Members of the Professional Hockey Players’ Association are on the verge of staging a strike in the ECHL if the union and the league cannot come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.
The ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League and now going just by the acronym, is a North American developmental league that is two levels below the NHL, with the American Hockey League in between. There are 30 teams, 29 of which are in the U.S. and one in Canada in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
The Flyers’ affiliate, the Reading Royals, are in fifth place in the ECHL’s 15-team Eastern Conference with a 15-11-2 record.
The PHPA announced Monday that its ECHL membership has served a strike notice that would be effective Friday, when play is scheduled to resume following the holiday break. Players voted Friday to authorize their bargaining committee to call for a strike, executive director Brian Ramsay said Monday.
“Our members have made it very clear that they’ve had enough,” Ramsay said on a video call with reporters. “Unfortunately, this is a league that would rather bully us than bargain.”
The sides appeared no closer to a resolution on Tuesday based on an update from Ramsay, even after he said the PHPA offered the option of reaching a settlement through mediation or arbitration.
CBA talks began in January, with Ramsay accusing the league of unfair bargaining practices, including most recently contacting players directly with proposals, which have been reported to the National Labor Relations Board.
Danny Brière oversaw the day-to-day operations of the ECHL’s Maine Mariners from 2017-22.
“This is a league that has taken almost a year to concede that we should be entitled to choose helmets that properly fit us and are safe,” Ramsay said. “This is the league that still supplies our members with used equipment. This is a league that shows no concern for players’ travels and in fact has said the nine-hour bus trip home should be considered your day off. We have had members this year spend 28 hours-plus on a bus to play back-to-back games on a Friday and Saturday night, only to be paid less than the referees who work those very same games.”
The AHL and PHPA have been working under the terms of their most recent CBA, which expired Aug. 31. An AHL spokesperson said the sides are very close to a new agreement.
The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association earlier this year ratified a deal that ensures labor peace through 2030.
The ECHL posted details of its latest proposal on its website Monday, saying it calls to raise the salary cap 16.4% this season, with retroactive pay upon ratification, and increases in total player salaries in future years to pay players nearly 27% more than the current cap. The league said it has also offered larger per diems, mandatory day-off requirements and a 325-mile limit for travel between back-to-back games.
“Our approach will continue to balance the need to best support our players and maintain a sustainable business model that helps ensure the long-term success of our league so it remains affordable and accessible to fans,” the ECHL said, adding that the average ticket price is $21. “Negotiations have been progressing but not as quickly as we would like. ”We have reached a number of tentative agreements and remain focused on reaching a comprehensive new agreement that supports our players and the long-term health of every team in our league.”
Jimmy Mazza, who played several seasons in the ECHL and is now on the negotiating committee, argued that owners do not know what it’s like to travel 29 hours in a bus or to be given a used helmet.
“The top level, you know that those players aren’t being treated that way, so why are they treating us that way?” Mazza said. “To us, it’s a little bit of a slap in the face with the way these negotiations have gone for a year, when only five days ago, we get a little bit of movement on a helmet issue when it should have been done a year ago.”
Bryce Harper’s dream is to compete in the Olympics.
First, he’ll suit up for the World Baseball Classic.
Harper announced his plans Tuesday on Instagram, posting a photo of himself superimposed in a Team USA jersey. The Phillies star joins a loaded roster that includes Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Bobby Witt Jr., teammate Kyle Schwarber, and ace pitchers Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal.
“Put the colors on my chest for the 1st time when I was 15,” Harper wrote in a caption below his photo. “No other feeling like it.”
Harper was among the first players to commit to Team USA for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, but he was unable to play after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery in the previous offseason.
As a teenager, Harper participated in several international tournaments. He won a gold medal at the 2009 Pan Am junior world championship for an under-18 U.S. national team that featured 10 future major leaguers, including Manny Machado and Nick Castellanos.
Harper never misses an opportunity to stump for major leaguers in the Olympics. He discussed it at a postseason news conference in 2023 and brought it up again when the Phillies played in London in 2024. He said he has shared his feelings with commissioner Rob Manfred.
From left, Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Brian Ragira, and Nick Castellanos with the under-18 U.S. national team in 2009.
Baseball will be reinstated as an Olympic sport in 2028 in Los Angeles. In October, Manfred told reporters at the World Series that MLB will consider extending the All-Star break in 2028 to enable major leaguers to compete in the Olympics.
“I’ve been a huge advocate of baseball getting back in the Olympics and us taking that pause during the regular season, kind of like hockey does, to just let the guys go and play,” Harper told The Inquirer in 2023. “It’d be so much fun to have that and have the game and see that in the Olympics and have the best players in the world doing it.”
Team USA will compete in Pool B of the WBC field. Players will leave their respective spring-training camps in early March. The United States will open the preliminary round March 6 in Houston against Brazil. The WBC final will be played March 17 in Miami.
Harper, 33, batted .261 and slugged .487 with 27 homers and a 129 OPS-plus last season. And although those numbers were below his typical standards, he tied for sixth among first basemen in homers and ranked fifth in slugging.
Phillies backup catcher Garrett Stubbs committed to playing in the WBC for Israel. Manager Rob Thomson said recently that he hasn’t been informed of other players who will be going to the WBC. Jesús Luzardo and José Alvarado pitched for Venezuela in 2023.
The Eagles clinched the division with a win over the Washington Commanders on Saturday night, becoming the first team to win back-to-back NFC East titles in 21 years.
Following the win, the Birds have moved up in most national power rankings. As they prepare to travel to face the Buffalo Bills, here’s where they stand in the latest batch …
Yahoo! Sports: Sixth
The Eagles have moved up one spot in Yahoo! Sports’ power rankings. Two consecutive victories over losing teams still left questions surrounding the team’s offense.
“The Eagles have clinched the division and have almost no chance to get the No. 1 seed in the NFC,” Frank Schwab wrote. “That means the next two weeks can be used for a combination of rest and fixing the ongoing issues with the offense. The offense has looked better lately, with 60 combined points in the last two games, but that came against the Raiders and Commanders. At least the Eagles get a couple of games out of the spotlight before the playoffs start.”
