Kids heading in for hockey practice at Scanlon Recreation Center in Kensington on Wednesday were hit with a big holiday surprise.
Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim and Sixers guard Quentin Grimes were both on hand to gift $15,000 worth of hockey and basketball equipment, including new skates, helmets, and basketballs, through a partnership between the two teams and Bank of America. Gritty was also on-site in a Santa costume, of course.
“Sports is such a connector,” said Jim Dever, Bank of America Greater Philadelphia’s president. “No matter what your socio-economic level is, sports is just that. For us to make some dreams come through in an area that — certain sports are very expensive, so if we can help bridge that gap in some way, it’s just a great positive.”
After distributing the gear, Grimes joined the prepractice pizza party, and interacted with the kids before they started their skate.
“It’s the holiday season, I love giving back,” Grimes said. “I love being around the youth and to try to inspire them and give them some inspiration to always chase your dreams, and to give back for the holidays. It was really good, really fun.”
Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim hopped on the ice to skate with some of the young athletes taking part in the Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education program at the rink on Wednesday.
Then, Sanheim hopped on the ice to skate with some of the young athletes taking part in the Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education program at the rink for a free skate.
“It’s an expensive sport, so it’s hard for kids to get into, and so for us to allow them to have the gear to do it, it makes it easier for them to take it up,” Sanheim said. “I really hope that they enjoy it just as much as we do. We love the sport, and we were at their age when we started and took it up. So I hope we create hockey players out of this.”
Wednesday’s donation was the first of a series of equipment donations across the Philadelphia area as part of the partnership between the Flyers, Sixers, and Bank of America, with equipment purchased from C&M Sporting Goods in Havertown.
The Flyers host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, and Carter Hart will not be in goal against his former team.
Instead, Akira Schmid, who was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 2018 and shut them out on Dec. 5, will start. Despite being the backup on Thursday, Hart was not made available to speak to the media.
“No, Carter wants to play every game; that’s one thing, he’s a very competitive guy,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said when asked if Hart not starting was because of the regular rotation or if they did not want him to play in Philadelphia.
“[Hart] had played two out of three this week, and coming out of the Ranger game, he wanted to get right back in the net. So that led to the decision on Long Island. We discussed it, obviously, with him, but that was more of us making the decision that Akira had to get back in pretty soon, coming off the shutout.
“So that’s how we landed on it.”
Hart and his 2018 Canadian World Junior teammates Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, and Michael McLeod were acquitted on sexual assault charges in Canada this summer and were suspended through Dec. 1.
“The events that transpired after the 2018 Hockey Canada Foundation Gala in London, Ontario, prior to these players’ arrival in the NHL, were deeply troubling and unacceptable,” the NHL said in a September statement regarding the suspensions.
“The league expects everyone connected with the game to conduct themselves with the highest level of moral integrity. And, in this case, while found not to have been criminal, the conduct of the players involved certainly did not meet that standard.”
Hart, 27, joined the Golden Knights on Oct. 16, one day after the league-imposed start date for these five players to sign with an NHL team. He inked a two-year, $4 million contract 10 days later.
Carter Hart compiled a 96-93-29 record and .906 save percentage in six seasons with the Flyers.
“Following the reinstatement decision agreed on by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, goaltender Carter Hart will be joining the Vegas Golden Knights organization,” the team’s statement on Oct. 16 said.
“The Golden Knights are aligned with the process and assessment the NHL and NHLPA made in their decision. We remain committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its inception and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards moving forward.”
Hart added: “It’s been a long road to get back to this point, to get back to playing the game of hockey, a game that I love, and I’ve been out of the game for a year and a half now. I’ve learned a lot, I’ve grown a lot. I’m just excited to move forward.”
Hart is 2-0-1 with a 2.80 goals-against average and .889 save percentage with the Golden Knights. He returned to the NHL on Dec. 2, allowing three goals on 30 shots against the Chicago Blackhawks.
It was his first game since Jan. 20, 2024, three days before he took “an indefinite leave of absence citing personal reasons” from the Flyers.
The day after his announcement, the Globe and Mail in Toronto reported that the then-unnamed Hockey Canada players allegedly involved in a sexual assault in Ontario in June 2018 had been ordered to turn themselves in to police. A week later, Hart was charged, according to his lawyers. The defendants were acquitted in July.
A second-round draft pick in 2016, Hart was viewed as a cornerstone piece for the Flyers. He went 96-93-29 with a 2.94 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in 227 games across six seasons. In his last NHL season, the native of Sherwood Park, Alberta, was 12-9-3 with a .906 save percentage. Hart was the first of the five players who were acquitted in the London sexual assault case to return to NHL action.
