Porter Martone just wrapped up his first semester at Michigan State as a general studies major. So what was the best course he took? “Personal finance,” the 19-year-old freshman said.
Well, that’s not a bad one to master, considering that the winger will be raking in the big bucks soon if he maintains his stellar play on the ice.
Selected sixth overall by the Flyers in the 2025 NHL draft, Martone is now lighting up men’s college hockey. His 11 goals are tied for the second-most by a freshman.
In 16 games for the third-ranked Spartans (12-4-0), Martone has 20 points and is tied with Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Zam Plante, the son of former Flyers forward Derek Plante, for 17th in the country in points per game (1.25) .
“I think my season has gone really well. I think it was definitely an adjustment going to college hockey … [and] I feel like I’ve matured a lot as a person,” he told The Inquirer last week via Zoom while attending Hockey Canada’s World Junior camp in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
“You’re living on your own now, you learn how to cook your own meals, you’ve got to manage your classes, practices, like lots of different things, so I think that’s been great.
“And then I think, overall, just me really getting in the weight room, I think I’ve noticed a big difference on the ice, just be able to sustain energy throughout the whole game and be effective three periods instead of maybe only two last year, and I think just becoming more of a power forward that I need to be.”
Back to school
It was quite a shift for Martone to choose college hockey. He notably opened the start of Flyers development camp five days after he was drafted, stating: “I want to give it my all and try to earn my spot in the opening-night roster.” But 21 days later, he announced he was heading to East Lansing, Mich.
“It was really hard,” he said of the decision, “just because you obviously want to go to NHL training camp and try to maybe make the NHL. And it’s tough because the CHL and Brampton [of the Ontario Hockey League] did so much for me — and I can’t thank them [enough] for my development — but in kind of sitting down with the Flyers and my agents and my parents, I thought this was the kind of the next step in my hockey journey.
The Flyers believe Porter Martone’s combination of size and skill can make him an elite winger at the next level.
“I feel like this is going to help me be the best player when I am in my prime, five to 10 years down the road.”
Flyers fans should like the idea of him thinking ahead. And, yes, while he is focused on helping the Spartans win their first national championship since 2007, he is open to swapping green for orange in April.
But for now, his feet are firmly planted at Michigan State, toward which fellow 2025 draftee Shane Vansaghi, now a sophomore, did nudge him. Martone also made a couple of visits to the campus and met with coach Adam Nightingale. He liked the culture and thought Will Morlock, the director of athletic performance for hockey, was a “game-changer.”
“[Nightingale] was telling me that nothing is going to be given to you, and I think that’s big in my family, you’ve got to work for things, so I really trusted his process,” Martone said.
“… And a big thing [Morlock] says, we have all these expensive machines, but it’s kind of the work you put in. So I think just Michigan State is very blue collar and hardworking, and that’s something that me and my family kind of strive to be ever since I was a little kid.”
Blue collar, hardworking. Martone already sounds like a Philadelphian.
Aside from his work on the ice, Martone has spent much of his first few months at Michigan State putting in the work in the gym. Facing players older than him — “those guys are so strong, and they’ve got man strength,” he said — he has dropped body fat and, while he’s “not working out to become a bodybuilder,” he has gained around eight pounds of muscle.
Martone, who is listed as 6-foot-3, 210 pounds by Michigan State, is building his body to sustain a grueling 82-game NHL schedule, and, hopefully, beyond. He feels like he’s becoming a 200-foot player while being reliable all over the ice, but if the Spartans need a goal or a big play offensively, he can do that, too. And he is working on his speed and power.
“His biggest challenge, and what we’ve talked about, is his pace,” Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said. “He was a really good junior, obviously, but he could slow things down all the time and kind of do what he wanted.
“In the college game, he’s playing against older kids, bigger, stronger, faster, and the way they practice, the way they play games, it’s all out and all full speed. So I think it’s forcing him to move his feet.
Team Canada defeats Denmark 13-2.
Porter Martone totaled 4 points (2G, 2A), and Jett Luchanko had 2 points (1G, 1A).
“Obviously, you can’t teach the brain he has, the skill set he has, and the size and whatnot. I think even he’s the first one to tell you he’s in better shape. He’s playing faster. And I think it’ll really help him adjust to the pro game faster.”
Flahr called Martone a quick study who “has the ability to process the game at the level that a lot of guys can’t.” This season, Martone has been working on his footwork and speed on and off the ice by doing jumping and sprinting drills. He speaks often with the Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong.
“I think probably every weekend there’s almost been a Flyers development guy there at one of our games,” he said, name-checking Armstrong, John LeClair, and Chris Stewart as attendees. “… I do video with Riles a lot, almost every week after my weekends, and kind of just fine-tune some things, see some things that they want me to improve. They’ve been really good with me and kind of always very straightforward with what they want to see from me.
“They’re a very good development staff, trying to add different things to my game, but also let me play it and be the player I am.”
Porter Martone, right, is expected to be one of Canada’s biggest stars at the upcoming World Juniors.
Power forward
Martone is, and is developing into, a power forward on the right wing. Armstrong and Martone chat about building his overall offensive game and being more powerful with his skating. But they also delve into the specifics.
“It’s a lot of wall play; as a winger in the NHL, that’s huge,” Martone said. “Offensive zone, when you’re creating space for yourself behind the net, picking pucks off the wall, and then overall, just neutral zone, just playing with pace through the middle of the ice. Be a hard player for defenders to stop off the rush as well.”
That will also come in handy as he dons the maple leaf for the third time in a year beginning on Dec. 26. Hockey Canada’s roster usually skews older, but Martone will be playing at the World Juniors for the second time in his short career. Last year, Canada, which also had Flyers prospects Jett Lucahnko, Oliver Bonk, and Carson Bjarnason on the roster, lost in the quarterfinals in Ottawa.
“I feel like just on my case, but kind of all of Canada has a bit of unfinished business, and we kind of want to come back and really show what we can do,” said Martone, who will be playing alongside Luchanko and will serve as the team’s captain.
Flyers first-round picks Jack Nesbitt (left) and Porter Martone battle during a drill on the first day of the team’s development camp on Wednesday.
He will face Finland’s Max Westergård and Heikki Ruohonen, who will wear an “A,” in Group B action and in the playoffs could see Sweden captain, Jack Berglund, and his friend Vansaghi, who will be suiting up for Team USA.
But Martone also has represented Canada on the senior men’s world championship stage, skating alongside Tyson Foerster, Travis Sanheim, and Travis Konecny last year.
“Oh yeah, I was all in,” Konecny said in November when asked if Flyers brass checked in with him about possibly drafting Martone.
“I said, ‘That’s a guy you can work with. That’s a guy that’s going to compete; that’s a guy that’s willing to learn, become a pro, play the right way.’ You don’t really always get that information before the draft. And then on top of that, I mean, I think he can develop into a really special player.”
While he waits to join them in a locker room, Martone tunes in and watches “almost every game” the Flyers play. He also sees the orange and black jerseys at his games. “I’m excited to wear that jersey myself,” he said.
So, does it make him hungry to get there?
“Obviously, when you watch them, you just kind of can’t wait till you’re there, and you want to help them any way you can. And, definitely, watching the games, you dream of that day when you do get to play your first NHL game and join the Philadelphia Flyers. So when that day comes, you know, I’ll be super excited.
“It is cool to see the support of the fan base. And I know the Flyers fans are very passionate. … I can’t wait to play in front of them.”
Porter Martone says he “can’t wait” to play for the Flyers whether that is this year or next year.
The Flyers will be well-represented as the world’s best under-20 hockey players hit the ice in a battle for supremacy and bragging rights at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship
Six prospects will don their country’s colors with their sights set on a gold medal.
Which Flyers prospects will be at the 2026 World Juniors?
Redemption is on the mind for Porter Martone and Jett Luchanko. The forwards were on Canada’s squad last year, which was ousted in the quarterfinals by Czechia. Martone, who was picked sixth overall in the 2025 NHL draft by the Flyers, will be leading the charge after being named captain on Christmas.
Martone’s teammate at Michigan State, Shane Vansaghi, will be making his World Juniors debut for USA Hockey. The Americans are aiming for the nation’s first-ever three-peat.
