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Tag: Owen Tippett

  • Flyers earn a point, but still seek first win of the season following an overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes

    Flyers earn a point, but still seek first win of the season following an overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes

    The Flyers are still looking for their first win of the season, after losing 3-2 in overtime to the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes — and questionable officiating.

    Owen Tippett was called for a slashing call in overtime, one of several debatable calls against the Flyers on the night, and former Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere ripped the game-winner past goalie Joseph Woll in his home debut.

    The Flyers stayed on the bench after, wanting the goal reviewed by the NHL. Right before Gostisbehere scored, the Flyers thought Andrei Svechnikov cross-checked Nick Seeler and bumped Woll as he skated atop the crease to set a screen.

    Facing the team that eliminated them from the 2026 playoffs in a sweep , the Flyers played a little better than the first two games of the season. However, they still went 0-for-4 on the power play with nine shot attempts and two shots on goal, including a man advantage that carried into overtime. And while Carolina is known as a high shot volume team and put 40 shots on goal, the Flyers could only muster 18.

    Philly is now 0-1-2. It is the first three-game winless streak to start the season since 2014-15, when they lost four straight back then.

    It didn’t look like the Flyers would earn a point in this one because, just 10 seconds in, Sebastian Aho put the Flyers in a 1-0 hole. The Hurricanes won the opening face-off, with Jaccob Slavin dumping it into the Flyers’ end and Andrei Svechnikov chasing it down as it rang around.

    He sent it back behind the net to William Carrier, who put the puck in front, but onto the stick of Christian Dvorak. The center tried to tap it to Matvei Michkov, but it went right to Aho, who scored off the glove of Woll.

    76 Seconds with the Flyers before the 2026-27 season opener
    Video: 76 Seconds with the Flyers before the 2026-27 season opener

    With the Flyers struggling, Tippett told The Inquirer on Saturday morning that simplifying everything right now was important. Well, he did that in the offensive zone and, as a result, found the back of the net.

    The play started in the neutral zone when, after a pass from Travis Sanheim missed Tippett, Rasmus Ristolainen bodied Aho along the boards a few feet into the Flyers’ end. The puck popped loose, and Tippett grabbed it to begin the rush.

    Trevor Zegras got the puck and found Sanheim trailing, but the defenseman, instead of shooting straight down the pike, tried to feed Tippett for a redirect as he was crashing down the right side. It didn’t connect there either, but Tippett got the puck back for a turnaround shot that was blocked, then a one-timer from above the circles, and eventually, off a scramble, collected it for a snapshot past Pyotr Kochetkov’s glove.

    Sandwiched around two power plays —the first one was only 70 seconds — that saw the Flyers get four shots to the Hurricanes’ two, was Michkov’s first goal of the season.

    Skating with Travis Konecny and Dvorak, Michkov was left all alone as his linemates were battling to get the puck down the right boards. With two Hurricanes drawn to Konecny, Michkov skated down the middle, got the pass from his fellow winger, and buried it past his countryman Kochetkov as the goalie came out of the crease to challenge.

    Carolina tied it 2-2 in the third period, scoring a power-play goal on a bumper shot from Aho off a pass by Nikolaj Ehlers. Michkov was in the box for a legitimate holding call.

    Owen Tippett (center) battles for the puck in Saturday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Breakaways

    Ristolainen left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury and will be reevaluated on Sunday. Ristolainen blocked a shot by Hurricanes defenseman K’Andre Miller with 3 minutes and 31 seconds left in the second period. He finished that shift, ending over a minute later, but missed his next shift and played one 37-second shift to start the third period. Tocchet said Flyers general manager Danny Brière was speaking with the trainers at that moment. They will decide tonight or tomorrow if they need to make a call-up for the upcoming road trip. … Carolina earned their first win of the season.

    Up next

    Flyers hit the road for a three-game trip beginning on Monday in Tampa Bay against the Lightning (7 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Owen Tippett and Noah Cates back in action, Cole Knuble strong again in Flyers’ preseason loss to Bruins

    Owen Tippett and Noah Cates back in action, Cole Knuble strong again in Flyers’ preseason loss to Bruins

    Playing their second preseason game in as many nights and again facing a stacked NHL roster while fielding a lineup missing most of their regulars, the Flyers lost 5-1 to the Boston Bruins.

    Nothing to fret over, as preseason scores are virtually irrelevant. As Owen Tippett told the team’s website after the game, “You try not to worry too much about the score and just focus on details.”

