Porter Martone started off with a bang last season, joining the Flyers at the end of March and scoring at over a point-per-game clip to help them to a once-improbable playoff berth. He was so steady and unfazed amid the Flyers’ run that it almost looked like he wasn’t going to have one of those “welcome to the league” moments.
On Wednesday night, in the Flyers’ 2026-27 opener, he had it.
After Ville Koivunen beat the Flyers, including Martone, on a bad line change, the latter sat for the final four-plus minutes of the first period. Martone was then assessed a cross-checking penalty, which quickly resulted in Pittsburgh’s third goal. He was later demoted to the fourth line, alongside Sean Couturier and Carl Grundström, in the team’s 7-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I just thought the first four or five shifts, he had a couple times to go through [Erik] Karlsson, and he let up, and you can’t do that,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “His game is something — he has to play that style, like a gritty style. He’s not going to go up the ice flying around.”
Martone had no shot attempts and four giveaways, tied for the most among the Flyers. Per Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers had a team-low 2.64 expected-goals percentage with Martone on the ice at even-strength.
Tocchet said his line changes, including his decision to demote Martone, were the result of the overall poor offensive performance from the group.
Rick Tocchet was disappointed in his team’s defensive structure on Wednesday.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“To have offense, you have to have the puck,” Tocchet said. “We had chances to skate the puck in, and we’re throwing pucks in, and we just reset the puck to them. If you’re not battling, that means you’re not battling offensively. That means you’re not willing to take the puck.”
Martone, 19, was far from the only player to have a bad night. Tocchet said the team won “no battles” and that the defensive structure was the worst he’d seen it since he arrived in Philadelphia a year ago.
As bulletproof as Martone might have looked to start his NHL career — he was a preseason Calder Trophy favorite, and projected to be one of the Flyers’ most important players heading into this year — there were signs in the playoffs that there was still going to be an adjustment period. He endured a five-game scoreless streak before picking up two more assists in the final two games of the Flyers’ second-round playoff series loss to Carolina.
Tocchet said pregame that the Flyers are trying to “cocoon” Martone and all the young players from the outside attention, and to use the team environment to avoid overloading him in his rookie season.
But Wednesday’s opener is a reminder that, as even-keeled as Martone can be, there are still growing pains in becoming an NHL regular.
“I don’t think it’s an excuse, but I find younger players need longer,” Tocchet said. “You need a longer training camp. Veteran teams don’t. That’s not an excuse. That’s the way it is. Everybody lives in that world.”
It didn’t take long for Porter Martone to win over Flyers fans. The initial excitement that surrounded him being picked sixth overall by the Flyers in the 2025 NHL draft snowballed after his NHL debut on March 31, and impressive run through the playoffs.
On the eve of the Flyers’ season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the right winger is further establishing himself as a player Philly fans are going to want to root for.
In an article for the Players Tribune published Tuesday, Martone wrote about his journey from being a kid in Peterborough, Ontario, who hung every medal he won on the pegs of hockey sticks on his wall, to the Flyers’ rookie star. And the 19-year-old forward said everything Philly fans would want to hear.
Well … almost everything.
“I loved Sid,” Martone wrote of Sidney Crosby, who has been the Penguins’ captain for nearly two decades. “I mean, c’mon. Can you blame me? As a Canadian … you gotta love Sid.”
Other than that, Martone wrote about playing in the Keystone rivalry against Crosby, the playoff environment, and the passion of Philly sports fans.
Martone would know. Despite growing up hundreds of miles away, Martone grew up a Flyers fan, a label for which he gained a new understanding for since becoming a Flyer.
“This is just a city of winners,” Martone wrote. “I love it. People who hate to lose, who feel sick to their stomach when they lose. Those are my people. I felt all of that when I joined the team last spring before the playoffs started.”
Porter Martone tossed the puck to a 16-year-old goalie after his first goal. 🏒
— Philadelphia Inquirer Sports (@phillysport) April 8, 2026
During a “whirlwind” year that took him from Michigan State to the Flyers and into two rounds of the playoffs, Martone moved in with teammate Trevor Zegras, along with Denver Barkey, and Christian Dvorak.
Martone was complimentary of his teammates but wrote specifically about captain Sean Couturier, whom he called “an incredible leader.” He highlighted Couturier’s ability to command the locker room’s attention when speaking, and then proceeding to get on the ice and play “the game the way it’s meant to be played.” He even compared Couturier to previous Flyers captain Claude Giroux for his ability to connect to the fans and the city.
Flyers coach Rick Tocchet also received praise from Martone for being a “huge help” to him because of his ability to relate to his players, thanks to his own experience in the NHL.
While Martone’s NHL career is still getting started, he’s already had some major moments in the nine regular-season and 10 playoff contests in which he’s played. For Martone, leading the first-round series against the Penguins two games to none and hosting Game 3 was “the coolest experience of his life.”
His only regrets were not getting to try any Philly cheesesteaks amid the hectic season, and the way the season ended, after the Flyers were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.
Martone said his father would always tell him to never be complacent, so while things were good, he promised fans he’s “got so much more to give” and to become as a Flyer.
“When I stepped on the ice for the first time as a Flyer, I reminded myself to be where my feet are. I don’t take it for granted. It’s awesome,” Martone wrote. “And those sticks back home on my bedroom wall? I just checked with my mom. We got plenty of pegs left. See ya out there, Philly.”
After less than two weeks on the ice under the watchful gaze of coach Rick Tocchet and his staff, the Flyers will lift the lid on the season Wednesday (7 p.m., TNT, truTV) when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Aiming to build on last year’s run to the second round of the playoffs, much of the same personnel is back, with some in new roles, plus a few newcomers. Ten players on last year’s start-of-season roster are gone — reminder: Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York started on injured reserve — with only Jett Luchanko, now in the American Hockey League, still with the organization.
One of several Flyers who had a career year but also dealt with injury, Cates posted 18 goals and 47 points in 82 regular-season games before missing the last two playoff games with a foot injury. Based on his training camp, he is back to form and ready to go, and it doesn’t hurt that, at five-on-five, Tocchet has reunited him with his longtime winger Tyson Foerster. Last season he earned Selke Trophy votes for the second time in his career, putting him in the conversation of the game’s top defensive forwards. Is this the year he breaks out?
Flyers center Noah Cates is coming off a career-best season. Can he raise his game another level in 2026-27?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Flyers captain showed the kind of leader he can be when he was dropped to the fourth line and flourished late in the season. Couturier became a physical force, skating with Luke Glendening — who he would rotate between center and wing with — and Garnet Hathaway. Both headed south, so while Couturier has new wingers — Noel Acciari will now be the guy he flips back and forth with and there’s likely to be a rotation on the left — his assignment remains the same: playing a tenacious, physical, and defensively sound game. And, like always, Couturier will be a key penalty killer, now in tandem with Acciari.
Christian Dvorak, 30
2026 stats: 18 goals and 51 points in 80 games
In his first year in Philly, Dvorak showed what kind of versatile cog he can be in Tocchet’s lineup. The Illinois native, who can play wing, centered the top line, chipped in on the power play, and was a force on the penalty kill. Last season he blew his career highs out of the water, racking up 33 assists, 51 points, a plus-11 rating, and playing an average of 18 minutes, 28 seconds a night. He tied his career high in goals (18), and the hope is he’ll finally crack the 20-goal mark.
The forward came to the Flyers excited to return to his natural position, but despite posting career highs across the board, it didn’t go exactly to plan. Although they interchanged during shifts, Zegras was lined up on Dvorak’s wing for most of the season, but by the end and into the playoffs, he got a chance down the middle. He played well there — yes, he acknowledges he needs to work on his faceoffs — and this season will get another chance to prove he can be that creative, high-energy center the Flyers think he can be after signing him to a four-year, $36.5 million contract extension in July.
Flyers center Trevor Zegras celebrates his game winning overtime goal over the Dallas Stars on Sunday, March 29, 2026 in Philadelphia.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Right wings (4)
Noel Acciari, 34 (Free-agent signing)
2026 stats: 13 goals and 25 points in 67 games (with PIT)
There’s an adage: “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” A free-agent signee, Acciari played last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins, whom the Flyers ousted from the Stanley Cup playoffs. But Acciari was actually beating the Flyers in that series; he had a 61% winning percentage in the faceoff circle and was a menace to deal with. Now he’s across the state filling a hole left when Hathaway was traded to the Florida Panthers. Acciari slots into his spot, working with Couturier, and the lefty Couturier and the righty Acciari will flip-flop between wing and center depending on the faceoff situation.
The winger has led the Flyers in scoring for six of the past seven seasons and doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon. He’s spent time in training camp with Cates and Foerster — Tocchet said the trio could be the best third line in the NHL — and with Dvorak and Alex Bump. Regardless of where he is slotted, he’ll be relied on to put the puck in the net and set up his teammates, whether at five-on-five, on the penalty kill, or on the power play.
