe Watson, Tim Kerr, Keith Jones, and Robert Esche. Flyers Alumni president Brad Marsh is also scheduled to participate as a coach. Marsh, however, is currently hobbled with a knee issue.
Additionally, current active military members, veterans, and first responders are eligible to take advantage of a $1,000 discount offer on registration. The discount is offered through Flyers Alumni sponsor Camden Apothecary.
Welcome aboard new Hockey Hot Stove sponsor Joe Rivera of Coldwell Banker Realty of New Jersey. If Joe’s name sounds famiilar, it’s because he was a Phantoms equipment manager during their years in Philadelphia. Joe also served as the backup goaltender when Brian Boucher or Neil Little were unavailable to dress for a game. Meanwhile, Joe remains a Flyers Alumni Fantasy Camp regular on the equipment management crew.
Moving forward, Joe’s realty office will be the content co-sponsor for all Flyers prospect and Flyers Alumni features at Hockey Hockey Hot Stove along with Flyers Hall of Famer Brian Propp’s premium Guffaw Cigar line.
Cold War in Philly: Amazon Prime debut
Joe Amodei’s Cold War in Philly documentary about the 1976 game between the Flyers and the Red Army debuts on Amazon Prime on July 12 at 9:30 p.m. PDT (12:30 a.m. EDT). Pre-orders are available now.
HHS Giveaway: Congratulations to Annie Urban
Courtesy of Carl’s Cards and Collectibles of Havertown, PA, Hockey Hot Stove gave away a limited edition autographed photo signed by Flyers legends Bernie Parent (RIP), Bobby Clarke, Rick MacLeish (RIP), Keith Primeau and Mike Knuble. There were only 50 of these photos signed by that combination of five Flyers Alumni.
As we’ve done with previous giveaways — and will continue to do — we selected a winner by random drawing. The winner: Annie Urban. She plans to surprise her daughter, Lucy, with the signed photo.
The contest drew more than 38,000 views on X and nearly 40K including Facebook. There were hundreds of valid entries submitted.
We’ll be doing two new ramdom drawing contests imminently: 1) Another autographed item supplied by Carl’s Cards, 2) our second Guffaw Cigar sampler pack giveaway personally signed by Flyers Hall of Famer Brian Propp. Best of luck to all!
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