Philadelphia Flyers

No. 22: Flyers Select Defenseman Oliver Bonk, Son of Former NHL Player Radek Bonk

Published

10 months ago

June 28, 2023

Oliver Bonk, with Keith Jones and Daniel Briere.

The Philadelphia Flyers, basking in the glow of selecting Matvei Michkov earlier with the 7 pick, drafted defenseman Oliver Bonk with the 22nd pick on Wednesday in Nashville.

Bonk is 6-foot-1, 176 pounds and a right-handed shot. He played this past season for the London Knights, of the Ontario Hockey League.

He played 67 games and scored 10 goals and 30 assists.

So far, general manager Daniel Briere picked a player on offense and one on defense.

“It feels great [to be drafted by the Flyers],” Bonk said. “It’s like a dream come true. I don’t remember walking down the stairs anymore. Definitely a dream come true.”

Bonk was asked about his skills and his strengths.

“I think my hockey IQ,” Bonk said. “I know it’s maybe not a skill. My smarts help me on both sides of the ice.

“We talked a lot to Danny Briere and their staff. We had a good couple of talks with them at the combine.”

Bonk said he needs to “getting bigger and stronger. A lot of guys say that but I’m filling out my frame. I’m pretty tall. Pretty lanky, still. Put some muscle on. Working on my shot, skating.”

Bonk’s father, Radek, is from Czechia. He was a center who played 969 NHL games over 14 seasons.

“He had a huge influence,” Oliver Bonk said. “I’m here because of him. Thanks to him. He coached me all the way growing up. Lot of life lessons from him so he’s had a big effect on me.”

Bonk’s next trip to Philly will be his first trip to Philly. “I’ve never been to Philadelphia actually, so it’s going to be a cool thing going there for the first time,” Bonk said. “About Flyers, I know they work extremely hard. They have their work boots on.”

Elite Prospects said this about Bonk: “A prototypical shutdown defenseman, Bonk safeguards his team by backtracking ahead of offensive turnovers, blocks access to the defensive zone, forces opponents to dump the puck around him, and then seals the puck from them on the back wall.

“He pushes attackers wide in the defensive zone and scans the ice behind him to stop backdoor plays.”

Bonk knows he’s part of the Flyers’ rebuild. “The main thing from them is they want to win some games and they want to get whoever they can to help win games,” Bonk said. “I can definitely be part of that.”