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart last played in South Philly on Jan. 20, 2024.
Dubé, a forward who previously played for the Calgary Flames, signed a professional tryout agreement with the St. Louis Blues’ American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield on Wednesday. He played the 2024-25 season with Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.
Foote, a defenseman and the son of Vancouver Canucks coach Adam Foote, signed an AHL deal with the Chicago Wolves on Dec. 1. Formenton has returned to HC Ambrì-Piotta of the Swiss National League, where the forward has played since 2022.
McLeod signed a three-year deal with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk in October. He played last season with the team after starting the season with Kazakhstan-based Barys Astana.
The Flyers may be getting a few presents for the holidays.
Defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York, who have been practicing in regular jerseys, are inching closer and closer to returning.
York has been out with an upper-body injury since Dec. 3 against the Buffalo Sabres. The exact moment when he suffered the injury is unknown, but he did not return after being involved in a scrum following Trevor Zegras being boarded by Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin with 3 minutes, 10 seconds left in the second period.
It’s also possible that the high hit by Buffalo forward Jason Zucker behind the Flyers’ net with 13:50 left in the period is what coach Rick Tocchet referred to postgame. The hit was a little late as the blueliner skated back for the puck.
“He’s going to have a really hard practice today,” Tocchet said about York at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday in advance of the Flyers’ game against the Vegas Golden Knights (7 p.m., ESPN). “Not hitting, but like a lot of pushing and shoving on the ice, and see how he reacts off it. I think this is the day we’ll know how close he is to playing.”
Ristolainen’s return is coming, but it may still be a little way away. On Oct. 27, Flyers general manager Danny Brière said that “in about a four-to-six-week range, hopefully he’s back with the team.”
Technically, he was with the team at around the six-week mark, but only for practice. Now the question is, when will he be game-ready?
Ristolainen underwent surgery on a right triceps tendon rupture on March 26. In 2024, Ristolainen underwent two surgeries, including a repair to a ruptured triceps tendon. Brière said last April that the injury was similar, although he wouldn’t confirm whether he tore the tendon again.
The Flyers are being cautious and are taking their time to ensure that he is 100%. Tocchet didn’t want to marry the blueliner’s return to a specific date, hinting that he needs to see Ristolaien stack heavy days together.
When pressed, he said, “I think I’d be shocked if he didn’t play before Christmas, to be honest. But I never say never.”
Rasmus Ristolainen has not played since March since undergoing triceps surgery.
York is not on injured reserve, so the Flyers do not have to make a move when he is ready to return to the lineup. When Ristolainen is good to go, they will have to make a transaction.
Currently, only four players are waiver-exempt — forwards Matvei Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin and defensemen Emil Andrae and Tyler Murchison — and it’s obvious here who is not getting sent down. Murchison looked impressive and steady in his NHL debut on Tuesday and will get a second game on the blue line on Thursday against Vegas.
Forward Carl Grundström is also someone who can be sent down without needing to clear waivers. He cleared waivers when the Flyers acquired him, and he has not hit the 30-day mark or 10 games played in the NHL.
The NHL also has a 10-day roster freeze beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 19 and running through 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 28. Players cannot be waived, traded, or loaned during that period.
The Flyers play Dec. 20 against the New York Rangers, Dec. 22 against Tocchet’s old team, the Vancouver Canucks, and Dec. 23 at the Chicago Blackhawks before the NHL’s three-day holiday break. They return to game action at the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 28.
Flyers general manager Danny Brière sat at the podium following a busy July 1 and said what everyone was thinking.
“Shows that we focused on term — short term — to try to fill those holes,” he said. “Guys were willing to bet on themselves, which is awesome. And for us, term was way more important than anything else. … We know that the salaries were very competitive, but where it helps us is, it keeps the flexibility moving forward in our favor.”
Flexibility is critical for the Flyers as they climb out of a rebuild. Several players in the organization should push for roster spots in the coming years, and short-term deals fill gaps now without creating a logjam.
But one player signed on the first day of free agency probably is forcing the Flyers to consider taking a detour. Christian Dvorak, whom many viewed as an overpaid stopgap and potential midseason trade candidate, signed a one-year deal with the Flyers at $5.4 million on July 1.
He is earning every penny right now.
“He was more in a defensive role in Montreal, more on the fourth line,” coach Rick Tocchet said after Dvorak got the Flyers on the board in Tuesday’s win over the San Jose Sharks.
“And I think he’s getting a chance. He saw the opportunity here with our situation, and I think that he’s grabbing it.”