The Eagles trail the No. 5 Chicago Bears and the No. 4 New England Patriots. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks (No. 1) and the Los Angeles Rams (No. 2) continue to battle for the top spot.
The Ringer: Sixth
The Ringer also has the Eagles at the No. 6 spot, two rungs above where they were last week. This week’s summary: “Glimpses of last year’s greatness are still there — when they’re playing against the NFL’s worst teams.”
The outlet had strong words for the Commanders leadership and advocated for the kind of changes that would further shake up the NFC East.
“What exactly is it that head coach Dan Quinn does for this team? It can’t be building a good defense, because his units tend to get worse each year — something that we’ve seen going back to his stint with the Cowboys,“ Diante Lee wrote. ”It can’t be player personnel or development, because GM Adam Peters is the architect of this roster, and Washington’s defensive players don’t seem to be getting markedly better in Quinn’s system.
“And we know that the offense belongs to coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who may find a new head coaching gig this offseason. If the mere absence of quarterback Jayden Daniels can cause this team to crater, then it’s probably time to bring in a new coaching regime.”
The Eagles rank behind the No. 5 New England Patriots and the No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars. The Seahawks and Rams remain at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.
ESPN: 10th
Despite that 29-18 win over the Commanders, the Eagles have fallen in ESPN’s power rankings — dropping two spots from last week’s No. 8 ranking. As the season comes to a close, ESPN also picked a rookie of the year for the Eagles: Jihaad Campbell.
“Campbell, a first-round pick out of Alabama, has 63 tackles, an interception, two passes defensed and a forced fumble,” Tim McManus wrote. “His playing time decreased when Nakobe Dean (knee) hit his stride around the midway point of the season, but he has maintained a role in coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense and stepped up his production when Dean exited Saturday’s win because of a hamstring injury.”
The Eagles sit behind the Los Angeles Chargers (No. 9), the Chicago Bears (No. 8), and the Buffalo Bills (No. 7). The Seahawks have taken the top spot above the No. 2 Rams.
CBS Sports: 10th
The Eagles’ win over the Commanders was enough to move them up two spots from last week’s No. 12 ranking. The team sits just below the No. 9 Buffalo Bills and No. 8 Houston Texans.
“They have beaten up two bad teams the last two weeks to seemingly right things,” Pete Prisco wrote. “Now they face a tough road game at Buffalo with just seeding on the line since they clinched the NFC East.”
The Seahawks (No. 1) and the Patriots (No. 2) top the list. Meanwhile, the Rams have fallen to the fifth spot, three spots below last week’s power rankings.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley after scoring a rushing touchdown against the Commanders on Saturday.
The Athletic: 11th
The Eagles moved up one spot from last week’s No. 12 ranking, trailing the No. 10 Los Angeles Chargers and No. 9 Houston Texans. One concern The Athletic has with the Eagles is their “lack of offensive consistency.”
“The Eagles have put up impressive numbers since Nick Sirianni said he became more involved in the offense, scoring 31 last week and 29 on Saturday,” Chad Graff and Josh Kendall wrote. “But those performances came against the Raiders and Commanders. Is their offensive turnaround legit or a byproduct of playing bad teams?”
DeSean Jackson made a splash in his first season coaching Delaware State’s football team. Now, the former Eagles wide receiver is being rewarded for it.
After an 8-4 finish, the Hornets’ most wins in a season since 2007, the university announced Tuesday that it has signed Jackson to a contract extension that runs through the 2028 season.
The Hornets were picked to finish last in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference but finish second to South Carolina State after a 28-17 loss to the Bulldogs in the regular-season finale. Jackson’s team led the FCS in rushing yards per game (291.2) and had a winning record for the first time in 13 years.
“Just two days before Christmas last year, I began the next phase of my professional career, as a first-time head coach, in a community I did not know, with players I did not recruit. It was not easy, but it was important,” Jackson said in a news release. “Giving my whole self to these young men and representing one of the best Historically Black colleges in the country has been a high honor and one I do not intend to take for granted. We have some unfinished business to take care of on the field, and I am proud to be a part of the athletic transformation taking place at the school.”
The highlight of Jackson’s season came during the Battle of Legends between Delaware State and Michael Vick’s Norfolk State at Lincoln Financial Field, as the former Eagles teammates faced off for the first time as coaches. Delaware State beat Norfolk State, 27-20, in the Oct. 30 matchup. The game brought in more than 47,000 fans and felt like a night of celebration that transcended the game.
“The job of Delaware State is not to develop a good story about access and opportunity that changes and prepares young people to take their rightful place of usefulness and honor in a global community. That is Delaware State already,” Tony Allen, Delaware State’s president, said. “Our goal is to increase the number of storytellers who believe in the power of HBCUs like ours and can make the investment in a future they can see for themselves, their community, and their country. Coach Jackson understands that vision and is helping us carry that message around the world.”
Jason Kelce, a man of voracious appetite and enthusiasm, is putting his money behind a local Jersey Shore brand, Hank Sauce.
The hot sauce company, based in Kelce’s beloved Sea Isle City and sold everywhere from surf shops to the Acme, produces a variety of hot and not-so-hot sauces that have become ubiquitous at the Jersey Shore and Philadelphia area.
The deal with Kelce’s Winnie Capital was announced in two ways: a sedate corporate press statement, and a not-at-all sedate Instagram post featuring a full-throated Kelce throwing jabs and juggling bottles of Hank Sauce, growling and snarling about the wonders of the flavorful sauce. As only the pitchman and iconic Eagles great can do.
“BAM! POW! POW FLAVOR! YEEEEOWWWWWW,” Kelce spitballs for the camera from inside the Hank Sauce restaurant in Sea Isle, an array of sauce laid before him, before he and others off-camera dissolve in laughter. “You got some eggs that don’t have any [beeped expletive] flavor? Well we got you covered baby.
“Any notes?”
Someone throws him a bottle from stage right; he makes the catch. “I’m glad I looked,” he said.
