NEW YORK — There’s been some movement with the Flyers’ 23-man roster in recent days, but before a question could even be asked about Egor Zamula clearing waivers, Tyson Foerster undergoing surgery, or Denver Barkey’s first call-up, Flyers general manager Danny Brière started things off with some news.
Goalie Aleksei Kolosov was with the team for Saturday’s matinee against the New York Rangers as an emergency recall and backed up starter Sam Ersson. Goalie Dan Vladař “has got a little, little boo-boo,” he said, adding his upper-body injury is “Nothing too serious” and “he should be back, we hope by Monday.” But added that they don’t know for sure.
Vladař last played on Tuesday in Montreal, backstopping the Flyers to a 4-1 win against the Canadiens. The Czech netminder is 12-5-3 this season with the sixth-best goals-against average (2.41) and tied for the ninth-best save percentage (.910) in the NHL among goalies who have played at least 15 games.
And then there was more. Forward Christian Dvorak, who has been centering one of the Flyers’ top lines and serving as a key penalty killer, is out with a lower-body injury. He did not dress against the Rangers, but “according to our trainers, shouldn’t be long-term.”
Here are three more questions answered by Brière on Saturday afternoon.
Why was Denver Barkey recalled and not Alex Bump?
Called up from Lehigh Valley on Friday, Barkey delivered two assists in his NHL debut Saturday.
Drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 2023 NHL draft, the 5-foot-10, 173-pound forward, who is known for his grit, moxie, and determination, turned pro this season and has been impressive in the minors. The 20-year-old has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 26 games for the Phantoms, primarily playing on the wing with center Lane Pederson and winger Alex Bump.
“He came in. He played extremely well. I think the biggest thing from the report is his consistency; he was good night after night and earned the right to get a look,” Brière said.
Barkey has looked impressive since the Flyers’ rookie camp in early September, but everyone outside the organization expected Bump to be the one getting the call-up. Brière did say, “It could have also been one of those two guys,” meaning Pederson or Bump, as the line has been dominating in the AHL, “but we decided to go with Barkey.”
I don't see Alex Bump out there to start the second period here in Allentown. He took kind of a weird hit on his first shift, and looked like he was working his shoulder on the bench? He did take a couple more shifts after that, but went down the tunnel later in the period. pic.twitter.com/z9hSBxRLO2
A highly touted prospect, Bump was someone many thought would break camp with the Flyers. Instead, after a solid rookie camp, he was sent down after a poor main training camp. After a slow start in Lehigh Valley, he now has 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 27 games in Allentown.
“We’re very happy with Alex,” Brière said. “Unfortunately, he got injured [Friday] night. He’s going to be out for a short period of time, maybe seven to 10 days. He didn’t have a great camp, and he knows that. But since then, he went down there, and he’s been working hard as well. He’s a guy we considered, and he’s not that far off.”
What’s next for Egor Zamula?
The Flyers defenseman cleared waivers on Friday afternoon and has been assigned to Lehigh Valley.
Zamula last played on Dec. 7 and has skated in 13 of the Flyers’ first 33 games this season, registering one assist. Averaging a few ticks above 14 minutes a night, he had a plus-minus of plus-4, only boosted by a plus-5 night when he returned to the lineup on Nov. 22 against the New Jersey Devils.
Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula cleared waivers on Friday and was assigned to Lehigh Valley.
“The biggest thing with Egor is that he needs to play,” Brière said. “It doesn’t really help him sitting game after game, and we figured if he clears waivers, it’s going to give him the chance to play some games, maybe find his game again.
“We expect to have some adversity there on defense at some point, too, where injuries are going to come — what was it two, three weeks ago, we didn’t have Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen, and now they’re back in the lineup. So things change fast. Hopefully, he can find his game, and we could very well see him back with the big team at some point.”
A mainstay last season, skating in 63 games, Zamula has dropped down the depth chart this season. He has been passed by Emil Andrae, offseason acquisition Noah Juulsen, and, more recently, Ty Murchison.
A long-standing criticism, dating back to former coach John Tortorella, has been Zamula’s pace of play. Coach Rick Tocchet also said he wanted to see the 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman move the puck more quickly. Although he did not play for the Phantoms on Friday night, and while the AHL has a slightly slower pace of play, the hope is that he can refind his game.
“It’s up to him,” Brière said. “We hope that he kind of takes charge down there. That’s up to him to decide how he’s going to play, but I think just going on the ice and getting the reps is more important than sitting around and just practicing day after day.”
Why the change in status for Tyson Foerster?
Originally, the winger was expected to miss two to three months after suffering an “upper-body” injury on Dec. 1 against Pittsburgh. However, on Wednesday, the Flyers announced that Foerster will miss the next five months after undergoing arm surgery on Monday. It is likely that his season is over.
“Just more in-depth examinations, and after talking to different people, and just to make sure it was decided that, at the moment, the best thing was to take care of it with surgery,” Brière said.
The GM added that it is an approximate timeline and “it could be a little less, could be a little bit more.”
At the time of his injury, Foerster led the Flyers in goals (10), leaving a huge hole in the lineup. Brière is hoping the Flyers can fill the spot from within.
“It’s a pretty good player that you’re trying to replace, so that’s obviously not easy, but it’s a chance for other guys to step up, get more ice time, and take advantage of it,” he said.
“So that’s the way we see it. It’s a great opportunity for a lot of guys to see what they can do. [Carl] Grundström’s recall, since then, he’s played extremely well, so that’s good to see, but it’s never easy to replace a guy like Tyson, who’s becoming a huge part of our offense.”
NEW YORK — The NHL hits a roster freeze at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, so with defenseman Egor Zamula clearing waivers and being assigned to the American Hockey League, it left a roster spot open.
Forward Denver Barkey has been called up.
Drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 2023 NHL draft, Barkey turned pro this season and has been impressive while skating primarily on the wing for Lehigh Valley of the AHL. The 20-year-old has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 26 games for the Phantoms, primarily playing on the wing with center Lane Pederson and winger Alex Bump.
“I think right from the start, he’s played very well,” Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr recently told The Inquirer. “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 and but so far, so good.
“Down there, he’s been arguably our best forward a lot of nights, and coaches love them plays, plays a lot. He’s certainly going in the right direction.”
Well, the direction now is east to New York City ahead of the Flyers’ matchup with the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon (12:30 p.m., NBCSP). The kid from Ontario is in line to make his debut at the World’s Most Famous Arena.
