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The Philadelphia Flyers and the Seattle Kraken made a trade of AHL prospects on Thursday as forward John-Randall (J. R) Avon is headed west in exchange for center Tucker Robertson.
Both players are expected to join their team’s respective affiliates.
Robertson Fills Organizational Need
Robertson, a 2022 fourth round pick of the Kraken, played for their Coachella Valley Firebirds, their AHL affiliate. Last season, Robertson played 38 games for the Firebirds, scoring four goals and nine points and has spent two seasons with the club. The 5 foot 9, 189lb center also played for the Kansas City Mavericks in the ECHL in 2023-24 before he moved up full time with the Firebirds, where he scored six goals and 10 points in 39 games.
The Flyers have been looking to add to their organization depth chart at the center position. This gives Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach John Snowden another new piece to use in addition to free agent signing Lane Pederson. He has played predominantly third and fourth line roles for the Firebirds, so that will likely be his spot in Allentown.
Robertson had an impressive draft year campaign with the Peterborough Petes with 41 goals and 81 points in 68 games. He followed it up with 90 points in 68 games before putting together a strong playoff run with nine goals and 22 points in 23 games.
Avon Gets Another Opportunity
If you attended the Flyers development camp in 2021, you couldn’t help but notice Avon. The undrafted forward displayed impressive speed and dynamic hands through drills and scrimmages, enough to earn an invite to the team’s Rookie Camp a couple months later. As a result of those performances, the team signed him to an entry level contract.
A teammate — frequent linemate, in fact — of Roberston’s with the Peterborough Petes, he returned to the club for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons before debuting with the Phantoms in ’23-’24. However, after scoring 18 points in 65 games, his progress seemed to stagnate in his second AHL season. Being shuttled between center and wing, he finished with seven goals and 17 points in 60 games. He did not dress for the Phantoms in the Calder Cup playoffs.
At 22 years old, Avon has another opportunity to regain the momentum he lost this past season. But in an organization that is already flush with wings at the NHL level and more on the way, his time with the Flyers came to a more abrupt end than hoped.