    Coach Rick Tocchet said in Hershey on Monday night his focus is on concepts and guys showing they can play tired — 11 players played both ends of the back-to-back games. The Flyers did get tired as the game wore on, with Tocchet saying that he thought the team played OK in the first period, better in the second, and struggled in the third.

    Flyers goalie Dan Vladař leaves preseason debut with an unspecified injury

    The biggest storyline Tuesday night in Boston was Flyers goalie Dan Vladař leaving the game with an upper-body injury in the first period. Here are five more things we noticed:

    Cole Knuble is good

    In Monday’s game against the Washington Capitals, Knuble showed off his high-motor, high-pressure game, and grabbed a goal and an assist. Despite taking a bus back to Voorhees and then hopping on a plane less than 24 hours later, he looked fresh as a daisy on Tuesday.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, the 22-year-old forward led the Flyers in individual shot attempts (seven) — six at five-on-five — individual high-danger chances (two), individual expected goals (0.51), and was the only player with a rush attempt. He tied Jack Studnicka in individual scoring chances (four) and Danila Klimovich in takeaways (two).

    Rick Tocchet has seen “a lot of growth” in Cole Knuble’s game.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    He had two giveaways but generated a ton of offense, notably when he came off the bench in the third period, smartly streaked down the center of the ice, and stepped into a pass from Noah Cates out of the corner that hit the post. Less than a minute later, Knuble drove to the net with Carl Grundström but couldn’t beat Boston’s Jeremy Swayman.

    “[Knuble’s] a really good, tenacious player, is good with the puck, not afraid to take the puck to the net,” Tocchet said after the game. “There’s definitely a lot of growth in that guy’s game.”

    His line, with Jett Luchanko and Grundström, generated offense with 11 shot attempts to the Bruins’ nine, outshot the opposition 7-4, had two more scoring chances (7-5), and had three high-danger chances while not allowing high-danger chance to NHLers David Pastrňák, Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie, and JJ Peterka, who were playing for Boston.

    Remember Gaucher

    Jacob Gaucher doesn’t want to be forgotten. Typically not mentioned among the center depth, Gaucher scored a nifty goal to tie the game 1-1.

    Flyers defenseman Cam York looking to build on strong foundation: ‘Offensively, there’s a lot there for me still’

    The Quebec native got the puck in the Flyers’ end, carried it up the left side wide, cut around defenseman Maxence Guenette — his former teammate with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League — and buried it past Swayman. Gaucher won 50% of his faceoffs (6-of-12) but was on the ice for two goals against.

    “Trying to make an impact, showing what I can do,” Gaucher said afterward.

    Vets back

    Cates and Tippett, who each had their postseason cut short due to injury — Cates suffered a foot injury in the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Tippett missed that entire series with an “internal bleeding issue” and an unrelated sports hernia — got their first game action of the preseason.

    “Good to get back into it,” Tippett told the team’s website. “Obviously it’s the first one of many. So, it’s nice to get the reps in and get my legs back under me.”

    Noah Cates had one shot on goal and two individual shot attempts on Tuesday night in Boston.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Tippett showcased his speed and physicality across 14 minutes, 25 seconds of ice time. He had two shots on goal, five individual shot attempts, and three hits. Cates played 15:36, lost 12 of 18 in the faceoff dot, had one shot on goal, and two individual shot attempts.

    They played on a line with Alex Bump and, while the trio allowed more shot attempts (6-14), shots (4-7), and scoring chances (2-7), they did not allow a goal against.

    Tyson Foerster is ready to roll after last year’s injury setback: He ‘could score 40 goals in this league’

    Breakaways

    Originally slated to play the third period, Aleksei Kolosov came in for Vladař with under seven minutes left in the first and had a strong showing until the third. He finished with 14 saves on 18 shots. Vladař had looked sharp before leaving, stopping five of six. … Defenseman David Jiříček played a team-high 22:46 and blocked a game-high four shots. … The Flyers still have work to do to clean up their defensive game. Brian Halonen made it 3-1 from atop the crease on the rebound of a point shot with Hunter McDonald nearby; Elias Lindholm buried one on a quick shot from the slot despite being surrounded by Flyers; and the Flyers overcommitted to the left side of the ice, giving Michael Eyssimont space to fire home the puck from just inside the right circle.

