It’s been a roller coaster start to his career, but Tyson Foerster’s feet are firmly planted in Philly.
On Wednesday, the 24-year-old winger inked an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $7.1 million. According to league sources, the deal features limited trade protection in years 3-8, but it does not contain a no-move clause. The contract will start in 2027-28, when Foerster was scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
“We believe he’s a big piece and part of our future,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said Wednesday when asked why he was extended on the day he was eligible.
“It’s another great leader, grown inside the organization. The leadership part, the scoring threat that he is, the 200-foot game that he plays, the size. He’s worked really hard to improve his physical condition, to improve his skating.”
The Flyers now have Foerster, Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim, Owen Tippett, Sean Couturier, Cam York, and Christian Dvorak inked to long-term deals. Goalie Dan Vladař signed a five-year extension that will begin after next season on Wednesday, and restricted free agents Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are expected to be locked down in the coming days.
Foerster has one more year left on a two-year bridge contract he signed last May at a cap hit of $3.75 million. The GM acknowledged he could have signed him at that time for eight years, but it would have meant he’d be with the Flyers for eight years. Now, between the two deals, he’s slated to play in orange and black for 10. Also, if he had waited, the expectation is that the cap hit would have been larger.
“You probably remember when we drafted him [that] the big knock on him is that he’ll never play in the NHL, [that] this is a fatal flaw, he can’t skate,” Brière said. “He worked really hard at overcoming that, and when you watch him now, it’s not even a question [about] the skating part.
“So a lot of credit goes to him, and he’s growing into a leadership role that’s very important on our team, very respected by his teammates. We see him as a big part and piece of our future. So, to get those guys at a respectable number … you have to jump on them, and we believe he’s going to be a big-time goal scorer and overall player for us, and if we didn’t do it now, it’s going to cost us a lot more down the road.”
Drafted by the Flyers with the 23rd overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, Foerster has solidified himself as a top-six winger but has battled a multitude of injuries.
Flyers forwards Tyson Foerster and Trevor Zegras are poised to become part of the team’s long-term core.
This past season, he missed four months with an upper-body injury that required surgery. Injured Dec. 1 during the follow-through of a one-timer against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he underwent surgery in mid-December and missed 49 games.
Before the injury, Foerster had 10 goals and 13 points in the first 21 games of the season, including a goal in the game against Pittsburgh. He was not expected to return during the season, but recovered to do so on April 2 and marked his return with a goal .
Foerster had three goals and one assist in his final eight games before adding another goal in the postseason. He also missed time in November with a lower-body injury from a blocked shot.
“I think right when I came back, we were kind of looking at must-win games. So, the first couple were adrenaline and stuff, and then you kind of get tired or whatnot,” Foerster said at his end-of-season availability. “Everyone’s been playing for so long, and they’re up to speed and stuff. So yeah, it was a little tough,” he said about his lack of production after returning in April.
“But I got no excuses. I came back, and it was a lot of fun for me to come back. I missed the team, and I missed everybody, and I missed playing in front of the fans.”
Two seasons ago, Foerster set career highs in goals (25), assists (18), and points (43) in 81 games. He finished the season on a high with nine goals in his final nine games, including notching his first career hat trick on April 9 against the New York Rangers.
But then his training was impacted in the summer after suffering an elbow injury while playing for Canada at the men’s World Championships last May. He underwent a procedure to remove the infection, and the team said he did not have any structural issues with the elbow. He started training camp in a non-contact jersey, but shed that pretty quickly.
Flyers right wing Tyson Foerster returned after upper-body surgery in December last season and returned in early April, right before the playoffs.
In his first full season with the Flyers in 2023-24, Foerster played in 77 games and potted 20 goals and 33 assists. He missed four games in February with an injury to his right foot — also scoring in his return. Foerster also had a few injuries that cost him significant time in the minors, including a shoulder injury that cost him most of the 2021-22 season.
A reliable two-way forward, coach Rick Tocchet has also long lauded his shot.
“I’m sure you guys noticed, but I noticed that even in the corner, just a little bit of a play to keep the puck possession, body position, just a little play to our guy, instead of losing the puck. He’s a real smart player,” Tocchet said toward the end of the regular season.
“Even for a guy like him, even if he doesn’t have his A-game, he contributes. … Sometimes those guys are whatever, might not have their best night in the legs, but somehow they contribute. He’s that type of guy for us. He’s a real glue guy for us.”
Last July 1, the Flyers surprised many by signing Dan Vladař to a two-year, $6.7 million contract. Vladař then surprised many with his play.
One year later, and the goalie is sticking around for the foreseeable future. The Flyers announced Wednesday that he is signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract extension with an annual average value of $5.5 million. According to a league source, the contract comes with a no-trade clause for the first two years, followed by a no-movement clause for the remaining three years, with it dwindling from 15 teams to five.
Vladař’s contract won’t kick in until the 2027-28 season and will take him through his age-34 season. The signing came now, as opposed to next summer or even mid-season, because if he at least meets his numbers this year, “you’re looking at a crazy number that we’re probably not comfortable with,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said on Wednesday.
“Dan, I think, exceeded expectations last year, not just on the ice, but also off the ice, too,” the GM added. “Tremendous leader, tremendous human being, the way he interacted in the room with the guys, the way he found a way to get them going, and wanted more.
“I think you’ve heard Rick Tocchet talk about him coming over to the bench and trying to encourage the guys and get them going; it’s more than just this play on the ice. He was huge in our locker room. I don’t expect that to change. He’s just a good human being. It’s good to have him around.”
The writing had been on the wall for some time that the goalie was sticking around long-term. Asked about the rumors of an extension, Vladař joked at his end-of-season availability that, while he would accept the phone call for the extension, “If you can ask the same question to Danny Brière, I’m going to be watching. So we’ll see what he says.”
Two days later, the general manager was quick to respond, saying, “I heard his answer. Maybe we wait, and I’ll talk to you guys [off camera] about that.” The extension could not be signed until July 1.
The Czech goalie, who previously was a career backup, mainly for the Calgary Flames, is coming off the best season of his career while playing almost twice as many games as his previous career high (30). Across 51 starts, he went 29-14-7 and had the most wins by a Flyers goalie since Steve Mason in 2013-14. He also had one relief appearance, stopping all six shots he faced from the Boston Bruins, to finish the regular season with a 2.42 goals-against average and .906 save percentage.
In the postseason, despite the Flyers getting swept in four games by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes after beating the rival Pittsburgh Penguins in six, Vladař’s numbers were even better. He posted the ninth-best playoff GAA among Flyers goalies all-time with at least five starts (2.18) and the eighth-best save percentage (.922). Vladař recorded two shutouts in the playoffs, making him the eighth Orange and Black netminder to have a pair in the postseason; the team did not record one in the regular season.
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladař recorded two shutouts in the playoffs, making him the eighth Orange and Black netminder to have a pair in the postseason.
“Vladdy, he was a monster in there,” forward Travis Konecny said after the season. “And he wins the games two ways. There’s the — we’re not playing good; he comes and talks to us, pumps us up. We believe in him, so you kind of keep going, you keep pushing, you find a way to win. Or he wins the game by just being Vladdy, and he just takes the game.”