Heikki Ruohonen, selected in the fourth round in 2024, and Max Westergård, a fifth-rounder this summer, will skate for Finland. Ruohonen will don an “A” on his jersey. And Martone isn’t the only captain among the Flyers prospects; Jack Berglund will wear the “C” for Sweden.
How to watch the Flyers prospects at the World Junior Championship
As tradition dictates, the 2026 edition begins on Dec. 26 and ends on Jan. 5. This year, the tournament will be held in Minnesota, with games split between Grand Casino Arena (formerly Xcel Energy Center) in Saint Paul and 3M Arena, the home of the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis.
Broken up into two groups, teams will play four games in pool play before the playoffs start. Group A is the U.S., Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Germany. Group B has Canada, Finland, Czechia, Latvia, and Denmark.
Fans can watch the Flyers prospects on NHL Network and stream the games on Fubo.
When do Porter Martone, Jett Luchanko, and Canada play at World Juniors?
Martone recently told The Inquirer he has “a bit of unfinished business” at this year’s World Junior Championship, and he has the opportunity for some revenge on Day 1. Canada opens its schedule against Czechia on Dec. 26 at 8:30 p.m.
What time does Jack Berglund play for Sweden at the World Juniors?
Berglund was supposed to play for Sweden at last year’s tournament, but the 2024 second-rounder had to miss it after he broke his left index finger and hand in Sweden’s final pre-tournament game. Sweden’s captain looked impressive in this year’s pre-tournament matchups, including while scoring a pair of goals against Canada.
“I think he’s a very well-rounded player and has the ability to be a really good 3C, maybe more,” assistant general manager Brent Flahr told The Inquirer recently. “But he can play power play. He’s strong. He wins battles. He can make plays. He’s very sound defensively. Where he’s played, he’s had to earn everything he can, but he can shoot it.
“I think people worried about his skating, but his skating is coming along as well, and he’s big and strong. You’ll see at the U20 level, he’s a big, strong horse out there, but he’s nowhere near where he’s going to be at 23 years old.”
When do Heikki Ruohonen, Max Westergård, and Finland play at World Juniors?
After notching four assists in seven games last year for the silver-medal-winning Finns, Ruohonen returns for a shot at gold. The Harvard freshman is joined this year by Westergård, a 2025 pick who has 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 12 games for Frölunda HC’s junior team in Sweden.
How to watch Shane Vansaghi and USA Hockey at World Juniors?
It’s a big moment for the Americans as they bid for history, and Vansaghi lives for the big moments.
“You go to a game at Michigan State, you understand what he brings and how he impacts games. He’s a tank. He’s physically engaged. He wins every battle, but his details are really good,” said Flahr.
“And more importantly, off the ice, the way he conducts his business is extremely mature for a young player. It’s contagious to the people around him with how hard he works and the intensity he works.”
When do the Flyers’ prospects face each other?
Fans will have to wait and see if Canada and the U.S. will square off in the playoffs, but until then, sets of prospects will meet up in round-robin action during a busy night of Flyers action.
Porter Martone said he has “a bit of unfinished business” at this year’s World Junior Championship.
“We kind of want to come back and really show what we can do,” he told The Inquirer recently.
Now, Martone, who was selected sixth overall by the Flyers in the 2025 NHL draft, will lead that charge. On Wednesday night, after some Christmas Eve dinner, the right winger found out he had been named captain for Canada’s squad. On Thursday, they made it official.
“Just a huge honor,” Martone told TSN, adding he was at a loss for words initially. “When you’re a kid, you dream of playing in this tournament, and to wear the captaincy for this team is special. We’ve got a great group of leaders in that room and I think it’s going to be led by committee, but we’re all excited for tomorrow to start.”
Last year at the World Juniors in Ottawa, the Canadians were ousted by Czechia in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive tournament. Martone played in three of the team’s five games — scoring one goal — and was one of three skaters from his draft class to play for Canada, which usually takes an older roster.
“I said last night with the group, there’s going to be lots of adversity in this tournament,” Martone added in Minnesota. “It’s not going to be easy but it’s whether at those times we come closer together and we don’t fall apart. So, when the times get going tough it’s when teams bond and that’s when you win championships.”
He was then invited to participate in pre-tournament games and practices for Canada at the 2025 IIHF senior World Championships in May. Unlike previous players in his role, he stuck around and was called into action when Bo Horvat was injured. He suited up in two games, alongside Flyers forwards Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster, and defensemen Travis Sanheim.
“One day, Travis Konecny took me golfing in Sweden,” Martone told The Inquirer in June at the NHL scouting combine in Buffalo. “Foerster’s very great, kind of around my age, I sat beside him in the room. And then, Sanheim, too.
“They’re all unbelievable people. And one thing I could tell is what it means to be a Flyer. And they really value that. They’re very tight, tight, tight people, and they really enjoy playing for the Flyers.”
Porter Martone, right, is expected to be one of Canada’s biggest stars at the upcoming World Juniors.
Martone has previously worn the “C” for his country. He captained the gold-medal winning Canadians at the 2024 U18 World Championship. Canada came back to beat USA Hockey, 6-4, with current Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, then 16 years old, chipping in with three goals and an assist in the finale.
“I feel like anytime you get to put on the maple leaf, like, there’s really no words to describe it,” the 19-year-old told The Inquirer last week from Hockey Canada’s World Juniors camp in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
“It’s definitely a huge honor. And, you know, every time you put on that maple leaf, you want to represent Canada to the best of your ability. So it’s always special. I’m really looking forward to this tournament.”
The captain for Brampton of the Ontario Hockey League in his draft year, Martone is now suiting up for Michigan State. As a freshman, the right winger leads the Spartans in goals (11), points (20), power-play goals (three), game-winning goals (three), and penalty minutes (58) across 16 games.
Flyers center Jett Luchanko will also compete in the upcoming World Juniors alongside Martone.
Martone is not the only Flyers prospect who will wear a letter in Minnesota when the tournament begins on Friday. Jack Berglund, who was drafted in the second round in 2024, will be the captain for Sweden. Heikki Ruohonen, a 2024 fourth-rounder, will be an alternate captain for Finland.
Playing alongside Martone for Hockey Canada is fellow Flyers forward Jett Luchanko, who is typically a center but is playing on the wing for Dale Hunter. It will be the second time the duo will compete together for their country at World Juniors.
Max Westergård, who was taken in the fifth round of the 2025 draft, will also play for Finland, and Shane Vansaghi, a 2025 second-rounder and teammate of Martone’s at Michigan State, will suit up for USA Hockey. The Americans are looking for their third straight gold medal.
CHICAGO — Travis Konecny walked into the visitors’ locker room long after the Flyers’ 3-1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The alternate captain had just wrapped up doing TNT’s postgame show. He sat down at his stall, wearing everything but his helmet and gloves, ready to chat with the assembled reporters.
Konecny unwrapped the tape holding his shin guards in place and answered his last question. In a video recorded by the Flyers’ content staffers, you can see a big grin on his face as he paused while talking about notching his 300th NHL assist. Teammate Trevor Zegras is standing behind the media, peering in before saying, “Take your gear off,” with a chuckle.
It was just one example of many seen around this team since the start of training camp — the Flyers are light and loose this season.
“I think in here we know we can have as much fun as we want, but when we go on the ice, we have a job to do,” forward Owen Tippett recently told The Inquirer.
“I think that’s what makes it more special, is that we know we can kind of joke around and mess around with each other off the ice, but as soon as the puck drops, we’re all ready to go to battle for each other.”
There are several factors contributing to the Flyers’ good vibrations.
One could be that they wrapped up a perfect back-to-back for the second time this season, after beating the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 on Monday.
Flyers Bobby Brink watches his goal on the replay as he celebrates with Trevor Zegras (right) and other teammates during a Dec. 3 game.
The wins halted the Flyers’ fifth losing streak this season at two games. The longest? A measly three-game swing Dec. 11-14, with each loss coming after regulation. There’s still a lot of runway left in the season but the last time the Flyers didn’t have more than a three-game slide was 2011-12.
That season, current general manager Danny Brière was pulling on a hockey sweater every night instead of a suit, and captain Sean Couturier was a rookie.