Porter Martone, 19 (Rookie)
2026 stats: 4 goals and 10 points in 9 games
The teenager hit the ground running when he turned pro in March, compiling six goals and 15 points in 19 games, including the playoffs. Martone was a sparkplug with his offense, defensive smarts, and ability to get under every opponent’s skin. The universal expectation is that he will only get better this season and, no pressure, but he’s the odds-on favorite to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.
Two components of the youth movement, Porter Martone (right) and Matvei Michkov are projected to have big seasons for the Flyers.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The Russian winger potted 20 goals and 51 points last season, a drop-off from his impressive rookie season (26 goals, 63 points). But what a difference a summer makes. A trimmer and more motivated Michkov came to camp ready to take the NHL by storm. He worked on getting his body in shape for the grueling 84-game schedule — reminder: two more games this season — and his skating. Already known for his high hockey IQ and creative vision, he has shown a stronger stride, better speed, and increased strength with his puck protection. Much to Tocchet’s delight, Michkov looks more focused on driving to the net.
Left wings (6)
Alex Bump, 22 (Rookie)
2026 stats: 5 goals and 9 points in 17 games
After a disappointing camp last season that led to him being sent down to Lehigh Valley, Bump was called up following the trade deadline to show what he learned in the minors. Known for his shot and goal scoring, the Minnesotan displayed an upgraded all-around game and potted seven goals and four assists in 23 contests (including playoffs). He had a better camp this season and will now get every opportunity to build on an already strong start to his NHL career.
Foerster dealt with an elbow injury last summer before suffering what everyone thought was a season-ending upper-body injury in December. Instead, the Canadian rehabbed hard, returning in April as the Flyers were grinding toward a playoff spot. Now fully healthy, the sharpshooter, who is also one of the Flyers’ best defensive forwards, is poised for a breakout season. The question is, can he finally reach the 30-goal milestone?
Flyers winger Tyson Foerster’s promising start to the 2025-26 season was derailed by an upper-body injury that cost him 49 games.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Nikita Grebenkin, 23
2026 stats: 4 goals and 14 points in 55 games
A feisty, physical winger who loves to irritate the opposition and stand up for his teammates, Grebenkin’s status is a little up in the air. He got banged up in the Flyers’ third preseason game, but according to Tocchet, it is unrelated to the upper-body injury he suffered in March that kept him on the shelf the rest of the season. A big personality who just wrapped up his first full NHL season, the Flyers would certainly love to get his edgy game back into the lineup soon.
Carl Grundström, 28
2026 stats: 9 goals and 13 points in 47 games
Acquired in exchange for Ryan Ellis’ contract last October, the Swede carved out a regular NHL role in December. He came out strong, posting seven goals and eight points in his first 12 games with the Flyers and showed the value to his game: speed, some grit, reliability, and versatility.
Things started to really click for the Canadian in the second half of the season as he found the right balance between offense and physicality. Throwing monster hits against the Penguins, his momentum got derailed due to an internal bleeding issue and an unrelated sports hernia that kept him out of the second round of the playoffs. Fully healthy and ready to go again, the speedster is focused on consistently being the power forward he unearthed last season.
Garrett Wilson, 35
2026 stats: 0 goals and 0 points in 3 games
In a slightly surprising move, the Flyers inked Wilson to a one-year, two-way deal on Sunday. Why was it surprising? The Phantoms captain was already under an AHL deal. Why was it not surprising? He had a strong camp, is a valued mentor to younger players — which this roster is filled with — and he showed he can fill the enforcer role opened up by the trade of Nic Deslauriers last season.
Defensemen (7)
Simon Benoit, 28 (Trade acquisition)
2026 stats: 0 goals and 6 points in 73 games (with TOR)
Acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs with Joseph Woll, Benoit is a depth defenseman who should fill the role left open by Noah Juulsen’s departure. He didn’t have the best analytics last year, but he has certainly passed the eye test in the preseason — and it doesn’t hurt that the rugged blueliner dropped the gloves against the Boston Bruins.
What a year it was for the blueliner. Long known for his offensive game, Drysdale not only set a career high in goals (eight) and tied his career high in points (32), but he also dramatically elevated his defensive game. One of the largest turnarounds year-over-year on the team — he went from minus-32 to minus-3 — he teamed up with his good buddy Cam York and, while it is only the preseason, according to Natural Stat Trick, the duo is trending upward from last season in several analytical categories, posting puck possession numbers above 50%. The Flyers believe Drysdale has yet another level to reach and rewarded him with a $26 million contract extension this summer.
David Jiříček, 22
2026 stats:0 goals and 0 points in 26 games (with MIN and PHI)
The Flyers love projects and the Czech defender is proving to be that. There is no denying he has a strong offensive tools, but his defensive play leaves a lot to be desired. On Saturday, Flyers general manager Danny Brière called Jiříček’s preseason “OK.” Jiříček was then on the ice for two goals against, including one where he turned the puck over to the goal scorer. Less than 24 hours later, the guy praised for his shot didn’t take power-play reps in practice, and his status for Game 1 — reminder: he is no longer waiver-exempt if they send him down — is less concrete. Take note: a defenseman with a strong offensive foundation but questions defensively sounds awfully familiar, and Drysdale is now relied on in big defensive moments. The hope is the Flyers can build up Jiříček’s game at that end of the ice too.
This season marks the defenseman’s sixth season in Philly — final year of his contract! — but just the second time he will suit up on opening night. Finally, the Big Finn is healthy and raring to go after dealing with countless injuries over the past few years. Getting a taste of the playoffs for the first time in his 13-year career this past spring, Ristolainen showed why his game is perfect for the game’s biggest stage. The only question, and the one heard over and over again, is: how much longer will he be wearing orange and black?
Like fine wine, Sanheim only keeps getting better with age. This past season, he posted career highs in goals (11), shooting percentage (11.6%), and plus-minus (plus-12), marking his first positive plus-minus rating since 2019-20. Like then, the Flyers made the playoffs, and the 6-foot-4, 222-pound blueliner showed off impressive footwork and confidence with two goals in the opening round. Paired with Ristolainen, the top duo will shoulder heavy minutes and seem to shine best when counted on not only to shut down the opposition but to set the tone.
Flyers blueliner Travis Sanheim has quietly elevated himself into one of the league’s best defensemen.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Nick Seeler, 33
2026 stats: 4 goals and 10 points in 80 games
It’ll be interesting to see how Seeler is deployed this season. A steady, effective hand on the third pairing, there is a good chance he will be asked to skate with Jiříček, who, as mentioned, needs to build up his defensive acumen. But this is a familiar spot for Seeler, who was once paired with Drysdale. A tough, rugged defensive defenseman who can bang and drop the gloves, the Minnesotan is also sneakily skilled at the other end of the ice.
At this juncture last season, we mentioned a lightness to York’s game. This season, add in an uptick in confidence too. After a career-high in assists (22), his first positive plus-minus in the NHL (plus-5), and averaging 22:32 of ice time, York is now focused on upping his offensive production. “I want to have five shots a game, if possible,” he recently told The Inquirer. Tocchet loves hearing that and can see how much time the Californian spent in the offseason to strengthen his footwork and hands. York is “in the mix” for the power play, which should not only boost his confidence even more but also help him reach that lofty shot total.
Goaltenders (2)
Dan Vladař, 29
2026 stats: 29-14-7 record, .906 save percentage, and 2.42 goals-against average in 52 games
The Czechia native came to Philly to prove that he’s not just a backup, but a solid No. 1 goalie. He did that and more. The Flyers’ MVP finished third in goals-against average (2.42), and tied for eighth in save percentage (.906) and wins (29), among NHL goalies who played at least 40 games. And he did it without posting a shutout until the playoffs, where he upped his game with a 2.18 GAA and .922 save percentage despite suffering an injury in the first round. There were some nervous folks in town when Vladař left his first, and only, preseason start with an upper-body injury, but he looks back on track, and expectations are that he’ll be good to go on Wednesday.
Joseph Woll, 28 (Trade acquisition)
2026 stats: 15-16-7 record, .899 save percentage, and 3.34 goals-against average in 39 games (with TOR)
If Vladař cannot tend the twine, the Flyers will look to Woll, who is considered an upgrade at the backup spot after years of questionable goaltending. His numbers were not great last season, but neither was the rest of the team, as the Maple Leafs ended up picking first in June’s draft. The Missourian boasts talent, a .906 career save percentage, and has played on hockey’s biggest and most pressurized stage in Toronto. He’ll take some of the load off Vladař to keep him healthy as the Flyers hope to, like Toronto, end a longstanding Stanley Cup drought.