“I call him like a little mini [Travis Konecny],” Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong said of Barkey over the summer. “He’s all over the puck. He’s grimy when he doesn’t have the puck. He’s always working to get the puck back.
“He’s really good with his stick picking pockets, transitioning, and his eyes are up; I don’t think a little guy like that skating around, his head down, is going to last very long in the game.
“But when you watch him go into corners, and he’s not afraid of that, he’s quick to get in, he’s quick to get out.”
Some have questioned Barkey’s size at 5-foot-10, 173 pounds, but no one questions his grit, moxie, will, and determination. Last season, he notched 25 goals and 82 points in 50 regular-season games before adding another nine goals and 20 points in 11 postseason games for London of the Ontario Hockey League.
On June 1, he captained the Knights to the Memorial Cup championship despite suffering a high-ankle sprain in the OHL Final. In the finale of the Memorial Cup, against the projected No. 1 for this June’s draft, Gavin McKenna, and Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League, Barkey drove play and scored a pair of goals.
A month later, he was at the Flyers development camp but did not participate. He did, however, try.
“[Barkey] always comes to me every morning, ‘Hey, do you think you can get me out on the ice?’ No, no, you’re done,” Armstrong said with a chuckle in early July.
The rest helped. He was again impressive at the Flyers’ rookie camp and in a game against their Rangers counterparts in early September in Allentown.
Barkey opened eyes with his speed, hockey IQ, puck possession and patience, and high-end passing ability. Looking completely healed from his high-ankle sprain, the forward used his quickness, leverage, and ability to win pucks to beat the defense at every turn and notched a goal.
“Continue to get bigger, stronger,” Barkey said of his summer plans at development camp. “It’s a big jump next year. I’m going to be playing against older men and strong guys. So, continuing to get stronger, faster, and I think the biggest thing is just using my brain and then finding a way to adjust. It’s a different game in pro.”
And Barkey has adjusted well to the pro ranks, skating on the wing of the Phantoms’ top line, which drives play and is relied on for offensive swings. His fellow winger, Bump, was actually the one many thought would be called up.
The kid from Minnesota, who led Western Michigan to the NCAA championship in April, was pegged by everyone, including The Inquirer, to break camp with the Flyers; however, he was sent down after a poor main training camp. After a slow start in Lehigh Valley, he now has 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 26 games in Allentown.
BUFFALO — The Flyers were handed a 5-3 loss by the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, a team that just fired its general manager and may make a coaching move soon.
They came out hard but still trailed, and while they tied the game and even took the lead at one point, they eventually sputtered and lost.
Here are two things to know from Western New York:
Special teams struggled again
The Flyers had three power-play opportunities but were unable to put one past former Flyers goalie Alex Lyon. According to Natural Stat Trick, they had 12 chances, including four shots on goal; the four shots came on the first two power plays.
The last man advantage was in the third period, with the Flyers down a goal, after Mattias Samuelsson, the son of former Flyers defenseman Kjell Samuelsson, put the puck over the glass with 2 minutes, 19 seconds left in the game. They had shots by Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale, and Owen Tippett blocked when goalie Sam Ersson was pulled to make it a six-on-four.
The Flyers’ power play had 12 chances across three opportunities, with five shots blocked.
“We’re getting points. It’s a loss. I mean, relax. I’m not saying you, nothing against you [the media],” coach Rick Tocchet said. “But, I mean, yeah, it’s a loss, I’m mad like you, but we’re getting points. These guys are trying, so we’ve got to take it easy on that part.
“But saying that we got to be more disciplined, right? I’d like to see the power play, we got to get some guys to score some goals on the power play. Too perimeter. We need some people in front. That’s the one thing. I thought the key tonight, we didn’t have people in front of the net. You’ve got to be in front of the net to score goals.”
The penalty kill allowed a goal to Josh Norris, who was left wide-open in front, in the third period. Norris’ goal, the eventual game-winner, came 18 seconds after Bobby Brink took a high-sticking call in the offensive zone when he hit Michael Kesselring in the face as he tried to make contact with the puck in the air.
Norris was left alone in front as all four Flyers penalty killers went to one side of the ice.
The penalty was one of five by the Flyers, although the goaltender interference call on Matvei Michkov in the second period was questionable. The winger appeared to be bumped into Lyon and then took several cross-checks to his back while on the ice and defenseless behind the net.
The Sabres had 11 chances during five-on-four action and nine scoring chances. The Flyers had four scoring chances during their power-play opportunities, none in the third.
Philly has been called for 117 minor penalties this season in 33 games, tied with the Winnipeg Jets for the seventh-most in the NHL. Last season, the Flyers had 238 across 82 games, tied with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 13th-fewest.
“We’re taking a lot of penalties and we’re playing good players, so the more opportunities they get, the more chances for them to score,” defenseman Travis Sanheim said. “But in saying that, obviously we have to do a better job, and we’re at our best when we’re pressuring and disrupting and it’s something obviously we know we’ve got to be better, and I’m sure we will be moving forward.”
The Flyers’ penalty kill was better early on but faltered in the third period, allowing the game-winning goal to be scored.
They had good moments but also bad
Defenseman Cam York, whose second goal of the season gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead in the second period, probably said it best postgame.
“I think it’s just group maturity. I think we’re still maturing in some areas,” he said. “You don’t want to play simple sometimes, and it comes back to bite you, I think, when you don’t want to get the pucks behind their D-man and forecheck; we’re not going to have the puck much, and we’re going to be defending.
“So there’s a lot of things that go into the game, obviously, but we’re definitely struggling to put a full 60 [minutes] together.”
The Flyers’ Cam York celebrates his second-period goal against the Sabres on Thursday.
According to Elite Prospects, the Flyers are the sixth-youngest team in the NHL with an average age of 27.08, aging slightly with the recent return of 31-year-old defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.
And while they are young and still learning and growing, they’ve also played just 33 games under a new coaching staff led by Tocchet.
“There’s positives,” Tocchet said. ”To learn how to win, you’ve got to be disciplined. You can’t throw pucks away. We have a couple guys who were diving in when we shouldn’t.
“That’s hockey, and we’re not a team that could outscore our mistakes. But we’re in every game, so I give them credit. But there’s some things there. We need some other guys to contribute too. It just can’t be the same guys.”
At five-on-five, the Flyers had 53.66% of the shot attempts, but while they controlled play for the most part, they had dips and which allowed the Sabres back into the game.