“Enjoy the game. Enjoy everything that goes around you,” Couturier said before playing his 900th game on Dec. 7. “I feel when I was 18, I was just so serious, so focused, which is not a bad thing, but I think throughout the years, I figured to kind of balance it out and take the game on a little lighter side at times, and don’t want to be so serious and focused.
“That’s probably the thing I’d recommend to myself [back then]. Just loosen up a little bit and enjoy it.”
The Flyers are loose and enjoying it. And playing well. Yes, the 12 regulation wins — second fewest in the Eastern Conference — are an issue, given that regulation wins are the first tiebreaker for a playoff spot.
But a team many outsiders expected to be at the bottom of the standings is not just in second place of the Metropolitan Division and two points back of the Carolina Hurricanes at the NHL’s holiday break, but has the sixth-best points percentage in the entire league.
“I don’t think we care about what they think,” Dvorak said after Monday’s game when asked about the Flyers starting to make the rest of the division believers.
“We just care about how we believe in ourselves and how we’re playing. And there’s a lot of belief in our room here, and we’re confident in ourselves, and that’s all that really matters.”
Flyers (from left to right) right wing Owen Tippett, defenseman Travis Sanheim, center Trevor Zegras and center Christian Dvorak on the ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 1.
Some would point to the maturation of players who have bonded and built a strong culture over the past few seasons. Others would say it’s the injection of veterans and youngsters. Zegras, center Christian Dvorak, forward Carl Grundström, and goalie Dan Vladař (recently compared by coach Rick Tocchet to the vocal goalie in the movie Slap Shot, Denis Lemieux) specifically have injected balance to the lineup.
“We’re a really, really tight group,” Konecny told The Inquirer in mid-December. “And that’s the thing. I’m sure every team says it, but for some of the guys who have been elsewhere that are here, the staff that’s here, we hear how tight this group is from those guys. … Like, for me, I don’t know any other team, but from what I hear, when guys come in here, this is a great group.
There is one obvious answer that everyone would probably cite when it comes to the change: the new bench boss.
There’s no denying the different coaching style Tocchet has when compared to predecessor John Tortorella. When things go bad, you look to the bench and, while he will have his moments, Tocchet often remains cool as a cucumber.
During practices, he is constantly spotted feeding pucks to players as they work on a specific skill. Notably, Tocchet was seen sending passes recently to Zegras in Voorhees for one-timers like the one he scored on Monday night. Other times, he’s at the whiteboard drawing out a system or structure he wants, or, at 61 years young, the Flyers Hall of Famer is showing players how to shift or move on the ice when trying to evade defenders.
Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.
“Regardless of the winning and losing, I think that when players respect each other, and they have fun with each other, and they care about each other, it goes a long way. If somebody has a bad game or something bad happens, you have people to rally around,” said Tocchet, who played 621 of his 1,144 NHL games in orange and black.
“Even as a coach, like, I might give a couple of guys [stuff], and you know when I leave, there’s three or four guys picking those guys up. And that’s so valuable for me as a coach. … It’s a huge thing to have that closeness.”
That closeness can be felt in the room or on the ice. The players go to bat for each other during games and chirp and pick on each other in the room. But they also sit around and discuss what just happened in practice or during a game, and what they did well or need to work on.
Maybe that’s why they are 19-10-7 through 36 games and playing not just well, but putting the NHL’s top teams on the ropes while beating bad teams.
Last season, it took the Flyers 44 games to reach 19 wins. Two seasons ago, when they looked like a playoff team before a late-season collapse, it took them 34. (By the way, win No. 19 that season was against Tocchet and the Canucks).
The Flyers rank 19th in goals per game (2.94) — roughly one-tenth better than last season — but have skyrocketed from the fifth-worst team in goals allowed (3.45) to the ninth-best (2.75). The penalty kill has stabilized lately after a drop and is the ninth-best in the NHL (82.5%), and the power play is not the worst in the league. It’s tied for 23rd with the Hurricanes (16.8%) and has connected three times in the last three games.
Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim, right wing Travis Konecny, and center Sean Couturier on the ice against the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 13.
Why are things working? There’s a buy-in.
“I think you’ve got to be committed to getting to the right areas,” Konecny said Tuesday when asked about the Flyers scoring two more goals by getting to the net.
“And I think, I forget, might have been Jay [Varady] our assistant coach, he said, ‘You do the right thing 20 times, and nothing happens. But that 21st time is when it goes in, and if you have that mentality of just like doing the right thing every shift, and your opportunities will come, then I think everyone’s going to be in a good spot.’”
And right now, the Flyers are in a pretty darn good spot.
CHICAGO ― It’s 760 miles to Chicago from Philly. Despite playing Monday night, the Flyers had a full tank. It was dark, and by the end, they were wearing sunglasses because things are looking bright.
The Flyers defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1, giving them a two-game winning streak heading into the NHL’s holiday break. It is the Flyers’ third win in five games and fifth in December.
And they now sit two points back of the Metropolitan Division’s top team, the Carolina Hurricanes. Add in that they have the sixth-best points percentage in the NHL (.625), and things are looking good 36 games in.
But the win may have come with a cost. Forward Denver Barkey did not return for the third period. He was called for boarding and was hit hard in the ensuing scrum behind the Blackhawks’ net. According to coach Rick Tocchet, “He got hit from behind on that penalty. Just get reevaluated from the doctors.”
Defenseman Travis Sanheim, the Flyers’ top minute muncher, was clipped by Alex Vlasic in the third period. Per Tocchet, he did not play the final 12 minutes, 33 seconds, as he was pulled by the NHL’s concussion spotters. “I think he’s fine, though,” Tocchet said.
Travis Konecny gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead with, fittingly, his 11th goal of the season 10:17 into the first period.
After the Flyers killed off a tripping penalty on Trevor Zegras, he stayed on the ice, and Konency tried to find him as Zegras tried to get open near the right post. Zegras was covered by Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser so it didn’t connect, but he stayed with it and picked up the puck behind the net.
Skating untouched, Zegras carried the puck around the net and curled before finding Konecny. The alternate captain evaded detection before cutting to the net to receive the pass.
Zegras has 13 points in 12 games in December and 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 36 games this season. The New York native is riding a career-high nine-game point streak, with five goals and six assists.
Konecny wasn’t done collecting points, and in the second period, he helped the Flyers double their total with a power-play goal off Noah Cates’ stick.
Handed a gift when the Blackhawks got called for too many men in the second period, the Flyers’ five-man unit of Konecny, Zegras, Cates, Bobby Brink, and Jamie Drysdale hopped onto the ice after the other unit got a chance. Set up in the offensive zone, they worked it around the perimeter, going from Zegras on the right flank to Brink at the point to Drysdale on the left flank.
Konecny, with Drysdale in his spot, glided down to the left post and received the puck from his defenseman. The forward turned his back net-front, drawing in Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy, giving him the ability to send a no-look pass under his lifted right leg to Cates in front.
Despite having Vlasic all over him, Cates banged in the puck for his ninth of the year and second power-play goal of the season. His career high on the man advantage is three, set in 2022-23. Cates is riding a four-game point streak (two goals, two assists) while the assist was the 300th of Konency’s career in 682 games.
Konecny now has 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 36 games this season. In December, he has six goals and 14 points — spearheaded by four multipoint games — across 12 games.
Flyers left wing Noah Cates, shown on Dec. 11 against Las Vegas, scored his second power-play goal of the season against the Blackhawks.
Through two periods, Sam Ersson allowed one goal on 14 shots, with Natural Stat Trick noting that he faced just one high-danger shot. For the most part, he saw the puck well — the goal by Chicago’s Ryan Donato from the high slot during four-on-four action looked like it was screened by up to three members of the Flyers — and played his angles.
Ersson didn’t face his first shot of the night until 7:57 into the opening frame, making a glove save on Ilya Mikheyev. He later stopped a Murphy slap shot and robbed Donato on a two-on-one that also saw the Boston native try to bury the rebound.
In the second period, the Swedish netminder moved well to make a save on a Matt Grzelcyk point shot with Oliver Moore standing in front. He stopped Donato from the right circle and then again when he went to the front of the net and tipped a shot.