The Flyers acquired Joseph Woll from Toronto in June to provide a much-needed upgrade to the backup goalie position. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Injured reserve (1)
Denver Barkey, 21
2026 stats: 5 goals and 17 points in 43 games
The forward, who was primed to get time at center after a strong postseason, suffered a lower-body injury in the Flyers’ first preseason game. He’s skated once by himself and once with a group since the injury but left the latter session early. Listed as day-to-day, the Flyers would love to have him back in the lineup quickly due to his high motor and hockey IQ.
Injured non-roster (1)
Helge Grans, 24 (Rookie)
2026 stats: 0 goals and 1 assist in 6 games
The defenseman was injured in the Flyers’ preseason game on Thursday. Although he was not projected to play in the NHL to start the year, he cannot be sent down to the AHL just yet due to his injury status. Unlike Barkey, who is on regular injured reserve, he is designated as an injured non-roster. A major difference between IR and an injured non-roster is that a player on injured reserve is out for a mandatory seven days, and an injured non-roster can be activated and return to play as soon as they are ready to go.
Former Philly radio host John Kincade posted on X in February 2025: “I say @flyers offer a slew of those draft picks and we get Brady Tkachuk back to the states. 🇺🇸“
This past February, Crossing Broad posted: “the Flyers need a Tkachuk, either one will do.”
And in April, when there was an uptick in trade rumors after it became apparent the then-Ottawa Senators captain wanted out, FlyersJohnny wrote, “Brady Tkachuk would be a perfect Philadelphia Flyers player.”
I say @flyers offer a slew of those draft picks and we get Brady Tkachuk back to the states. 🇺🇸
Brady Tkachuk — and Matthew, his brother and new linemate on the Florida Panthers after June’s trade — has the blend of skill and grit that has long been a hallmark of the Flyers. The two sons of longtime NHL power forward Keith Tkachuk, who will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November, can rack up points — especially on the power play — and equally get under opponents’ skin.
The younger Tkachuk brother, Brady, has put up big point and penalty minute totals throughout his eight-year career. He’s averaged 31 goals, 66 points, and 118 penalty minutes per 82 games, including posting 35 goals, a career-high 83 points, and 126 PIMs in 2022-23.
Matthew, who is 21 months older, has been even more impactful — and as much of a nuisance — with 82-game career averages of 31 goals, 82 points, and 90 penalty minutes. The pair’s exploits have earned them a whopping 1,559 career penalty minutes — with Brady (second) and Matthew (seventh) each ranking in the top 10 in penalty minutes per game since the former entered the league in 2018-19.
“Always the bridesmaid, eh, Leon? Always the bridesmaid, never the bride,” Matthew Tkachuk was famously heard saying via a hot mic to Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl during February’s Olympics.
Flyers fans have long dreamed of landing Matthew or Brady Tkachuk. They might have the next best thing in Porter Martone.Charles Krupa
Google “Brady Tkachuk chirping” and you’ll find plenty, none suitable for print.
Matthew has won two Stanley Cups with Florida, and the brothers — who famously dropped the gloves on the opening shift with J.T. Miller against Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off — just helped Team USA win gold at the Olympics for the first time since 1980.
It’s why every NHL general manager seems hungry to add a true power forward of Brady and Matthew’s agitating ilk to their lineup. The Flyers are no different. Skill. Grit. Getting under opponents’ skin. Those attributes fit with the franchise’s archetype of hard-nosed, blue-collar players dating back to the Broad Street Bullies. There was Gary Dornhoefer in the 1970s, Tim Kerr and Rick Tocchet in the ’80s, Eric Lindros and John LeClair in the ’90s, and Keith Primeau and Wayne Simmonds since the turn of the millennium.
Next up: Porter Martone?
‘A star in the making’
Martone came out like gangbusters.
In nine games with the Flyers last spring, after wrapping up a dominant freshman season at Michigan State, the teenager notched four goals and 10 points. The sixth overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft’s first career goal was a monster one: an overtime winner against the Boston Bruins that kept the Orange and Black’s playoff dreams alive. He met the moment of the postseason, too, adding two goals and five points in 10 playoff contests.
“He has just that ‘it factor,’ and you know he’s going to be a good hockey player for a really long time. So maybe how quickly he did [it] I was a little surprised. But you know he was going to get to it eventually,” forward Noah Cates told The Inquirer on Thursday about Martone’s fast start.
“ … He’s a star in the making.”
Cates and his teammates are excited to see what the 19-year-old can bring in his first full pro season. And expectations are high. The Canadian is the betting favorite to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.
That’s the key word: rookie.
Although he has Hockey Canada pedigree, serving as captain at multiple age groups, Martone was drafted only 15 months ago. Given his impressive run in last year’s playoffs and 6-foot-3, 214-pound frame, it’s easy to forget he’s still a teenager.
Flyers right wing Porter Martone did not look fazed by the pressure of the NHL playoffs, despite being just 19 years old.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
But Martone, who, in addition to the Tkachuk brothers, grew up modeling his game after “The Worm,” Corey Perry, does not play like a wide-eyed kid. He has the skill and confidence to fill the net and the size, snarl, and tongue to crawl under his opponents’ skin.
In 19 games, including playoffs, he racked up six penalties — and drew six more.
“I think it’s great to have a little bit of size up front, have some physicality. The last few years, that’s one area we wanted to get a little bigger, be a little tougher to play against, and you add a guy like him doing that. … He has the size, the physicality, and then the under-your-skin kind of approach,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière told The Inquirer recently.
“I think it’s exciting. Our fans have had the chance to see him down the stretch in the playoffs last year, but they’re going to get to appreciate him even more as he gets more and more comfortable. It’s not easy for a young guy to come in this league and to play that way right away. It takes a little bit of time, which we understand, and we’re going to give him the time that he needs for that.”
Brière doesn’t think it’s fair to compare Martone to the Tkachuks just yet, as the brothers have been doing it for years. But Martone is building his own reputation as an agitator, notably stirring the pot at World Juniors against Czechia and frequenting the middle of scrums against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs. The Flyers GM wants him to “find his own style,” but acknowledged the youngster’s game is “definitely a combination of abrasiveness and skill at the same time.”
Martone will get his first extended opportunity to showcase that in-your-face brand of hockey in the NHL this season.
Based on preseason line combinations, it looks like he is penciled in to play on a line with creative center Trevor Zegras and high-flying winger Owen Tippett. The plan is also to deploy Martone in the bumper on the first power-play unit with forwards like Zegras, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster — a guy Cates says Martone is similar to in stature, release, and reach — and defenseman Jamie Drysdale.
Porter Martone might say he tries to stay out of things, but his actions tell a different story.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Tocchet, a beloved Flyers power forward himself and now the team’s head coach, sees the comparison to the Tkachuk brothers, particularly with the man advantage.
“Well, I think part of his talent is the Matthew Tkachuk, Brady, inside game,” said Tocchet, who had four 30-goal seasons with the Flyers and is the franchise’s all-time leader in penalty minutes (1,815).
“I don’t want to compare, but I remember Tim Kerr; people could be all over him [and] he could still score,” Tocchet said of his old teammate.
Kerr notched 650 points in 601 games as a Flyer before injuries took a toll, and he remains the franchise’s all-time leader in power-play goals (144).
“Porter’s got that — we talked the other day — like he wants the puck, even though he’s covered, especially on the power play,” Tocchet said. “Like he’s got that; he can somehow protect it and get that shot off. A lot of guys don’t have that in the tool bag. I was talking to [Michkov] and Zegras: If you see him around the net with people on him with another guy, throw it there.
“ … So hopefully, we’ll start to throw pucks in Porter’s way, where he can kind of redirect or outmuscle a guy in front to get those goals. Those are the [things] that I think that he can be really elite at as his career goes on.”
Rich Tocchet knows all about Philadelphia’s appreciation for power forwards who can score goals and also mix it up.Bill Janscha / AP
Face of the franchise
It will be interesting to see how things progress as Martone’s career rolls on. He quickly drew acclaim with his play last season, even catching the eye of Matthew Tkachuk before they ever met on the ice. “Martone, he looks unreal,” he said in April on his show, Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, before adding, “That Martone, he’s solid.”
The ceiling is high for Martone, and the accolades and accomplishments should continue to flow for a kid who, at 18, was skating alongside Sidney Crosby, Travis Konecny, Foerster, and Travis Sanheim at the 2025 World Championships.
Philly has been clamoring for the next Flyers superstar since Claude Giroux left. And now it may have two. Michkov’s game appears to be back on track, and the fan base, with many already donning Martone jerseys, looks ready to embrace a player who not only grew up a Flyers fan but embodies the spirit of the city.
And it makes sense that the Tkachuk brothers are also fans of Martone’s game. Brady, during his time at Boston University, said his favorite player was none other than former Flyer Wayne Simmonds, someone renowned for his skill, snarl, and willingness to battle in front of the net. Those traits are all present with Martone, too.