Vladař revealed after the season that he had sustained an injury in the playoffs when Penguins forward Bryan Rust ran over his arm. Because of it, he wasn’t able to represent Czechia at the men’s World Championships in May.
There are some questions outside the organization about the long-term contract, especially with this past season being Vladař’s first season as a No. 1. Internally, they do not think it’s an anomaly. He came to Philly to prove he can be a starter, and he showed it.
“Dan Vladař wanted to be a Flyer,” Brière said. “He was adamant … and look at the end of the day, it’s not everybody who wants to be a Flyer … but when you have your MVP from the previous year who says, I want to be here, this is my team, I want to lead this team, it made it really easy for us to [sign him] — especially at the number that we got [him at].
“He put it on the line, and he played ball with us. If we wait, that number gets dramatically higher the following year.”
Bringing in Vladař, who will turn 29 in August, helped solidify a position that has long been a question mark in Philly. The previous year, the Flyers’ three-headed monster of Sam Ersson — who was traded recently for Joseph Woll — Aleksei Kolosov, and Ivan Fedotov — who was traded before last season — combined for a league-worst .879 save percentage. Brière stressed that things needed to be better.
Under Vladař, they were. And now he has a solid backup in Woll, who was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in mid-June. Woll has a career 63-43-9 record with a 2.94 GAA and .906 save percentage.
“Now with Woll to help him, it’s not just him; now he’s got a really strong helper right beside him,” Brière said. “So my hope is that with both those guys we can keep them fresh along the way, too. You don’t have to overplay one or the other. I think they’ll support each other really well, and I think that ups the chances that both these guys will be able to stay fresh and play well throughout the year.”
NHL free agency officially opened at noon on Wednesday, meaning the Flyers could begin signing free agents from other teams. Here’s everything you need to know.
The Flyers quickly inked goalie Dan Vladař to a longterm extension, worth $27.5 million over five years.
They also agreed to a two-year deal with Noel Acciari, who is expected to be their fourth-line center.
Before those deals, the Flyers had about $32.7 million in cap space, a number that will drop to around $17 million if the team re-signs Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale as expected.
Defenseman John Carlson and center Dylan Larkin remain among the list of top trade targets for the Flyers.
// Timestamp 07/01/26 5:47pm
Zach Werenski staying in Columbus despite trade speculation
The Flyers won’t be landing Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski.
After weeks of speculation and a vetoed trade to Dallas, Zach Werenski is staying in Columbus after all.
The Blue Jackets and Werenski released statements Wednesday saying that Werenski wants to stay in Columbus and maintains his desire to win there. The statement including the following:
“The past two seasons have been very challenging ones, but also ones of growth for our team. Our goals from ownership on down and Zach’s goals are the same … to win a Stanley Cup. Our city and our fans deserve nothing less and we are all on the same page working towards that end. Zach has been a very important part of this organization and our community for a long time, and we couldn’t be happier that he will continue to be moving forward.”
Werenski, who won the Norris Trophy last season as the league’s best defenseman, echoed similar sentiments.
“[President of hockey operations Don Waddell] and I have had very open and honest dialogue since the season ended” his statement said. “Ideally, this wouldn’t have become such a public thing but that is the world we live in now and everything got blown out of proportion in my opinion. I want to win and I want to do that in Columbus.
“As I’ve thought about things and discussed everything with my wife and family, we want to be in Columbus. It has been my home for the past 10 years and I have always been proud to be a Blue Jacket. We have the best fans in the NHL. I love my teammates and coaches and I’m looking forward to doing everything I can to get us back in the playoffs to compete for a Stanley Cup. Don and I are completely aligned on that and are excited about what’s to come with our team.”
After signing former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson earlier on Wednesday, the Ottawa Senators have signed two former Flyers farmhands in defenseman Christian Kyrou and center Philip Tomasino.
Kyrou and Tomasino were both in-season additions for the Phantoms and both put up strong numbers in the AHL. The Flyers did not qualify either player by Monday’s deadline.
Flyers add more AHL depth with Jack Studnicka and Cam Dineen
In addition to Zach Aston-Reese and Danila Klimovich, the Flyers announced they have signed AHLers Jack Studnicka and Cam Dineen as they look to fill out their roster in Lehigh Valley.
Studnicka, 27, has bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL with Boston, Vancouver, San Jose, and last year in Florida. He had 30 points for the Charlotte Checkers last year in 41 games and was held pointless in 19 games with the Panthers. The forward has just 16 points in 126 NHL games but has been a productive American leaguer throughout his career.
The last name Dineen may ring a bell in Philly, but Cam is not related to former Flyers captain Kevin Dineen or Kevin’s father, and former Flyers coach, Bill Dineen. The younger Dineen is 28-year-old defenseman and a native of Toms River, N.J. A former third-round pick, he has played almost 400 games in the AHL.
OFFICIAL: We have agreed to terms with forward Carl Grundstrom on a one-year contract worth an average annual value (AAV) of $1 million. https://t.co/quTjpWlDjw
After weeks of twists and turns, the Darnell Nurse saga has come to a conclusion that will not see him follow in his uncle Donovan McNabb’s footsteps in Philly.
Nurse, who beat the Oilers to the punch by demanding a trade this summer, is headed to San Jose in a trade that will see defensive defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin go the other way. In the end, the Oilers, somewhat miraculously, did not have to retain any of Nurse’s $9.25 million salary.
Sharks are acquiring Darnell Nurse from Edmonton at his full $9.25M cap hit
The Inquirer reported a few weeks back that there was mutual interest between Nurse and the Flyers, but only if the Oilers retained some of Nurse’s salary. In the end, the Oilers found a dance party and the Flyers rightfully walked away from the negotiating table for the 31-year-old blueliner.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (left) already had the Flyers on his shortlist.
The Flyers have been confirmed as one of three teams rugged defenseman Darnell Nurse would be willing to accept a trade to. But that list could soon grow. With Edmonton yet to find a deal, Sportsnet reports that Nurse could add teams to his list, with San Jose mentioned by Elliotte Friedman.
There is word this afternoon Darnell Nurse has agreed to expand his list of teams he will accept a trade to.
San Jose is one to watch. We will see where it goes.
One potential hang-up with Nurse is salary retention, as the Flyers likely would want Edmonton to pay at least 25-30% of Nurse’s $9.25 million cap hit. That would bring Nurse down to a much more manageable $6.5-7 million player, and make him a more attractive proposition as a second-pair guy. The Flyers also could be waiting things out on the blue line, as they are reportedly still in the mix for Zach Werenski and John Carlsson, and also have a decision to make with Rasmus Ristolainen.
Nurse, 31, is a left-shot who brings toughness and shot suppression to a team’s back end. He also happens to be the nephew of former Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.
Flyers add more depth with forward Zach Aston-Reese
The Flyers continued to add organizational depth Wednesday with the signing of NHL veteran Zach Aston-Reese. Aston-Reese’s deal is a two-year one-way/two-way deal, which will see the NHL vet make $850,000 this season.
Zach Aston-Reese. 2 years. Philadelphia Flyers.