And in the third period, with the Flyers up by one, he made a nifty glove save on a wide-open shot by Louis Crevier. Ersson made 20 saves on 21 shots for his best save percentage (.952) of the season. He snapped a four-game losing streak — losing two in a shootout — to earn his sixth win of the season.
Breakaways
Carl Grundström scored an empty-netter to seal the win. … Defenseman Noah Juulsen and forwards Nic Deslauriers and Garnet Hathaway were healthy scratches. … Drysdale has two points on the power play this season, coming in the past three games.
Up next
After the NHL’s three-day holiday break, the Flyers return to the ice on Saturday for a practice in Seattle before taking on the Kraken on Sunday (8 p.m., NBCSP, NHLN).
CHICAGO ― Garnet Hathaway’s path to the NHL wasn’t a typical one.
He called it a “roundabout way” to The Inquirer two years ago, during his first season with the Flyers. The kid from Maine was signed as a free agent by the Calgary Flames organization in 2014 after playing four years at Brown University, and has agitated, banged, and fought his way to 639 NHL games.
But now he’s facing a new battle: Hathaway has been a healthy scratch for the past two games and will sit out a third in a row on Tuesday.
Before this spell, the last time Hathaway watched from the press box when healthy was Feb. 23, 2023, when the Washington Capitals held him out for trade-related reasons. He was traded that day to the Boston Bruins.
“It’s an opportunity to look at my own game. Find out what I can be doing better to help the team more,” he said while sitting in the Flyers’ locker room at Xfinity Mobile Arena after the team’s morning skate on Monday.
“I don’t want to put a reset word on it. I think it’s an opportunity, and there’s two ways I can take it, and I want to use it positively. I want to use it to be more impactful and help us win more games.”
To say it’s been a difficult season for Hathaway would be an understatement, as he has no points and is a minus-8 in 33 games. But Hathaway, 34, knows his game isn’t judged by how many goals or points he has. After all, he only has 75 goals and 160 points in his NHL career.
What he brings is an unwavering commitment to the team — whether it’s throwing his body in front of high-velocity slap shots or being a leader in the room — and effectiveness on the penalty kill, which he prides himself on.
“I know when I’m successful and how to be successful. So I think, rather than talking about the things that haven’t worked [this season], it’s talking about things that I need to do to be successful,” he said.
“I play my best when we get the puck below the other hashmarks, when we hold possession, when we create chaos with the other defensemen, make them turn, create physicality, and really just have the puck in their end.”
Chaos is a good way to put it. Hathaway is a grinder. He’s a throwback to guys like Dave Schultz, who may not have the flashy goals or the high point totals but play a critical role on and off the ice.
After scoring 10 goals last season, Garnet Hathaway hasn’t found the net this season.
Since his NHL debut on Feb. 29, 2016, for the Flames, he is third in NHL hits (2,046) behind former Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas (2,442) and current San Jose Sharks forward Ryan Reaves (2,131). For the record, Gudas has played 35 more games than Hathaway and averages almost seven more minutes a game.
Hathaway ranks ninth in penalty minutes (705) in that time frame, but more importantly, he is also ninth in penalties drawn (275). The nine guys above him include some of the game’s top agitators — Nazem Kadri, Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, Tom Wilson, and Brady Tkachuk — and the best players who draw all the attention — Connor McDavid, David Pastrňák, and Nathan MacKinnon.
“When he plays fast, he’s really good, and I think sometimes that line’s played a little bit slow, puck possession-wise, and I think that has affected him. … He knows he has to play better,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “But I also think we have to put him in a situation where he’s playing a faster game; I think that’s when he’s at his best.
“… It’s tough for guys like that. He’s a predictable guy. He’s got to know where the puck’s going. That’s when he’s at an effectiveness, right? He’s a good F1, a good forechecker getting in there, and then obviously, a PK guy when he’s on. So I think, he’s frustrated in his game, but he knows what he’s got to do.”
According to Natural Stat Trick, when Hathaway is on the ice at five-on-five this season, the Flyers have 43.24% of the shot attempts and have been outscored 10-2. It’s not the lowest Corsi For percentage of his career — that came in his 25 games with the Boston Bruins — but it is the second lowest. And it’s his second-lowest expected goal share at 41.87 and lowest scoring chances for percentage of his career (39.18%).
The interesting thing is that Hathaway’s individual shot attempts have dropped considerably. He is at less than one per game (30 in 33 games), when he averaged 1.90 shot attempts per game across his first 606 career games.
But he is right there with his hitting (tied for eighth in the NHL with 117) and drawing penalties (16th in the league with 2.31 penalties drawn/60).
“A lot of what we talk [about] is predictability,” said Hathaway, speaking about himself and the coaching staff. “I strive on predictability. I think for me, I need to get below the hashmarks in the other zone, and the fastest way we can get there, the least time we can spend on our zone.
“That’s what I look back in my career and highlight when — points or not — I’m being a contributor to a successful team. It’s moving fast through the zone and possession, but keeping the game in that end each and every shift, the majority of the time, rather than it flip-flopping or being a little too short for the time you need. “
With hockey leagues around the world nearing the midway point and the World Junior Championship starting on Friday, we caught up with Brent Flahr to talk prospects. In Part 2 of our interview with the Flyers’ assistant general manager, we focused on the team’s international-based prospects and those competing in Lehigh Valley.
This interview, which was conducted on Dec. 10, has been edited for clarity and length. Part 1.
While No. 1 center and No. 1 defenseman remain holes the Flyers organization is looking to fill, Flahr noted that while there are fewer than 32 of those guys around, the Flyers remain on the lookout and have assets that could help in acquiring one.
Swedish center Jack Berglund’s skating has been a contentious point among fans, but Flahr says it has improved and that Berglund reminds him of a young Mikko Koivu in that regard.
When asked for his favorite under-the-radar prospects, Flahr pointed to Cole Knuble and Denver Barkey as two guys that are easy to “cheer for.”
More Details
With hockey leagues around the world nearing the midway point and the World Junior Championship starting on Friday, we caught up with Brent Flahr to talk prospects. In Part 2 of our interview with the Flyers’ assistant general manager, we focused on the team’s international-based prospects and those competing in Lehigh Valley.
This interview, which was conducted on Dec. 10, has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: Where do you see Jack Berglund, who was pretty impressive at development camp, fitting?
A: I think he’s a very well-rounded player and has the ability to be a really good 3C, maybe more. But he can play power play. He’s strong. He wins battles. He can make plays. He’s very sound defensively. Where he’s played, he’s had to earn everything he can, but he can shoot it.
I think people worried about his skating, but his skating is coming along as well, and he’s big and strong. You’ll see at the U20 level, he’s a big, strong horse out there, but he’s nowhere near where he’s going to be at 23 years old. When you see him off the ice, he’s still a young guy, and you forget about that. … Not all these players who have been drafted are going to play the next year, but he’s on the right path to being a very good pro.
The Flyers remain bullish on Jack Berglund, who Brent Flahr says continues to make strides with his skating.
Q: Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Carson Bjarnason, have been the three B’s in Lehigh Valley. What have you seen from them in their transition to pro hockey? [Note: Barkey was recalled after this interview was conducted.]
A: Barkey, I think right from the start, he’s played very well. On the production side, he makes plays, he works, and the details are great. Such a smart player. He’s got to get stronger and build up his body to handle the grind but so far, so good. Down there, he’s been arguably our best forward a lot of nights, and coaches love him. …
I think Bumper, when he first went down there, even though playing last year — I don’t know if he thought it was going to be easy or disappointment from not making the team right away — I thought he stumbled around a little bit early, and then he found his game, and now he’s going. But part of the why he’s down there is to find the consistency in his game, not just offensively, but defensively, and managing the game and then playing it every night. But he’s talented. He’s producing now. I think he’s feeling good about himself, and he’s certainly going in the right direction. …
And Carson … I think he’s exceeded expectations so far. He’s got the right demeanor, the size, the athleticism, and he’s learning the pro game. … It just seems easier for him. In juniors, it was so chaotic in front of him; he used to get so many Grade A chances.
Q: You mentioned Aleksei Kolosov. He seems like a different player this year, no?