Back on his 2018 draft night, Brady Tkachuk had “Trust the Process” silk-screened on the inside of his suit. He scored his first two NHL goals and three points against the Flyers on Oct. 10, 2018.
Flyers players Denver Barkey, (left) and Porter Martone ring the bell at a Sixers game last season. Martone, 19, has already become a fan favorite in the city.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Maybe it was a message to the Flyers. Maybe it was a message that they should have moved up to get him. Maybe the Flyers at long last have that type of player in Martone.
When asked Thursday about his style and how he balances having so much skill and playing with an edge, the 19-year-old Martone showed his maturity.
“Yeah, I think honestly, just get in the forecheck hard, try to cause turnovers, and get in front of the net. I think that’s where I’m at my best. You know, I think I can make those plays when I need to.
“So just try to, honestly, not get too much into the kind of out-of-play stuff and chirping because that’s when I get off my game. But just kind of continue to keep on playing with the skill and [be a] hard-nosed player.”
ALLENTOWN — Although it started feeling like the Flyers’ youth were living in Allentown, having been there since Friday for the start of rookie camp, they showed why everyone has a pretty good shot with an impressive set of games over the weekend.
The prospects worked hard and won Game 1 on Saturday, 3-2, before a decisive 4-1 victory in Game 2.
Here are our observations of the Flyers prospects from the Rookie Series:
Denver Barkey (left) scored in Sunday’s Rookie Series game.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Serving as captain, Denver Barkey played Sunday, and was in midseason form. The high-motor forward — “That’s what makes me an effective player,” he said postgame — was flying all night. He used his speed and quickness to effectively keep the Rangers defense on their heels as he drove to the net, notably on his goal. In the first period, Barkey streaked down the left side of the ice, receiving a feed from Oliver Bonk, his teammate of five years (four of them with London of the Ontario Hockey League), as he cut across the crease and dipped the puck around Rangers goalie Danai Shaiikov. Barkey later added an assist when he unselfishly passed up another goal to set up Porter Martone’s empty-netter.
Martone also looks ready to hit the ground running when the Flyers’ main camp opens Thursday in Voorhees, as he displayed his high-octane, edgy game on Sunday. A betting favorite to win the Calder Trophy this season as the NHL’s top rookie, Martone did have one bad turnover in the second period, leading to the Rangers’ lone goal, for which he apologized to his goalie, Marek Sklenička. He said after the game Sunday that he told the 2026 draft pick, “We’ll get it back here.” That wasn’t the only moment he was there for his teammates. He went after 6-foot-7 Rangers forward Dylan Roobroeck when he nailed Barkey. Martone, who looked more than ready for the NHL’s fast pace, posted a game-high five shots and also had an assist.
Alex Bump played only on Saturday but set the tone early following a disappointing main camp last year that stalled the start of his NHL career until March. Wanting to make an impression, Bump came out flying, showcasing his quickness and deftness with the puck, especially on the boards, his hockey IQ, and his willingness to drive to the net, finishing with two points. His goal was nice; his assist was dazzling as he sent a seam pass to Cole Knuble, who was driving to the net backdoor.
Knuble was also impressive in his one game on Saturday, showing a high-end motor akin to Barkey’s. He played physically, was active around the net, and used his feet and body well to protect the puck and create plays.
“Since the day I was drafted, I wanted to be a part of this organization,” said Knuble, who is about to begin his first full season as a pro. “I grew up loving this team, so it’s a dream come true. Every practice, every game, every offseason, that was the goal: to get one step closer to this.”
Jett Luchanko played both nights centering the top lines — Bump and Knuble were his wingers on Saturday and Barkey and Martone lined up with him on Sunday — and looked even better in Game 2. On Sunday, he was a play driver, carrying the puck up the ice and using his speed to wreak havoc in the Rangers’ defense. The recently turned 20-year-old had two assists, with his second coming on the goal by Barkey when he made a nice chip pass off the wall in the neutral zone while taking a hit.
“Showed us the flashes of what he really can become and what he’s going to be. That speed through the neutral zone and his ability to get on top of guys quickly,” Phantoms coach John Snowden said on Sunday. “… Back-to-back, too, right? His legs were still flying, and he was competitive and hard in situations. He had a little bite to his game.”
Maksim Sokolovskii continued to show this weekend why the Flyers made him a first-round pick. Despite his 6-7 frame, he is a smart, quick, fluid skater who can defend well while also creating time and space offensively. He broke up several plays on Sunday at the blue line with his long reach, while also using that same reach to protect the puck as he carried the puck around opponents. Sokolovskii had one assist in the game and has already been invited to the main Flyers camp.
Maksim Sokolovskii used his 6-foot-7 frame and reach to make plays on the puck during Saturday’s game.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Noah Powell, who Snowden called a “pretty raw, uncut diamond” that the Flyers can shape in an interview with The Inquirer back in May, may finally be coming into focus. The forward enjoys being a pest and played a hard, physical game all weekend. Oftentimes, his hits rattled the boards, and he got into it at the end of the game with the Rangers’ Jacob Battaglia before dropping the gloves with Jackson Dorrington.
“Hockey is a violent game. I’m not saying I’m a violent person, but when I get out there, I definitely do like to play a violent, vicious style of hockey,” said Powell, who noted he likes to blend Kiefer Sherwood’s motor and relentlessness with Tom Wilson’s toughness and heavy hitting to play his game.
Sklenička and Martin Psohlavec were solid on Sunday, but all eyes were on goalie Carson Bjarnason, who had a rocky first year as a pro with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. The goalie, who turned 21 in June, acknowledged a learning curve with the AHL being faster and his reads needing to be quicker, but said he has put the past behind him. On Saturday, his lone start of the weekend, he looked sharp, stopping 27 of 29 shots — both goals were on a Rangers power play — while flashing the leather on several attempts. His best save came after Luchanko sent an errant pass right onto Roobroeck’s stick for a Grade-A chance in the third period.
“I thought today he looked big in the net,” Snowden said on Saturday. “He looked composed in the net, didn’t really get scrambly at times and just tracked the puck the way he needed to track the puck. If he couldn’t see through traffic at times, he stayed big and pucks hit him. Overall, I thought it was a good step in the right direction for him.”
Matthew Gard scored the Flyers’ first goal of the Rookie Series.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Breakaways
Not long after he was drafted last year, Matthew Gard did not stand out at his first Rookie Series, but 2026 was different, especially in the first of two games. The press box was buzzing about the 6-5, lanky centerman who showed some pop — he scored the Flyers’ first goal of the weekend — and smarts. … Brek Liske said before Saturday’s game that he was looking forward to not just wearing an NHL logo on his jersey but to bringing the Flyers vs. Rangers video game matchup that he used to play on NHL 15 to reality. The Flyers’ 2026 second-rounder had a fantastic series, and one scout told The Inquirer that he and Luke Vlooswyk, his defensive partner with Everett of the Western Hockey League and a fellow Flyers prospect who he played with on Sunday, are underrated. Liske scored the go-ahead goal from the goal line on the second night with less than five seconds left in the middle frame after a Spencer Gill blast hit the end boards. Liske said he learned a great deal about communication at the Rookie Series and said after the game on Sunday, “I’m going to try and bring that back with me [to Everett], get everyone talking a little more, and make sure the rinks never quiet.” … Despite missing months after undergoing surgery on an upper-body injury in late January, Ty Murchison looked great in his lone game on Saturday, showing his smooth skating, hockey IQ, leadership — he wore the “C” — and grit as he dropped the gloves and went blow-for-blow at the end of Game 1 with Roobroeck.
It’s starting to feel like the Flyers are forever young, which is not a bad thing in a league that is continuously showing “youth’s like a diamond in the sun, and diamonds are forever.”
After years marred by a limited prospect pool, the Orange and Black have restocked the cupboard with promising youngsters who are either looking to make their mark in the NHL this season or take the next step in their development.
Compared to a year ago, the list has seen movement, with some players graduating, some moving up, and others falling. Three notable absences from this year’s list include Hunter McDonald and Helge Grans, who have aged out at 24, and Karsen Dorwart, who did not re-sign. Matvei Michkov has played too many games to qualify, as we are using 100 NHL contests as our cutoff.
With several Flyers prospects converging on Allentown and Voorhees this week for rookie camp, here’s our updated top 20 prospect rankings.
1. Porter Martone, RW, Flyers (NHL)
2025 rank: No. 1
There was some huffing and puffing when the Flyers did not take a center with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NHL draft, but Martone, who will turn 20 at the end of October, quickly quieted the naysayers. The Calder Trophy betting favorite this year, Martone put together a dominant freshman campaign at Michigan State and made a scintillating NHL start last season. He tallied 10 points in nine regular-season games before adding five points, including two game-winning goals, in 10 playoff contests. A 6-foot-3, 208-pound winger, Martone brings size, strength, a big-time shot, playmaking ability, and an edge. He’ll play a significant role this season for the Flyers in the top six and on the power play.
