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Luchanko held off on first day of Rookie Camp
Flyers 2024 first-round Draft pick Jett Luchanko was held off the ice on the first practice day at the team’s 2025 Rookie Camp. The Flyers describe the reasons as precautionary. Additionally, the organization maintains the 19-year-old center should be full participant for the start of NHL training camp at the end of next week. In other words, don’t look for Luchanko to play in either game of the Rookie Series in Allentown this weekend.
The Flyers are being extremely cautious with Luchanko. In July, he sat out the on-ice portion of Development Camp while dealing with a groin issue. A few weeks later, Luchanko withdrew from the World Junior Summer Showcase. Now, on September 11, he is slated to miss Rookie Camp. Throughout the process, the Flyers have repeated the same prognosis: they are just being cautious. Meanwhile, they insist that Luchanko should be fine for NHL camp and the start of the season.
Hopefully that’s the case. Nevertheless, there is always cause for concern when a player is kept out of three straight preseason events spread across two-plus months. It will be a relief if the player is on the ice for NHL and suffers no setbacks before the season.
The Flyers have two choices for Luchanko this season: NHL roster or send him back to the Ontario Hockey League for his draft-plus-two season. Meanwhile, he’s not eligible for the American Hockey League because the CHL/AHL “Age Rule” revision is not yet in effect this year.
Line Combinations: Day 1
With the exception of Luchanko, all of the players on the Flyers Rookie Camp roster were on the ice for the first day of practice. The team will hold a morning skate in Voorhees on Friday before leaving for Allentown. The lines were as follows:
Alex Bump – Jack Nesbitt – Samu Tuomaala
Denver Barkey – Jacob Gaucher – Denver Kaplan
Alexis Gendron – Karsen Dorwart – Nikita Grebenkin
Nathan Quinn – Matthew Gard – Sawyer Boulton/Tucker Robertson
Hunter McDonald – Oliver Bonk
Ty Murchison – Spencer Gill
Andre Mondoux – Ethan Samson
Austin Moline – Luke Vloosywk
Carson Bjarnason
Joey Costanzo
Like a lost year for Luchenko if he ends up back in the OHL playing with kids. Bad situation – no one’s fault, just the rules this year. I hope he is healthy enough to fully participate in camp and performs well enough to make the team.
Don’t buy this “lost year” narrative at all. C’mon, for YEARS players weren’t even allowed to be drafted into the NHL before turning 20. Lappy put up over 2 points per game in juniors then returned to juniors again the next year. It didn’t ruin his development. Luchanko was nowhere near that dominant last season. Don’t let the hype narratives obscure the truth: He’s a young, undersized forward who still needs development. OHL vs AHL is basically splitting hairs here. Even if the AHL would be better, which is debatable, he won’t be ruined by another year in juniors. He DEFINITELY won’t be lost as a prospect. Keep a grip on reality.
1) The AHL is significantly better than the OHL. In fact, it’s not close.
2) You underrate Luchanko. He can fly. He’s a well above-average playmaker. (Goalscorer no, distributorbyes). He’s quite advanced defensively. He has a very high hockey IQ. He was just stuck on a horrid Guelph team with very little around him. Not a great spot for a playmaking center. And he DID make teammates better but it was “silk purse/ sow’s ear” territory.
I don’t debate that the AHL is a much better league in terms of the level of competition, the skill level of the players, and that it is, in fact, a truly pro environment. That said, the OHL is still the better developmental league for the vast majority of players who are in it. Luchanko could well be one of the exceptions there, but there are some very good reasons to think not. He’s a very young 19 year old who would be not only one of the youngest players in the AHL but also of well below average size. Another season of development in the OHL could allow him to mature more physically before graduating to the AHL once his CHL season is done. If he returns to the OHL, he will likely be one of the top players in the league. There’s benefit in that – especially if “going nowhere” Guelph trades him to a team that has more talent. My point, though, is that while the AHL may be a more optimal path for him, returning to the CHL doesn’t represent a “lost season” that will severely hinder his development into an NHL’er. He’s a good enough player/prospect that he’ll be just fine.
Hi Bill. Most people that I’ve heard, that are in the know say that Luchanko needs another year of development but they also say he would not be totally achieving that at the junior level. (Meaning he is above that level and he won’t be maximizing his development.) Knowing he cannot be on the Phantoms, is there a way he could maximize his development with the Flyers? Maybe the way that Anaheim used Carlsson in his first year?
He has not come close to even dominating juniors. He is not above it at all. They are setting this kid up fro failure with the fake hype
I think they are talking about just that. There are different schools of thought about it. Is he better off getting massive ice time in a league that’s not a suitable challenge? Or is he better off playing sparingly in a league where the competition is extremely challenging and most development has to come in the “being a pro” realm from navigating the grind.
Thank you Bill.
Let’s Go Flyers