Aston-Reese has agreed to terms on a 2-year (yr. 1 – $850k one way. yr. 2 $700/$900k) NHL contract with the Flyers. The orange and black just got another Gold Star ⭐️ #LetsGoFlyers#WeAreGoldStar! pic.twitter.com/8OW3hMcB84
Best known for his time with the Penguins, the veteran forward has compiled 49 goals and 102 points in 416 career NHL games. The 31-year-old split last season between the Columbus Blue Jackets and their AHL team in Cleveland, tallying five points in 27 NHL games and another 16 points in 27 AHL contests. Aston-Reese, who can play center or wing. will be expected to compete for an NHL spot in training camp, but seems more likely to be ticketed for an AHL job.
Phantoms’ point leader Lane Pederson heads to L.A.
Flyers farmhand Lane Pederson has found a new home in Los Angeles.
Pederson, who had 23 goals and 48 points to lead the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season, got into five games with the Flyers last season. The first year of Pederson’s deal has a two-way option, but it converts to a one-way in Year 2.
Flyers lock down Tyson Foerster with eight-year extension
Flyers right wing Tyson Foerster isn’t going anywhere for a long time.
It’s been a rollercoaster start to his career, but Tyson Foerster’s feet are firmly planted in Philly.
On Wednesday, the 24-year-old winger inked an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $7.1 million. According to league sources, it has limited trade protection in Years 3-8, but it does not feature a no-move clause. The contract will start after next season, when Foerster was scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
“We’re excited to have Tyson be a key part of our long-term future,” general managerDanny Brière said in the team’s press release. “He has established himself as an important piece of the foundation we’re building here. Since coming up through our system, he’s continued to improve and develop every step of the way into a consistent offensive contributor while also being a trusted and reliable 200-foot player.
“We have a great deal of confidence in him and believe he’ll play a significant role as we continue building toward a successful team for years to come.”
According to league source, it is a 2-way deal for the #Flyers & Danila Klimovich with a cap hit of $850K in the NHL. Klimovich won 2025 Calder Cup with Abbotsford.
And a fun fact (I know you all ❤️them): teammate of Aleksei Kolosov for Belarus at 2021 Men's World Championship https://t.co/0BJEupnAu8
Former Flyer Luke Schenn is on the move again, as the rugged defenseman is signing with the Vancouver Canucks.
WELCOME BACK, SCHENNER!
General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the #Canucks have agreed to terms with defenceman Luke Schenn on a one-year contract worth $2.25M AAV. pic.twitter.com/nGAMVXqgn9
Schenn, 36, played in Philadelphia from 2012-16. The well-traveled defenseman, who has played for 10 NHL teams, will return to Vancouver for the second time.
The move could spell the end for four-time Vezina Trophy winner and U.S. Olympic hero Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg. Rumors have been swirling that Hellebuyck wants out and that Buffalo and Carolina could be potential landing spots.
The Fourth Period reports the Flyers are signing winger Danila Klimovich.
Klimovich, 23, is probably an organizational depth move, as he seems likely to begin the season the Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. The former second-round pick has spent the past five seasons in the Vancouver Canucks organization, playing with AHL affiliate, Abbotsford.
The Belarusian forward had 18 goals and 34 points last season in the AHL, a year after he scored 25 times and helped Abbotsford win the Calder Cup. Klimovich’s time in Vancouver would have overlapped with Flyers coach Rick Tocchet and assistant Yogi Svejkovský.
Flyers center Trevor Zegras and Penguins center Noel Acciari tangle during a game in October.
The Flyers look to have found their new fourth-line center, as Sportsnet reports they have agreed to a two-year contract with Noel Acciari that carries a $2.8 million cap hit.
Acciari, 34, had 13 goals, 25 points, and an impressive plus-14 rating in 67 games this season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had one assist in six playoff games against the Flyers, winning 61% of his faceoffs. Known for his face-off ability, nastiness, and penalty killing, Acciari will likely take the spot vacated by Luke Glendening.
In 585 career games with the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Penguins, Acciari has 81 goals and 144 points.
He was a teammate of Owen Tippett’s in Florida and worked with Todd Reirden in Pittsburgh for one season
He was a member of the Bruins’ 2019 Stanley Cup Final team, chipping in with four points in 19 games.
Defenseman Noah Juulsen, who along with Emil Andrae spent most of last season swapping in and out on the third pair, is headed to Colorado. Jackie Spiegel previously reported that he wouldn’t return to the Flyers, but it appears he’s found a landing spot.
Reports: Flyers in the mix for Hurricanes’ John Carlson
John Carlson hasn't closed the door to Carolina, but the Hurricanes couldn't close the deal before noon ET so Carlson's agent Rick Curran now taking calls from other teams as well. I think Tampa Bay and Philadelphia are among them. We'll see where this goes for the No. 1 UFA D.
Former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson signed with Ottawa Wednesday.
Former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson, who was traded twice this offseason, can finally unpack his bags.
Ersson has signed a two-year, $2.2 million contract with the Ottawa Senators, according to Sportsnet. The 26-year-old is expected to back up fellow Swede Linus Ullmark in Ottawa. The Flyers traded Ersson last month alongside Emil Andrae to Toronto in a deal to acquire Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit. The restricted free agent’s negotiating rights were then traded to Ottawa on June 26 for a fifth-round pick.
The New Jersey Devils re-signed center Nico Hischier to a huge five-year deal.
In addition to long-term deals for Dan Vladař and Tyson Foerster, contracts and extensions are rolling in across the league. Here’s a look at what has happened so far:
Former Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas is reportedly signing a six-year contract with the Florida Panthers with an average annual value of $1.5 million. Gudas, whose rights were acquired from Anaheim this week, is the latest veteran Panther to receive one of those stretched out contracts.
The Panthers also have locked up middle-six winger Eetu Luostarinen to an eight-year, $40 million extension ($5 million AAV).
Buffalo has reportedly signed newly-acquired smooth-skating defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year, $9 million deal ($3 million AAV). The restricted free agent was someone we mentioned as a potential fit for the Flyers entering the summer.
Montreal locks up budding superstar Ivan Demidov to an eight-year contract with an AAV of $9.125 million.
New Jersey has locked in captain Nico Hischier to a massive five-year contract. The Swiss international, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2017 Nolan Patrick draft, is one of the league’s top defensive forwards and now will make $11.7 million-a-year beginning in the 2027-27 season.
Los Angeles has been busy as they have reportedly agreed to deals with veteran forwards Erik Haula (two-year, $3.6 million) and Mats Zuccarello (one-year, $1 million).
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar parlayed his career best season into a longterm deal.
Last July 1, the Flyers surprised many by signing Dan Vladař to a two-year, $6.7 million contract. Vladař then went out and surprised many with his play.
One year later, Vladař is sticking around for the foreseeable future. According to a league source, he is signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract extension with an annual average value of $5.5 million. The contract comes with a no-trade clause for the first two years, followed by a no-movement clause for the remaining three years, with it dwindling from 15 teams to five. Vladař’s contract won’t kick in until the 2027-28 season and will take him through his age 34 season.
The writing had been on the wall for some time that this was happening. Asked about the rumors of an extension, Vladař joked at his end-of-season availability that, while he would accept the phone call for the extension, “If you can ask the same question to Danny Brière, I’m going to be watching. So we’ll see what he says.”