In the comments, and in the press statement, Kelce calls Sea Isle “right in my backyard in South Jersey,” and says he and the three founders plan to “take this thing to the next level.”
“This one was a no-brainer,” Kelce said in the Instagram post. “I’ve been a consumer of this product and a fan of this brand for a long time.”
Former Eagles player Jason Kelce rips off his pants during the fifth annual Team 62 at the Ocean Drive celebrity bartending event on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Sea Isle City, NJ. The event raises funds for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
A regular in Sea Isle City with his family, Kelce said he walked into Hank Sauce in 2015 and met Brian “Hank” Ruxton himself, who took the Eagles star into the back where they shared a beer.
“I like these guys,” Kelce said.
The statement described the arrangement as “a strategic equity investment from former NFL player, podcaster, and investor Jason Kelce.”
“The new investment and partnership with Kelce’s Winnie Capital will accelerate national expansion and increase Hank Sauce’s visibility and reach in new markets across the country,” the statement said.
Founded in 2011 by three college roommates — Ruxton, Matt Pittaluga, and Josh Jaspan — as “a hot sauce for people who don’t like hot sauce,” Hank Sauce was first made in a garage, and hand-bottled for six years. The company eventually expanded into a 10,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Millville, and is now sold in more than 5,000 stores nationwide, according to the press statement.
Matt Pittaluga (from left), Kaitlin Ruxton and Brian Ruxton are the dream team behind the Hank Sauce phenomenon. (DAVE GRIFFIN / For The Inquirer)
Hank Sauce comes in multiple variations, including the original Herb Infused, plus Cilanktro, Camouflage, and Hank Heat.
As part of the deal, Kelce will “collaborate with Hank Sauce on original content and ongoing brand strategy,” the statement says.
“We’ve poured our lives into building this brand, and we couldn’t be more excited to have Jason on board — not just as a partner and ambassador, but as a genuine fan long before this partnership,” Pittaluga said in the statement.
Winnie Capital is described as “a private family office supporting the business and philanthropic activities of Jason and Kylie Kelce. The Winnie portfolio includes diverse investments and partnerships across media, athletics, consumer packaged goods, apparel, real estate, agriculture, and technology.”
Five Eagles players, including two first-timers, were named to the NFC’s Pro Bowl roster for 2026 on Tuesday.
Inside linebacker Zack Baun, defensive tackle Jalen Carter, defensive back Cooper DeJean, center Cam Jurgens, and cornerback Quinyon Mitchell have been voted to the Pro Bowl, which is Feb. 3 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.
Carter, now a two-time Pro Bowler, is slated to be the lone starter in the game. DeJean and Mitchell have been named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in their careers. Baun and Jurgens also were Pro Bowlers in the 2024 season.
The Eagles had five selections, which is tied for second in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Chargers. The Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks led the way with six players.
According to the Eagles, five players are alternates at their respective positions — outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips (second alternate), running back Saquon Barkley (third), tight end Dallas Goedert (third), special-teamer Kelee Ringo (fourth), and quarterback Jalen Hurts (fifth).
Pro Bowl selections are determined in voting by fans, coaches, and fellow NFL players.
Eagles fans have plenty on their minds this week, and we’re not just talking about last-minute Christmas shopping. There is playoff seeding to consider, along with the question of whether the Eagles should rest their starters with two games left. There’s an Arctic matchup with the 11-4 Bills approaching on Sunday. And there is a kicker who keeps hooking his field goal attempts.
Here’s what we know: The Eagles have roughly a 10% chance of moving up to the No. 2 seed in the NFC, according to FTN Fantasy’s playoff projections. At some point, Nick Sirianni will choose to rest key players before the playoffs, but Lane Johnson (foot) and Jalen Carter (shoulders) reportedly could be available on Sunday. So Sirianni has some choices to make before the matchup in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Regarding the Bills, they’re still in a fight to win the AFC East with the 12-3 New England Patriots, although Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen is nursing a foot injury that might limit his ability to scramble. The Birds will be focused on shutting down James Cook, the league’s rushing leader with 1,532 yards.
And what about that kicker who has lost his way? Sirianni gave Jake Elliott another vote of confidence, but Sports Daily’s readers have plenty to say about Elliott later in this newsletter.
Former Cubs reliever Brad Keller signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Phillies.
Dave Dombrowski spent time Monday praising the Phillies’ new bullpen acquisition, Brad Keller, which you would expect the team’s president of baseball operations to do. “We love Keller. We think he’s one of the best in the business, the way he stepped up last year as a reliever with the Cubs,” Dombrowski said. “So we really like the way the bullpen now shapes up.”
Beyond the hype there is this: After Keller transitioned to the bullpen, his fastball velocity increased from an average of 93.7 mph in 2024 to 97.1 mph last year. That heat should fit in nicely alongside Jhoan Duran.
Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) skates after the puck as Vancouver’s David Kampf moves in.
The Flyers ended a two-game losing streak by beating the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 in their final home game of 2025. Four goals in the third period was the difference.
Before the game, Flyers coach Rick Tocchet sounded off about persistent questions regarding Matvei Michkov: “Enough is enough.”
Villanova coach Kevin Willard had a 225-161 record in 12 seasons at Seton Hall.
It will be more than just a Big East opener for coach Kevin Willard tonight when Villanova (9-2) plays Seton Hall (11-1) in Newark, N.J. Willard spent 12 seasons coaching the Pirates, so this game will be a trip back home.
“It’s obviously a league game, so it’s not like I’m going to be crying at halfcourt,” Willard says. “But it’s definitely a place that I hold very dearly and will always be the love of my life to be honest with you.”
Bryce Lindsay will take an average of 16.7 points into the game as Villanova’s leading scorer. The guard lost his mother to cancer when he was a senior in high school and faced more adversity after that before he landed with the Wildcats.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers skates with the puck in the first period against the Flyers on Monday. He is a 17-year NHL veteran.
The Sixers had the night off Monday, but guard Quentin Grimes was at Xfinity Mobile Arena anyway. He was watching his half brother, Tyler Myers, play for the Canucks against the Flyers. Grimes and Myers are the only pair of brothers to ever play in the NBA and NHL. Gabriela Carroll has the story of their Christmastime reunion.