Part of the reason Dvorak came to Philly was to work with Tocchet — again. The Flyers coach ran Arizona’s bench when Dvorak set a career high with 38 points in 2019-20. Just 28 games into this season, the 29-year-old center has 19 points and is on pace for 56.
And a big factor is the trust between the two. Dvorak is deployed in all situations. He has played on the power play — like on Tuesday when Matvei Michkov missed the start of the second period — and is a key penalty killer. If Tocchet needs a faceoff man, it makes perfect sense to send out the player who wins 55.8% of them. The bench boss also uses him to close out games, even when it’s three centers and two defensemen.
Christian Dvorak and Trevor Zegras, pictured recently at the Flyers’ Casino Night, have developed terrific chemistry on and off the ice.
Dvorak also is centering the Flyers’ top line, between Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny. They haven’t played together for long but already are making noise.
According to MoneyPuck, among the Flyers lines that have played at least 35 minutes together, the trio ranks first in expected goals percentage (63.3%) and expected goals for per 60 minutes (4.33), but also tied for first in expected goals against (1.8).
And according to Natural Stat Trick, among lines that have played at least 12 minutes together, when they’re on the ice, the Flyers dominate. It has them ranked first in chances for percentage (57.5%), shots for percentage (73.68%), scoring chances for percentage (60.53%), and high-danger chances (72.2%).
A large part of that is because of Dvorak’s defensive acumen and his ability to not just be in the right spots but to let the creative duo of Konecny and Zegras do what they do offensively.
“Yeah, it’s been great. Two guys [with] high hockey, IQ, which is huge. You know they’re going to make the right play almost every time, and that helps a lot,” Dvorak told The Inquirer.
“And, yeah, getting to know TK the last handful of games, the chemistry is coming. Playing with Zegras for a while here, I think we read off each other pretty well, and that helps a lot. And I thought we’ve been pretty effective.”
The trio has been on the ice for two goals for the Flyers and just one against in more than 35 minutes at five-on-five.
“I played junior against him a lot. Dominated him, actually, in junior, quite a bit,” joked Konecny — or maybe not — who played against Dvorak in the Ontario Hockey League.
“But now it’s nice, yeah, be on the same line, and he’s got a ton of skill. He’s really, really smart, so he thinks the game the right way. And usually you just get into a good spot and going to know where you’re at.”
Tocchet likes pairs, and Dvorak and Zegras are attached at the hip on and off the ice. Friends long before either came to Philly, their connection has helped Dvorak feel comfortable in the room. It’s showing with Dvorak’s confidence, but he’s also elevating his linemates’ games as well.
“I’ve learned so much from him,” Zegras said after a spirited practice on Wednesday. “[Looking] back to earlier in my career, like maybe when things weren’t going my way, I’d be screaming and slamming sticks on the bench, and saying all crazy stuff that doesn’t really help in a positive way.
Christian Dvorak (center) and Rich Tocchet go back to their days together in Arizona.
“He’s as cool as a cucumber, and his famous line or expression is: it’s a game of runs. So that’s what I tell myself. It’s a game of runs. And you go back out there, you get ready to go for the next shift. So I just think that from the aspect of being himself, he’s a leader in that regard. And I’ve definitely learned a lot from him.”
Maybe the Flyers should play long ball with Dvorak. At the time, his deal looked like an overpay. Today, it looks like they got him for cheap. And with the salary cap going up and the amount of available centers dwindling, the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent may just be someone the Flyers decide to keep around .
Breakaways
Defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York, who are recovering from upper-body injuries, practiced on Wednesday in regular jerseys. … Defenseman Ty Murchison also remains with the club, and it sounds like he may get another game before possibly returning to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League.
They moved to 16-9-3 Tuesday with a 4-1 win against the San Jose Sharks. It is their best start since the 2019-20 season, when the Flyers last made the playoffs.
Here are two big takeaways from a win that can help propel them forward.
Although he may have been nervous leading up to the game, and was thinking “don’t fall” when he went out for his solo rookie lap, Ty Murchison fit right in during his NHL debut.
But first, he sat in the stands.
“Yeah, taking it in, trying to do a little bit of mental preparation,” he said. “Yeah, I usually do that before every game, but it’s definitely crazy looking around and being in a rink like this, and kind of looking forward to it, and trying to settle the nerves.”
Looks like Flyers rookie Ty Murchison taking in the arena before he makes his NHL Debut Tuesday vs. the Sharks pic.twitter.com/MoofdTXEKW
A fifth-round pick in 2021, the defenseman did not look nervous on the ice. He skated the majority of his 14 minutes, 56 seconds of ice time, including a minute on the penalty kill, alongside veteran Noah Juulsen.