Two days later, the general manager was quick to respond, saying, “I heard his answer. Maybe we wait, and I’ll talk to you guys [off camera] about that.” The extension could not be signed until July 1.
Good morning! Happy Free Agency Frenzy Day to all who celebrate. Here's what we know re: #Flyers
– 4th-line center. 3 names in play, one being Glendening – Add some toughness with Deslauriers and Hathaway gone – Vladar extension coming – Restocking Lehigh Valley – Nurse in mix
Ottawa Senators right winger Claude Giroux (center), defenseman Thomas Chabot (right), and right wing Drake Batherson (left) celebrate a goal.
With Mavrik Bourque off the board, could the Flyers pivot to a familiar face?
Pierre LeBrun reports that the Flyers have interest in bringing back former captain Claude Giroux.
Giroux, 38, has played the last four seasons for the hometown Ottawa Senators. The Flyers traded Giroux in March of 2022 for a package that included Owen Tippett and a first-round pick.
Giroux, who ranks second in career games (1,000) and points (900) in Flyers history, is still an effective top-six player. Last season, he had 14 goals and 49 points, including 13 points on the power play. While he’s mostly played wing in Ottawa, he’s also still one of the league’s top face-off men (63% last season on almost 800 draws). He also has a strong personal connection to Philadelphia and general manager Danny Brière.
The Flyers were reportedly in the mix for Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque but ultimately lost out to the Nashville Predators. The Preds paid a modest price of second- and third-round picks for the 24-year-old Bourque, who had 20 goals last season. They also took on the final year of defenseman Ilya Lyubuskin’s deal in the trade, which was reportedly a deal-breaker for the Flyers. The Preds will now need to extend Bourque who is a restricted free agent.
For a player of Bourque’s age and upside, one year of eating $3.25 million owed to Lyubushkin doesn’t seem like the end of the world. We’ll see where the Flyers go from here in search of a center.
Stars forward Mavrik Bourque could be on the move as Dallas looks to clear cap space.
Dallas’ Mavrik Bourque has been viewed by many around the league as a prime offer-sheet target given Dallas is big-game hunting and has limited cap flexibility.
The threat of that could also lead to a trade, something we suggested in our recent Flyers target list. It sounds like that could be the case, as the Fourth Period is reporting there is some traction on a Bourque trade.
Sounds like there’s some trade traction in Dallas surrounding RFA Mavrik Bourque. We’ll see where this lands, nothing is done yet.
Bourque, who has played mostly wing in the NHL but is a natural center, is coming off a 20-goal season and is a restricted free agent. At 24, and with runway to grow, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Flyers get involved here.
Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski (right) is one of the big fish. Can Danny Brière reel him in?
Amid a wild offseason marked by trade demands and the dawning of the player empowerment era in the NHL, Norris Trophy-winner Zach Werenski is viewed by many as the ultimate prize.
You can count the Flyers among that group, as according to multiple reports, Danny Brière and Co. are serious about getting involved in the sweepstakes for Columbus’ wantaway defenseman. It’s hard to blame them, as Werenski has averaged 23 goals and 82 points over the past two seasons, ranking in the top three among defensemen in both categories.
The big questions with Werenski are would he entertain a move to Philly and whether the Flyers could pull off a deal without including Porter Martone or Matvei Michkov? The first question seems to be the sticking point, as Werenski, who has a no-move clause, turned down a move to Dallas on Tuesday and seems to be zeroing in on a few specific Eastern Conference destinations, including Tampa Bay and Toronto.
Werenski’s landing spot, even if it isn’t Philadelphia, could have a major impact on the Flyers. The gold medalist ending up in Tampa Bay would eliminate another landing spot for top free-agent defenseman John Carlson and potential increase the Flyers’ chances there. Carolina currently has Carlson’s negotiating rights, but after 12 p.m., the 36-year-old power-play quarterback is free to negotiate with other teams.
Longterm Dan Vladař extension expected once free agency opens
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar had a career year last season.
All signs are pointing to Dan Vladař signing a five-year extension with an AAV of $5.5 million once deals can officially be announced at noon.
The Czech goalie, who signed a two-year, $6.7 million deal with the Flyers last summer, is coming off a season where he went 29-14-7, with a 2.42 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. It was the lowest GAA of his career and tied his career-best save percentage, although he played in 22 more games than in any prior season.
He was even better in the postseason with a 2.18 GAA, .922 save percentage, and two shutouts after not posting one in the regular season.
These are the Flyers’ top options via free agency or trade
Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque could be an offer sheet option for Philly.
John Carlson, on a big-money, short-term deal, would make a lot of sense for the Flyers to help with the power play. But do the Flyers make sense for him? He’ll turn 37 during the season, and time is ticking on his chances of winning another Stanley Cup.
Rumors are percolating that the Flyers could add Noel Acciari to the roster. A 5-foot-11 center who just played against the Flyers in the playoffs with the Penguins — he had one assist in the six games — the Rhode Island native would slot onto the fourth line and be a key piece in the faceoff dot as a coveted right-shot, as well as on the penalty kill. Fellow bottom-six center Teddy Blueger is also another name to keep an eye on, as he played for coach Rick Tocchet in Vancouver.
What about offer sheets/trade targets?
As previously mentioned, the Flyers and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse have a mutual interest in one another, with the Flyers, alongside Pittsburgh and Boston, on his short list of teams. He previously requested a trade and would need to waive his no-movement clause to approve any trade destination.
The Flyers are obviously interested in Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Zach Werenski from the Columbus Blue Jackets and All-Star center Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. Like Nurse, they would need to approve any trade. And they surely wouldn’t mind adding one of Shane Pinto or Dylan Cozens, two young centers from the Ottawa Senators, to the mix if either was made available via trade.
Now, who doesn’t love an offer sheet? Would the Flyers be willing to partake in the one thing that gets everyone going? To be determined, but if they do, center Mavrik Bourque, 24, might be an attainable target given Dallas’ cap crunch.
Philadelphia Flyers general manager Danny Briere should have some money to spend, even after he re-signs Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale.
According to Puckpedia, as of Wednesday, the Flyers have just over $32.68 million of cap space before signing their four restricted free agents. The expectation is that Hunter McDonald will be in the minors to start the year, and Nikita Grebenkin, who was skating on Tuesday at development camp, is working his way back from an injury.
Not counting Grebenkin’s deal, the expected cap space to sign Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale should come in at an approximate annual average value of $15 million combined. That leaves about $17 million, and then subtract $3-4 million to cover Grebenkin and McDonald. So there is some room left to add pieces to the lineup.
AHL unrestricted free agents: forwards Karsen Dorwart, Oscar Eklind, Brett Harrison, Boris Katchouk, Lane Pederson, Anthony Richard, Tucker Robertson, and Philip Tomasino; defensemen Adam Ginning, Maxence Guenette, Artem Guryev, and Christian Kyrou
Dorwart, Harrison, Robertson, Tomasino, Guryev, and Kyrou were not given qualifying offers on Monday. They could all be signed to a new deal or an AHL-only deal to stay with the club. Garrett Wilson is listed as an unrestricted free agent on Puckpedia, but he is signed to an AHL contract for next season.
A league source has told The Inquirer that Juulsen will not be re-signed.