2. Denver Barkey, C/LW, Flyers (NHL)
2025 rank: 8
What a start to Barkey’s pro career. After just 26 games with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, he found himself in the NHL and never looked back. The 21-year-old used his high-end motor and responsible 200-foot game to stake a spot in the lineup, and posted 17 points in 43 regular-season games. Although he only put up two points in 10 playoff games, the 5-9 winger stepped up in the postseason, showing his relentless play style and willingness to be aggressive on pucks despite his small frame, especially when called upon by coach Rick Tocchet in the second round of the playoffs to play center. Barkey played so well as a pivot that some are penciling him as a bottom-six centerman instead of a winger.
3. Alex Bump, LW, Flyers (NHL)
2025 rank: 2
Where Martone and Barkey go, so goes Bump, and the 22-year-old will round out the trio of expected NHLers at rookie camp. This was the consensus belief last year, but the winger fell short and started the year with the Phantoms. The difference now? Bump has learned what happens if he doesn’t showcase his innate high-end offensive attributes and goal-scoring prowess at camp, and now has a full year of pro hockey — and a taste of the NHL — under his belt. After being recalled following the trade deadline, the Minnesotan played 23 games between the regular season and playoffs, racking up seven goals, 11 points, and a team-best shooting percentage of 21.2%.
Flyers winger Alex Bump, 22, has one of the best releases in the system.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
4. Oliver Bonk, RHD, Flyers/Lehigh Valley Phantoms (NHL/AHL)
2025 rank: 5
The top blueline prospect in the organization, Bonk showed why during his NHL debut in the Flyers’ regular-season finale and his lone postseason appearance. A well-rounded defenseman, Bonk notched his first career goal and assist in April and has the tools to be an everyday top-four blueliner in the NHL. “I think you just have to be confident and believe that you’re good enough to be there, because you are there, and that’s pretty much it for me,” he said of the experience. “Just kind of working on that and realizing that I’m a good player and I should be there.” Last season he sustained an injury early in rookie camp and didn’t suit up until December; this year, a healthy Bonk, despite a short September, should strongly push for a spot with the main club.
5. Jack Berglund, C, Färjestad BK (Swedish Hockey League)
2025 rank: 11
The Swede skyrocketed up the Flyers’ prospect depth chart this season with his impressive play in Europe, Allentown, and for his country at World Juniors, where he captained Sweden to its first gold since 2012 and was one of the tournament’s standout players. Berglund linked up with the Phantoms for five games at the end of the season, and while he will return to the SHL this season on loan, he left quite an impression. “He drove play, he was around the puck, and his ability to play below the dots with the puck is exceptionally good,” Phantoms coach John Snowden told The Inquirer in May about the 6-4, 217-pound center. “He understands how to use his body and his frame to get guys on his back and get out of situations.”
6. Jack Nesbitt, C, University of Michigan (NCAA)
2025 rank: 6
After a strong season with Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League in which he scored at a 1.05-point-per-game clip, Nesbitt is off to the University of Michigan this fall. Tall and lanky, Nesbitt said at development camp he gained 10-15 pounds after the season by hitting the gym, and the 6-5, 193-pound centerman should only get stronger with the college hockey schedule. He’ll need that extra muscle to play his game of driving to the net and creating time and space with his body. Nesbitt has nifty hands for someone his size and is a player the organization believes has a long runway to develop as he grows into his frame.
The Flyers have high hopes for towering center Jack Nesbitt.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
7. David Jiříček, RHD, Flyers (NHL)
2025 rank: NA
The upcoming season will be a big one for the 6-4 blueliner who is on his third team despite being drafted just four years ago. A coveted right-shot defenseman with size, puck skills, and a booming shot, Jiříček is a bit of a project but will likely get a chance right away this season at the NHL level since he is no longer waiver-exempt. He impressed with the Phantoms after being acquired at the trade deadline — getting a chance to play at all strengths — and made his Flyers debut in the season finale. The Czech defender is someone Snowden says has “all the tools” to transition to the NHL, and the expectation is his “absolute missile” of a shot will get a chance to bolster the Flyers’ dismal power play.
8. Maksim Sokolovskii, LHD, London (Ontario Hockey League)
2025 rank: NA
When the Flyers selected Sokolovskii 27th overall in June, it turned a few heads. But watching the 6-7 defenseman play the body and skate like someone a foot shorter at development camp, it showed why he may prove to be a steal. Sokolovskii is still growing into his game as a mean shutdown blueliner, but the upside is tantalizing. Now that he’s no longer constrained to focusing only on his defensive game, he’s already shown in preseason action for London that he has an untapped offensive side. The 18-year-old, who will be at rookie camp this week, also showed that his confidence has skyrocketed evidenced by his heads-up plays through the neutral zone and in the offensive end for the Knights.
Here is another view of Maksim Solokovskii’s 1st Assist Yesterday against Erie. What a skater he is. @Flyers_Clips
9. Yegor Zavragin, G, Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Kontinental Hockey League)
2025 rank: 4
When will Zavragin come to the U.S.? It likely won’t be any time soon, as the goalie’s contract was extended by a year when he was traded to Metallurg of the Kontinental Hockey League in June. Last season the netminder split time between the KHL and the VHL, Russia’s second-highest league, but this season he should stick in the top flight. Zavragin, 21, has posted a .918 save percentage in 56 career KHL games, and in his first start of this season with his new team, he stopped 16 of 17 shots in a 2-1 win.
Russian netminder Egor Zavragin is the Flyers’ No. 1 goaltending prospect.Sipa USA via AP
10. Carter Amico, RHD, Boston University (NCAA)
2025 rank: 13
If anyone on this list has made the biggest transformation in the past year, it is Amico. This time last year, the 6-5 defenseman was still rebuilding his game after suffering a broken kneecap that sidelined him for most of his draft year. This past season, he left Boston University halfway through to get more playing time with Muskegon of the United States Hockey League. After a productive spell with the Lumberjacks, the Maine native will rejoin the Terriers this season, and if what he showed at development camp this past summer with his smooth skating and ability to close is any indication, it’ll be a good year. “He looks like a different player; he really does,” BU coach Jay Pandolfo told The Inquirer in June. “It was great for him to go there [to Muskegon] and just find his game again.”
11. Brek Liske, RHD, Everett (Western Hockey League)
2025 rank:NA
Taken in the second round in June by the Flyers, Liske is a versatile, well-rounded defenseman who needs to keep building his game, and he will do so this year alongside fellow Flyers prospect Luke Vlooswyk with Everett of the Western Hockey League. The son of a diehard Flyers fan from Manitoba, Liske is a strong skater and plays with confidence and smarts in his own end while adding some offensive punch. According to Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr, “he’s got some swagger,” and it has shown on and off the ice, notably when he was elevated to the top pair alongside projected 2027 No. 1 pick Landon Dupont amid the Silvertips’ run to the Memorial Cup final.
Brek Liske (left) will team up with fellow Flyers prospect Luke Vlooswyk this season with the Everett Silvertips.Courtesy of Luke Vlooswyk
While Amico and Berglund may have risen several spots, Luchanko fell considerably after a disappointing year in junior in which he scored just seven goals. There’s no denying there is talent within Luchanko, notably his speed and hockey IQ, but it was a tough slog for the center who was traded from Guelph to Brantford in the OHL and played sparingly for Canada at World Juniors. Luchanko has played in nine NHL games (including playoffs) but has yet to notch his first point. Expected to be a full participant at the rookie and main camps after undergoing core muscle surgery in June, this will represent a big year for the 20-year-old as he looks to get back on the trajectory that made him a lottery pick in 2024.
After two disappointing seasons at the junior level, Jett Luchanko, 20, is entering a massive season for his development.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
13. Spencer Gill, RHD, Phantoms (AHL)
2025 rank:7
Since getting drafted in 2024, the 6-4 Gill has dealt with several major injuries — a broken ankle two years ago with Rimouski of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and a wrist ailment that required surgery last year with Blainville-Boisbriand — that limited his playing time. But now the 20-year-old will turn pro and is projected to spend this season with Lehigh Valley, where he can expand his 200-foot game and get acclimated to the speed of pro hockey. “I really love the way he was able to kill the play effectively in the D zone along the boards. Once he put his hands on someone, that player was not going anywhere,” Armada coach Alexandre Jacques told The Inquirer in June, noting the blueliner is good offensively at the blue line and [at] getting shots on goal “ … I think where he needs to improve to play at the pro level, and he knows it, is explosion of his first few steps backward and forward. So, if he’s able to improve that, which I know the Flyers have been working really hard with him … I think you can become a good player for the team.”
