Flyers: Top 20 Prospect Countdown (#5)

The Flyers blogs on Hockey Hot Stove are powered by Phans of Philly, Liberty Valuation Group,  New Balance of Mount Laurel, The Mens and Boys Store, Carl’s Cards and Collectibles, Team Toyota, Brian Propp’s Guffaw Cigars, Summit Public Adjusters, Marat Ioshpa’s State Farm Insurance agency and our newest sponsor, Joe Rivera of Coldwell Banker Realty.

We have reached the top five of the Team Toyota Flyers top-20 prospects countdown. Number five on the countdown: 22-year-old winger Alex Bump.

Bump still qualifies as an NHL rookie for the 2026-27 season. He appeared in 17 regular season NHL games last season (5g, 4a, 9 points) plus 6 playoff matches (2g, 0 a, 2 points). The Flyers drafted him in the 5th round (133rd overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.

Bump entered camp last year as the favorite to win an opening night roster spot. He had a rough camp, unfortunately. Nikita Grebenkin noticeably outplayed Bump in practices and exhibitions. Consequently, Grebenkin got the NHL spot.

Subsequently, Bump sustained an upper-body injury that cost him two months of the season. He also dealt with a sprained MCL after his recall to the Flyers. Of the two, the first was more serious.

However, once he played semi-regularly for the Flyers, Bump showed numerous flashes of his offensive upside.

Strengths

Bump has strong offensive instincts and does his best work with the puck on his stick. He’s bold about shooting the puck and has both a quick and deceptive shot release. Bump scored a key playoff goal in the Pittsburgh series. One year earlier, in the Calder Cup playoff mini-series against Wilkes-Barr/Scranton, Bump stood out for his ability to get the puck on the net. Playmaking center Jett Luchanko worked well together with Bump in that series.

Meanwhile, Bump’s skating has also improved considerably in the last few years. Scouts panned his skating mechanics prior to his Draft selection. That was why he dropped to the fifth round. Fortunately, it’s no longer a concern. He gets from Point A to Point B fine.

Finally, size and physical strength are assets for Bump.

Improvement opportunities

Bump’s off-puck reads have room for growth. He backcheck willingly and has an active stick. However, he looked like a typical first-time NHLer when it came to some of his defensive decision making. He did seem to grasp how much less time players get with the puck in the NHL than lower levels (including the AHL). He also showed willingness to battle for recoveries.

During his NHL trial run last season, Bump faced some adjustments to the overall pace of play. He showed progress.

Currently, however, Bump needs to stand out in no less than a middle-six role to have a regular NHL spot. He’s not currently a prime candidate for typical bottom-six duties nor is he a true first-line scorer at this stage.

Training camp outlook

Bump does not have a guaranteed NHL spot heading into training camp. Wing depth is a roster strength. Nevertheless, Bump stands a good chance of breaking camp with the parent team this time around. He didn’t look out of place in the NHL, and he’s shown that he can put the puck in the net.

Nevertheless, Bump needs to produce — and continue to diversify his overall game — to lock up a full-time role with the Flyers. His first pro year was an overall success after a tough start.