That special time of year when general managers can fulfill their wish lists or end up with coal.
Here’s everything you need to know before the frenzy begins.
What time does free agency start?
Beginning at noon on Wednesday, the Flyers can sign players from other teams to contracts. Of course, they could also lose members of the squad that led them to their first postseason spot since 2020.
Although terms shouldn’t have been discussed prior, miraculously, teams always announce new contracts at the stroke of noon.
It is also the kick-off point for offer sheets if anyone wants to be an agent of chaos.
Who are the Flyers’ free agents?
According to a league source on Tuesday, the Flyers have agreed to sign pending unrestricted free agent forward Carl Grundström to a one-year, $1 million contract. It comes one day after they handed out qualifying offers to four players and released six more to unrestricted free-agent status.
AHL unrestricted free agents: forwards Karsen Dorwart,Oscar Eklind, Brett Harrison,Boris Katchouk, Lane Pederson, Anthony Richard,Tucker Robertson,and Philip Tomasino;defensemen Adam Ginning, Maxence Guenette, Artem Guryev, and Christian Kyrou
Dorwart, Harrison, Robertson, Tomasino, Guryev, and Kyrou were not given qualifying offers on Monday. They could all be signed to a new deal or an AHL-only deal to stay with the club. Garrett Wilson is listed as an unrestricted free agent on Puckpedia, but he is signed to an AHL contract for next season.
A league source has told The Inquirer that Juulsen will not be re-signed.
How much cap space do the Flyers have?
According to Puckpedia, as of Tuesday, the Flyers have $32,681,250 of cap space before signing the four restricted free agents. The expectation is that McDonald will be in the minors to start the year, and Grebenkin, who was skating on Tuesday at development camp, is working his way back from an injury.
Center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale are the Flyers’ most important restricted free agents that they need to sign.
Not counting Grebenkin’s deal, the expected cap space to sign Zegras and Drysdale should come in at an approximate annual average value of $15 million combined. That leaves about $17 million, and then minus $3 million to $4 million to cover Grebenkin and McDonald, there is some room left to add pieces to the lineup.
What are the Flyers’ biggest needs?
The Flyers have a few spots in the lineup that could use a boost.
The fourth line struggled at times this past season and went through a few retoolings. It needs at least a right winger, now that Garnet Hathaway has been traded to the Florida Panthers, and there is talk that Glendening could return, but nothing has been confirmed.
Although the wings are pretty much set, the center spot could always use an upgrade as the Flyers continue to search for a top-line pivot. And while the defense looks OK, there is always room for improvement, especially if the Flyers can find a defenseman to help the team’s dormant power play.
Who are the top free agents?
John Carlson, on a big-money, short-term deal, would make a lot of sense for the Flyers to help with the power play. But do the Flyers make sense for him? He’ll turn 37 during the season, and time is ticking on his window to win another Stanley Cup.
Rumors are percolating that the Flyers could add Noel Acciari to the roster. A 5-foot-11 center who just played against the Flyers in the playoffs with the Penguins — he had one assist in the six games — the Rhode Island native would slot onto the fourth line and be a key piece in the faceoff dot as a coveted right-shot, as well as on the penalty kill. Fellow bottom-six center Teddy Blueger is another name to keep an eye on, as he played for coach Rick Tocchet in Vancouver.
What about offer sheets/trade targets?
As previously mentioned, the Flyers and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse have a mutual interest, with the Flyers, Pittsburgh, and Boston on his short list of teams. He previously requested a trade and would need to waive his no-movement clause to approve any trade destination.
The Flyers are obviously interested in Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Zach Werenski from the Columbus Blue Jackets and All-Star center Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. Like Nurse, they would need to approve any trade. And they surely wouldn’t mind adding one of Shane Pinto or Dylan Cozens, two young centers from the Ottawa Senators, to the mix if either was made available via trade.
Could the Flyers target Dallas’ Mavrik Bourque in an offer sheet or trade as a potential center solution?
Now, who doesn’t love an offer sheet? Would the Flyers be willing to partake in the one thing that gets everyone going? To be determined, but if they do, center Mavrik Bourque, 24, might be an attainable target given Dallas’ cap crunch.
What about Dan Vladař?
All signs are pointing to Dan Vladař signing a five-year extension with an average annual value of $5.5 million.
The Czech goalie is coming off a season where he went 29-14-7, with a 2.42 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. It was the lowest GAA of his career and tied his career-best save percentage, although he played in 22 more games than in any previous season.
On the eve of free agency, the Flyers agreed to sign one of their depth forwards who could have hit the open market on Wednesday.
No, not the long-speculated Luke Glendening. Carl Grundström has signed a one-year, $1 million deal to stay with the Flyers, the team officially announced Wednesday, a day after The Inquirer had confirmed the deal.
After being acquired from the San Jose Sharks in the deal in which Ryan Ellis’ contract moved in early October (the contract subsequently was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks), Grundström played in 47 games for the Flyers after starting the season with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League.
The winger notched 15 points in 19 games for the Phantoms before adding another 13 points (nine goals, four assists) with the Flyers. Grundström was inserted into the lineup in the postseason and had one assist in three games against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Coach Rick Tocchet often lauded Grundström for his speed and puck pressure. He played up and down the lineup but mostly on the fourth line, where he infused a burst of speed. The Flyers traded fellow fourth-liner Garnet Hathaway to the Florida Panthers last week.
After the season ended, Grundström suited up for Sweden at the IIHF men’s World Championships. He played on a line with Flyers prospect center Jack Berglund and had one goal and four points in seven games. Berglund had the secondary assist on his goal. Sweden lost in the quarterfinals to Switzerland, the silver medalists.
During the Olympic break, Denver Barkey headed back to London, Ontario.
Roughly eight months prior, the forward had captained the Ontario Hockey League’s Knights to the Memorial Cup. Now, he wasn’t just a pro hockey player; he was an NHL regular for the Flyers after being called up in December.
So with some time off during the break, Barkey headed back to see his old club. It was there that the generously listed 5-foot-10, 170-pound Barkey met the accurately measured 6-7, 238-pound Maksim Sokolovskii.
“I only watched two games, but obviously he’s a big boy [who] throws his body around,” replied Barkey, who had no idea in February that the two would one day be wearing orange and black together.
“I think he’s got a lot of raw skill. When I watched him, it seemed like he moved really well, moves the puck well for being [6-7] at that age. It’s pretty impressive, and I think he’s got a really high ceiling.”
And that’s the thing: Sokolovskii, whom Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr described as a “unicorn” this weekend, does have a high ceiling. In the same breath that many fans and draft prognosticators questioned the Flyers’ moving down to take the Nikita Zadorov comparable, they’ve acknowledged his impressive skating for his size. He is considered a prospect who, while raw, will indeed play in the NHL one day.
“He’s 6-foot-8, and he skates like he’s 5-foot-8,” Mike Taylor, the Atlantic Hockey Academy’s owner and one of Sokolovskii’s coaches two seasons ago, told The Inquirer recently. “… He came here, and I had a skating coach once a month come up and do power skating with our guys, and he does it like with UMass Amherst, and all these other schools.
“And he saw him skate, and he’s like, ‘Oh, my God.’ He couldn’t believe how good his edge work was … for being the size that he is.”