Despite it being the fourth game in six days, the Flyers came out firing and dominated the analytics. But they ended up trailing before Noah Cates tied things up less than a minute later.
“You just got to stay focused and be ready,” Cates said. “Any opportunity you’re given, no matter who or what the situation is. So just something we’ve honestly been needing to work on our whole season.
“It [stinks] because we’ve honestly been good kind of in the back half of games, kind of coming back and kind of bites us in the butt. So we obviously can’t rely on it, and going to learn from it and move on and have a big one on Saturday.”
With the Flyers nearing the midway point and the World Junior Championship around the corner on Dec. 26, it’s time for our annual midseason prospect check-in with assistant general manager and scouting chief Brent Flahr. In Part 1 of a two-part series, we asked Flahr about the team’s prospects that are playing NCAA or Canadian junior hockey, headlined by Porter Martone at Michigan State.
Flahr believes Porter Martone, who is averaging 1.25 points per game, which is third among freshmen, has improved his pace in the faster college game. Flahr believes Martone is on track to challenge for an NHL opening-night roster spot next season.
Flahr name-checked Jack Berglund, Heikki Ruohonen, and Max Westergård as less-talked-about prospects who have impressed him over the past few months.
While Flahr said Jett Luchanko wasn’t unhappy in Guelph, he thinks the move to Brantford is in the best interest of both Luchanko and the organization, as the center will play alongside better players and should benefit from not having to be “the guy” all the time.
Disclaimer: This interview, which was conducted on Dec. 10, has been edited for clarity and length.
More Details
With the Flyers nearing the midway point and the World Junior Championship around the corner on Dec. 26, it’s time for our annual midseason prospect check-in with assistant general manager and scouting chief Brent Flahr. In Part 1 of a two-part series, we asked Flahr about the team’s prospects that are playing NCAA or Canadian junior hockey, headlined by Porter Martone at Michigan State.
Disclaimer: This interview, which was conducted on Dec. 10, has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: We are heading into the midway point of the season. How would you assess the Flyers’ prospect pool right now?
A: It’s pretty good. Obviously, we had a lot of picks last year. We’ve had some guys emerging from previous drafts that have played well and are trending in the right direction. So overall, pretty excited.
Q: Is there anyone who has stood out to you thus far?
A: I think Porter Martone gets a lot of the attention because of where he was picked and whatnot, and he’s had a terrific start at a good program. I think [among] the lesser talked about guys, Jack Berglund and Heikki Ruohonen. Those two guys in the summer at the World Junior Showcase in Minnesota were both really good. Max Westergård played well. So I think those guys overseas have done their part to be big parts of their teams going to the World Juniors, which would be fun to see. And then obviously with Jack Nesbitt, Shane Vansaghi, a number of the guys we drafted last year, they’re big parts of their really good teams, and it’s been exciting for them.
Q: We’ll start with Martone because he is the one everyone talks about. What have you seen from this year with Michigan State, and how do you think it’s helping him prepare for the NHL?
A: His biggest challenge, and what we’ve talked about, is his pace. He was a really good junior [player], 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. 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.
Flyers top prospect Porter Martone has 11 goals and 20 points in 16 games for the third-ranked Michigan State Spartans.
Q: Outside of Martone, Nesbitt is probably the most important player from the 2025 draft class. What have you made of his start in the OHL this season?
A: Yeah, I’ve seen him a number of times. He plays his game. The biggest thing with him is we’re going to have to be a little patient. He’s just a tall drink of water right now, and he’s got to get put on weight. He’s got to get stronger, which we’re well aware of that. But he is a competitive kid. He’s got skill, and he’s very sound defensively.
He plays with an edge — he’s been suspended a couple times already — but he plays to the identity of a Flyer, what we think of a Flyer. I think he’s going to be a very well-rounded centerman when he gets here. His details are good, good net-front on the power play, and he’s a good penalty killer. But the thing with him, I think the strength and skating is what you can wear down, so that’s a big focus with him. He’s got a good program there, where they have the trainer, and he’s drinking as many shakes as he can and doing all the things he needs to do.
But it’s going to take some time. His offseason is going to be critical this year and next, but he’s shown that he’s willing to put in the work. But so far so good, really positive, and hopefully next year he’ll get his chance at World Juniors. He’s part of a really good team there in Windsor, and they have a chance, I think, with a few additions to go on a pretty good run there this year as well.
Flyers center Jett Luchanko was recently traded from Guelp to OHL favorites Brantford. Brent Flahr believes that move will serve his development well.
Q: What have you seen from Jett Luchanko, and how important was the trade to Brantford for his development?
A: I don’t think he was unhappy in Guelph; he had friends there, guys he played with and played a ton. But I think his lack of offseason — he had injuries he was dealing with — so he wasn’t able to train and do his thing. So I think out of the gates, he was slow here in camp. He was fine, but really didn’t knock the door down. His details are good enough, skates good enough, where our coaches were like, we would like to give this guy a chance. But for us, long-term, we felt the necessity [for him] to go back to junior.
I think going to Brantford now, he’s not the guy. He’s one of many guys there, and I don’t know if there’s a better team in Canada. They have a really good coaching staff there, and he has a chance to just play and be a big part of the team there. Jett doesn’t get too high or low ever. He’s always going to take care of the defensive side of things, but I think playing with some good offensive players there and in a lot of situations is only going to help him be confident.
The one thing with him is, he’s unselfish to a fault. He can really make plays, but at the same time, he passes up opportunities to shoot it, which is what Riley Armstrong and Johnny LeClair, and Patrick Sharp want to get him going and shooting the puck more, being a little more selfish and taking more chances. But he’s in a good spot, good spot mentally, and I think he’s finally feeling back to normal again.
Flyers Asst. GM Brent Flahr is excited about the progress of many of the team’s top prospects.
Everything
With the Flyers nearing the midway point and the World Junior Championship around the corner on Dec. 26, it’s time for our annual midseason prospect check-in with assistant general manager and scouting chief Brent Flahr. In Part 1 of a two-part series, we asked Flahr about the team’s prospects that are playing NCAA or Canadian junior hockey, headlined by Porter Martone at Michigan State.
Disclaimer: This interview, which was conducted on Dec. 10, has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: We are heading into the midway point of the season. How would you assess the Flyers’ prospect pool right now?
A: It’s pretty good. Obviously, we had a lot of picks last year. We’ve had some guys emerging from previous drafts that have played well and are trending in the right direction. So overall, pretty excited.
