With the Rookie Series sweep of the New York Rangers last weekend, the Philadelphia Flyers are ramping up for the start of training camp.
As expected, there are a number of burning questions that the team faces going into it. General manager Daniel Briere laid out his expectations that his young core has a chance to make a big step forward.
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However, beyond the Leo Carlsson offer sheet attempt, Briere did not make massive changes to his roster this summer. So can the team as currently constructed can make another run for the playoffs? The Flyers had the element of surprise in the spring, but they know that they won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year. They will need to carry the lessons they learned last season over if they want to build upon that success.
With that in mind, here are five essential questions facing their defensemen heading into the 2026-27 season.
What’s Ristolainen’s Long-Term Outlook?
Throughout his time in Philadelphia, Rasmus Ristolainen has always been a topic of intense conversation. Whether debating his long-term contract to his role and deployment or his trade value, he’s been a talking point. But in his first-ever playoff run after 13 NHL seasons verified how important he is to their current fortunes. Last season, he finished on the top pairing with Travis Sanheim to give them a sizable and physical unit.
Now he enters the 2026-27 campaign on the final year of that contract. He is an all-situations defenseman, playing special teams and averaging over 21 minutes per game. It’s not easy to acquire a defenseman with his level of experience. It’s also difficult to place an exact trade value on him. In any offers, Briere reportedly hasn’t considered any deals that don’t include at least a first round pick.
But there’s a legitimate question as to whether the Flyers general manager has overplayed his hand when he could have maximized that value during this offseason. It’s entirely fair to theorize that the Flyers wouldn’t have made the playoffs without Ristolainen. But the big Finn stands to cash in handsomely on his next contract, especially with a rising cap. It just doesn’t seem likely that it will happen in Philadelphia, where he isn’t likely to accept a shorter-term deal.
Can Drysdale Build Upon Last Season’s Growth?
The jump that Jamie Drysdale made last season in his defensive play can’t be understated. Paired with Cam York, he became one of the Flyers’ most dependable blueliners in his own end of the ice. He took to Rick Tocchet and assistant coach Todd Reirden’s system with aplomb, first using his speed to close down zone entries. But as the season wore on, his level of physical play increased. It was especially noticeable in the Flyers’ first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Despite Drysdale’s shortcomings working the point on the power play, it’s not a stretch to say he’s their second or third best defenseman. Which was a big reason why Briere committed four years and $26 million to him.
Drysdale was a calculated bet at $6.5 million per year. But as he reaches his prime of his career, there’s hope that defensive zone confidence might bring forth his latent offensive capabilties as well. If the Flyers do trade Ristolainen at some point, it is possible that Drysdale could partner with Sanheim on the top unit.
How Big Of A Role For David Jiricek?
Despite being on his third NHL team at age 22, Jiricek has a lot of desirable assets. He’s a big right-shot defenseman who skates fluidly. His shot is one that you can envision being a threat and a need for the Flyers’ league-worst power play.
However, his defensive reads have held him back from staying in the NHL. When the Flyers acquired him at the trade deadline, they weren’t pressing for a postseason berth. In some ways, he came in as a depressed asset like Trevor Zegras did when he was acquired. So it appeared they were in a situation where they could be patient in building him up. On April 1, the Flyers signed him to a two-year, $3 million contract.
With their unexpected playoff run, Jiricek is facing a similar situation with the Flyers that he did in his first two stops. However, he is no longer waiver-exempt. If the Flyers assigned him to the Phantoms, they would risk losing him to another NHL team. So unless he truly struggles in training camp, he is in line to make the roster.
For a team that has an undersized blue-line, a major leap forward by Jiricek would be highly welcome.
How Do The Flyers Bottom Defense Pairings Shake Out?
Jiricek will have to contend with veterans Nick Seeler and Simon Benoit for playing time under Rick Tocchet. Even though he has the most raw talent among the three, the opportunity won’t be handed to him on a platter.
Seeler has proven himself to be a highly reliable asset who is willing to do whatever is necessary. Whether it’s blocking shots or stepping up for his teammates in a fracas, he seems “written in pen” for one of the two bottom pairing slots.
However, we could see a rotational situation when it comes to Jiricek versus Benoit. Benoit, who came over to the Flyers in the Joseph Woll trade, is the final year of his current contract. The soon-to-be 28 year old seems to be stepping into Nick Juulsen’s role as a “swing” sixth or seventh defenseman.
But if Tocchet is looking to double down on a physical third pairing, Benoit stands a good chance of earning ice-time. So the read from here is that Jiricek will get first opportunity for regular shifts. But he will need to prove himself reliable in his own end, especially during preseason action, to stave off Benoit.
Can Oliver Bonk Break Through The Crowd?
The Flyers showed confidence in both Oliver Bonk and Jiricek by having them both play in the regular season finale against Montreal on April 14.
But it’s important to remember that Bonk was the one who drew Stanley Cup playoff action in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Carolina Hurricanes. In both circumstances, Bonk did not look out of place.
If not for Jiricek’s waiver situation, this might be more an even fight for a roster spot. For now, it looks like Bonk is more likely to start the season with the Phantoms. And considering that he had a late start to his first professional season, he will likely get the lion’s share of ice time opportunity there.
However, if one of the Flyers incumbents is injured (such as Drysdale or York) or there’s a trade, Bonk has already shown Briere and Tocchet that he can contribute. He still needs to refine his defensive game, as evidenced by his minus 14 rating. But if he can show substantial strides with that (either in preseason or regular season), he could see more substantial time with the Flyers.
Additional Candidates Up The Turnpike
Beyond Bonk, Ty Murchison and Hunter McDonald both saw ice time with the Flyers last season. Both will look to make an impression during the preseason. The 6’2, 209lb Murchison already looks fully recovered from his upper body injury in February that scuppered his campaign. He was highly competitive in his own end during his time up with the Flyers.
McDonald possesses superior size (6’4, 238lbs) that teams covet, but he may be running out of time for an NHL spot.
Spencer Gill is hoping to have a healthy first professional season. The 2024 second round pick has the size and tools to be a good NHL defenseman. But the Flyers would likely be reticent to throw him into the fire at the top level so soon. A strong season to establish what his pathway to the NHL might be seems the more prudent course.
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