Known for his physicality and edge, Murchison was credited with three hits and one blocked shot while playing tough and making smart decisions along the boards and in front.
“He played well, he didn’t look out of place at all,” winger Travis Konecny said. “He did his job tonight.”
The California native was spotted being physical and playing on the right side of forward Adam Gaudette in front of the net in the third period, and throughout the game with Sharks tough guy Ryan Reaves. The veteran enforcer Reaves, who is the same height as Murchison at 6-foot-2, is listed as 13 pounds heavier and was playing in his 937th NHL game.
“Yeah, it was fun. He’s heavy,” Murchison said with a laugh. “So yeah, that was definitely something for sure. … I mean, that’s, that’s the type of hockey I want to play. So yeah, it was a fun game.”
Ty Murchison impressed in his NHL debut on Wednesday.
He left another good impression on Flyers coach Rick Tocchet.
“He can skate really well, that’s what I like about him, and he’s competitive,” Tocchet said. “I thought he did a great job for us tonight. … In your first game, I think he backed in a couple of times, but that’s normal, and we’ll work with that.
“But he’s a good skater, and he’s got some stiffness to him; that’s what I like. When you have defense that can skate and have stiffness to them — I think he went in the corner one time, not scared, and took a hit from Reaves, and kind of went at it with him — that’s a good luxury to have.”
Murchison did it all in front of about 20 family members and friends — and teammate Carson Bjarnason. The Phantoms goalie and Flyers prospect drove down from Allentown and was wearing Murchison’s Phantoms Christmas warm-up jersey.
Like with goalie Dan Vladař, who earned his 11th win on Tuesday, a lot of people questioned the signing of Christian Dvorak on July 1. Well, it’s paying off.
“He’s great,” said his linemate Trevor Zegras. “He’s great in the room. He’s a 10-year guy, which we love telling him, just a pro’s pro. So good doing the little things in the D-zone and creating space in the O-zone. I love playing with him. He’s been a lot of fun to be around.”
With 19 points in 28 games, he is on pace for 56 points, which would shatter his career high of 38 set when he worked with Tocchet in Arizona. Dvorak scored his seventh goal of the season on a nifty breakaway move and added an assist while skating 19:01 on Tuesday, his highest total since Nov. 4.
“He was more in a defensive role in Montreal, more on the fourth line,” Tocchet said. “And I think he’s getting a chance. He saw the opportunity here with our situation, and I think that he’s grabbing it.”
“I think it’s just more about confidence,” Dvorak added. “And, obviously, I’m playing with some really good linemates. So that helps a lot, too. I think we read off each other very well, and they’re a big help for me.”
Skating between Travis Konecny — who earned his 500th NHL point on the goal by Dvorak before adding an empty-netter — and Zegras, Dvorak has become a utility player. Tocchet has trust in him to play against the opposition’s top line at five-on-five, which was Macklin Celebrini’s line on Tuesday, and across special teams.
Travis Konecny scores his 500th career point with an assist on Dvorak’s breakaway goal! pic.twitter.com/Lei9Aw5t1Y
And while many thought it would be Zegras in the middle, Dvorak is excelling as the line’s center. His faceoff percentage is now at 55.8% after winning 14 of 17 against the Sharks. Among players to take at least 300 draws this season, Dvorak ranks 15th in faceoff percentage.
When Dvorak’s line was on the ice, the Flyers had 16 shot attempts to the Sharks’ seven, outshot them, 11-3, and created five high-danger chances compared to one against. They scored one goal and allowed one, as Collin Graf gave the visitors a 1-0 lead on their first shot of the game.
“Unfortunately, sometimes when you’re playing with myself or ‘Z,’ we’re leaning offense sometimes, and he seems to be a guy that’s going to be in the right spots,” Konecny said.
“If there’s a mistake, we don’t want that, but he’s got the mindset of protecting and cleaning up a lot of errors that I’m making. He’s also got a lot of [offense] too, so I think he’s all around a really good player and I’ve enjoyed playing with him.”
There’s something to be said for a team that stops the bleeding.
After losing two straight back in mid-November, the Flyers ended another losing streak at one game with a 4-1 win against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. Since those consecutive losses to the Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers, the Flyers have gone 8-4-0.
The Flyers came out like it was a feeding frenzy at Xfinity Mobile Arena, putting 11 shots on San Jose goalie Alex Nedeljkovic before the Sharks got their first one more than 11 minutes into the game. The only problem? Their first shot was also a goal.