Marcus Hayes: Plenty of people have had a hand in five seasons of Eagles success, including Big Dom.
🧠 Trivia time
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris eludes a tackle by Oakland’s Jimmy Warren as he scores a touchdown on the Immaculate Reception to win a 1972 playoff game.
We asked: Should the Eagles be looking for a new kicker? Among your responses:
Not the first time Jake Elliot has had major issues. Stick with him the rest of the year, but bring in someone new next year. — Daniel B.
Jake seems puzzled over his most recent struggles. A lot of times these things don’t work them selves out. I suggest a new kicker to finish things out and he is Justin Tucker. Very reliable and a hard worker. Give him a chance and watch the good results. Thank you Jake for all your efforts over the years. — Kerry B.
I think that next spring they should bring in a second kicker option. Unlike Nick Sirianni, I am loyal not to the one who brought me to my first dance but to the one who is best able to dance next Sunday. — Milton T.
Eagles kicker Jake Elliott reacts after missing a 52-yard field-goal attempt on Saturday.
Kicking is so heavily emotional/mental that it takes very little to compromise confidence, but a great deal to restore it. Given that he’s missed six of his last 11 field goal attempts (plus one conversion), Elliott’s confidence probably has more cracks than the windshield of a car following a gravel truck. … Jake Elliott’s future with the Eagles is hanging by a very tenuous thread, as I see it. And it won’t take much to snap it.—John B.
Let’s see how Jake does in the postseason. He has had slumps before and always come through in the postseason. — Bill M.
Jake had these problems last year which were abnormal. He got back on track for the playoffs and the Super Bowl. He has been a great kicker for us and I do expect him to get it turned around and be accurate again. The only kickers out there are the ones who have been dumped by other teams for having the same problems. Stay the course! — Vince O.
No. — Jeffrey H.
Like most Eagle fans I have really been a fan of Jake’s for these past years, but his inability to score when needed is really hurting the team. I would hate to see him go, but it may be necessary. — Everett S.
We never should have let the greatest kicker of all time get away. The Chargers picked him up a few years ago for NOTHING! I knew “Dicker the Kicker” was something special when he was with the Eagles for a short time. Yes, we should be scouting the world for a replacement kicker because going into the playoffs with who we have is unacceptable. — Ronald R.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Jeff Neiburg, Olivia Reiner, Lochlahn March, Jackie Spiegel, Gabriela Carroll, Ariel Simpson, Marcus Hayes, Isabella DiAmore, Brooke Schultz, and Dylan Johnson.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Thank you for reading. On Wednesday, Bella will bring you the final Sports Daily of the week before a Christmas break. Happy holidays! — Jim
With hockey leagues around the world nearing the midway point and the World Junior Championship starting on Friday, we caught up with Brent Flahr to talk prospects. In Part 2 of our interview with the Flyers’ assistant general manager, we focused on the team’s international-based prospects and those competing in Lehigh Valley.
This interview, which was conducted on Dec. 10, has been edited for clarity and length. Part 1.
While No. 1 center and No. 1 defenseman remain holes the Flyers organization is looking to fill, Flahr noted that while there are fewer than 32 of those guys around, the Flyers remain on the lookout and have assets that could help in acquiring one.
Swedish center Jack Berglund’s skating has been a contentious point among fans, but Flahr says it has improved and that Berglund reminds him of a young Mikko Koivu in that regard.
When asked for his favorite under-the-radar prospects, Flahr pointed to Cole Knuble and Denver Barkey as two guys that are easy to “cheer for.”
More Details
With hockey leagues around the world nearing the midway point and the World Junior Championship starting on Friday, we caught up with Brent Flahr to talk prospects. In Part 2 of our interview with the Flyers’ assistant general manager, we focused on the team’s international-based prospects and those competing in Lehigh Valley.
This interview, which was conducted on Dec. 10, has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: Where do you see Jack Berglund, who was pretty impressive at development camp, fitting?
A: I think he’s a very well-rounded player and has the ability to be a really good 3C, maybe more. But he can play power play. He’s strong. He wins battles. He can make plays. He’s very sound defensively. Where he’s played, he’s had to earn everything he can, but he can shoot it.
I think people worried about his skating, but his skating is coming along as well, and he’s big and strong. You’ll see at the U20 level, he’s a big, strong horse out there, but he’s nowhere near where he’s going to be at 23 years old. When you see him off the ice, he’s still a young guy, and you forget about that. … Not all these players who have been drafted are going to play the next year, but he’s on the right path to being a very good pro.
The Flyers remain bullish on Jack Berglund, who Brent Flahr says continues to make strides with his skating.
Q: Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Carson Bjarnason, have been the three B’s in Lehigh Valley. What have you seen from them in their transition to pro hockey? [Note: Barkey was recalled after this interview was conducted.]
A: Barkey, I think right from the start, he’s played very well. On the production side, he makes plays, he works, and the details are great. Such a smart player. He’s got to get stronger and build up his body to handle the grind but so far, so good. Down there, he’s been arguably our best forward a lot of nights, and coaches love him. …
I think Bumper, when he first went down there, even though playing last year — I don’t know if he thought it was going to be easy or disappointment from not making the team right away — I thought he stumbled around a little bit early, and then he found his game, and now he’s going. But part of the why he’s down there is to find the consistency in his game, not just offensively, but defensively, and managing the game and then playing it every night. But he’s talented. He’s producing now. I think he’s feeling good about himself, and he’s certainly going in the right direction. …
And Carson … I think he’s exceeded expectations so far. He’s got the right demeanor, the size, the athleticism, and he’s learning the pro game. … It just seems easier for him. In juniors, it was so chaotic in front of him; he used to get so many Grade A chances.
Q: You mentioned Aleksei Kolosov. He seems like a different player this year, no?
A: He is a different player, different personality. He’s really trying to fit in. He’s very athletic, very competitive, and he’s giving our team a chance to win down there almost every night. He’s a talented kid, so he’s got a chance to be an NHL goalie now. He just skipped a step last year. Now he’s building it back up again here, and we’ll see where it goes.
