United States Independence Day is an off day during the Philadelphia Flyers 2025 Development Camp. On-ice sessions resume on Saturday before camp concludes with a Sunday scrimmage at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees.
Will a rookie make the opening night roster?
This is a question to revisit during training camp in September: Will any rookie players make the NHL opening night roster for the Flyers? Right now, the top candidates are wingers Porter Martone, Alex Bump, or Nikita Grebenkin and center Jett Luchanko. The free agent signing of Noah Juulsen makes it less likely that defenseman Helge Grans will make the opening night roster even if Rasmus Ristolainen (triceps surgery) is unable to play at the start of the campaign.
Martone, who will turn 19 on October 26, is ineligible for the American Hockey League this season. He could, however, open the season in the NHL on a trial basis in the same fashion Luchanko did last year. Martone is already physically mature and is considered close to being NHL ready in terms of his game development. However, Martone still has some skating refinement to undergo and needs to become a little more consistent in his defensive game before he’s unquestionably ready for the NHL.
Grebenkin, 22, needs more all-around consistency in his game if he’s to crack the NHL as more than a short-term call-up player. He showed flashes of NHL upside as a rookie last year with the Maple Leafs and Flyers’ organizations but has yet to show himself to be truly ready for prime time.
The Flyers are very high on the 21-year-old Bump. The shoot-first winger also impressed in the Calder Cup playoff miniseries against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. However, the tight-checking Hershey Bears shut down Bump in the best-of-five second round and revealed some overall adjustments the player must make to earn an NHL spot.
Luchanko, who turns 19 on August 21, is a classic example of why the antiquated CHL/AHL age rule — which is apparently not addressed in the new NHL/NHLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement — is not always beneficial to development. Luchanko’s speed, two-way awareness and playmaking are all NHL caliber. However, he still has to work on shooting the puck more (he took steps last season, but a little more goal-scoring with help) and is still adding a bit more muscle to his 5-foot-11 frame.
Luchanko doesn’t need another OHL season. In fact, it might make him stagnate. However, he’s not an NHL lock, either. The AHL would be the perfect intermediate step.Alternatively, a now-permitted college hockey transfer might have helped, too. Collegiate players get much more gym time than CHLers, and they often face somewhat older competition.
Porter Martone on Flyers Daily: July 4, 2025
Brian Smith fills in and speaks with the Flyers top draft pick from the 2025 NHL Draft Porter Martone. Porter discusses his draft experience, his mental approach to camp and tons more as we get to know the sixth overall pick.