A: He is a different player, different personality. He’s really trying to fit in. He’s very athletic, very competitive, and he’s giving our team a chance to win down there almost every night. He’s a talented kid, so he’s got a chance to be an NHL goalie now. He just skipped a step last year. Now he’s building it back up again here, and we’ll see where it goes.
Q: What about Yegor Zavragin? He has another year on his deal but it sounds like he’s playing well in Russia.
A: He’s a talented, talented kid with size. … He’s got to build up his body, which is a big focus for St. Petersburg, and he’s working hard. … We want him to be over here right away, but the one thing the KHL does, or has a history of doing recently, is developing goalies. So we’re in a good spot and, hopefully, when the time comes, we can get him over here and get him going.
Egor Zavragin has firmly established himself as one of the best young goaltenders in Europe.
Q: There’s been a lot of criticism of the Flyers not having a 1C or 1D. What would you say to those people, and how would you assess the system?
A: There are not 32 1Cs in the league or 32 1Ds. So we’re always trying to look for that and strive for that. But we have some good players coming, guys who can play, hopefully, 2Cs. We have some guys on the wing, we think. We have some solid defensemen coming.
We understand what we need to be an elite team; at the same time, we’re growing a pretty good base as far as depth through the lineup and people that can contribute in different ways. So, that’s where the Berglunds and some of these guys that aren’t talked about as much could be valuable pieces as well. Then you’ve got [Jett] Luchanko, and [Jack] Nesbitt, who are going to take a little time to get stronger. Heikki [Ruohonen], as well, is a really good player.
Q: Give me one or two prospects that you’re excited about in the system.
A: Porter [Martone] is Porter. He has a chance to be a special player. When you meet him, he’s kind of got that “it factor,” as far as he’s got cockiness, but in a good way. I think he’s a pro; he’s got the mindset now where he knows where he has a little more work to do as far as getting there. But he understands. Getting that experience last year with Team Canada was huge, to be a young kid playing with those types of players and see where you’ve got to get to. I just think he’s matured, and he has a chance to be a really good one for us.
But the guy we drafted, who is one of my favorites … is Cole Knuble. Just a good hockey player. So competitive, great motor, smart, plays every position. I don’t know where it’s going to get to, but he’s worked really hard on his skating, and it’s become good. It’ll be interesting to see when he turns pro. Guys like Barkey and him are the guys you cheer for.
Brent Flahr believes Cole Knuble, son of former Flyer Mike Knuble, is a prospect who has a chance to surprise.
Barkey’s such a smart player, he’s so competitive. You watch a game, you just kind of start just watching him, just because of the way he plays the game. Whether he can handle the size [remains to be seen] but he’s proven everybody wrong at every level.
Q: What are the strengths of the 2026 NHL draft?
A: Early on, I think it’s a strong defensemen draft. There are some quality wingers. I think there are a couple of centermen, but not a really deep pool of centermen. But some good players. … I don’t think there’s any Connor McDavids. There are some well-known, big-name players at the top end, and there are some guys challenging behind who aren’t as far up as some people think. So it’ll be interesting.
With hockey leagues around the world nearing the midway point and the World Junior Championship starting on Friday, we caught up with Brent Flahr to talk prospects. In Part 2 of our interview with the Flyers’ assistant general manager, we focused on the team’s international-based prospects and those competing in Lehigh Valley.
This interview, which was conducted on Dec. 10, has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: Where do you see Jack Berglund, who was pretty impressive at development camp, fitting?
A: I think he’s a very well-rounded player and has the ability to be a really good 3C, maybe more. But he can play power play. He’s strong. He wins battles. He can make plays. He’s very sound defensively. Where he’s played, he’s had to earn everything he can, but he can shoot it.
I think people worried about his skating, but his skating is coming along as well, and he’s big and strong. You’ll see at the U20 level, he’s a big, strong horse out there, but he’s nowhere near where he’s going to be at 23 years old. When you see him off the ice, he’s still a young guy, and you forget about that. … Not all these players who have been drafted are going to play the next year, but he’s on the right path to being a very good pro.
The Flyers remain bullish on Jack Berglund, who Brent Flahr says continues to make strides with his skating.
Q: How do you define it when you say a player’s skating is not NHL-ready?
A: Nine times out of 10, that’s strength-related. Like Tyson Foerster, everybody was worried about his skating when we drafted him. He was not a great skater when we drafted him. But it’s not all fundamentals. You see his body, he’s got no leg strength at this point. And you see he can generate speed in a straight line, quickness, agility, and lower-body power, stuff like that.
So Jack could skate in a straight line. His foot speed and everything had to improve, turning and that. But a lot of its strength, a lot of it’s just his body linking up for a big 6-4 guy. And as he gets older and stronger, he’s skating more than fine, and it’s something that he’s always gonna have to work on, the quickness and agility.
I compared his skating, when I saw him play as a young player, to a player that we had in Minnesota a long time, Mikko Koivu, who was a great player. He’s someone that he could pattern his game after because Mikko was a great two-way player, but he’s big and strong, and as a young player, people worried about his foot speed and whatnot, and he just became a really good pro for a long time that you can win with.
Q: Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Carson Bjarnason, have been the three B’s in Lehigh Valley. What have you seen from them in their transition to pro hockey? [Note: Barkey was recalled after this interview was conducted.]
A: Barkey, I think right from the start, he’s played very well. On the production side, he makes plays, he works, and the details are great. Such a smart player. He’s got to get stronger and build up his body to handle the grind but so far, so good. Down there, he’s been arguably our best forward a lot of nights, and coaches love him. …
I think Bumper, when he first went down there, even though playing last year — I don’t know if he thought it was going to be easy or disappointment from not making the team right away — I thought he stumbled around a little bit early, and then he found his game, and now he’s going. But part of the why he’s down there is to find the consistency in his game, not just offensively, but defensively, and managing the game and then playing it every night. But he’s talented. He’s producing now. I think he’s feeling good about himself, and he’s certainly going in the right direction. …
Alex Bump is producing down in Lehigh Valley but his defensive consistency remains a work in progress.
And Carson … I think he’s exceeded expectations so far. He’s got the right demeanor, the size, the athleticism, and he’s learning the pro game. … It just seems easier for him. In juniors, it was so chaotic in front of him; he used to get so many Grade A chances.
Q: You mentioned Aleksei Kolosov. He seems like a different player this year, no?
A: He is a different player, different personality. He’s really trying to fit in. He’s very athletic, very competitive, and he’s giving our team a chance to win down there almost every night. He’s a talented kid, so he’s got a chance to be an NHL goalie now. He just skipped a step last year. Now he’s building it back up again here, and we’ll see where it goes.
Q: What about Egor Zavragin? He has another year on his deal but it sounds like he’s playing well in Russia.
A: He’s a talented, talented kid with size. … He’s got to build up his body, which is a big focus for St. Petersburg, and he’s working hard. … We want him to be over here right away, but the one thing the KHL does, or has a history of doing recently, is developing goalies. So we’re in a good spot and, hopefully, when the time comes, we can get him over here and get him going.
Egor Zavragin has firmly established himself as one of the best young goaltenders in Europe.
Q: Christian Kyrou has hit the ground running in Lehigh Valley. What have you seen from him, and what are his NHL chances?
A: Well, he brings a dimension we didn’t really have there as far as his offense and the power-play ability but I think it was a good trade for both players, a new environment. What he’s brought is some swagger and some offensive instincts.
Obviously, he’s not the biggest guy, and his criticism was defensive play and lack of size, but he’s been fine. … What he does with the puck is he gets it going up the ice and transitions. … He’s been very good and productive … and really helped the power play.
Q: Samu Tuomaala went the other way in the deal. What do you think went wrong?
A: He just kind of stalled, and part of it, you’ve seen the guys that kind of went ahead of him. But Samu, when he’s on his game, he brings speed, he can really shoot the puck, and he’s a good kid. I just think for whatever reason, he just didn’t have it at the start of camp. … You look at what we have coming and what we have now, the way he was going, he was going to be boxed out, so we decided to make the move, and it kind of worked out for both teams.