Q: What about Yegor Zavragin? He has another year on his deal but it sounds like he’s playing well in Russia.
A: He’s a talented, talented kid with size. … He’s got to build up his body, which is a big focus for St. Petersburg, and he’s working hard. … We want him to be over here right away, but the one thing the KHL does, or has a history of doing recently, is developing goalies. So we’re in a good spot and, hopefully, when the time comes, we can get him over here and get him going.
Egor Zavragin has firmly established himself as one of the best young goaltenders in Europe.
Q: There’s been a lot of criticism of the Flyers not having a 1C or 1D. What would you say to those people, and how would you assess the system?
A: There are not 32 1Cs in the league or 32 1Ds. So we’re always trying to look for that and strive for that. But we have some good players coming, guys who can play, hopefully, 2Cs. We have some guys on the wing, we think. We have some solid defensemen coming.
We understand what we need to be an elite team; at the same time, we’re growing a pretty good base as far as depth through the lineup and people that can contribute in different ways. So, that’s where the Berglunds and some of these guys that aren’t talked about as much could be valuable pieces as well. Then you’ve got [Jett] Luchanko, and [Jack] Nesbitt, who are going to take a little time to get stronger. Heikki [Ruohonen], as well, is a really good player.
Q: Give me one or two prospects that you’re excited about in the system.
A: Porter [Martone] is Porter. He has a chance to be a special player. When you meet him, he’s kind of got that “it factor,” as far as he’s got cockiness, but in a good way. I think he’s a pro; he’s got the mindset now where he knows where he has a little more work to do as far as getting there. But he understands. Getting that experience last year with Team Canada was huge, to be a young kid playing with those types of players and see where you’ve got to get to. I just think he’s matured, and he has a chance to be a really good one for us.
But the guy we drafted, who is one of my favorites … is Cole Knuble. Just a good hockey player. So competitive, great motor, smart, plays every position. I don’t know where it’s going to get to, but he’s worked really hard on his skating, and it’s become good. It’ll be interesting to see when he turns pro. Guys like Barkey and him are the guys you cheer for.
Brent Flahr believes Cole Knuble, son of former Flyer Mike Knuble, is a prospect who has a chance to surprise.
Barkey’s such a smart player, he’s so competitive. You watch a game, you just kind of start just watching him, just because of the way he plays the game. Whether he can handle the size [remains to be seen] but he’s proven everybody wrong at every level.
Q: What are the strengths of the 2026 NHL draft?
A: Early on, I think it’s a strong defensemen draft. There are some quality wingers. I think there are a couple of centermen, but not a really deep pool of centermen. But some good players. … I don’t think there’s any Connor McDavids. There are some well-known, big-name players at the top end, and there are some guys challenging behind who aren’t as far up as some people think. So it’ll be interesting.
With hockey leagues around the world nearing the midway point and the World Junior Championship starting on Friday, we caught up with Brent Flahr to talk prospects. In Part 2 of our interview with the Flyers’ assistant general manager, we focused on the team’s international-based prospects and those competing in Lehigh Valley.
This interview, which was conducted on Dec. 10, has been edited for clarity and length.
Q: Where do you see Jack Berglund, who was pretty impressive at development camp, fitting?
A: I think he’s a very well-rounded player and has the ability to be a really good 3C, maybe more. But he can play power play. He’s strong. He wins battles. He can make plays. He’s very sound defensively. Where he’s played, he’s had to earn everything he can, but he can shoot it.
I think people worried about his skating, but his skating is coming along as well, and he’s big and strong. You’ll see at the U20 level, he’s a big, strong horse out there, but he’s nowhere near where he’s going to be at 23 years old. When you see him off the ice, he’s still a young guy, and you forget about that. … Not all these players who have been drafted are going to play the next year, but he’s on the right path to being a very good pro.
The Flyers remain bullish on Jack Berglund, who Brent Flahr says continues to make strides with his skating.
Q: How do you define it when you say a player’s skating is not NHL-ready?
A: Nine times out of 10, that’s strength-related. Like Tyson Foerster, everybody was worried about his skating when we drafted him. He was not a great skater when we drafted him. But it’s not all fundamentals. You see his body, he’s got no leg strength at this point. And you see he can generate speed in a straight line, quickness, agility, and lower-body power, stuff like that.
So Jack could skate in a straight line. His foot speed and everything had to improve, turning and that. But a lot of its strength, a lot of it’s just his body linking up for a big 6-4 guy. And as he gets older and stronger, he’s skating more than fine, and it’s something that he’s always gonna have to work on, the quickness and agility.
I compared his skating, when I saw him play as a young player, to a player that we had in Minnesota a long time, Mikko Koivu, who was a great player. He’s someone that he could pattern his game after because Mikko was a great two-way player, but he’s big and strong, and as a young player, people worried about his foot speed and whatnot, and he just became a really good pro for a long time that you can win with.
Q: Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Carson Bjarnason, have been the three B’s in Lehigh Valley. What have you seen from them in their transition to pro hockey? [Note: Barkey was recalled after this interview was conducted.]
A: Barkey, I think right from the start, he’s played very well. On the production side, he makes plays, he works, and the details are great. Such a smart player. He’s got to get stronger and build up his body to handle the grind but so far, so good. Down there, he’s been arguably our best forward a lot of nights, and coaches love him. …
I think Bumper, when he first went down there, even though playing last year — I don’t know if he thought it was going to be easy or disappointment from not making the team right away — I thought he stumbled around a little bit early, and then he found his game, and now he’s going. But part of the why he’s down there is to find the consistency in his game, not just offensively, but defensively, and managing the game and then playing it every night. But he’s talented. He’s producing now. I think he’s feeling good about himself, and he’s certainly going in the right direction. …
Alex Bump is producing down in Lehigh Valley but his defensive consistency remains a work in progress.
And Carson … I think he’s exceeded expectations so far. He’s got the right demeanor, the size, the athleticism, and he’s learning the pro game. … It just seems easier for him. In juniors, it was so chaotic in front of him; he used to get so many Grade A chances.