Q: Is there anyone who has stood out to you thus far?
A: I think Porter Martone gets a lot of the attention because of where he was picked and whatnot, and he’s had a terrific start at a good program. I think [among] the lesser talked about [guys], Jack Berglund and Heikki Ruohonen. Those two guys in the summer at the World Junior Showcase in Minnesota were both really good. Max Westergård played well. So I think those guys overseas have done their part to be big parts of their teams going to the World Juniors, which would be fun to see. And then obviously with Jack Nesbitt, Shane Vansaghi, a number of the guys we drafted last year, they’re big parts of their really good teams, and it’s been exciting for them.
Flyers top prospect Porter Martone has 11 goals and 20 points in 16 games for the third-ranked Michigan State Spartans.
Q: We’ll start with Martone because he is the one everyone talks about. What have you seen from this year with Michigan State, and how do you think it’s helping him prepare for the NHL?
A: His biggest challenge, and what we’ve talked about, is his pace. 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. 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.
Q: Aside from his pace of play, is there anything else that you want to see him work on? And what do you see as his strengths already?
A: Just the pace of play is the biggest thing for me. His food speed, working on that. His conditioning, and being able to play hard and not coasting like you can get away with in juniors. In college and especially in the NHL, he’s not going to be able to get away with that. But he’s a quick study. He’s a really smart player and skilled. His ability to go to the right spots, and he knows where to be on the ice. He has the ability to process the game at the level that a lot of guys can’t. So whether it’s scoring goals or making plays. Defensive side of things, he’s being forced to work harder at stuff like that, which just helps him when he gets here.
Q: Do you foresee him pushing for an NHL spot next year?
A: I think so. But at the same time, we don’t get too far ahead. I don’t even like talking about it. I just want him focusing on his season there and not getting ahead of things. He’s got a good group, and he has a chance to do something special; they’re one of the top teams, and hopefully win it all. And I don’t want him focusing on the end of the season or next year. I just told him, go there with the right attitude and work, and earn your spot, and he has. And, obviously, he’s had success. So I think he gets it, but I want to make sure he makes the most of it and has a chance to have a real special year with World Juniors, and potentially, if you win a national championship and things like that, that really helps build a player going into their pro career.
Q: Martone will play for Canada at World Juniors. How important is that for him, or any player really, to get that experience?
A: Well, it can be great. It’s not a be-all, end-all. Especially in Canada, it gets so blown up on the stage, people get crazed if guys don’t make it or make it. But the thing that fans don’t understand is that the coaches of those teams and management have different goals than what we have. We have players that we envision in the NHL in a couple of years — and there’s been lots of great players who have been cut that go on to have great careers — but they’re building a team to win a 10-day tournament in January this year. So they look at it a little differently. But if you are a part of it and you win, just the experience, I think, is great. Especially when it’s in Canada or in a full building, and to play it’s exciting and usually, a lot of times, it translates.
Flyers Asst. GM Brent Flahr is excited about the progress of many of the team’s top prospects.
Q: Vansaghi is teammates with Martone on the Spartans and will play for the U.S. at World Juniors. He’s not someone who is talked about as much, but maybe he should be?
A: 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. 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. So, you know, he’s a guy that it’s different roles, probably, when they get here, but he could be a very valuable piece to a good team we hope.
Q: Outside of Martone, Nesbitt is probably the most important player from that draft class. What have you made of his start in the OHL this season?
A: Yeah, I’ve seen him a number of times. He plays his game. The biggest thing with him is we’re going to have to be a little patient. He’s just a tall drink of water right now, and he’s got to get put on weight. He’s got to get stronger, which we’re well aware of that. But he is a competitive kid. He’s got skill, and he’s very sound defensively.
He plays with an edge — he’s been suspended a couple times already — but he plays to the identity of a Flyer, what we think of a Flyer. I think he’s going to be a very well-rounded centerman when he gets here. His details are good, good net-front on the power play, and he’s a good penalty killer. But the thing with him, I think the strength and skating is what you can wear down, so that’s a big focus with him. He’s got a good program there, where they have the trainer, and he’s drinking as many shakes as he can and doing all the things he needs to do.
At 6-foot-5, Jack Nesbitt’s skill popped at this year’s offseason camps.
But it’s going to take some time. His offseason is going to be critical this year and next, but he’s shown that he’s willing to put in the work. But so far so good, really positive, and hopefully next year he’ll get his chance at World Juniors. He’s part of a really good team there in Windsor, and they have a chance, I think, with a few additions to go on a pretty good run there this year as well.
Q: What have you seen from Jett Luchanko, and how important was the trade to Brantford for his development?
A: I don’t think he was unhappy in Guelph; he had friends there, guys he played with and played a ton. But I think his lack of offseason — he had injuries he was dealing with — so he wasn’t able to train and do his thing. So I think out of the gates, he was slow here in camp. He was fine, but really didn’t knock the door down. His details are good enough, skates good enough, where our coaches were like, we would like to give this guy a chance. But for us, long-term, we felt the necessity [for him] to go back to junior.
I think going to Brantford now, he’s not the guy. He’s one of many guys there, and I don’t know if there’s a better team in Canada. They have a really good coaching staff there, and he has a chance to just play and be a big part of the team there. Jett doesn’t get too high or low ever. He’s always going to take care of the defensive side of things, but I think playing with some good offensive players there and in a lot of situations is only going to help him be confident.
Flyers center Jett Luchanko was recently traded from Guelp to OHL favorites Brantford. Brent Flahr believes that move will serve his development well.
The one thing with him is, he’s unselfish to a fault. He can really make plays, but at the same time, he passes up opportunities to shoot it, which is what Riley Armstrong and Johnny LeClair, and Patrick Sharp want to get him going and shooting the puck more, being a little more selfish and taking more chances. But he’s in a good spot, good spot mentally, and I think he’s finally feeling back to normal again.
Q: You also have a trio at Boston University in Jack Murtagh, Owen McLaughlin, and Carter Amico. What have you seen from them?
A: They’re finding their way. McLaughlin is actually having a pretty good year.
Amico is coming off the knee injury, so he’s just finding his way. Saw him there the other night, and he’s a huge kid. He’s going to hopefully get more and more as we go along here.