Projected to be a bottom-six forward, Ruohonen had a solid freshman season at Harvard, chipping in 19 points in 28 games while also playing for Finland — wearing an “A” — at World Juniors. A shutdown forward and pass-first center, he is hard on the puck and has started to sprout his wings offensively. It’ll be interesting to see how he does this upcoming season under a new coaching staff for the Crimson
15. Nikita Grebenkin, LW/RW, Flyers (NHL)
2025 rank: 10
The 23-year-old Russian spent his first full season in the NHL in 2025-26, serving as a pest and a powder keg regardless of where he slotted in the lineup. He scored his first NHL goal in an early-season nail-biter the Flyers won in overtime, finished with 14 points in 55 games, and dropped the gloves a few times in defense of his teammates. Grebenkin has an infectious personality, and it translates to the ice, making him invaluable on and off the ice. The winger suffered an upper-body injury in late March that kept him out of the lineup for the rest of the regular season and playoffs, but if he can bring some pop and energy this season, he could become a mainstay in the bottom-six.
16. Cole Knuble, C/RW, Phantoms (AHL)
2025 rank: NR
Despite being one of Flahr’s favorites in the system, the son of former Flyers forward Mike Knuble may not have drawn eyes in the past. But at this year’s development camp, the 22-year-old looked like a man on a mission to stand out. The forward, who has been playing more center, showed off his improved skating, a good motor, aggressiveness, high hockey IQ, and vision as he followed the advice from his dad: “He used to say, ‘If you have 12 eggs in your pockets, they should all be broken.’”
Cole Knuble is a prospect that the Flyers have long been higher on internally compared to the consensus rankings.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
17. Carson Bjarnason, G, Phantoms (AHL)
2025 rank: 9
As Snowden put it, it was a roller coaster season for the goalie who made the jump to the pros and suited up for the Phantoms for most of the season — he had a short stint in Reading of the ECHL — and posted 14-11-3 with a 3.43 goals-against average and .877 save percentage. A confident kid who should hit the ground running in Year 2, he will split this net in Allentown with Aleksei Kolosov. “It’s a good league, and you can’t guess; you have to understand the situations, and I thought he had a little bit of a stretch where it became pretty hard for him,“ Snowden said. ”But Brady [Robinson, Lehigh Valley’s goaltender development coach] did an incredible job with him, continuing to push him and teach the moments of where we’ve got to clean up.”
Another player who has snuck up the rankings is Quinn, who is coming off a 73-point season with the Remparts. He had 25 points on the power play and was tied for 10th in goals (34) and 17th in points in the QMJHL. Former Flyers forward Simon Gagné, who is now the general manager for Québec, expects a big year from the 5-11, 184-pound center he calls a force before he heads off to Northeastern University for 2027-28. “Quinners, more, maybe I’m going to say more passer … [but] he could surprise you,” Gagné told The Inquirer in June. “He’s got a really, really good wrist shot. He knows how to score a goal as well. He’s really a skilled player, really good high IQ, and is flying on the ice.”
19. Ty Murchison, LHD, Phantoms (AHL)
2025 rank: NR
Murchison hasn’t been quiet about his growth this past year. In his first full season in the pros — it lasted only 32 games due to an upper-body injury — he left impressions across the organization. So much so that in December he made his NHL debut and stuck around for three games, skating an average of 15 minutes a night. At 6-2, he plays a big, physical game while also being efficient with the puck, and is a strong skater despite a late start on the ice because he was a roller hockey player in his youth. “I think Ty Murchison is a guy you should keep on the radar,” Snowden said. “Obviously, an injury shortened his season, but he was trending in an incredibly good direction.”
Before transitioning to the ice, Ty Murchison got his start on rollerblades.Courtesy of Murchison family
20. Jack Murtagh, C/LW, Boston University (NCAA)
2025 rank: 12
Like most true freshmen, Murtagh struggled to find his footing in college hockey going up against bigger, stronger players. The Upstate New Yorker called his season at BU “a little bit inconsistent” and a “little bit rocky.” He learned he cannot take a single shift off, and the expectation is that the 6-1, 198-pound forward will put up more than the 11 points in 35 games he managed last season. “He needs to be consistent, shift after shift, game after game, like those are the big things for younger players, just learning to be consistent in everything you do,” Pandolfo said. “ … That’s the one thing that he’s gotten better at over the course of the season, and we expect him to have a really big jump in his play coming into his sophomore year.”
10 more to watch (alphabetical order)
Alex Čiernik, LW, Phantoms (AHL), Matthew Gard, C, Seattle (WHL), Max Laatikainen, RHD, Sport (Finnish Liiga), Ilya Pautov, LW, TBD, Noah Powell, RW, Phantoms (AHL), Martin Psohlavec, G, Saskatoon (WHL), KJ Sauer, C, Edmonton (WHL), Max Westergård, LW, Frölunda (SHL), Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State (NCAA), and Luke Vlooswyk, RHD, Everett (WHL)
While the majority of the Flyers still have a little time to enjoy the fleeting moments of summer before reporting to training camp on Sept. 17, the countdown for others is down to just over a week.
On Thursday, the Flyers released the roster and schedule for the team’s rookie camp, which will commence on Sept. 11. This year, the team’s rookie camp will begin at the PPL Center in Allentown, where the Flyers will play games on Sept. 12 (7:05 p.m.) and Sept. 13 (5:05 p.m.) against the New York Rangers. The camp then shifts back to the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees for three practices beginning on Sept. 14.
The 27-man roster is highlighted by several players who are expected to be key contributors for the big club, led by forwards Porter Martone, Alex Bump, and Denver Barkey. The 19-year-old Martone, who tallied four goals and 10 points in nine games to help the Flyers make the playoffs, will be participating in his first rookie camp. He was heading off to college at this time last year and thus was not eligible to attend.
Former first-round picks Oliver Bonk (2023), Jett Luchanko (2024), and Maksim Sokolovskii (2026) will also be present, with Bonk expected to push hard in main camp for a spot on the Flyers’ blue line after getting into a couple of games late last year. The 6-foot-7 Sokolovskii will head back to juniors with London in September, so this will represent the final chance to see the defenseman up close this season.
Speaking of Luchanko, he figures to be desperate to build some positive momentum for training camp on the heels of an underwhelming season in the OHL. The speedy center is likely ticketed to start the season with Lehigh Valley, as are a couple of organizational favorites in defensemen Ty Murchison and Spencer Gill, and center Cole Knuble. The three listed goalies for the camp are 2023 second-rounder Carson Bjarnason and 2026 draft picks Martin Psohlavec and Marek Sklenička.
Forwards Jack Nesbitt, Jack Berglund, NUShane Vansaghi, and Jack Murtagh, defenseman Carter Amico, and goaltender Egor Zavragin are among the most high-profile absences. Nesbitt is off to the University of Michigan for his freshman season, while Amico and Murtagh are heading back to Boston University. Vansaghi will be a junior at Michigan State this fall. The Flyers revealed last month that Berglund would play this season on loan at his hometown club Färjestad BK, while Zavragin remains under contract in Russia and was recently traded to Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
Flyers prospect Jack Berglund, seen here playing for Sweden, will not be at rookie camp as he prepares for his pro season in Sweden.Matt Krohn
One Russian player who will be present is Ilya Pautov. The winger, who was a sixth-round pick in 2024, signed with the Flyers in June and is making the move to North America this season. Phoenixville’s Owen McLaughlin, a seventh-round pick in 2021, will also participate after wrapping up his collegiate career last season at BU. Forward Sawyer Dingman, the son of former NHLer Chris Dingman, is one of two camp invites alongside defenseman Riley Steen.
The Rookie Camp on-ice sessions in Voorhees are free and open to the public. Fans interested in attending the Rookie Series games can purchase tickets at PPLCenter.com.
The Flyers’ offseason was highlighted by the massive acquisition they almost made rather than any of the moves team completed.
After catching lightning in a bottle last spring and riding that wave all the way to the second round of the playoffs, the Flyers went for broke this offseason — almost literally — by tendering a $90 million offer sheet to budding star Leo Carlsson. While the bold act firmly announced the Flyers’ ambitions and eagerness to become a contender again, it ultimately fell flat as the Anaheim Ducks matched the offer and retained their prized youngster.
Not landing Carlsson means the Flyers’ offseason, at least to this point, has amounted to upgrading the backup goalie spot with Joseph Woll, adding a bottom-pair bruiser in Simon Benoit, and bolstering the fourth line with 34-year-old Noel Acciari. Nice depth adds, sure, but hardly the needle-movers you’d expect for an up-and-coming team looking to build on the momentum from its first non-COVID playoff run in eight years.