Q: You mentioned Aleksei Kolosov. He seems like a different player this year, no?
A: He is a different player, different personality. He’s really trying to fit in. He’s very athletic, very competitive, and he’s giving our team a chance to win down there almost every night. He’s a talented kid, so he’s got a chance to be an NHL goalie now. He just skipped a step last year. Now he’s building it back up again here, and we’ll see where it goes.
Q: What about Egor Zavragin? He has another year on his deal but it sounds like he’s playing well in Russia.
A: He’s a talented, talented kid with size. … He’s got to build up his body, which is a big focus for St. Petersburg, and he’s working hard. … We want him to be over here right away, but the one thing the KHL does, or has a history of doing recently, is developing goalies. So we’re in a good spot and, hopefully, when the time comes, we can get him over here and get him going.
Egor Zavragin has firmly established himself as one of the best young goaltenders in Europe.
Q: Christian Kyrou has hit the ground running in Lehigh Valley. What have you seen from him, and what are his NHL chances?
A: Well, he brings a dimension we didn’t really have there as far as his offense and the power-play ability but I think it was a good trade for both players, a new environment. What he’s brought is some swagger and some offensive instincts.
Obviously, he’s not the biggest guy, and his criticism was defensive play and lack of size, but he’s been fine. … What he does with the puck is he gets it going up the ice and transitions. … He’s been very good and productive … and really helped the power play.
Q: Samu Tuomaala went the other way in the deal. What do you think went wrong?
A: He just kind of stalled, and part of it, you’ve seen the guys that kind of went ahead of him. But Samu, when he’s on his game, he brings speed, he can really shoot the puck, and he’s a good kid. I just think for whatever reason, he just didn’t have it at the start of camp. … You look at what we have coming and what we have now, the way he was going, he was going to be boxed out, so we decided to make the move, and it kind of worked out for both teams.
Q: Ty Murchison recently made his NHL debut, and he has seemed to have jumped a few people. What made the Flyers opt to call him up from Lehigh Valley?
A: He’s a great kid. He can skate, he’s competitive, and he’s taken his game, even from last year in college, to a whole new level, even in the playoffs, and it’s opened a lot of people’s eyes here. He went down to Lehigh, and he did nothing but play well, played hard, played his game, and some other guys were up and down and not going. So when Rick Tocchet wanted a guy, that’s a guy they recommended just because of his performance and consistency and his battle level. I think it sends the right message to a lot of guys down there.
Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk just recently joined the Phantoms after missing most of the summer with an injury.
Q: Oliver Bonk just got back on the ice. What’s the latest with him?
A: Finally, he’s healthy, feeling good. … He’s a smart player. I assume he’ll be a fairly quick study, and I know coaches are happy with this first game, but it’s going to take him some time for conditioning, strength, and all that to get back up to normal.
Q: Where do you see Alex Bump this year? Do you see him getting called up?
A: It’s all based on his play and, to be honest with you, an opportunity here with injuries or whatever. … But he’s going in the right direction, and at some point, my guess is he’ll get an opportunity. .
Q: John Snowden was very impressive in my first interactions with him. How important has he been to the development of not just the ‘killer Bs’ that we talked about, but Karsen Dorwart, Devin Kaplan, and others in Lehigh Valley?
A: He’s got a presence on the ice when he teaches, when he runs a practice, but …[also] has fresh ideas, whether it’s generating offense or the way the team plays.
He wants guys to hold on to pucks, make plays, and that comes with mistakes. These guys are young, and they’re gonna have to learn to manage the puck and manage situations a little differently, but that’s part of the process of learning down there. … They’re having fun and they’re winning some games. So yeah, it’s a good development environment.
Q: There’s been a lot of criticism of the Flyers not having a 1C or 1D. What would you say to those people, and how would you assess the system?
A: There are not 32 1Cs in the league or 32 1Ds. So we’re always trying to look for that and strive for that. But we have some good players coming, guys who can play, hopefully, 2Cs. We have some guys on the wing, we think. We have some solid defensemen coming.
The Flyers believe Jack Nesbitt can develop into a strong 2C on a winning team.
We understand what we need to be an elite team; at the same time, we’re growing a pretty good base as far as depth through the lineup and people that can contribute in different ways. So, that’s where the Berglunds and some of these guys that aren’t talked about as much could be valuable pieces as well. Then you’ve got [Jett] Luchanko, and [Jack] Nesbitt, who are going to take a little time to get stronger. Heikki [Ruohonen], as well, is a really good player.
Q: Does it take the pressure off needing a 1C when you have such top-tier wingers?
A: I think it certainly helps, yeah. You can do some things, but you look at the elite teams, and they have 1Cs. Sometimes it surprises you, some guys turn into that, that you weren’t necessarily expecting. But I think we’re doing the best we can to build up around it, and last year, the most skilled position we can to help our team going forward. And at one point, whether we have the assets to get it by trade, or develop it within your system, we’ll do the best we can to do that.
A: Early on, I think it’s a strong defensemen draft. There are some quality wingers. I think there are a couple of centermen, but not a really deep pool of centermen. But some good players. … I don’t think there’s any Connor McDavids. There are some well-known, big-name players at the top end, and there are some guys challenging behind who aren’t as far up as some people think. So it’ll be interesting.
Penn State winger Gavin McKenna is viewed as the prize of the 2026 NHL draft, but others like defenseman Keaton Verhoeff are gaining steam.
Q: Trade chatter is starting to pick up. Do you think the Flyers can be competitive with putting packages together?
A: We have assets now, and teams are going to have interest in our assets and make trades. The thing is that we have this prospect pool now, part of what’s going to make the players good is these guys emerging into the NHL and down the road filling in roles in the depth. But now, if you have a chance to add a star piece or elite player, you’ve got to match the value of it, but you can’t totally decimate your prospect pool and all your young players just to get one player — and then you have one player, and you have a bad team. Not everybody’s going to be able to play, but at the same time, we’re in a good position now.
Q: Give me one or two prospects that you’re excited about in the system.