And Murtagh, he’s a freshman; they don’t get put into top offensive roles right away, so he’s going to have to earn it. I think the things that he needs to work on, he’s going to have to figure out there, which is good. With the U.S. program, he was the goal scorer. Now he’s learning the details of the game, not only defensively, but where to be on the ice, and whether it’s forechecking, playing within the system, and it’s not just about him, but his attitude is great, and he works hard.
BUFFALO ― The Flyers are having better days lately, but came up short on Thursday night, falling 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres.
The loss snapped the Flyers’ five-game point streak and is their first road loss in regulation since a 3-0 stinker against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 24.
Things started well for the Flyers. They came out in dominating fashion, but for the 23rd time — in 33 games — they trailed 1-0. It is just their seventh loss (12-7-4) when trailing first.
Jack Quinn knocked down a Travis Konecny pass in the neutral zone, and the Sabres took the puck the other way. Zach Benson carried the puck down the left board before curling and feeding Mattias Samuelsson at the point. Samuelsson, the son of former Flyers defenseman Kjell Samuelsson, put the puck on net quickly, and Quinn redirected it past Sam Ersson.
But before the KeyBank Center’s announcer could finish announcing the goal, 58 seconds later, Noah Cates found the back of the net to tie it at 1. Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin moved a dump-in by Cates up the boards, but Bobby Brink picked up the loose puck.
Brink carried the puck up the boards and maintained control under pressure before turning back down the boards and into the left circle. He dished a backhand pass to Cates, who snapped the one-timer past the glove of former Flyer goalie Alex Lyon.
According to Natural Stat Trick, by the end of the first period, the Flyers had a 12-4 lead in shots on goal, had 21 shot attempts to the Sabres’ five, and 88.45% of the expected-goals share.
The Flyers took a 2-1 lead with 8 minutes, 59 seconds to go in the second period. As Trevor Zegras carried the puck through the offensive zone, Cam York cut through the middle, turned, and received a no-look pass from Zegras in the right circle.
York held the puck and then sent the wrister past Lyon. The goal was the defenseman’s second of the season.
But in a period that saw an almost even number of shots, 12 for the Sabres and 10 for the Flyers, Buffalo took a 3-2 lead.
Off a defensive-zone face-off, the Flyers got stuck in their own end, and 32 seconds later, the Sabres tied the game at 2. Travis Sanheim played the puck along the left boards, but right to Buffalo’s Dahlin. He dropped the puck between his legs in front to Tage Thompson, and the winger skated to the middle before beating Ersson.
The Flyers’ Noah Cates (27) celebrates his goal during the first period on Thursday night.
Noah Ostlund gave the Sabres their second lead of the game less than three minutes later. With 30 seconds left in the middle frame, he sent a shot from the point past several bodies that appeared to screen Ersson.
In the third period, Josh Norris scored to give Buffalo a two-goal cushion. Norris was sitting wide-open in front during a power play when he received a cross-crease pass from Benson. The center waited and whipped the puck past Ersson 18 seconds into a high-sticking penalty on Brink. Philly went 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.
Konecny cut it to a one-goal game with 5:32 remaining off a pass from Emil Andrae. The Flyers had the puck in the offensive zone for 52 seconds when Andrae at the left point found Konecny curling above the right circle.
The goal, which came from a similar spot as York’s, is Konecny’s 10th of the season and fifth in December. He has 11 points in his last nine games.
Buffalo’s Ryan McLeod scored an empty-netter. … The Flyers placed defenseman Egor Zamula on waivers on Thursday. … Defenseman Noah Juulsen and forward Nikita Grebenkin were the healthy scratches. … Ersson allowed four goals on 27 shots. The Flyers put 27 shots on goal, too, with only five coming in the third period. … Flyers forward Matvei Michkov, who was handed a questionable goaltending interference call and was cross-checked while down multiple times — without a call — played 15:27. It is his highest ice time since Dec. 3 (six games ago).
Up next
The Flyers head downstate to face the New York Rangers on Saturday (12:30 p.m., NBCSP).
BUFFALO ― Flyers coach Rick Tocchet likes his pairs.
Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak have been attached at the hip since almost the start of the season. Noah Cates and Bobby Brink have been a duo dating back to the John Tortorella era, as have Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier.
But Michkov was recently switched to the left wing with Cates and Brink — and it paid off with a Brink goal in Tuesday’s 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
“Bobby and Noah have been together last year and this year, and they have a little chemistry. I just wanted to switch, get a little juice,” Tocchet explained on Thursday before the Flyers take on the Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m., ESPN+, Hulu).
“Noah and Bobby play a little bit more north,” he added. “They’ve got some speed, so that could help Matvei and his game.”
Michkov’s season started slowly, but his game has certainly picked up as the schedule builds. After leading all rookies in goals last season with 26, he had just one tally, along with five assists, in the first 13 games this season. Since then, he has seven goals and 12 points in 19 games.
Tocchet has seen an improvement in the young Russian’s game.
“Well, he’s obviously making less turnovers,” he said of Michkov, who has seen his giveaways drop from almost two a game (22 in the first 13 games) to one a game (19 in the last 19).
“He’s trying to understand. He’s getting his shifts. He’s doing 30-second shifts, which is fine. I have no problem with it. I know he’s coming off early sometimes, and I think there’s a number of reasons why, but I don’t mind the progression when it comes to that. We’ll work on the other stuff, and he’s still building his game.”
Although Michkov’s ice time has been a point of contention with fans, he is often the one opting to skate a short shift, as he goes to the bench with his linemates still on the ice.
According to Natural Stat Trick, he is tied with Cates and defenseman Nick Seeler for the second shortest average shift length at 41 seconds; only Garnet Hathaway and Noah Juulsen average fewer seconds per shift (39). And while the 21-year-old winger ranks ninth in average time on ice among Flyers forwards at 14:40, there are several factors leading to it, like the fact that he leads the team with 32 penalty minutes in 32 games.
Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet and Matvei Michkov (middle) are still trying to come to an understanding of what the Russian needs to do to earn more ice.
Among the forwards, he ranks eighth with 555 shifts, trailing Travis Konecny (623), Tippett (593), Christian Dvorak (591), Cates (582), and Couturier (573), who all serve on the penalty kill and have all played on the power play too at some point this season. The only two players above him who do not kill penalties, but are on the power play, are Trevor Zegras (589) — who leads the team in goals (14) and points (33) — and Brink, who has only just six more shifts than Michkov.
“I do like short shifts, but there’s sometimes you’ve been out there for 30, but you still got juice. You can still stay out there. It’s time and place. It’s a lot of different things,” Tocchet said, speaking in a general sense about short shifts.