A strong first impression
During the first day of Flyers development camp on Monday, as Sokolovskii towered over the coaching staff and most of his fellow defensemen — 6-5 blueliners Carter Amico and Luke Vlooswyk were the exceptions — the long and lean defenseman looked anything but gangly on the ice.
Are there small tweaks that need to be made? Absolutely.
Director of player development Riley Armstrong said he and Flyers skating instructor Lindsay Tilley noticed he was turning his upper body too much during the skating-only drills, which made him a weaker skater. “When your hips and your shoulders don’t stay in a square, it throws you all off balance,” Armstrong noted.
#Flyers first-round pick Maksim Sokolovskii said “I feel amazing” after putting on logo for just time.
“I think great,” he said of first day at development camp. “Good experience first practice with the pro guys,” Mentioned he hadn’t skated in two weeks. pic.twitter.com/qfXm27fbbO
However, Sokolovskii didn’t really do that during the drills with the puck, as he executed puck retrievals with some deception while keeping his feet moving. It was evident to all in attendance, including the several fans who lined the rink, that there was a smoothness to his skating — even though he had been off the ice for about two weeks.
“I feel amazing,” he said when asked about wearing the Flyers logo for the first time.
And how did day one go? “I think great. Good experience, first practice with the pro guys.”
Sokolovskii doesn’t turn 18 until July 12. He’s still shy and reserved, at least off the ice. But on the ice, it is a different story.
“He’s a big, strong shutdown defenseman with a really good stick and a physical side,” London assistant coach Rick Steadman told The Inquirer during a recent phone interview.
“He likes to play hard. He likes to step up and hit guys, and he’s just that big beast back there that’s going to really protect you defensively.”
It wasn’t always like that.
Defense first
Two years ago, when the Kazakhstan-born, Russia-raised blueliner came to the United States to play at the Atlantic Coast Academy, Taylor recalls that the league was a little beneath Sokolovskii because he was bigger and stronger than everyone else. And because of that, he’d get a lot of penalties.
Maksim Sokolovskii first came to North America as a 16-year-old to play for Atlantic Coast Academy.
Despite spending a lot of time in the penalty box, Sokolovskii still put up big numbers, racking up 34 goals and 84 points in 65 games. His issue was in his own end. “He was taking chances and doing things with us that he wouldn’t do at the next level, because the hockey allowed the level of play,” Taylor said.
When Sokolovskii went to London, things changed.
“I think when I started the year, I tried to play more offensive,” Sokolovskii mentioned Monday. “But they told me you need to play more [in the] defensive zone. … You can play in the NHL if you will play more defensive.”
And that was the focus.
“For us, we like our guys to be able to play D first, so we can trust them out there and get more ice time. So we really did push that a lot,” Steadman said. “And we were trying to get him to create offense from the defense, like he’d poke a puck away on a rush or a big hit turned into transition, trying to get him to do offense that way.
“When he was playing a little younger, because he was so big and he got such a big reach, he could really just push guys out of the way … so we tried to teach him that pro-style game, use your teammates, stay at the blue line, get your shots through to create your offense, not stickhandle through everybody, and try to get as close as you can to the net.”
Sokolovskii worked his way up the lineup. He came in as a seventh or eighth defenseman and was rotating in and out at first. But he “dug in,” according to Steadman, and after Christmas, they opted to trade some players, knowing that he was ready to effectively step into the lineup. He started on the third pair, was scratched a few times, but eventually forced the Knights to keep him in the lineup.
Maksim Sokolovskii (No. 17) tied forward Brooks Rogowski for the tallest players measured at this year’s combine.
It was his games against Brady Martin, the fifth overall pick in last year’s draft, in the playoffs that opened many evaluators’ eyes. Martin, a point-per-game player during the regular season, had five points in the series against London; however, his only goal with Sokolovskii on the ice came on a power play. He shut him down at five-on-five.
“That’s just saying that he got that defense system figured out. He was playing hard, big minutes. He was hitting, playing physical, without taking a penalty, which is pretty amazing for a kid that big, and just never backed down, kept going, and really a key guy that way coming in,” Steadman said of the blueliner.
“And it’s one of those things that translates really well to the NHL is that ability to defend and play against top guys. You always hope that offense will come, but you always need guys to keep that puck out of the net.”
It was Sokolovskii’s progression throughout the season that stood out to the Flyers and enticed them to draft the blueliner. “It seemed every month he just kept getting better and better, and figuring out the game more and more,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said on Friday.
According to Steadman, that progression was due to a multitude of factors, but none greater than Sokolovskii becoming more comfortable speaking English. It helped him be more confident on and off the ice.
“Things that we take for granted — just asking somebody for something, or like, where do I get this, where’s this in the dressing room, and then on the ice, just even yelling to your partner, ‘I’m open, I’m open,’ or ‘You’re OK, you’re OK,’ or ‘Someone’s coming, move the puck quickly.’ You just don’t have that. You’re just playing purely on and living on your natural ability to just try to figure it out as you go,” Steadman said.
The Flyers have big hopes for Maksim Sokolovskii, whom the team drafted 27th overall in last week’s draft.
“So that’s why I do think he has a good hockey brain to be able to figure it out when you can’t speak; it is pretty amazing. And then his English got better and better, and he understood and could talk to his teammates.
“From the start of the year, couldn’t have a conversation with him as a coach. You try and use Google Translate, [but the] conversations took forever. At the end of the year, you could sit down and just chat away with him, and then have a conversation about anything — his family, hockey, how he’s doing — and he really progressed that way.”
Now, the next step is building up his offense.
Part of the criticism around Sokolovskii’s selection in the first round was his limited production. He had only two goals and eight points in 44 regular-season games and was without a point in five postseason games.
Sokolovskii told The Inquirer at the NHL scouting combine that he wants to keep working on his foot speed. The hope is that it will all translate to offensive improvement.
“A big guy with skates that big, it takes a while to get that quick twitch going, so he’ll keep working on that; that’ll just help with his game and breakouts better,” Steadman said. “And then we talked to him a lot about just getting his shot off quicker. It’s a long way from his head to his hands to the bottom of his stick, and it takes him a long time to get that puck off.
“But if you can get that off quicker, with how hard his shot is … he will beat goalies and be able to score. So he’s just got to get it off as quick as possible, let it touch his stick, get it off, and hopefully, help him create offense that way,”
He does possess a big-time, hard shot that could become a weapon from the blue line. Sokolovskii is excited to work on building his offense — and he may get some time on the power play in London.
“I would probably guess in London next year you’ll probably see him [add offense], once he has the ability to start joining the rush more,” Armstrong said.
“And now they know that he can defend and he’s good at it — you see some of the bone-crushing hits and a couple of fights he was in — I think he’s going to have more space next year. I think guys are going to probably be a little bit more scared of him going into the season, so I think that’s going to open up the offensive side of his game as well. And I’d like to see him throw a couple in the back then as well, add to his toolbox.”
The Flyers were required to submit qualifying offers to their restricted free agents by 5 p.m. on Monday.
After the deadline, they announced that they did not provide qualifying offers to forwards Philip Tomasino, Brett Harrison, Tucker Robertson, and Karsen Dorwart, and defensemen Artem Guryev and Christian Kyrou. They will now be unrestricted free agents on July 1.