A: Porter [Martone] is Porter. He has a chance to be a special player. When you meet him, he’s kind of got that “it factor,” as far as he’s got cockiness, but in a good way. I think he’s a pro; he’s got the mindset now where he knows where he has a little more work to do as far as getting there. But he understands. Getting that experience last year with Team Canada was huge, to be a young kid playing with those types of players and see where you’ve got to get to. I just think he’s matured, and he has a chance to be a really good one for us.
But the guy we drafted, who is one of my favorites … is Cole Knuble. Just a good hockey player. So competitive, great motor, smart, plays every position. I don’t know where it’s going to get to, but he’s worked really hard on his skating, and it’s become good. It’ll be interesting to see when he turns pro. Guys like Barkey and him are the guys you cheer for.
Barkey’s such a smart player, he’s so competitive. You watch a game, you just kind of start just watching him, just because of the way he plays the game. Whether he can handle the size [remains to be seen] but he’s proven everybody wrong at every level.
On Monday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, Flyers fans would boo the Vancouver Canucks, like they do with every opposing team.
But one Canuck, defenseman Tyler Myers, had a cheering section to drown out the noise, led by his half brother, 76ers guard Quentin Grimes.
Grimes and Myers are the only pair of brothers to ever play in the NHL and NBA.
Their mother “gets on my dad a lot about who’s got the best genes in the family,” Grimes said jokingly. “She gets the bragging rights on that.”
Myers was born Feb. 1, 1990, 10 years before Grimes was born, in Houston. His father Paul, a former college hockey player, encouraged him to put on skates. Their mother, Tonja Stelly, and later Grimes’ father, Marshall Grimes, both former college basketball players, taught Myers how to play basketball.
“He said he had a pretty good crossover and stuff like that,” Grimes said. “He definitely [has] a little bit of game to him, for sure.”
When Grimes was much younger, he said the two sometimes would try and play one-on-one. “Just messing around, trying to play against the tallest guy I’ve ever seen,” he said. Myers is one of the NHL’s tallest players, standing at 6-foot-8, compared to Grimes, who is 6-4.
The brothers never lived together. Myers left Texas shortly after Grimes was born to live in Calgary with his father, where he grew into a professional hockey player. Grimes stayed behind in Texas, but the two of them would see each other as often as they could during the summer or school breaks.
Sixers guard Quentin Grimes has a half brother who plays for the Vancouver Canucks.
Myers became a mainstay in the NHL while Grimes established himself as a top basketball prospect. When Grimes was a junior in high school, the two got back in regular touch, with Grimes tapping into Myers’ years of experience as a professional athlete as he was just starting out.
“It’s been growing ever since I got pretty good at basketball,” Grimes said. “My mom was asking him some stuff to help me be a professional: eating habits, how to take care of your body, and stuff like that.”
The Canucks defenseman is one of just 28 active players to play more than 1,100 games in the NHL, a feat he has accomplished over 17 seasons. Myers had one goal and eight points this season. Grimes, in his fifth NBA season, is averaging a career-best 15.3 points for the Sixers.
The sports might be different, but the daily routines of the NBA and NHL schedules are nearly identical. They play 82 regular-season games from fall to spring, with a similar playoff and travel structure.
That means that whenever Grimes is going through something, Myers said usually has experienced it, too, and they’ll talk about it.
“Watching him on the court, you can tell his confidence and his mindset just have come such a long way,” Myers said. “I remember that progression when I was a young kid from 20 to 25, it looked very, very similar.”
Tyler Myers (left) of the Vancouver Canucks pursues former Flyer Cam Atkinson during a game in 2023.
Grimes said Myers has been critical in teaching him how to be a pro. He’s nowhere close to Myers’ longevity in his sport, but seeing the habits and routines up close helped him transition into the league.
“Listening to your body if you have nagging injuries,” Grimes said. “[Myers would] always say that he would take some lighter days or try to do that. Early in my career, I would just try to grind and grind and grind, and then an injury gets worse, and your body just breaks down a little bit.”
Myers, who has played in cities that don’t have NBA teams his entire career, has seen Grimes play in person in the NBA only once, when the Canucks’ extended road trip to New York gave him a day off on a night with a Knicks home game.
Unfortunately, Grimes played just a few seconds before he suffered an injury and missed the rest of the game.
“I showed up a couple minutes in; the game had started already,” Myers said. “A couple minutes went by, he came in, and like a minute later, he was laying on the floor, hurt. I was bad luck that day, and that was the only time I’ve been able to overlap with him.”
One day, Myers hopes to have another opportunity to see his younger brother play a full game in person, but he’s been following his career from afar. Grimes is a bit luckier — he gets to see Myers play about once a year, including on Monday night for the first time in Philly, since all the teams he has played on have been in cities with NHL teams of their own. He also has made trips to Vancouver and Buffalo.
“This is fun for me, to be a fan,” Grimes said. “Get rowdy, because hockey fans are completely different from NBA fans. They get real rowdy. I like to get rowdy with them, talk a lot of smack with the other fans if they’re in the arena.”
The Canucks had a cheering section at least 12 strong at the Flyers’ arena, including Grimes, their mother, and several other family members making the trip to celebrate having both brothers together around the holidays. The Canucks ultimately lost the game, 5-2, but Myers still gave them something to cheer about, earning a secondary assist on Vancouver’s first goal.
Myers, who now has three children of his own, couldn’t remember the last time they had a group this big together around the holiday season.
“Having this so close to Christmastime is a little bit more special,” Grimes said ahead of the game. “Knowing that Christmas is around the corner, our mom came up, a lot of our family came up for the game, so it’ll be pretty special.”
It’s official — this season’s collection of Birds doesn’t resemble the 2023 Eagles.
After a second consecutive definitive victory, this time over the Washington Commanders on Saturday, the Eagles have effectively shot down any further comparisons to their plight two seasons ago.
No, their last two opponents, including the Las Vegas Raiders, won’t frighten most playoff-caliber teams (although the Geno Smith-led Raiders hung 21 points on the top-ranked Houston Texans defense on Sunday). Plus, the Eagles still have a number of concerns to address before the playoffs, including Jake Elliott’s kicking woes and the inefficiency of the Tush Push.