“Shift lengths are anywhere from 30 to 40, 45 seconds, and you get up a minute, 55 seconds, it can happen. Sometimes when you have the puck, and you’re just moving around, and you’re not really tired, stay out there and try to score. But I think for the most part, every coach preaches short shifts. I mean, that’s how you drive play.”
The Flyers need Michkov to drive play, and thus far, he has looked better as he gets back into shape and builds his game. Although he doesn’t have a goal in December, he does have four assists in eight games — along with 10 penalty minutes.
And while he is one of five forwards who have played at least half the games this season with a negative plus-minus (minus-2), he has an even rating in December. That was helped by setting up Brink on Monday during his 20 five-on-five shifts and 14:06 of ice time, which was one more shift than Brink and one fewer than Konecny, who played 16:08 and 17:50, respectively.
“He’s got that skill and that vision,” Cates said before the game in Montreal. “I think, just for me, to get him in good spots, get him the puck with time and space … [and] going to the net or getting open, because, you know, he’s special, and he’ll find you.
“So obviously just got to talk with him and work with him a little bit with some things, but just the kind of special skills that he has, you know, we’ve got to try to take advantage of.”
Breakaways
Sam Ersson will start in goal against the Sabres. He is 4-1-0 against with a 1.87 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage against Buffalo for his career. Ersson’s first career shutout came in Western New York, when he made 28 saves on Jan. 9, 2023. … Tocchet said there are game-time decisions, but forward Nikita Grebenkin and defensemen Juulsen and Egor Zamula were the only ones on the ice for the optional morning skate. The Flyers later placed Zamula on waivers Thursday.
NEW YORK — At 11:59 p.m. on Friday, NHL rosters are frozen until 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 28.
During this time, the Flyers are unable to waive, trade, or loan players. The lone exception is an injury that prevents them from dressing a full roster.
With time ticking down, the Flyers made a move and waived defenseman Egor Zamula on Thursday. He cleared waivers on Friday and will be assigned to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League.
The writing was on the wall for the Russian, who struggled to find his footing this season. Coupled with Rasmus Ristolainen finally being healthy and returning to the lineup Tuesday in Montreal, and eight defensemen on the roster, it had become clear that Zamula was the odd man out.
In 13 games this season, he has one assist and a plus-minus of plus-4, boosted by a plus-5 night when he returned to the lineup on Nov. 22 against the New Jersey Devils. Across 168 games with the Flyers, since being signed as an undrafted free agent in September 2018, Zamula has 41 points (eight goals, 33 assists) and is minus-12.
A long-standing criticism, dating back to former coach John Tortorella, has been Zamula’s pace of play. Coach Rick Tocchet also said he wanted to see the 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman move the puck more quickly.
“I call it awareness,” Tocchet said in October. “You’re looking where to go instead of catch it, skate, and then have awareness. And I think if he can get that in his game … [because] for him, five feet is a big difference.
Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula will be a restricted free agent on July 1.
“Like, skate five feet to open up options, because when you first get it, the options aren’t usually open — there’s a stick in your lane, there’s a player in your lane — but once you escape, the other team has to react off you, and that means somebody should be open.”
Zamula will be a restricted free agent on July 1. He will get a chance to work on his game with the Phantoms and assistant coach Nick Schultz. He last played for the Phantoms in the 2022-23 season and has 54 points (five goals, 49 assists) and a minus-1 rating in 127 career AHL games.
The move comes after Zamula was jumped in the depth chart by Emil Andrae, Noah Juulsen, and, more recently, Ty Murchison, who made his NHL debut on Dec. 9 and played well in three games.
“He’s knocking on the door. The hard part for the guys who come up for a couple is going down. … I’ve seen it go the other way, where a guy comes up, and he goes down and doesn’t play as well,” said Tocchet in Buffalo on Thursday. At Tuesday’s morning skate in Montreal, Tocchet and Murchison spoke at length, hours before the defenseman was sent back to the Phantoms.
“So I kind of warned him, hey, you’ve got to be who you are. Sometimes a guy gets here, they go down, they try to hold the puck more, they try to be something they’re not. And I don’t think that’s going to be a problem with him; he knows who he is. … And he’s knocking on the door. I mean, who knows, with the [way the] NHL is, he could be up in 48 hours. That’s just the way it works. So that was my message to him.”
Sending Zamula down also solidifies Juulsen’s spot as the team’s seventh defenseman.
“Noah’s a pro. I had him in Vancouver. He knows the deal. He’ll be ready when his number is called upon. A popular guy in the room, that’s the culture that we’re building here,” Tocchet said in Buffalo.
“I was actually talking to players today, there’s some guys that maybe they don’t play as much, they’re the first guys cheering guys on. So that’s how you build culture, and Noah’s one of those guys who does that.”
BUFFALO ― Of course, there was no rookie lap for Rasmus Ristolainen on Tuesday in Montreal.
The hulking defenseman entered the night with 776 NHL games under his belt, but that doesn’t mean his season debut didn’t come with some nervousness.
“Yeah, almost felt like the first NHL game in some ways,” said the 31-year-old Ristolainen, who made his debut on Oct. 2, 2013, with the Buffalo Sabres, whom the Flyers play on Thursday (7:30 p.m., ESPN+, Hulu).
“Obviously, long time to be out of the game, and happy the first one is over. So now I can start building on and actually, like, focus on hockey.”
Ristolainen’s first game since March 11 — he missed the first 31 games of this season and the final 16 of last season — was eventful. Across 19 minutes, 18 seconds of ice time, Ristolainen had three shot attempts, two blocked shots, one takeaway, and three hits.
One of those hits sent Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovský to the ice in the first period. Ristolainen took some cross-checks, including one or two to the arm, from Ivan Demidov, as the Canadiens forward took exception to the hit.
“Before the game even started, I knew something like that would happen,” defenseman Cam York said with a grin. “He likes contact, I don’t know how else to put it. He likes the physical part of the game, and it’s not fun to play against as an opposing guy.”
Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen ends up on the ice during a March 6 game against the Winnipeg Jets, one of his last games before Tuesday night.
When you ask Ristolainen about the hit, he’ll say he wasn’t searching it out and that they “bumped” into each other. But that hit, and the others he threw, did help him get into the game after skating on his own for months, then practicing with the team for a little over a week.