Q: Ty Murchison recently made his NHL debut, and he has seemed to have jumped a few people. What made the Flyers opt to call him up from Lehigh Valley?
A: He’s a great kid. He can skate, he’s competitive, and he’s taken his game, even from last year in college, to a whole new level, even in the playoffs, and it’s opened a lot of people’s eyes here. He went down to Lehigh, and he did nothing but play well, played hard, played his game, and some other guys were up and down and not going. So when Rick Tocchet wanted a guy, that’s a guy they recommended just because of his performance and consistency and his battle level. I think it sends the right message to a lot of guys down there.
Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk just recently joined the Phantoms after missing most of the summer with an injury.
Q: Oliver Bonk just got back on the ice. What’s the latest with him?
A: Finally, he’s healthy, feeling good. … He’s a smart player. I assume he’ll be a fairly quick study, and I know coaches are happy with this first game, but it’s going to take him some time for conditioning, strength, and all that to get back up to normal.
Q: Where do you see Alex Bump this year? Do you see him getting called up?
A: It’s all based on his play and, to be honest with you, an opportunity here with injuries or whatever. … But he’s going in the right direction, and at some point, my guess is he’ll get an opportunity. .
Q: John Snowden was very impressive in my first interactions with him. How important has he been to the development of not just the ‘killer Bs’ that we talked about, but Karsen Dorwart, Devin Kaplan, and others in Lehigh Valley?
A: He’s got a presence on the ice when he teaches, when he runs a practice, but …[also] has fresh ideas, whether it’s generating offense or the way the team plays.
He wants guys to hold on to pucks, make plays, and that comes with mistakes. These guys are young, and they’re gonna have to learn to manage the puck and manage situations a little differently, but that’s part of the process of learning down there. … They’re having fun and they’re winning some games. So yeah, it’s a good development environment.
Q: There’s been a lot of criticism of the Flyers not having a 1C or 1D. What would you say to those people, and how would you assess the system?
A: There are not 32 1Cs in the league or 32 1Ds. So we’re always trying to look for that and strive for that. But we have some good players coming, guys who can play, hopefully, 2Cs. We have some guys on the wing, we think. We have some solid defensemen coming.
The Flyers believe Jack Nesbitt can develop into a strong 2C on a winning team.
We understand what we need to be an elite team; at the same time, we’re growing a pretty good base as far as depth through the lineup and people that can contribute in different ways. So, that’s where the Berglunds and some of these guys that aren’t talked about as much could be valuable pieces as well. Then you’ve got [Jett] Luchanko, and [Jack] Nesbitt, who are going to take a little time to get stronger. Heikki [Ruohonen], as well, is a really good player.
Q: Does it take the pressure off needing a 1C when you have such top-tier wingers?
A: I think it certainly helps, yeah. You can do some things, but you look at the elite teams, and they have 1Cs. Sometimes it surprises you, some guys turn into that, that you weren’t necessarily expecting. But I think we’re doing the best we can to build up around it, and last year, the most skilled position we can to help our team going forward. And at one point, whether we have the assets to get it by trade, or develop it within your system, we’ll do the best we can to do that.
A: Early on, I think it’s a strong defensemen draft. There are some quality wingers. I think there are a couple of centermen, but not a really deep pool of centermen. But some good players. … I don’t think there’s any Connor McDavids. There are some well-known, big-name players at the top end, and there are some guys challenging behind who aren’t as far up as some people think. So it’ll be interesting.
Penn State winger Gavin McKenna is viewed as the prize of the 2026 NHL draft, but others like defenseman Keaton Verhoeff are gaining steam.
Q: Trade chatter is starting to pick up. Do you think the Flyers can be competitive with putting packages together?
A: We have assets now, and teams are going to have interest in our assets and make trades. The thing is that we have this prospect pool now, part of what’s going to make the players good is these guys emerging into the NHL and down the road filling in roles in the depth. But now, if you have a chance to add a star piece or elite player, you’ve got to match the value of it, but you can’t totally decimate your prospect pool and all your young players just to get one player — and then you have one player, and you have a bad team. Not everybody’s going to be able to play, but at the same time, we’re in a good position now.
Q: Give me one or two prospects that you’re excited about in the system.
A: Porter [Martone] is Porter. He has a chance to be a special player. When you meet him, he’s kind of got that “it factor,” as far as he’s got cockiness, but in a good way. I think he’s a pro; he’s got the mindset now where he knows where he has a little more work to do as far as getting there. But he understands. Getting that experience last year with Team Canada was huge, to be a young kid playing with those types of players and see where you’ve got to get to. I just think he’s matured, and he has a chance to be a really good one for us.
But the guy we drafted, who is one of my favorites … is Cole Knuble. Just a good hockey player. So competitive, great motor, smart, plays every position. I don’t know where it’s going to get to, but he’s worked really hard on his skating, and it’s become good. It’ll be interesting to see when he turns pro. Guys like Barkey and him are the guys you cheer for.
Barkey’s such a smart player, he’s so competitive. You watch a game, you just kind of start just watching him, just because of the way he plays the game. Whether he can handle the size [remains to be seen] but he’s proven everybody wrong at every level.
Skating in front of a sellout crowd of 19,994 at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the Flyers gave the faithful something to cheer about.
In their final home game of 2025, the Flyers beat the Vancouver Canucks, coach Rick Tocchet’s old team, 5-2.
“Happy to be home,” said Owen Tippett. “Obviously, a long road trip, so you want to have a bounce back and use your fans as much as you can. So they were great tonight. Obviously, in warmup[s], you can tell there’s a lot of people here. So, we were ready to go in the room.”
After struggling to close out games, including the last game of the four-game road trip that saw the Flyers blow a third period lead to the Rangers, they scored four goals in the third period to seal the win.
“I think in the past, we just kind of sat back a little bit too much … But I thought we were more aggressive tonight and controlled most of the play,” Christian Dvorak said. “We have a lot of chances, and capitalized on them. So I thought that was a big step for us in the third tonight.”
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Orange and the Black. It is their second win in the past seven games and their fourth win out of 11 games in December (4-3-4).
Vladař solid in net
Standing on the Chase Bridge at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, Flyers general manager Danny Brière revealed that goalie Dan Vladař had “a little, little boo-boo.” He added that his upper-body injury is “nothing too serious” and that “he should be back, we hope, by Monday.”
After not dressing on Saturday, Vladař was indeed back between the pipes on Monday, and the netminder picked up right where he left on in his last start, a 4-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens last Tuesday.
“All the trainers did an awesome job, especially [assistant athletic trainer] Joe Mele, so all the credit to him, and [he] got me back as soon as possible,” Vladař said postgame. “So I’m very thankful. And he’s got magic hands.”
Any nervousness getting back between the pipes?
“As a goalie, you’ve got to be a little bit nervous every game,” he said. “So obviously, it’s something that comes with playing goalie. But no, health-wise, just no fear as usual.”
Vladař played his angles well as his defense kept the Canucks away from the front of the net. Through the first two periods, he stopped all 17 shots on goal he faced.
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar stopped 23 of the Canucks’ 25 shot attempts on goal.
According to Natural Stat Trick, only one — on the power play — was a high-danger shot; and it was the only shot he stopped across two penalty kills. Eleven of the shots were low-danger. Late in the second period, it looked like he even made a save off his mask on a shot by Evander Kane.
In the third period, things fell off a little bit.
The Czech netminder was 6 minutes, 55 seconds away from getting the first Flyers shutout of the season, but Vancouver’s Max Sasson ended the bid. Conor Garland drew in Emil Andrae and made a leading pass to Sasson, who skated in alone and scored.
Drew O’Connor added a goal with 18 seconds left for the Canucks, who had eight shots on goal — with both coming from a high-danger spot
May the fourth be with you
The fourth line has been retooled, and it is working. Nikita Grebenkin and Carl Grundström each got on the board for the Flyers.
Grebenkin gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead 13:13 into the second period. Grundström made it 2-0 5:58 into the third period.
“We played pretty direct and got pucks to the net, and we got rewarded for it today,” Grundström said.
To open the scoring, Grebenkin got a stretch pass from Cam York down the left wing boards and, although it bounced off his stick, he chased down the puck. The Russian winger then sent a backhand pass up the boards to Rodrigo Ābols, who was providing support.