Instead, general manager Danny Brière and the Flyers are banking on internal improvements from young players being enough for the Flyers to repeat — or better — last year’s success in what should be an improved Metropolitan Division that already includes the Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes. Will that gamble pay off? Here are five players the Flyers will need more from if they are to avoid taking a step back.
1. Matvei Michkov, RW
No surprise here. Michkov will be looking to rebound from a sophomore season that saw him start slow, face public criticism for his conditioning, and clash with coach Rick Tocchet. Michkov’s play was markedly better post-Olympic break — 22 points in 26 games — but he struggled mightily in the playoffs, culminating with him being benched for the Flyers’ playoff finale.
Michkov expressed in May that he wasn’t happy with his season overall and acknowledged that he needed to work harder this summer. To his credit, it appears he’s followed through. He was spotted on the ice in Voorhees the day after exit interviews and participated in a renowned summer training group in Russia with NHL players like Artemi Panarin. He looks considerably leaner based on pictures that have surfaced on social media in recent months.
Panarin, Sergachev, Michkov, Lyubushkin, Kuzmenko, Podkolzin, Khusnutdinov. NHL players are training together under the guidance of Dmitry Yashankin pic.twitter.com/BctASqMF2L
When you consider the 21-year-old finished with 20 goals and 51 points in a down year, with a better offseason of training and added motivation, the sky really seems to be the limit for the Russian winger. Brière, Tocchet, and Co. are expecting a “vengeance tour” from Michkov in 2026-27 as they seek a second consecutive playoff berth.
2. Jamie Drysdale, RHD
After a couple of underwhelming years split between Anaheim and Philadelphia, Drysdale took a major step forward last season and flashed glimpses of the skill set that made him the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 draft. But is there even more meat on the bone?
Drysdale’s biggest progression last season came defensively, as he cleaned up some of his poor habits and became a more reliable defender. He improved his plus-minus from minus-32 to minus-3 and set career highs in average ice time (21:33) and goals (eight), while also equaling his career best of 32 points.
With a sturdier defensive foundation and a new four-year, $26 million contract to boot, the Flyers will hope a more confident Drysdale can take another step offensively and channel his effortless skating and puck-moving ability into increased production. While many expected the Flyers to add a proven power-play quarterback this summer to address the last-ranked unit, the team did not, meaning Drysdale likely will get the first crack at the point. The Flyers will need to click at a much higher rate than 15.7% with the man-advantage if they are to remain a playoff contender, and Drysdale grabbing the PP1 job with both hands would go a long way toward that aim.
3. Porter Martone, RW
After a banner collegiate season at Michigan State, the 2025 first-round pick didn’t miss a beat once he signed with the Flyers on March 29. Martone racked up six goals and 15 points in 19 games (including playoffs) down the stretch and, at 19 years old, was consistently among the Flyers’ most noticeable skaters during the postseason.
While the burgeoning power forward is still just scratching the surface of his immense potential, he showcased the skill set and moxie of a player who looks destined for stardom. The question now will be how quickly Martone can make that leap to become a top-of-the-lineup player and whether that can be as soon as this season.
Rookie Porter Martone, 19, has bona fide star potential and doesn’t seem like someone who gets daunted by the moment.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
The Flyers will be wary of heaping too much pressure too soon on the teenager, but Martone looks to have the broad shoulders and mental makeup to handle it. Given Martone’s pedigree as one of the top prospects in all of hockey — The Athletic ranked him No. 3 — the Flyers see having him for a full 84 games as one of their most obvious avenues toward improvement.
4. Tyson Foerster, LW
Amid Dan Vladař’s breakout season, Trevor Zegras’ resurgence, all the drama surrounding Michkov, and the late-season Martone hype train, it was easy to forget that the Flyers played most of last season without one of their top players in Foerster. To make matters worse, the 24-year-old’s arm injury came right as he looked to be breaking out.
Flyers winger Tyson Foerster missed 39 games last year after injuring his arm on a one-timer in early November.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
With 11 goals in 21 games before his injury, on the heels of nine in nine to conclude 2024-25, Foerster was quietly playing at a 40-goal pace for the first quarter of the 2025-26 season. The Flyers rewarded him handsomely this summer with an eight-year, $56.8 million extension that will keep him in Philly until 2035. Now Foerster, who is also one of the top defensive wingers in the league, will need to prove he can live up to his contract and stay healthy, the latter being something he has struggled with to this point of his career.
Foerster has the shooting release to become a consistent 30-goal scorer in this league and should provide a major boost for an offense that ranked 21st in goals last season. If all breaks right, could he even become the Flyers’ first 40-goal scorer since Jeff Carter in 2009?
5. David Jiříček, RHD
The Flyers are going to need a young blueliner to take a major step forward in 2026-27, and the likeliest candidates are Jiříček and Oliver Bonk. Jiříček, who turns 23 in November, will probably get the first chance, given he is almost two years older and, more importantly, no longer waiver-exempt.
Acquired from Minnesota at last year’s trade deadline for Bobby Brink, the 2022 sixth-overall pick is on his third team and is looking to revive his once-promising career. Blessed with great size at 6-foot-4, puck-handling ability, and a booming shot, Jiříček is a worthy gamble for a Flyers team that lacks a true high-end offensive defenseman in its pipeline. The team can also point to its strong recent track record with reclamation projects like Zegras, Drysdale, and Vladař as a reason for optimism.
The Flyers were patient with Jiříček last season as they sent him to the minors to have him rebuild his defensive game and learn the team’s style of play. Now, he will get a chance in training camp to show he’s made the necessary improvements and is finally ready for a full-time NHL role. Jiříček projected as a power-play quarterback when he entered the league, and given the Flyers’ persistent struggles in that area, he should be another option there given his big shot from the point.
“The potential is high … 21-, 22-year-old, 6-foot-4 defensemen of his caliber are tough to find,” Brière said after acquiring Jiříček in March. “We know we have to work with him. … But that’s why I go back to the Jamie Drysdale learning curve. That gives us hope that he can get on the same track and eventually become a difference-maker for us.”
Long fans of David Jiříček going back to his draft year, the Flyers believe they can get the best out of the toolsy defenseman.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
These are the Philly area’s best athletes under 25 years old.
By
Inquirer Sports Staff
Published
The Philadelphia area's sports scene is on the rise — and we're not talking about the addition of LeBron James to the city's professional ranks.
The region's professional sports franchises are only part of the picture. There also are athletes enrolled in the area's many colleges and universities, a wealth of talent at the high school and amateur levels, and others who dominate individual sports like boxing or figure skating. We decided it was about time to spotlight some of the best.
Welcome to The Inquirer's first 25 Under 25 list, highlighting the region's best athletes under the age of 25.
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The criteria is simple. To qualify for our list, an athlete must:
Be under 25 as of July 1, 2026, and
Currently reside in or train in the Philadelphia area (the city, collar counties, or South Jersey) and/or play for one of the area's colleges or professional teams (including their minor league affiliates).
That second rule means that high school students from the Class of 2026 are ineligible, since many have already arrived on their respective college campuses across the country. A few of them can be found on our list of the best players fromhere, which includes Philly athletes playing elsewhere. However, there is one exception this year, which we'll explain when we get there.
With those qualifications in mind, we went searching for the best of the best. And after much debate among our sports editors, we came away with 25 athletes who truly show the region's depth of talent at every level across a variety of sports. Here they are, presented in alphabetical order.
Jasmine Bascoe
Age: 20
Jasmine Bascoe was an all-conference selection for Villanova as a freshman in 2024-25 after leading the Wildcats with 16.2 points and 4.3 assists per game in 34 games.
Bascoe, who’s from the Toronto area, followed a stellar freshman season with an even better sophomore campaign, again leading the team in points (18.9) and assists (4.8) per game. She was the Big East’s leading scorer last season, beating UConn stars Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd. Bascoe led Denise Dillon’s Wildcats back to the 2026 NCAA Tournament after a two-season drought, and the Wildcats retained Bascoe for a third season. If Bascoe takes another step forward, Villanova could be a team to watch in March.
“Denise, she trusts me, and I have all my trust in her, so I’ll do whatever she needs me to do,” Bascoe said ahead of her sophomore season. “I love it in Philly — nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Bascoe’s Villanova inspiration
Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe is having an impressive freshman season. She draws inspiration from a Wildcats legend.
She watched Jalen Brunson from home in Canada and hopes to shape her game around his. So far, it's paying off for her and the Wildcats.
Justin Crawford
Age: 22
Justin Crawford, one of the Phillies’ top five prospects entering the year, made his big league debut on opening day and has appeared in all but 10 games so far this season. Heading into play Wednesday, Crawford is slashing .270/.316/.361 as a rookie, and, after an early adjustment period at the plate, has hit .305 since June 1. The center fielder's defense also has steadily improved.