But the 2023 Eagles too frequently stooped to the level of their opponents, as evidenced by their late-season losses to the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants. That has not been this Eagles team, even in the absence of two of their top linemen in Lane Johnson and Jalen Carter.
The Eagles’ greatest remaining test of the regular season awaits Sunday when they visit the 11-4 Buffalo Bills. Here’s what we know (and what we don’t) about the Eagles heading into their penultimate game of the season:
Could keeping Jalen Hurts out of harm’s way be in the cards for Week 18 against the apparently angry Commanders?
Seeding on the line
Ahead of last year’s Super Bowl run, Jalen Hurts sat out the final two games of the season while in concussion protocol, but he likely wouldn’t have started in Week 18 anyway given that the Eagles had already clinched the NFC’s No. 2 seed.
Could a respite be on the horizon for the Eagles starters? After Saturday’s win, Hurts was asked whether he would welcome a chance to rest if the opportunity presented itself over the last two weeks.
“That’s above me,” Hurts said. “If someone asks me, I’ll answer. But it’s above me to answer right now.”
In reality, that opportunity isn’t imminent. By the time the Eagles’ game against the Bills starts at 4:25 p.m., Hurts and his teammates will have a chance to improve their seeding in Week 17 with a win.
According to Wharton professor Deniz Selman, if the Eagles beat the Bills, they will only be locked into the No. 3 seed if the Seattle Seahawks beat the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at 1 p.m. and the Chicago Bears defeat the San Francisco 49ers at 8:20 that evening.
The Eagles play before the Bears, so Nick Sirianni ought to play his starters in Week 17. If that scenario for the Seahawks and the Bears doesn’t pan out, the Eagles could have a chance to improve to the No. 2 seed in Week 18, pending the outcome of Colts-49ers on Monday Night Football.
Unlike last season, there’s a chance that Week 18 will have real meaning, requiring the starters to play to give the Eagles a shot at a better seed. But the Bills will look to get in the Eagles’ way, as they’re still in the fight to win the AFC East with the 12-3 New England Patriots.
Will reigning MVP Josh Allen be ready to go against the Eagles?
Trouble afoot?
The injuries have been piling up for the Eagles’ opposing quarterbacks over the last four weeks. There was Justin Herbert’s left hand injury, Geno Smith’s shoulder, Jayden Daniels’ elbow, Marcus Mariota’s right hand, and now Josh Allen’s foot.
But Allen’s injury, which he suffered on a foolish sack just before halftime in the Bills’ 23-20 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, didn’t sideline him. He received an X-ray on his foot and was cleared to return for the second half.
While Allen said after the game that he didn’t think the injury impacted his play after halftime, his production dipped considerably. The 29-year-old quarterback went from 6-of-7 for 86 passing yards and 17 yards on four carries in the first half to 6-of-12 for 44 passing yards and no yards on three runs in the second.
That second-half rushing output is unusual for Allen. He leads the league’s quarterbacks with 552 rushing yards, with the majority of that total coming from scrambles (436), according to Pro Football Focus.
The Eagles have had their issues containing mobile quarterbacks this season. Vic Fangio’s unit has given up 328 rushing yards to quarterbacks, the fifth-highest total in the league.
But while Mariota was in the game on Saturday, the Eagles kept him contained. He finished with one kneel-down for a loss of a yard, his worst rushing total in a game this season and just his third game out of 11 in which he did not post double-digit rushing yards.
James Cook III provides an offensive threat for the Bills.
Bills get Cooking
The Bills neutralized the Browns’ Myles Garrett-led pass rush in part by handing the ball off to James Cook. The 26-year-old running back rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, bringing his total for the season to a league-best 1,532 yards (on a league-high 287 attempts).
Cook is getting a helping hand from his offensive line and tight ends. According to Pro Football Reference, Cook leads the league with 919 rushing yards before contact. The Detroit Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs is the next-closest back with 770.
The Bills’ running game will meet its match on Sunday. Since the Eagles’ nightmare of an outing against the Bears’ rushing attack last month, the group has tightened up, conceding 4.0 yards per attempt in the last three weeks (tied for the sixth-lowest average in the league).
Jordan Davis has been one of the keys to the Eagles’ success in stopping the run. He tied for the team lead with six run stops on Saturday, wreaking havoc on a Commanders attack that ranks fourth in the league in rushing yardage. Davis has been disruptive late into the season, even while he’s playing a career-high 62% of the defensive snaps this year.
“I feel great,” Davis said after the game. “It’s the wear and tear of the season. Your body is never going to feel as good as it is going into camp. But I feel good. The work has been put in. It’s just continue on. Just have to continue.”
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley after scoring a rushing touchdown against the Washington Commanders on Saturday.
Running rampant
The Bills won’t be the only team looking to run the ball on Sunday. The Eagles’ rushing attack has had a resurgence over the last couple of weeks, combining for a league-high 390 yards in Weeks 15-16.
Saquon Barkley, of course, is at the center of that achievement. He took strides in the Week 14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, highlighted by the efficiency of the under-center running game. While Barkley had far more shotgun runs in Week 16 against the Commanders, his explosive 48-yard run came from an under-center jumbo personnel handoff.
In his last three games, Barkley ranks second in the league with a combined 332 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Barkley — and Hurts — could be bound for more success on the ground on Sunday. The Bills have conceded 5.4 yards per rushing attempt this season, which is the second-worst clip in the NFL.
They’ve had a particularly tough time corralling quarterbacks. The Bills have allowed 356 rushing yards to quarterbacks this season, which is the third-highest total in the league. Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders took advantage of the Bills’ leaky run defense, leading the team with 49 rushing yards on four scrambles.
Hurts gave the Commanders headaches on scrambles, too. He had 40 yards on five scrambles, picking up three first downs along the way. While the designed running game was less of an emphasis in that game, Hurts was still able to extend plays with his legs. He could have another opportunity to build on that success on Sunday.