“I felt better, actually, in the game than I’ve been in the practices,” he said Wednesday after practice in the visitors’ locker room at KeyBank Center, “because some of the practices can be somewhat chaotic and obviously not gamelike.”
It’s been a long, winding road back for the Finnish defenseman.
“So basically, three surgeries in the same elbow,” he disclosed of the injuries that cut short his 2023-24 season. “Obviously started with a pretty bad infection, which I played with for multiple weeks until I couldn’t anymore. And then we found out there is some infection and a torn triceps tendon. So obviously, did those two things separately, and then tried to get back.” He played just 31 games that season, getting shut down in mid-February.
“Probably the schedule was pretty too quick, looking at it now, after doing two [procedures in 2024],” he said. “So came back pretty quick, played some decent hockey for 50, 60 games, and then it suddenly snapped, and not sure when or where it happened again.
“Obviously, second time the same tendon [was] torn. So saw a different doctor this time, and his timeline and recovery were a lot longer, which I think was the key and helped. And, yeah, right now I’m here and feel pretty good.”
Ristolainen got back onto the ice in June in Finland, where he was limited to skating. He didn’t start using pucks until September, when the Flyers were in training camp.
“I mean, obviously it’s tough,” he said about dealing with another tear and a third procedure. “But I’m more like a person [who thinks] I can’t control that anymore. So it’s no point to be too down. And just then you look at the road ahead and just do everything and work hard, and try to make it better than it was before.”
Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler makes a save on the Flyers’ Travis Konecny during the second period Tuesday.
Well, his game definitely looked good on Tuesday night, and it impressed the new bench boss.
“Guys got to keep their heads up, because he is a good hitter, open-ice hitter,” coach Rick Tocchet said Wednesday. “It’s always good to have guys like that. Just a long stick in the corners, squashing plays, squashing a cycle, cutting off a reset.
“Those are big plays. They’re unnoticed plays, but they go a long way. Instead of defending 20 times a game, you’re only defending 14, because he’s squashing a player and gets his stick on a puck or something like that.”
And having Ristolainen back helps solidify the defensive corps. According to Natural Stat Trick, he skated with Nick Seeler for more than 15 minutes at five-on-five. They may have been on the ice for more shot attempts against (13) than for (seven), but they weren’t on the ice for a goal against.
They were also able to eat some of the minutes along with some of the stress on the other pairs.
In the last six games, Jamie Drysdale averaged 23:17 of ice time, with his partner Emil Andrae at 20:14 — even after being moved down to the third pair for half of the game on Sunday in North Carolina. Nick Seeler was at 21:04 while skating primarily with Travis Sanheim, who played 25:59, with York missing four games.
On Tuesday, the time was more evenly spread out, notably with Sanheim getting 22:20 of ice time. As York mentioned, having Ristolainen “balances out a lot of things for us” and will only help the defense maintain a high level of play across the remaining 50 games.
“Yeah, just obviously a big piece of our D corps that we’ve been missing for a while,” Sanheim concurred. “And just the way he plays adds that physical presence and a really good defender. So it’s been nice having him back, and it means a lot to the team.”
MONTREAL ― Entering the small visitor’s locker room at the Bell Centre two seasons ago, every stall was filled with bodies as the Flyers were amid a disastrous ending to the 2023-24 season.
On Tuesday night, and for the second and final time this season, smiles crossed crowded rooms as the Flyers beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. They also won 5-4 in a shootout on Nov. 4 in Quebec.
It is just their third win of December, but the 3-2-3 record isn’t truly indicative of how they’ve been playing of late. Yes, the Flyers snapped a three-game losing streak, but each loss came after regulation. The win extended their point streak to five games.
For the 22nd time in 32 games, the Flyers trailed 1-0. And for the 12th time in those 22 games, they won (12-6-4). It is also their 13th comeback win.
How did they get into a hole this time? Travis Konecny fed a standing Christian Dvorak above the Canadiens’ blue line, and the center tried to shovel it into the offensive zone, but it hit Montreal defenseman Alexandre Carrier and went the other way.
Montreal had a three-on-two that turned into a four-on-two with forward Alexandre Texier firing the wrister past Dan Vladař from the high slot to take a 1-0 lead.
But, as commonly said here, the hockey Gods do giveth and taketh, and the same line gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead.
“You make a mistake, and you don’t have your head down. And it’s happened a lot this year where we’ve kind of … you can’t make that play, but they come out, and they produce the next period, or whatever,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “So, guys have done a nice job when it comes to that.”
Flyers’ Bobby Brink picked up his ninth goal of the season on Tuesday.
Konecny knocked the puck away from Ivan Demidov in the Flyers’ end, and defenseman Emil Andrae got the puck and chipped it to Trevor Zegras as he and Konecny broke out two-on-one. After a give-and-go, Zegras got the puck back and fired it five-hole past Montreal goaltender Jacob Fowler.
“If you’re going to give one up, you’ve got to get one,” Zegras said. “That’s kind of the mindset, mentality that we have. Obviously, we don’t want to be giving them goals or odd man rushes, so something we’ve got to clean up for sure.”
Zegras leads the Flyers in goals with 14, and now has 33 points — one more than his point total in 57 games last season for the Anaheim Ducks. The New York native is on a four-game goal streak and a five-game point streak with seven points.
Tocchet switched two of his lines. Winger Carl Grundström moved up to play with Owen Tippett and Sean Couturier, and Matvei Michkov shifted to the line of Noah Cates and Bobby Brink.
“I think it was a little more balanced,” Tocchet said postgame. “I saw some more juice. I thought Tipp had a really good game tonight. Tipp was going tonight. Obviously, Grunny [had a] goal, and he skates. He can skate, and I think that helps Coots out. Yeah, I thought it was a good switch for us.”
It paid off twofold.
First, Grundström tied the game 1-1 just 39 seconds after the Canadiens opened the scoring with a minute remaining in the first period.
Couturier got the puck on the right wing and sent a leading pass down to Tippett in the circle. The winger then sent the puck across to Grundström as he crashed the net backdoor.
“I try to bring a lot of energy to the team and play physical and be direct. So I think that’s my style,” Grundström told The Inquirer after the morning skate, adding that the Flyers’ style fits his game well overall.
Since re-entering the lineup on Dec. 9, the Swede has three-two goals and an assist in five games.
Then in the second period, Fowler went out of his net to play a dump-in. He waited behind the goal and ended up leaving it — right for Michkov. The Russian picked up the puck and fed Brink in the slot for the easy goal.