They gave qualifying offers to forwards Trevor Zegras and Nikita Grebenkin, as well as defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Hunter McDonald. Drysdale, Zegras, and McDonald are eligible for arbitration.
According to Puckpedia, Zegras’ qualifying offer is $5.75 million. It is the same amount as his expiring three-year contract signed in 2023 with the Anaheim Ducks. Drysdale is due $2.3 million, the same as the three-year deal he inked with Anaheim in 2023. Grebenkin’s is $850,000, and McDonald’s is $897,750.
In his first season in Philly, Zegras had 26 goals and 67 points — both were career highs — in 81 regular-season games before adding another six points in 10 playoff games. It was his first playoff experience, as it was for Drysdale, who stepped up his game this past season and had a career high in goals (eight) and tied his career high in points (32). He added two goals and four points in 10 playoff games, scoring the first Flyers playoff goal since 2020.
Grebenkin has not played since late March due to an upper-body injury. “Initially, we thought it was going to be something short, and it just never got better,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said at his end-of-season press conference. “Now we’re looking at different options for him. So he’s the only one that I would say maybe [he’s not ready for training camp], if it doesn’t improve.” Brière did not have an update when speaking to The Inquirer at the start of June at the NHL scouting combine.
McDonald made his NHL debut this season, skating in the season finale, and registered the secondary assist on Oliver Bonk’s first NHL goal. A rugged blueliner, he had six assists in 65 games for the Phantoms.
“Hunter took a big step last year in his development, and that’s why he played that game late in the season,” Brière told The Inquirer in early June. “I think our coaching staff was really impressed [with] how he took a step forward this year. He put in the work and really elevated his game, earned that NHL game at the end, and he was around the team when we played in the playoffs as well.
“Really exciting to see him have growth to his development. It’s a big summer for him, but we’re excited about him. A big, physical defenseman like that is not easy to find, and we hope he’s going to be one of those guys, eventually. But he’s going to have to beat someone at some point to earn those minutes.”
Tomasino was acquired this past season in a swap that sent Egor Zamula to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He potted 12 goals and 41 points in 52 regular-season games between the two teams’ AHL affiliates. A first-round selection of Nashville in 2019, he has 218 NHL games under his belt.
Traded to the Flyers with Jackson Edward for Alexis Gendron and Massimo Rizzo in March, Harrison had two goals and four points in 12 games with Lehigh Valley. Guryev was part of the deal that sent Ryan Ellis’ contract to the San Jose Sharks, and Christian Kyrou was acquired in a one-for-one, with Samu Tuomaala going to the Dallas Stars.
Dorwart was signed out of Michigan State as a college free agent in March 2025. He skated in five games after inking his entry-level contract, making his NHL debut in Montreal. Last season, he had 10 goals and 24 points in 70 games for the Phantoms.
“This draft, I’ll be honest with you, there’s layers, and especially early on, our layers got cleaned out quickly. And I’ve never seen it like that before,” he said. “Even as the draft went along, but we were able to move back in the first, and then we’re able to move around and get players we’re happy with, so it worked out fine.”
Maybe that’s it. It was fine.
Yes, it’s too early to tell where this draft will land because 99% of the time, players need time to develop and grow. And there may have been something in the air because while the gambling floor of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino had people testing their luck with the press of a button on a slot machine, on each spin of the roulette wheel, and every roll of the dice, that appears to have permeated upstairs to the Flyers’ draft room as they selected their next generation in the 2026 NHL draft.
The Black and Orange opted for long-term wait-and-see projects. (They love projects, don’t they?) And, to be fair, they have some time with the past few draft classes finally bearing fruit.
Maksim Sokolovskii, the Flyers’ first-rounder who Flahr called “a unicorn,” is a big, mean defenseman who needs to continue building his defensive game while also trying to add some offense. Goalies Martin Psohlavec and Marek Sklenička looked great at the U18s for Czechia — another Flyers trademark — but are still raw. And second-rounder Brek Liske, probably the best story of the draft, just for the fact that his dad is a diehard Flyers fan, has a solid foundation, but does have to work on his skating — where have we heard that before?
The Flyers were higher than most on Maksim Sokolovskii. They view him as a defensive “unicorn.”
Center KJ Sauer missed most of this past season after tearing his posterior cruciate ligament the year prior and compared his style of play to that of Brady Tkachuk. Flahr said last week the Flyers could add a small, dynamic defenseman — but in the later rounds — and they got Max Laatikainen, a small Finnish defenseman they are hoping still can grow.
Whether they actually see an NHL game is truly a crapshoot anyway. But that’s always the case. In 2020, DobberProspects did a study showing that 60 NHL players from a draft class eventually make it to the NHL, which is less than 27%. TSN director of scouting Craig Button recently told NBC Sports Philadelphia that “approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL.” That’s not a whole lot.
Entering this draft, since Flahr has been at the helm, the Flyers have drafted 50 players. Not counting the two previous classes, although Porter Martone and Jett Luchanko have already played NHL games, 44% have played at least one NHL game. Will this class make it? Who knows.
Now it does feel like they stayed the course and went down the path of previous drafts with a slight twist.
They again drafted for size — even though Flahr said Saturday it wasn’t a focus — with only Laatikainen of the six picks under 6 feet. In the process, they left players like dynamic but risky small defensemen Ryan Lin, Tommy Bleyl, and Xavier Villeneuve on the table in the first round and talented forwards like the Ruck Twins, Jack Hextall, J.P. Hurlbert and Brooks Rogowski.
But Flahr and general manager Danny Brière did stress that players drafted today will not help the team in the near future — so drafting a power-play specialist would not have made the atrocious power play better in the here and now — and they needed goaltending and defensive depth.
It just felt like maybe there were better options?
But who is to know today what tomorrow brings?
Rugged defenseman Maksim Sokolovskii was the second-biggest player drafted this past weekend.
It may be sweltering outside, but there is ice in our future.
Fresh off drafting the next generation, the Flyers will be in action, beginning on Monday and wrapping up with a five-on-five scrimmage Thursday night and a three-on-three tournament Friday morning.
Here’s what you need to know about Flyers’ development camp.
What is the schedule for development camp?
All on-ice sessions are free and open to the public at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees. There will not be any on-ice activities on July 1, the first day of free agency. Instead, fans can attend an autograph session at The Franklin Institute from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. A museum ticket is required to attend.
On Tuesday, Team Jones and Team Brière will skate from 4-5 p.m. on the Phantoms and Flyers’ Rinks, respectively. Thursday at 6 p.m. on the Flyers Rink, the two teams will square off. On Friday, a three-on-three tournament will wrap up the week at 10 a.m. on the Class of ‘67 Arena rink.
Who will be attending?
Among the 41 players in attendance, fans will get a chance to see the entire 2026 draft class don Flyers gear for the first time at development camp. But while everyone will be clamoring to see 6-foot-7 defenseman Maksim Sokolovskii, the 27th pick on Friday, there are several familiar faces to get an up-close look at.
Fresh off their first tastes of the NHL — regular season and the playoffs — Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, and Oliver Bonk will participate in camp.