Ābols curled away from his check and sent the puck up to Andrae at the point. The Swedish defenseman put a one-timer toward the net, and Grebenkin, who went to the net after being checked along the end boards, tipped in the puck past Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko.
It was Grebenkin’s second goal of the season and his first since Nov. 4 in Montreal, which was also the first of his NHL career.
Grebenkin then played a big role in helping Grundström pad the lead with his fourth goal of the season. The 22-year-old winger got the puck high along the right boards from Grundström and carried it down behind the net.
Along the way, he avoided a check by Filip Hronek and then did a little fake before going deeper into the zone. He sent a backhand chip pass to Grundström in front, finding an open lane despite four Canucks surrounding the Swede.
Grundström, who had peeled off and headed to the net after getting the puck to Grebenkin, quickly got the shot off on Demko before getting a second chance and burying it to put the Flyers up 2-0.
“[Grundström]’s an NHLer,” said Ābols, who had two assists for the first multipoint game of his career. “He’s got 300 games, you know, he’s playing with confidence. It’s something maybe some of us were lacking down there. He comes out with confidence, a lot of speed, a lot of skill, and we can feed off it.”
The game was one of the better ones for Grebenkin, who has played in 24 of the Flyers’ 35 games.
“The goal, that’s what I saw in training camp, get to the net, he was around the net,” said Tocchet. “Then behind the net [on Grundström’s goal] he made a [heck] of a play to hold it.
“We knew hash mark down [he’s good]. The other parts [of his game] he’s getting better at not overthinking. But I think getting that goal really helps him. Like, that’s the places where he’s got to go.”
Dvorak’s big role
Brière also added that Dvorak would miss Saturday’s game, and he did with a minor lower-body injury. Like Vladař, he returned on Monday and played a big role in the win.
“I guess whenever you miss the game, there’s concern, but I felt a lot better after taking a couple of days off, and that’s kind of what I needed,” Dvorak said. “And felt pretty good tonight.”
In the third period, the Flyers headed up the ice, and Travis Konecny hit York coming late. The defenseman handed it back to Konecny, who then fed Trevor Zegras skating down the slot.
His shot attempt was blocked by Brock Boeser and went off the glass behind the net before Dvorak batted the puck out of the air into the back of the net at the left post to put the Flyers ahead 3-0.
The goal was reviewed for a potential high stick; however, Dvorak said he purposely waited until it was below the crossbar before knocking it in for his eighth of the year.
“Yeah, it was crazy,” said Tippett with a grin when asked about the snazzy passing leading up to the goal. “Obviously, the patience on [Dvorak], too, to wait for it to drop below the crossbar before he whacked it in, it was pretty special too.”
Tippett pulled off a highlight-reel move — going inside-outside on Vancouver’s Tom Willander — to add a breakaway goal in the third period for his 11th of the season. On one of his 10 shots on goal, which tied his career high, he had a breakaway chance earlier in the game that he could not capitalize on. “I wasn’t too happy with the first breakaway; I don’t think I really got him moving too much,” he said. “So kind of learned and improved the next time.” … Matvei Michkov added an empty-netter for his first goal in December. … Zegras extended his point streak to eight games (five goals, five assists). … Forwards Garnet Hathaway and Nic Deslauriers, and defenseman Noah Juulsen were healthy scratches. It was the second straight scratch for Hathaway and the fourth straight for Juulsen.
Up next
The Flyers get right back at it on Tuesday against the Blackhawks in Chicago (9 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO Max).
In mid-October, Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said the quiet part out loud.
“I know he’s the lightning rod for everybody around here,” he said of Matvei Michkov.
A talented offensive player, the recently turned 21-year-old Russian, who arrived in North America two years earlier than expected, led the Flyers — and all NHL rookies — with 26 goals and finished second on the team with 63 points last season. He also won the league’s rookie of the month award twice, becoming the first Flyer in 30 years to do so.
But this season, Michkov has struggled to find that spark with 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 34 games. He has also taken several unnecessary penalties and seen his ice time decrease from 16 minutes, 41 seconds last season to 14:43 this year.
Although Natural Stat Trick has the Flyers with 51.74% of the shot attempts when Michkov is on the ice — tops on the team — and an expected goal-share of 53.6%, which is No. 2 among players who have played at least five games, he has struggled defensively and shown a tendency to cherry-pick at times.
As Tocchet said, he is a lightning rod, so, of course, he is often a topic of conversation.
On Saturday, the television broadcast caught Michkov, Tocchet, and assistant coach Jaroslav “Yogi” Svejkovský having an animated conversation on the bench. The conversation appeared to happen right after Michkov drew a minor penalty when New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle cross-checked him from behind.
“It happens all the time. It’s not Mich, it’s just a story, because it’s Mich. It wasn’t even an argument. It was about when he should switch, and not with [Denver] Barkey. And he’s getting it, when to switch and when not to on the power play,” Tocchet said, although it’s not clear if he meant to say power play as he did appear to stop himself, and the Flyers were heading to their first power play of the game.
“But that was all. He was just getting frustrated on when to switch and when he shouldn’t switch. I know it’s a lot of media people like to let him do what he wants. But there’s a time to switch and when not to switch, and that’s really what it comes down to.”
It is worth noting that Michkov and Barkey picked up assists on Travis Sanheim’s power-play goal directly following the Russian’s animated conversation with Tocchet.
Michkov has five assists in December but does not have a goal this month. A follow-up question asked the bench boss about Michkov having the right attitude but getting frustrated when he’s not scoring.
Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov, 21, has just 19 points in 34 games this season.
“Guys who want to score goals get frustrated, but you can’t let it affect your overall game,” Tocchet said. “You’ve got to continue to go to the spots, you keep going to the middle, keep getting to that slot area when you already have two guys down low, like — don’t go behind the net — like things like that.
“He’s just got to stay with it, because he’ll get those chances. He had some chances against the Rangers. … Now he’s got [to] play a little faster and separate himself. That’s what it comes down to. You can’t get frustrated, and just keep working.”
Barkey and Michkov switched one time before the bench interaction. It came with 11:49 left in the first period, and it occurred after Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin froze the puck. So was it about switching shifts and the short shifts by Michkov that have been discussed recently?
“We tell our players, when you’re tired, get off. So if he’s tired after 20 seconds, get off. I don’t know. I don’t know what you want me to say. Yeah, he’s getting enough shifts. He’s coming off short because sometimes he’s tired. I don’t know what the big deal of that is,” Tocchet snapped.
The fourth question about Michkov noted that Tocchet and the Russian winger were seen speaking before practice. Does the coach like that he’s willing to work on things, showing his sheer competitiveness?
“We’re 17-10[-7], we have a good record. I’ve answered six Michkov questions. I mean, enough is enough,” Tocchet said.
“We’ve got [Dan] Vladař having a great year. [Jamie] Drysdale is playing really good five-on-five for us. [Cam York’s] doing a really good job. We’ve got a lot of other players playing good and a team game.
“I mean, this is the fifth question. I appreciate it, but you’re trying to make something that it’s not. He’s got to learn to play the game, and he’s trying. He’s a lot better defensively. He’s a lot better playing a team game, and that’s how you win hockey. It’s not about catering to one person. I hate to tell you guys. That’s it.”
Breakaways
Goalie Aleksei Kolosov was sent back to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Monday morning. Vladař (upper-body injury) and Christian Dvorak (lower-body injury), who both missed Saturday’s game against the Rangers, were at the team’s morning skate. Tocchet expects Dvorak to play, but said Vladař is a game-time decision. … Barkey will make his Xfinity Mobile Arena debut on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks (7:30 p.m., NHLN, NBCSP). … Defenseman Noah Juulsen and forwards Garnet Hathaway and Nic Deslauriers are expected to be healthy scratches.
NEW YORK — The Flyers seemed to have the game in hand, thanks to a four-goal second period, but then the lights went out on Broadway.
Heading into the third period with a 4-2 lead, the Flyers allowed the New York Rangers to come back and steal a 5-4 shootout win. It is the first time this season the Flyers led heading into the third period and lost (10-0-1).