San Jose broke out of its own end on a stretch pass by Dmitry Orlov to Macklin Celebrini at center ice. The No. 1 pick in 2024 sent a backhander into the Flyers’ end, and Will Smith, who was drafted three spots before Matvei Michkov in 2023, blew past the Flyers’ defense.
He tracked down the puck along the end boards, carried it around, and sent a cross-ice pass from the top of the left faceoff circle to defenseman John Klingberg. That pass pulled Flyers goalie Dan Vladař out of position, and the defenseman sent it to Collin Graf atop the crease for the goal.
It was the 19th time in 28 games the Flyers have trailed 1-0. But it was also the 11th time they’ve come back and won to lead the NHL. They also have a league-leading 12 comeback wins.
Flyers’ Matvei Michkov (right) shoots on goal against San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic during the first period on Tuesday.
Christian Dvorak evened the score with 81 seconds left in the first period with a nifty backhand-forehand move around Nedeljkovic. Travis Konecny sent a backhand pass up in the air from the Flyers’ end.
The puck hit Trevor Zegras in the shoulder in the neutral zone, and Dvorak got behind Sharks defenseman Sam Dickinson to score his seventh goal of the season.
The secondary assist was the 500th point (205 goals, 295 assists) in 674 games for Konecny, who became the 17th player in Flyers history to hit the mark. He added his eighth goal of the season with an empty-netter late in the third period.
Then the fourth line finally got a goal. Skating against the team that traded him to the Flyers, Carl Grundstöm got some revenge in the second period.
Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler sent the puck on goal from the left point, and Grundstöm, in just his second game as a Flyer, deflected the puck as he trailed his stick behind him.
With 12 seconds left in the middle frame, Noah Cates added some insurance. Bobby Brink carried the puck down the right wing and sent it over to Cates at the top of the left circle for the catch-and-shoot goal. It gave him seven goals on the season.
Vladař didn’t face a ton of shots — he stopped 17 — but made the big saves when needed.
Not long after Dvorak tied things up, the Czech netminder stopped Smith on a breakaway. Then, up by a goal, he snared a wicked Celebrini wrist shot as he skated down during a Sharks power play. He stopped Ty Dellandrea all alone in front late in the second and robbed him again in the third period from point-blank range in front of the net.
Flyers coach Rick Tocchet watches his team on Tuesday night.
Breakaways
Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov was sick and did not suit up. Justin Kowalkoski, a 39-year-old emergency backup goalie for the Sharks, signed an amateur tryout agreement with the team. He participated in warmups and sat on the bench in case Nedeljkovic had to leave the game. Kowalkoski played college hockey for Colgate University and previously served as a backup in 2018-19 for the Detroit Red Wings. Daniel Spencer, who rotates with Kowalkoski as the EBUG, was in goal for the Sharks’ morning skate. … Defenseman Ty Murchison made his NHL debut and did not look out of place skating on the third pair with Noah Juulsen. He saw ample time on the penalty kill and played almost 15 minutes with family and friends in attendance. … Michkov, who turned 21 on Tuesday, missed the first few minutes of the second period. According to coach Rick Tocchet postgame, “he had to get some stuff taken care of.”
Up next
The Flyers host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday (7 p.m., ESPN).
Ty Murchison wasn’t sure whether he should sit or stand when the media wanted to talk to him in the Flyers’ locker room in Voorhees on Monday.
On Saturday, the defenseman was recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, and, normally, availability in Allentown is held outside the room.
He was more prepared for the swarm of reporters following the team’s optional morning skate Tuesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Although it was hinted at a day earlier, Murchison learned officially that he would be making his NHL debut later that night.
“Extremely excited,” the 22-year-old said. “It’s been something I’ve been dreaming about my entire life. So, yeah, definitely an emotional time, but ready to go tonight.”
It’s been a journey for the California kid, a fifth-round pick by the Flyers in 2021 and someone who didn’t swap his roller hockey wheels for ice hockey steel until he was 11 years old.
“I would say roller hockey is where home is for me,” he said Monday. “The skating is definitely a bit different. It’s funny when I go back and play in the summer with all my ice hockey buddies, like I’m the only guy that can stop in my roller blades, because I pretty much grew up on them. But the rest of the guys, they usually struggle trying not to break any ankles out there.”
Murchison jokes that he didn’t know how to stop and was “blowing up kids” on the ice when he started playing. It’s not a bad thing because that’s how he evolved into a rugged defenseman.
With his size, 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, and physicality at development camp in July, and rookie camp and the main training camp in September, his play piqued the interest of the Flyers’ new coaching staff.
“I thought from Day 1 — and I don’t think we gave [him] an exhibition game — he was really impressing me in practice,” Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said on Monday.