    Up next

    The Flyers finish their preseason schedule with two home games, beginning with a rematch against the Bruins on Thursday (7 p.m., NBCSP). They close out the slate on Saturday when the Capitals visit (5 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Winger Owen Tippett relishes chance to ‘pay it back’ with Flyers’ Learn to Play hockey program

    Winger Owen Tippett relishes chance to ‘pay it back’ with Flyers’ Learn to Play hockey program

    Starting Thursday, Owen Tippett will begin preparations for his seventh full NHL season and fifth in Philly. For the 27-year-old, the memories aren’t always at the forefront, but now and then, a picture pops up and reminds him of his days skating as a kid in Toronto.

    This is why the Flyers winger is also entering his third straight season serving as an ambassador for the Flyers Learn to Play Rookie Program.

    Oliver Bonk’s goal is to make the Flyers’ opening roster. The defenseman is off to a good start.

    “Obviously, that’s how a lot of hockey careers start, is in learn to play. Anytime you get a program that kind of helps out the way the Flyers do, it’s always nice to help them out when you can, and to have your name behind something like that means a lot,” said Tippett. His wife, Taylor, who also grew up playing hockey, is joining him as an ambassador.

    “We all started out at that point, and I can still remember playing and learning how to skate, too. So to pay it back in any way is always special.”

    Launched in 2017, the Flyers Learn to Play Rookie Program has introduced more than 6,700 kids to hockey. Last year saw a record-breaking 33% increase in registration and more than 200 girls participating.

    Many of those girls first got a taste of the sport on World Girls Hockey Weekend, where young women can try hockey for free. This year, the weekend will be held Oct. 16-18 at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees or Havertown’s Skatium.

    “If you’re a kid that’s growing up playing hockey in this area, odds are you’re going to be a Flyers fan — we hope that’s the case — but we try and make sure that we’re always present in the rinks and in the hockey community, sort of at every step of development, so that they always feel that pull and they feel that connection to the Flyers,” Rob Baer, the team’s senior director of community relations and hockey development, told The Inquirer. ”It starts at the very beginning.”

    The Flyers’ Learn to Play program costs $299 and outfits each kid from head to toe with equipment.Courtesy of the Flyers

    To grow the game and make participating in the sport easier despite the steep cost, each player in the program gets outfitted from head to toe with hockey equipment — including skates and a bag to carry all the gear — a personal welcome message from the Tippetts, a certificate of completion signed by Owen, and the chance to meet Flyers alumni at select sessions.

    This season, the program, which costs $299, will operate at 20 rinks across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Families seeking financial assistance can apply for the 2026 Flyers Charities Scholarship.

    On Monday, after wrapping up his own hockey session — he said he is “all good” and ready to go after missing the second round of the playoffs due to an internal bleeding issue and an unrelated sports hernia — Tippett met two graduates of the Learn to Skate program. Tessa Kobal, 7, from Voorhees, and 8-year-old Eleanor McDermott from Cherry Hill. Both were brand new to the sport this past spring.

    “There was this birthday party; it was an ice skating birthday party, and I liked ice skating, so my parents signed me up for Learn to Skate, and I decided I wanted to do hockey, not figure skating,” said Eleanor, who, like Tessa, participated in a girls-only session of the Learn to Play program this spring.

    “She hadn’t touched a hockey stick — we did skating — and then she said, ‘Well, I kind of like hockey,’” added Eleanor’s father, Travis McDermott. “Then Learn to Play came up and she did that once and [it was like], ‘Oh, yeah, tryouts are next week.’”

    Without much preparation, Eleanor and Tessa each tried out and made the Philadelphia Liberties under-10 and under-8 teams, respectively. The Liberties are an all-girls hockey club based out of the Flyers Training Center.

    Denver Barkey’s speed, Alex Bump’s puck skills, and other takeaways from Flyers’ Rookie Series vs. Rangers

    The pair finished out the Learn to Play program, and now the dynamic duo is tearing it up on the ice in No. 1 (Tessa) and No. 99 (Eleanor) jerseys. Tessa is enjoying scoring goals — she also plays dek hockey and proudly recalled the time she scored four during a game in Medford. — and Eleanor, a speedy player who likes to play defense and already has a game under her belt, is excited to work on her crossovers.

    “It’s great,” Tippett said about his involvement. “Obviously we’re super busy, and anytime you get the chance to, not only with this, but we’ve gone to children’s hospitals, and around the holidays we’ll do extra stuff. It’s an easy ask, and it’s an easy answer to say yes, to get out in the community and meet people.

    “Obviously, [with] what we do, it’s nice to get a break and get away from the game a little bit and give back. The fans do so much for us, and the least we can do is be out in the community, showing how much we appreciate them.”