Mika Zibanejad tied the game with 2 minutes, 34 seconds left in regulation, beating his countryman, Sam Ersson, with a one-timer from the left circle. The Rangers had a power play after Rasmus Ristolainen was called for delay of game, when he sent the puck over the glass.
“I think we just can’t sit back as much as we do,” said forward Owen Tippett. “We put ourselves in great spots, and obviously we play a certain way to get there, and I think we just have to kind of continue playing that way and not worry about sitting back.”
Artemi Panarin, who had a pair in regulation, and Vincent Trocheck, who scored the Rangers’ third goal, each beat Ersson in the skills competition. New York netminder Igor Shesterkin stopped Trevor Zegras before Travis Konecny hit the post.
The Flyers have lost two straight and five of their past six games, with four of the losses coming after regulation.
“We’re starting to learn how to win,” coach Rick Tocchet said postgame. “This group’s going to have to learn, but they’re working hard. We [were up] 4-2 and had a couple of opportunities to score, and then we leave it for chance, right? A penalty. You can’t take your foot off.”
The dog is in the fight
Denver Barkey spent Friday afternoon tossing and turning in bed, trying to get his pregame nap in before Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League’s game against Bridgeport.
“Couldn’t fall asleep, and I rolled over and checked the time on my phone and saw a few missed calls from [Flyers general manager Danny Brière] and a text saying, call me back ASAP, so kind of clicked in there,” Barkey said of when he found out he was being called up to the Flyers.
“Yeah, super cool moment.”
Those lights were bright on Broadway for the forward as he had an “eye-opening experience” making his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden with his parents and brother in attendance despite snow in Toronto delaying their arrival.
Welcome to the NHL, Denver Barkey. The forward has two primary assists, giving the #Flyers a 2-1 lead at MSG. pic.twitter.com/ySgUFYCQDs
They must have enjoyed it even more when the forward made his presence known from puck drop. Literally, as he got the start with linemates Sean Couturier and Tippett.
On his first shift, Barkey forced Shesterkin to freeze the puck on a shot by Tippett. On his next shift, he almost scored — twice.
The Flyers controlled the perimeter and the boards with Barkey, Couturier, and Tippett cycling the puck down low. Couturier got the puck in the left corner and sent it around to Tippett before finding Barkey crashing down. He shot the puck off the pass and then got a rebound chance.
In the third period, he came close to scoring his first NHL goal as he drove to the net. Couturier sent the pass to the 5-foot-10, 173-pound forward as he tried to finish backdoor.
“I’ve actually played with him a couple years now in camp, and obviously, super skilled player, and brings a lot of energy,” Tippett said. “Were telling him to kind of play his game and not worry about anything else. And I think he played great.”
In the second period, Barkey got on the scoresheet with a pair of primary assists.
His first came on a power play, when he got the puck off the right boards and fed Travis Sanheim in the high slot. The defenseman skated down and fired the wrister from the slot past the stick of Shesterkin. It is Sanheim’s first power-play tally since Jan. 31, 2019, against the Boston Bruins.
Just 23 seconds later, he got point No. 2. Flyers defenseman Cam York threw a backhander on net that was knocked down by Rangers defenseman Will Borgen in front. Barkey scooped up the loose puck and sent the backhand pass toTippett, who was at the left point. The forward skated in between the circles and also beat Shesterkin stick side.
“The way he played tonight, the way he competes, yeah, I’m going to fight for him,” Tocchet said when asked if Barkey has a chance to stick around. ”Listen, he’s a young kid too. You want to make sure that he has enough reps where he’s going to be, but I saw enough tonight, and that’s a short sample side, that he’s a good little player.”
What We Do
In the second period, Barkey also drew a penalty that led to yet another power-play goal for the Flyers. The penalty came in the offensive zone, after the forward cleared the puck away from the front of the Flyers’ end.
On the ensuing power play, the Flyers ran what appeared to be a set play. Noah Cates won the face-off back to Jamie Drysdale at the left point. The defenseman sent it across to his good buddy, Zegras, and the New York native sent a one-timer into the back of the net.
Zegras has a team-leading 15 goals and 35 points in 34 games. He is riding a seven-game point streak (five goals, four assists).
It is the first time the Flyers have scored two power-play goals in a game since Dec. 3 against the Sabres, which was also the last time the Flyers got a tally on the man advantage. They went 0-for-16 across the past seven games.
But what made the day extra special was the Flyers getting their first short-handed goal of the season. Rodrigo Ābols forced defenseman Scott Morrow to make a pass across the ice that was picked off by Sanheim.
The defenseman skated down and made a nifty move around Morrow on a two-on-one. His pass went off the skate of Ābols as he crashed the net. The goal is Ābols’ second of the season.
Philly had two chances to win the game in overtime.Panarin slashedYork eight seconds into the extra session. They had four shot attempts, withKonecny missing the net twice.
Then, with 51 seconds left in overtime, Zegras was pulled down by Morrow, but the Flyers couldn’t find the back of the net. Shesterkin stopped a tip-in chance by Konecny from 6 feet out with 33 seconds left, and Zegras had a shot blocked.
“Yeah, it’s tough. … I think it’s something that we’ve got to get a lot better at, because that’s, two four-on-threes in overtime, like you’ve got to come up with a goal for the team there,” Zegras said. “Just not good enough.”
Added Tocchet: “We had chances at the end, four-on-three. We have some guys here who’ve got to help us. Got to score there. Too slow with the four-on-three. … We’ve just got to learn how to handle pressure. We knew at the beginning of the year we had to start to do [that], but take the point when we thought we should have had two.”
Before the game, Brière announced that goalie Dan Vladař “has got a little, little boo-boo.” The goalie has an upper-body injury is “Nothing too serious,” and “he should be back, we hope, by Monday.”
With that, Ersson got the start in goal for the second straight game. Although he came up big at times, he still allowed fourgoals on 27 shots, including two on 10 shots in the final frame.
Panarin, who was clearly the Rangers’ best player Saturday, beat Ersson twice. His first goal of the game, with 26 seconds left in the first period, put the Flyers in a 1-0 hole. It is the 24th time in 34 games that the Flyers have trailed 1-0.
Off a face-off in the Flyers’ end,Zibanejad got the puck on the right boards and chipped the pass to Panarin alone in the middle of the ice. He sent the wrister stick-side past Ersson.
Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson allowed four goals on 26 shots in regulation against the Rangers on Saturday.
The Russian winger scored again in the second period after Tippett turned the puck over in the neutral zone. Panarin intercepted his backhand pass in the middle of the ice, skated down the right wing, and fired the snapshot off the far post and in.
Trocheck cut it to 4-3 in the third period after Ersson made a brilliant save on the Pittsburgh native, but couldn’t control the rebound. Trocheck’s second shot appeared to nick the skate of Nikita Grebenkin before getting past Ersson.
“Comparing this one to recent third periods, I thought this one was a little bit better. I think maybe just a couple mental breakdowns, obviously, that led to the goal that was bouncing around. And then obviously they got one on the power play late to tie it up.” Zegras said.
”But, I mean, I thought we were playing better in the third than we normally have. So I guess that’s exciting, but still not good enough.”
Breakaways
Forward Garnet Hathaway was a healthy scratch for the first time with the Flyers on Saturday. The winger does not have a point in 33 games this season. “He’s had some tough moments and stuff like that. He’s trying to find his game,” said Tocchet, when asked about Hathaway postgame. “… He’s good when he plays with speed guys. So we’ve also got to help him, too.” … Forward Christian Dvorak (lower-body injury) did not play. Neither Dvorak nor Vladař’s injury is expected to be long-term, per Brière. Goalie Aleksei Kolosov was recalled under emergency conditions and served as the backup. … The Flyers are 12-7-5 when trailing 1-0; their 12 wins lead the NHL. … The two goals assisted on by Barkey, 23 seconds apart, is the sixth time this season the Flyers have scored twice within 25 seconds. It is three more than the next-closest team, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Up next
The Flyers head home for a meeting with coach Rick Tocchet’s old team, the Vancouver Canucks, on Monday (NHLN, NBCSP, 7:30 p.m.).
They finish up the schedule before the NHL’s holiday break with a quick trip on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks (9 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO Max).