“He was [ticking] guys off, he was blowing up guys on cycles and stuff like that. And he’s played really well. I talked to [Phantoms coach John Snowden], and he’s a guy who deserves to come up and get a shot.”
When the season started, not many would have pegged him to be the first guy to take a rookie lap this season. Just a few months ago, Murchison wrapped up his four-year career at Arizona State as the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s defensive defenseman of the year after blocking 98 shots.
Ty Murchison’s roller hockey background has taken him all the way to the NHL.
After signing a two-year deal, he registered a goal and an assist in four regular-season games last season for the Phantoms and did not play in the postseason.
But this year, in 21 games, he has a goal, four points, 30 penalty minutes, and is plus-9. Murchison said he feels the pro game fits his style of play better than college because he likes to play a fast-paced, physical game.
So there he was this week, getting called into Snowden’s office to learn he was getting called up.
“My heart was beating about 100 beats per minute,” he said. “It was crazy, definitely nerve-racking, but extremely grateful to be here.”
And then he started making calls. His former teammates at ASU got a call, but the first FaceTime of the day was to his parents, Allyson and Ken.
“It was early morning back in Arizona, so woke them up, but yeah, I was choked up trying to get the words out. But as soon as I told my mom, she was screaming for my dad,” Murchison said with a laugh.
“But yeah, extremely emotional. There’s been a lot of periods throughout the last 48 hours where I’ve been getting a bit choked up and just thinking about it. Because, I mean, I’ve been thinking about this every day of my life.”
Murchison added that his parents packed their bags after that initial call and were just waiting for the next call to say he would be making his NHL debut. They will be in attendance along with about 20 buddies and family members from places like California, Prince Edward Island (his parents are from Canada), and Arizona on Tuesday when he skates against the visiting San Jose Sharks (7 p.m., NBCSP). For the record, Murchison grew up an Anaheim Ducks fan in Corona, Calif.
Ty Murchison has some familiarity with Todd Reirden (middle), having worked with his son at Arizona State.
He’ll be working with assistant coach Todd Reirden — he already knew him through Reirden’s son, Travis, who worked in analytics for Arizona State — and alongside veteran blueliner Noah Juulsen on the third pairing. Communication will be key for the new partner, as noted by Juulsen, and Murchison said he was “extremely talkative” during practice on Monday.
A big difference between this year and previous regimes is that the Flyers and Phantoms play a similar structure, especially in the defensive zone. It has helped several players, like center Jacob Gaucher and defenseman Emil Andrae, seamlessly enter the big club’s lineup when they have been called up.
Now it’s Murchison’s turn to show the bench boss what he can do. And while Tocchet called it “music to my ears” when told that Murchison likes to play a fast, hard game with an edge, the Flyers coach just wants to see him play his game.
The Phantoms coaches “felt that he was a guy who really consistently has brought his game [and is] competitive every night,” Tocchet said. “I’ve talked to [the media] about how we’ve got to squash plays, we’ve got to come up with some battle. And he’s one of those guys who, hopefully he can do it for us. I don’t know, but I think you’ve got to give him a shot.”
Breakaways
Forward Carl Grundström will be inserted into the lineup on the fourth line in place of Nic Deslauriers. Acquired in the deal that sent Ryan Ellis’ contract to the Sharks, Grundström played one season for San Jose, registering nine points in 56 games. He was recalled Dec. 2 from the Phantoms after Tyson Foerster was injured. Grundström made his Flyers debut against the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 8. … Goalie Dan Vladař (10-5-1, .906 save percentage) will start in net.
Ty Murchison signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Flyers in March.
Two members of the Flyers’ prospect ranks are swapping orange and black for red and white.
Hockey Canada announced on Monday that forwards Porter Martone and Jett Luchanko will pack their bags for Minnesota to play in the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The Flyers’ top pick in last June’s draft, when he was taken sixth overall, Martone brings “size, strength, power, shot, playmaking, puck skill” in a 6-foot-3, 210-pound body.
A freshman at Michigan State University, the right winger leads the Spartans in goals (11), points (20), power-play goals (three), game-winning goals (three), and penalty minutes (58) in 16 games.
Luchanko, who played for Canada at last year’s tournament, has two goals and five points in five games after being traded to Brantford of the Ontario Hockey League. He was acquired from Guelph, where he had 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) in 11 games, on Nov. 24.
After breaking camp for the second straight season with the Flyers, Luchanko skated in four NHL games and did not register a point before being sent back to Guelph on Oct. 27.
Also named to the roster is projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL draft, Gavin McKenna, and defensemen Jackson Smith, a Columbus Blue Jackets pick in 2025, who suits up for Penn State.