Brink now has nine goals on the season, three shy of his career-high set last season in 79 games.
Rasmus Ristolainen returned to the lineup with authority. Playing in his first game since March 11 after undergoing surgery on a right triceps tendon rupture, he didn’t miss a beat.
“It’s a long time, a lot of work, a lot of hours, obviously, and, you know, it’s fun to feel really good,” Ristolainen said of returning to the lineup. “Obviously, the team’s playing pretty good and excited to play with the guys.”
Tocchet talked about Ristolainen’s big shot, and he almost scored in his first seconds of action in more than 280 days. On his first shift, the big blueliner sent a point shot on goal before sending another off the crossbar later.
Across 19 minutes, 18 seconds of ice time, Ristolainen had three shot attempts, two blocked shots, one takeaway, and three hits. But none of the hits were bigger than the one that sent Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovský flying at center ice in the first period. And for the record, he wasn’t searching out the physicality early in the game.
“Phenomenal. Double nickels,” Zegras said of Ristolainen, who wears 55. “He’s an absolute moose out there. And that was an awesome hit that he had.”
Demidov took exception to the hit, and Ristolainen drew a penalty as the Russian winger kept cross-checking him away from the play.
Tocchet thought the defensive corps as a whole played well, but pointed out that Ristolainen “was really good for us.”
“Yeah, he brought some physicality, especially in the first period, that big hit,” Couturier said. “Made his presence felt, and it’s nice to see. He played well, and he jumped right back into it, playing his physical style of play, simple. [He] just brings a little more size to, I think, on the backend there. So it’s nice to see he’s doing well.”
Flyers’ Trevor Zegras (right) scores his 14th goal of the season in the second period on Tuesday.
Breakaways
Konecny added an empty-netter for his ninth of the season. … Defenseman Ty Murchison was loaned back to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League to make room for Ristolainen on the roster. … Zegras played in his 300th NHL game. … Vladař was masterful, especially in the third period with the Canadiens pushing. He made a toe save on Slafkovský from the right circle and then slid across to stop Lane Hutson on the rebound. The Czech netminder stopped 21 of 22 shots, including 12 in the third period. … The Flyers went 0-for-3 on the power play.
Up next
The Flyers head to Buffalo, N.Y., to take on the Sabres on Thursday (7:30 p.m., ESPN+, Hulu).
MONTREAL ― It’s been 280 days since Flyers fans have had a look at Rasmus Ristolainen in a game sweater.
It’s been more than 10 weeks since Flyers general manager Danny Brière said the defenseman would miss the first six to eight weeks of the season while recovering from triceps tendon surgery.
It’s been exactly six weeks since Brière said, “We’re hoping next month, in about a four-to-six week range, hopefully he’s back with the team.” And it’s been eight days since Ristolainen has been a full participant in practice.
Now on Tuesday, the big blueliner will finally suit up and make his season debut.
“He’s a big defenseman who can skate — they’re hard to find — [and a] great shot,” coach Rick Tocchet said after morning skate at the Bell Centre. “Just from talking to people last year, he had played well for [the Flyers] before the injury. So yeah, we’re excited.”
The 31-year-old Finn will skate alongside Nick Seeler on the third pairing against the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m., NBCSP). According to Natural Stat Trick, since the start of the 2022-23 season, they have played 537 minutes, 37 seconds together at five-on-five.
Although the Flyers have a 46.82% Corsi For percentage with them manning the blue line, the team has outscored opponents (28-24) and generated more high-danger chances (101-82).
“We’ll see if this works. I don’t know,” said Tocchet. “They both have the [same] qualities. They’re both tough. They can stop cycles. Risto’s got a great shot. Two big guys back there; it’s tough to get to the net.”
Since being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in July 2021, Ristolainen ranks fourth in hits — first among defensemen —on the Flyers with 545 in 234 games. Seeler is right behind him with 516 in 299 games.
“Obviously, we know Risto and how he plays. His physicality, his first touches on the puck,” said Seeler, who likes the predictability of Ristolainen’s game.
“We’re both obviously a little bit more defensive. I think that’s totally fine. I think we feed off each other,” he added. “We want to be able to shut plays down when it’s there and be above and hopefully kill a lot of plays. So that’s kind of what we’re going to hopefully do tonight, and just get some chemistry back.”
Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is one of the team’s most physical defensemen.
The addition of Ristolainen helps to solidify the defensive corps with Cam York and Travis Sanheim as the top pair and Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae back together.
Drysdale and Andrae were separated during the second period of Sunday’s shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, but Tocchet isn’t giving up on the duo.
“I thought they’ve been good together. I thought Emil, in the last few games, has struggled a little bit. And that’s going to happen. He’s getting some full-time minutes, he’s been playing a lot, and sometimes you hit the wall,” Tocchet said.
“Thought [breaking them up] really worked for us, too, when we did. It was a good in-game adjustment. But that doesn’t mean you stay with it; you go back to it and give the guy a chance again.”
For now, it doesn’t look like Ristolainen will be on a power-play unit, although the bench boss has hinted in the past week that he wouldn’t mind seeing the 6-foot-4, 208-pound defensman with a booming shot on the point.
But baby steps for the Finn as he gets his legs under him in his first game since March 11 after undergoing surgery on a right triceps tendon rupture 15 days later. It followed a pair of procedures in 2024, which also repaired a ruptured triceps tendon. Brière said in April 2025 that the injury was similar, although he wouldn’t confirm whether he suffered a torn tendon again.
“I talked to Todd about this,” said Tocchet, noting his conversation with assistant coach Todd Reirden, who is in charge of the defense.
“You’ve got to target — is it 15, 16, 17 minutes? I mean, I’m not sure it’s smart to play him 23 minutes, that kind of minutes, but that’s the target range you’re looking for.
“But, you know, [once] the game gets going, who knows? He’s been out nine months. I’m not sure [to] red line it the first game is the smartest thing.”
Breakaways
Dan Vladař (11-5-3, .908 SV%) will start in goal. He was in goal for the Flyers’ 5-4 shootout win in Montreal in early November. … Forward Nic Deslauriers, who hails from nearby LaSalle, Quebec, will return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for four games and play on the fourth line. Nikita Grebenkin will draw out for the first time since Nov. 24. … Forward Carl Grundström has been moved up from the fourth line to play alongside Sean Couturier and Owen Tippett. Matvei Michkov is now alongside Noah Cates and Bobby Brink.
