Philadelphia Flyers
What Flyers Roster Should Look Like on Opening Night
In five days, the Philadelphia Flyers will need to have made their final decisions on roster battles and submit the opening night roster.
Only one preseason game remains – Thursday, against the New Jersey Devils—which means it’s crunch time for the Flyers players currently on the roster bubble.
If the two training camp groups of the remaining players tell us anything, it’s that the Flyers roster is taking shape.
Flyers Roster
Tyson Foerster – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett – Morgan Frost – Matvei Michkov
Joel Farabee – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Scott Laughton – Ryan Poehling – Garnet Hathaway
Extras: Nick Deslauriers, Olle Lycksell
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler – Jamie Drysdale
Egor Zamula – Rasmus Ristolainen
Extra: Erik Johnson
Sam Ersson, Ivan Fedotov
Although free agent signing Anthony Richard has had an impressive preseason thanks to his speed and aggression, prospect Olle Lycksell has the advantage of being with the Flyers during parts of the 2023-24 season.
Additionally, Lycksell has been more productive offensively, helping an average attacking team put some pucks in the net this preseason, especially on the power play.
On the other hand, 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko is making a hard push to make the Flyers outright just months after being selected in the draft, but his age and inexperience will undoubtedly work against him when the time comes for a decision.
“I think one guy that has stood out with pace, and I don’t think has really been affected too much, is Luchanko,” head coach John Tortorella said after practice on Wednesday. “I think he continues to skate. I checked with him today about his legs, he said they feel pretty good. Maybe that’s the youth, I don’t know, but he’s hung in there really well.”
In all likelihood, Luchanko is going to bank this summer experience with the Flyers and come back in 2025 with a much more realistic chance of making the NHL roster outright.
As for potentially carrying an eighth defenseman, Tortorella is less impressed but admitted there is still a clubhouse favorite if that is how the roster shapes up in the coming days.
“The No. 8 spot is wide open. Ginning was one that we kind of had penciled in there, I thought he’s had a bad camp,” Tortorella assessed. “Andrae has quietly gone about his business and has had a good camp. So, that’s why he practiced with us today.
“As I’ve told a number of those defensemen, ‘What are you waiting for?’ Because that spot is wide open.”
In net, Sam Ersson and Ivan Fedotov are the unquestioned goalies heading into the season, but it would not be a surprise if a motivated Alexei Kolosov, who wants to push for an NHL spot now, is brought along as a third goaltender.
It might not happen right away, but Kolosov will almost certainly own the crease at least once for the Flyers this season.
The 2024-25 opening night roster for the Flyers should not come with too many surprises if any at all, but with one preseason game to go, there’s still time for some last-minute drama to unfold.
If they don’t keep Kolosov on the roster, then Petersen ends up on the Royals since Makiniemi is with the Phantoms.
I read earlier cal Peterson was flat out cut . Not sure what that means . I took it as he won’t be in organization anymore
he was only given to us as a writeoff if someone else would take provorov . Provy was drafted as a #1 d man and never had the skill from day 1. No way he’s my 2nd pair offensively over Sanheim so we had to find a new home for provy. Provy needs to be paired with a standout defensive guy on his pairing whether it’s 2nd or 3rd pair.
petersoon and Johansson are just writeoffs . Next year we will be done take on those type contracts as favors for other teams
next year begins real deal. Peterson never đź‘Ž really took the #1 from quick. They tried to hand it to him and he rolled over and they had to hang onto quick because Peterson never took off like they thought he was going to
What the heck are you talking about
LOL….good luck there.
Petersen had NHL experience with 106 games, he became an intriguing netminder with the LA Kings, recording a 2.89 GAA in 35 games played in 2020-21 and in 37 games in 2021-22. He was LA’s starter in the shortened 2021 campaign, playing 13 more games than Jonathan Quick but winning two fewer contests. Petersen signed a three-year deal worth $5M annually before the 2022-23 season, and he then started the year with a 3.75 GAA and .868 SP in 10 games. He went off to the AHL’s Ontario Reign for the rest of the season. Then after the Flyers acquired him, Petersen spent most of last year with the Phantoms.
Luchanko should stay. He wants it, he’s earned it. He can grow here.
Sending him back to the juniors is a waste of talent on a teamed that’s starving for talent down the middle.
I tend to agree. Only three players on Luchanko’s team, including himself, are in an NHL organization. Playing with bad players is not necessarily the best way to develop better offensive instincts if that’s what the Flyers are looking for.
So, what, give him the 9 games and then see if he sticks? But, u would have to put him at 3C, at least? 4th line minutes wouldn’t be worth it.
Agree. Plus, that would burn a year off his ELC for a year in which he would not be much of a factor. He can grow for another year in juniors and make the roster next year even stronger.
I would put Jett in Cates spot. Cates looked bad, wake him up with at least a 9 game stint for Lucanko. At this point I would love to see the flyers trade one of the Russian goalies and the Edmonton first round pick to the Ducks for Zegras. Ducks Gibson just had surgery and they don’t have a 2nd round pick in the coming draft. The late first would be like an outstanding second.
If Erik Johnson doesn’t get in their regularly we still only have 2 defensive defenseman and 4 offensive which is fine but I would like to see how it’s eventually going to be for our cup in 3 years
since bonk won’t be up , would love to see drysdale paired with risto or Johnson on top pair so drysdale can do his full offensive show with no worries . Seeler can’t play top pair
hopefully Sanheim and ristoleinen get time together like the first year . The twin towers were unstoppable even if we were tanking at the time . York and risto looked good together on top pair vs Detroit that would be a great pair too eventually
I know we will have to deal with another year of people complaining about york and sanheim can’t play defense (because they are being used together by default thru no fault of their own, ) . We will be hearing people complain about risto being sheltered and couturier on 4th line some more .
just give it this one more year , “while everyone learns to play” some more if that the code for tank
I agree with the defense pairings. Sanheim and York don’t work well together because they limit each other. Both are at their best when jumping into the play, but they can’t do that at the same time. I would like to see York get a long run with Ristolainen this season.
Jett needs to make the team he’s ready!
JettLu should at least, at a minimum, get the nine game audition and then determine if he should stay or go back to Guelph.