Sean Couturier said it best after taking on the Colorado Avalanche.
“I know we’re a young team, but I think we’ve got to start believing in ourselves,” Couturier said. “It’s a good proof today that we can play with anyone, and we’ve just got to bring that effort, that intensity, more consistently.”
The Flyers did hang with the NHL’s best team for much of the Sunday matinee at Xfinity Mobile Arena, although Couturier added that it “felt that [at] times maybe we gave them a little too much respect and we watched them a little bit.”
They had their chances but ultimately fell, 3-2. It is their second loss in the last three games, but the Flyers are 7-4-0 since losing two straight in mid-November. The Avalanche improved to 21-2-6.
“Some people use games as measuring sticks, and I think we don’t need to do that anymore,” Travis Konecny said. “We’ve shown we can compete with the best teams, so why not start believing that we should be right there with them?”
A rapid flow
Trailing 3-1, the Flyers started to build some momentum when Konecny cut it to a one-goal lead with his seventh goal of the season early in the second period.
Konecny put a hard shot on Mackenzie Blackwood and tried to knock the puck away deep but ended up falling near the net. As that happened, the Avalanche transitioned the other way.
Sam Ersson made a kick save on a shot from the right half wall by New Jersey native Ross Colton, and Emil Andrae picked up the puck.
The defenseman sent a stretch pass up to Konecny, who was late getting back because of being trapped deep up the ice. The pass was nicked by Brock Nelson in the neutral zone, but Konecny took it off the wall, skated in, and scored five-hole.
“Yeah, it’s great,” said Christian Dvorak, who was given a secondary assist on Konecny’s goal, about playing with the winger lately. “High skill, high compete player [who] wins a lot of battles. Makes a lot of great plays out there and a nice goal tonight.
“Yeah, we had plenty of chances in the third, especially to tie it up, just a little bit away from executing there.”
Coach Rick Tocchet also had praise for Andrae after the game. Andrae was up in the play, making smart moves, and helping to lead the Flyers at both ends of the ice.
“That’s what I’m looking for right there. He was very good tonight,” Tocchet said. “When he had the puck, and there was room to skate, he skated; he didn’t wait. Even on the blue line, there were times when he had it, he had a step on a guy, he took, what we call, the good ice. He wasn’t flat-footed; he wasn’t looking to defer. He was being aggressive. So it’s a good step for Emil.”
The Flyers started to carry the game more, and in the third period, they outshot the Avalanche 13-3. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers also had 26 chances to 14 against, 12 scoring chances to four for Colorado, and eight high-danger chances to one against. Their expected goals also climbed from 0.3 in the first period to 1.38 in the third.
“It was a strong finish again,” Konecny said. “I don’t know if it was like a flat first period for us. I know, for me specifically, I didn’t have anything good going on first. But yeah, we responded well.”
Trevor Zegras probably had the best chance when he was held up on a breakaway by Nathan MacKinnon and was awarded a penalty shot. Known for his prowess in the shootout, he was unable to bury this one.
It was his second penalty shot this season, as he also was unable to beat Jordan Binnington in overtime in the Flyers’ 6-5 shootout win against the St. Louis Blues in November. Zegras did score in the shootout.
Colorado center Martin Necas slides into Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson during the second period at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The birthday boy
Skating in his 900th NHL game — all with the Flyers — and on his 33rd birthday, Couturier set the tone early.
On his first shift of the game, a tidy 35-second shift to boot, he made it 1-0 Flyers. With Couturier centering Matvei Michkov and Owen Tippett, the three forwards got to work to keep the puck on the Flyers’ sticks.
Tippett carried the puck deep along the left boards before curling and feeding it to Noah Juulsen at the right point. The defenseman, who has three of the Flyers’ 10 hardest shots this season, according to NHL Edge, put the puck on net with Couturier tipping it in out front, even with Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski on him.
“It’s fitting for him to get that first one. It’s just great to see him play 900. He’s been through a lot in his career, and he’s always just put his head down and gone to work and led by example,” Konecny said.
“And he’s a guy that you can say he doesn’t care about that goal, he’ll care about if we won or lost the game, and that speaks to why he’s our captain. He’s been doing it for a long time. He just wants to win. So it’s a good guy to have on your side, and we love him.”
Starting his second straight game for just the second time this season — because Tocchet said he felt he deserved it after beating the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday — Ersson had a tall task against the Avalanche. They entered the day leading the NHL with an average of four goals a game.