    Owen Tippett’s wife, Taylor, played hockey growing up and is also heavily involved in the Learn to Play program.Courtesy of Flyers
  • Who will the Flyers draft? Will Danny Brière make a big trade? Is someone’s job at risk? Highlights from our Reddit AMA.

    Who will the Flyers draft? Will Danny Brière make a big trade? Is someone’s job at risk? Highlights from our Reddit AMA.

    On the eve of the 2026 NHL draft, Inquirer Flyers reporter Jackie Spiegel hopped on r/Flyers to answer some fan questions in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) Thursday afternoon. Topics included everything from who the team will select on Friday night to whether or not general manager Danny Brière will make a splashy trade or free agent signing. Here are some highlights …

    (Questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.)

    Q. Who is your No. 1 choice for the Flyers’ pick at 21, and do you see anyone being worth moving up a few spots for if a reasonable deal is possible? For example, moving up to secure someone like Alexander Command.

    A. My No. 1 choice at No. 21 would be Command, if he is there. Like Shane Vansaghi last year, he oozes Flyer, and he feels a connection to the team and the fan base. Ilia Morozov and Jack Hextall are also strong candidates at center, as is Maddox Dagenais, who projects more as a wing but can play down the middle. If going the defense route, I wouldn’t be against Tommy Bleyl, who will now be linking up with Matthew Gard at Michigan State in 2027.

    Q&A: Draft analyst Chris Peters weighs Flyers’ options at No. 21, Alexander Command’s NHL comparison, and more
    Q. What are the chances the Flyers pick Xavier Villenueve if he’s available? … I think he’s a player you should take a swing on because his upside is just so high.

    A. Villeneuve is quite small, height- and weight-wise, and there are serious question marks about his competitive level and defensive awareness. Now, assistant GM Brent Flahr did say that a small blueliner has to be dynamic, and there is no question that he is the most dynamic defenseman in this draft class. He will get a lot of coaching at Boston University, where Lane Hutson, to whom he compares his game, went. But from what I’ve heard in my conversations around hockey, I don’t know if he’s a first-rounder. If he is there in the second round, I think it may be a no-brainer, but not in the first.

    Q. Is there any sense at all that Flahr’s position might be in question with the organization?

    A. I don’t believe so. Are there miscues and missteps? Sure, but it happens to a lot of teams. Thirteen other teams passed on Cole Caufield in addition to the Flyers, and working with Danny Brière, they have restocked the cupboard, especially at center.

    Something else to keep in mind, whenever looking at drafts in general, according to a study done by DobberProspects back in 2020, approximately 60 NHL players from a draft class make it to the NHL, which is less than 27%. Since Flahr has been at the helm, 50 players have been drafted. Not counting the 16 players from the last two draft classes, although Porter Martone and Jett Luchanko have played NHL games, 44% have played at least one NHL game. I’m not defending him at all, but that is a pretty good number with seven total coming from the 2022 and 2023 classes, which are just starting to break into the league as a whole.

    Flyers mock draft 3.0: Could another Hextall be wearing Orange and Black soon?
    Q. Due to the crazy sellers’ market lately, why is Brière not doing everything he can to sell obvious pieces like Rasmus Ristolainen and Owen Tippett? Does he think these players will be winning us a Cup before they retire?

    A. Good question! Keith Jones told me in 2024: “I can assure you that if there is something that’s happening, it’s going to be highly unlikely that anybody knows about it.”

    I think we’ve seen that, so my gut feeling is patience. Also, I do think Ristolainen is getting moved. Brière has held firm on getting a No. 1 pick for guys like Scott Walker and Scott Laughton, and I believe he is holding firm here. Why wasn’t he traded earlier, you may ask? As previously reported, teams wanted to make sure he was healthy. That’s been proved, and now there is a lot of trade chatter. As for Tippett, I know the haul would be huge, especially with what we’ve seen of late, but trading him takes a ton of speed out of the lineup, and the Flyers need that.

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladař stops Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin’s shootout attempt.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
    Q. Will Danny make a move that will shock the fan base?

    A. It wouldn’t surprise me. There have been a few, no? I remember sitting watching a game in January 2024 — couldn’t even tell you off the top of my head who the Flyers were playing that night — and getting the shocking news about the Jamie Drysdale-Cutter Gauthier trade. I do think it’ll be an interesting few days coming up.

    Q. Are the Flyers in on Alexander Nikishin? If not, then why?

    A. Are they peeking in? Sure, but I don’t believe they are all in, and I doubt Carolina would trade him to a division rival.