Centers Jack Berglund and Jett Luchanko will be at camp, but will not participate in on-ice sessions. Berglund has played a lot of hockey this past year between regular season and playoffs for Färjestad BK of the SHL, Sweden’s top men’s league, and World Juniors and World Championships for Sweden.
Ilya Pautov, a member of the 2024 draft class who signed an entry-level contract this spring, will make his development camp debut. He is expected to be playing for Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League this season.
Of the last five draft classes, the only players still with the organization not attending are Matvei Michkov (2023), Yegor Zavragin (2023), Austin Moline (2024), and Max Westergård (2025). Forward Karsen Dorwart, who was signed as an undrafted college player, will be a restricted free agent on July 1 and is expected to get a qualifying offer by June 29. Every member of the 2026 class will be at development camp.
Forwards: Denver Barkey, Samuel Beauchemin, Jack Berglund,Alex Bump,Alex Čiernik, Christopher Duclair, Grady Deering, Sawyer Dingman, Matthew Gard,Devin Kaplan, Jack Kernan, Cole Knuble, Jett Luchanko,Ryan MacPherson,Porter Martone,Jack Murtagh, Jack Nesbitt, Noah Powell,Nathan Quinn, Heikki Ruohonen, Ilya Pautov, KJ Sauer,Riley Thompson, Shane Vansaghi
Defense: Carter Amico, Oliver Bonk, Matthew Desiderio, Jackson Edward,Spencer Gill, Alonso Gosselin, Leo Gruba, Max Laatikainen, Brek Liske, Maksim Sokolovskii, Riley Steen,Luke Vlooswyk
Goalies: Carson Bjarnason, Mathis Langevin, Martin Psohlavec, Marek Sklenička, Shane Soderwall
Things to keep an eye on
The Flyers have invited 11 players to attend camp this season.
Samuel Beauchemin is a winger who just put up 66 points in 64 games for Rouyn-Noranda of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. His father, François Beauchemin, played 903 NHL games, and Samuel played his youth hockey for the Anaheim Jr. Ducks.
Swift Current of the Western Hockey League winger Sawyer Dingman, who was eligible to be drafted this weekend, is the son of former NHLer Chris Dingman. Forward Christopher Duclair, the shortest player in camp at 5-8, is the younger brother of New York Islanders forward Anthony Duclair.
Defenseman Matthew Desiderio is from North Jersey, and his fellow blueliners, Alonso Gosselin, who is 17 and played for Chicoutimi of the QMJHL, and Riley Steen, who played with the Ruck Twins for Medicine Hat of the WHL, were eligible to have been selected in the 2026 draft.
Keeping with the theme of having a tall team, of the 46 players attending camp, only 10 players are under 6 feet tall. The tallest is camp invitee Jack Anderson, a defenseman who stands 6-6. He just wrapped his third season at Lindenwood University and is committed to Michigan Tech in the fall.
ATLANTIC CITY — After making a “big” splash on Day 1 by selecting 6-foot-7 London Knights defenseman Maksim Sokolovski with the 27th pick, the Flyers were back at it early Saturday with five scheduled picks.
The Flyers picked twice in the second round at picks No. 53 and 62, at 120 in the fourth, and 136 in the fifth. They have a seventh-rounder at 213 remaining.
Here’s a running list of the Flyers’ Day 2 selections:
Second round
No. 53: Brek Liske, D, Everett (Western Hockey League)
A teammate of Luke Vlooswyk for the Silvertips, the defenseman was paired in the playoffs with projected 2027 No. 1 pick Landon DuPont for the Memorial Cup finalists. Before Tarin Smith got hurt, Liske was paired with Vlooswyk, the Flyers’ fifth-rounder last June.
A 6-2, 190-pound right-shot defenseman from Manitoba who can play the left side, he had 24 points (seven goals, 17 points) in 52 games but broke out in the playoffs with four goals and 17 points in 18 games as Everett won the WHL.
According to Elite Prospects, he does have to — wait for it — work on his skating. But he is a versatile, well-rounded blueliner who projects to be a third-pair guy down the road.
But this pick is not just about adding a good defensive prospect. Liske grew up a Flyers fan because his dad, Lonnie, is a fanatic Flyers fan.
“I’ve never heard him yell so loud. There was a big cheer, but I could distinctly hear my dad’s voice,” Liske said via Zoom from his draft party while wearing a Flyers jersey. “He’s wearing his Flyers jersey, very proud right now. I think he’s a little bit more in awe than I am right now.”
No. 62: Martin Psohlavec, G, Karlovy Vary (Czechia junior league)
Stop if you’ve heard this before: A 6-5 goalie from Czechia donning orange and black. No, this isn’t Dan Vladař; meet Martin Psohlavec.
The size and athleticism are surely what enticed the Flyers to make the pick, along with his performance at the U18s. Philly has a long-standing trend of taking players who have excelled at the spring tournament, and Psohlavec is no different, posting a 3-1-0 record with a 1.68 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.
That came after he went 31-11-0 with a 1.92 GAA and .928 save percentage at the Czech junior level in the regular season and won five of eight games in the playoffs with a 1.78 GAA and .925 save percentage. But this is a U20 team, and the expectation is he will be a bit of a project — yes, he needs to work on his skating and is a little raw, according to Elite Prospects — and that makes sense for the Flyers with Aleksei Kolosov, Carson Bjarnason, and Egor Zavragin rising in the pipeline.
Fourth round
No. 120: Marek Sklenička, G, Seattle (WHL)
Assistant general manager Brent Flahr said the Flyers would, more than likely, take a goalie as it had been a few drafts since they took Bjarnason and Zavragin in 2023. He should have added an “s” to the end because in the fourth round, they took another netminder — and another from Czechia, although he’s “only” 6-4.
A teammate of Flyers’ 2025 second-rounder Matthew Gard, Sklenička went 20-12-6 with a 3.21 GAA and .902 save percentage for Seattle. His save percentage rose in the playoffs to .913, but it was at U18s, in tandem with Psohlavec for Czechia, that he shone the brightest. He had a 1.91 GAA and a .921 save percentage in three games. In the bronze-medal game, he made 21 saves in a 4-1 win against Latvia.
According to Elite Prospects, he also needs work and is a project, noting that, “[He] is a very solid junior goaltender with some NHL tools, but his game is riddled with junior goalie habits. It will take significant reworking of his game to develop him into a legitimate NHL prospect, including improvements in his tracking, play reading, composure, various technical aspects, and limb control.”
Fifth round
No. 136: KJ Sauer, C, Andover (Minnesota HS)
The Flyers definitely have a type. Sauer is a 6-3, 203-pound center drafted out of Minnesota high school hockey in the fifth round. Alex Bump was also a fifth-rounder drafted out of the State of Hockey’s high school system. Noah Cates was also plucked from Minnesota high school hockey in 2017 in the same round, although that came under the previous regime.
Sauer had 25 points in 15 games with Andover, helping lead them to the state tournament. He finished an injury-plagued season playing for Lincoln of the United States Hockey League.
He will be playing for Edmonton of the WHL this season, and it is worth mentioning that Sauer has pedigree with his uncles Kurt and Michael having played in the NHL, and his dad Kent Sr. playing in the minors.