On the first goal, Egor Zamula couldn’t handle the puck behind the net and then didn’t get to it along the boards quickly enough. It allowed Colorado forward Jack Drury to easily play the puck deep to Martin Nečas, who sent a cross-ice pass up to Brent Burns at the right point for the goal.
“We play our best when we’re on our toes, and skating forward and be aggressive, and kind of get in their face and get their speed down,” Andrae said.
“Maybe we had a couple of long shifts, and they keep going, and they’re coming at us, and maybe we’re backing off a little bit too much and giving too much space, so you get on your heels. But overall, I think we played a pretty good game, but we didn’t capitalize on our chances.”
The second goal was a bit wonky as it was on a power play for Colorado — no surprise here, once again a questionable call by the referees — and happened after the puck hit the glass behind the net. The shot by Cale Makar, the reigning Norris Trophy winner, hit the glass, and MacKinnon had a swipe at it before Brock Nelson scored.
Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae shoves Avalanche center Ross Colton during the second period.
And the third goal came off a cross-ice pass by Victor Olofsson to Valeri Nichushkin atop the right faceoff circle. He whipped it passed Ersson to make it 3-1.
Zamula and his partner, Juulsen, were on the ice for that goal too.
“Yeah, I mean, listen, they’re scratching and clawing,” Tocchet said. “That’s what you’ve got to get from them. They’re trying.”
Ersson settled down and had some key saves. With the score tied, he stopped a hard, high shot by Burns and then a Josh Manson rebound. Early in the second period, he made a save on a shot by Devon Toews with Gabriel Landeskog in front before robbing the Colorado captain on the doorstep.
Later in the middle frame, Ersson did what he does best — stopping guys one-on-one. Facing his countryman, Olofsson, Ersson stoned him on a breakaway as he got behind Zamula.
“He was unbelievable, like he always is. He kept us in it. And it wouldn’t have been a one-goal game without him,” Dvorak said of Ersson, who made 25 saves.
Defenseman Cam York did not play and remains day to day with an upper-body injury. Blueliner Ty Murchison, who was recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Saturday, participated in warmups but did not play. … Defenseman Nick Seeler played in his 400th NHL game. … Konecny has six points (two goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak. … Andrae has seven points in 17 games this season and is plus-7.
Guests surrounded the roulette tables, lined up their chips, and prepared for a night of giving back at the fourth annual Flyers Casino Night. Each year the fundraiser invites fans to interact with players as they participate in casino-style games, making it a team-favorite event.
“It’s a great night for a good cause,” said goaltender Samuel Ersson. “It’s one of those nights you always look forward to and circle on your calendar. So it’s nice to finally be here.”
Similar to last year’s Casino Night, the event featured a silent auction that included signed memorabilia from a number of different Philly athlete of all sports — including a pair of signed Allen Iverson Reeboks — as well as trips to destination vacation spots such as Italy, Mexico, and Croatia, and plenty of signed Flyers merch.
All proceeds from the event go toward Flyers Charities, to support their mission of “creating strong communities by eliminating financial barriers and reviving play spaces to grow the game of hockey and aiding local families affected by cancer throughout the Greater Philadelphia region.”
According to Blair Listino, the president of Flyers Charities, the event continues to grow each year — adding more sponsors and even more fan activations, including a new venue, a new area for guests to get live watercolor portraits, and a spot to make their own Boxbar charm bracelets.
“Every year we try to be a little bit creative about different prizes,” said Listino, who is also CFO of Comcast Spectacor and the Flyers’ alternate governor. “And every year there’s a lot of new faces. We have a lot of new sponsors and I think it’s really exciting. It’s just showing that this event has been growing every single year and more people want to get involved.”
Jamie Drysdale shows off his new suit on the red carpet.
Vie, located on Broad Street, rolled out the red carpet and players dressed to impress as they prepared to interact with fans. Flyers centers Christian Dvorak and Trevor Zegras arrived in Christian Dior and Ferragamo dress shoes, respectively. Meanwhile, 23-year-old defenseman Jamie Drysdale made a last-minute trip to State & Liberty on Walnut Street.
“Well, I didn’t have a black suit,” Drysdale said. “And I figured Casino Night you kind of need a darker suit — navy, black. So, I went out and got this yesterday.”
Although each player had a different red carpet look, they each shared the same answer when asked what they were looking forward to the most from the night: celebrating a good cause with fans.
“It’s awesome,” said forward Owen Tippett. “The fan interaction is a lot of fun. You get to meet all the fans that come out and support us, as well as mingle around and play games.”
Last season, through fundraising events like their Casino Night, Flyers Carnival, and Gritty 5K, Flyers Charities raised over $1.5 million.