As for his struggles against left-handed pitching, which relegated him to a platoon role earlier in the season, Crawford hopes to pick the brain of new teammate Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champ and two-time Silver Slugger. And like Crawford, Arraez is a lefty who hits for average. Since Arraez’s arrival earlier this month, Crawford has been even better, slashing .342/.381/.500.
Commentary from David Murphy
Justin Crawford delights his dad Carl and showed the Phillies the weapon they might have in the nine-hole
Crawford didn’t just perform as advertised on opening day. He showed the value of what was advertised.
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Reese D’Ariano
Age: 17
The youngest member of the current United States field hockey team, Reese D’Ariano has plenty of international experience at just 17 years old. Before the field hockey World Cup in Belgium, D’Ariano won two gold medals with USA field hockey, including at the 2024 Indoor Pan American Cup in Calgary, Canada, where she was named tournament MVP. D’Ariano, who is a rising senior at Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School and committed to the University of North Carolina, is one of the top prospects in her class.
Before she began training with WC Eagles, her field hockey club, D’Ariano would train at a multipurpose field with her mother while her brother had swim practice. “Obviously, the progression was slow if you saw it day to day,” D’Ariano said. “But as the weeks and months went on, it was a pretty drastic change in how I progressed.”
Climbing the ranks
Reese D’Ariano embraces role as youngest player on USA field hockey’s World Cup roster
The 17-year-old, West Chester native was 9 the last time the U.S. women’s national team qualified for the FIH Hockey World Cup. This will mark her biggest stage, and she's looking to contribute.
Riley Davis
Age: 16
Entering her senior year at Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, Riley Davis is the top-ranked lacrosse player in the Class of 2027, according to Inside Lacrosse. The five-star recruit and Penn State commit is a two-way midfielder for the Irish and also plays on the school’s varsity basketball team.
Riley’s father, Ben, played seven years in the MLB as a catcher. Her mother, Megan, was a two-sport athlete at Rutgers. Her brother, Tague, set Louisville’s freshman home run record (18) last year and led the nation in home runs (34) as a sophomore. Her older sister, Finley, is entering her freshman year at Furman, where she will play lacrosse after playing with Riley at Notre Dame.
Despite all that competition, Riley is considered the most athletic in a family of high-level athletes. “Riley is the best athlete in the family,” Ben told The Inquirer in April.
A family of stars
Former MLB catcher Ben Davis’ family is full of athletes. His daughter, Riley, might be the best.
Riley Davis is ranked as the No. 1 lacrosse player in the class of 2027. Her mother, Megan, and older sister, Finley, are “the anchor and the force” that guided her success.
Cooper DeJean
Age: 23
Securing your first career pick-six in the Super Bowl on your birthday is the kind of story dreams are made of. But that’s Cooper DeJean’s real life. DeJean, however, is much more than just that moment. He earned first-team All-Pro honors as the league’s best slot cornerback in 2025. He’s also one heck of a basketball player.
Now, he is taking on a new role as a safety in Vic Fangio’s base defense. He’ll still see the majority of his snaps in the slot, but his growing positional versatility is a testament to his skill as he becomes one of the Eagles’ most important players.
“Playing nickel in this defense is kind of like playing safety in a lot of ways,” DeJean said. “A lot of the techniques are pretty similar.”
DeJean’s making moves
How Cooper DeJean’s ‘first love’ of basketball helped set him on a path to the Eagles
Growing up in small-town Iowa, playing multiple sports was the norm. But DeJean stood out, especially on the basketball court, and he has the highlight reel to prove it.
Audrey Derivaux
Age: 17
A four-time world junior swimming champion, Haddonfield’s Audrey Derivaux was the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2027. But Derivaux recently reclassified to the Class of 2026 to start her collegiate swimming journey at Texas a year earlier than expected. Derivaux shared the news on her social media with an Instagram post captioned, “See you in August, Austin! Can’t wait to rep the Longhorns next season!”
(Editor’s note: Derivaux reclassified to 2026 after our list was complete.)
Derivaux, who turned 17 earlier this month, in 2024 was the youngest swimmer to reach the finals of an Olympic trial since 2012 when she was 14 years old. She competed in the women's 400 individual medley, but fell short of earning a spot in Paris. In July, she competed in the USA Swimming national championship, finished with the second-best time in the 100-meter butterfly, and won a trio of under-18 events (the women’s 100- and 200-meter butterfly and the women’s 400-meter individual medley).
Derivaux on the rise
Meet Haddonfield’s Audrey Derivaux, the 14-year-old who’s swimming’s next rising star
The rising sophomore at Haddonfield Memorial High School became the youngest swimmer to reach the finals of an Olympic trial since 2012. Could the 2028 Olympics be next?
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Natalie Dove
Age: 24
Since her professional debut in 2023, Natalie Dove is undefeated in nine fights — with two knockouts and five unanimous decisions. Dove, a super flyweight, remained undefeated in her most recent bout, an eight-round slugfest against Maria Micheo Santizo in April that ended with a split decision.
“No Love” Dove initially was exposed to the sport as a self-defense method and started sparring in Philadelphia at 14. She fought in amateur tournaments and trained as a hopeful for the 2020 Olympics before turning pro. Since May 2025, Dove has fought for Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. She credits her toughness in the ring to her upbringing in Philly gyms and learning to hold her own “in a gym full of grown men that … talk [trash] the entire time.”
“I really don’t care what anyone says,” Dove said last year. “If anything, I’m probably the biggest bully in the gym. I think it just made me tougher and it made boxing fun for me.”
When Doves fly
How Philly’s Natalie Dove went from shadow boxing in her sleep to fighting with Jake Paul’s promotion
The 23-year-old Philly native had Olympic dreams. Now, she's preparing to face Randee Lynn Morales on Saturday for Jake Paul's MVP.
VJ Edgecombe
Age: 21
By the end of his first professional game, VJ Edgecombe already had flashed his star potential. The No. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting and is set to start alongside Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and LeBron James. But don’t let him slip under the radar behind those huge names.
Edgecombe averaged 16 points per game last season and performed even better in the critical stretch in which Maxey, Embiid, and Paul George were sidelined. Brown, whose Celtics were eliminated in seven games by the Sixers, praised Edgecombe as a difference-maker in that first-round series. His teammates agree.
“He’s the guy,” Embiid said after the Sixers’ season ended. “I’m telling you guys, that guy is something different, and this was only Year 1. Year 2 is going to be better.”
Sixers’ future is now
‘I want us to go down in history’: Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe’s bond will shape the Sixers’ future
Maxey and Edgecombe have served as the life source of this Sixers season. The franchise will likely will go as far as they can take them — now and in the years to come.
Tyson Foerster
Age: 24
Before an upper-body injury sidelined Tyson Foerster for 49 games, the winger was on pace for career-best numbers with 13 goals in 29 games thanks to a shot head coach Rick Tocchet called “really elite.” The Flyers signed Foerster to an eight-year extension this offseason, so, barring a trade, the winger will be in Philadelphia for years to come. He couldn’t be happier.
“For me, I love Philadelphia, and I love playing with these guys,” he said. “They asked me if I would look to extend this year, and it was a no-brainer for me. I mean, I don’t play hockey for the money, so it’s all fun, and just happy to be here, hopefully, for the next nine years.”
Foerster’s big payday
Tyson Foerster talks lucrative extension with the Flyers: ‘It was a no-brainer for me’
Foerster missed 49 games because of injury a season ago, but cited his love of the Flyers and his teammates for why he inked an extension perhaps ahead of schedule.
Colton Hiller
Age: 16
Colton Hiller, the No. 2 player in the Class of 2028, is a 6-foot-7 small forward for Coatesville. In his sophomore season, he averaged 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, and 1.8 steals. Ahead of his junior year, Hiller is uncommitted but holds offers from more than 15 schools, including Villanova and Penn State. Last summer, he was part of the gold-medal winning Team USA at the FIBA U16 AmeriCup, where he averaged 13 points in six games.
In his two seasons with the Red Raiders, the five-star recruit has already surpassed 1,000 career points. He plays travel basketball in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, representing the 17-and-under PSA Cardinals, based in New York.
Despite having ‘a lot of eyes on me,’ hoops star Colton Hiller plans to stay at Coatesville
The 15-year-old, who’s nationally ranked, just wrapped up a stellar sophomore season. With the spotlight only getting bigger, Hiller has remained committed to developing in his hometown.
Maxwell Hiller
Age: 17
Maxwell Hiller — yes, he’s Colton’s older brother — also is a five-star recruit, but not in basketball. The Coatesville offensive lineman is entering his senior year and is the top-ranked interior O-lineman in the nation and No. 2 player overall for the Class of 2027, according to 247Sports. With more than 40 college offers, Hiller received his first college offer in eighth grade from Penn State. In April, the 6-foot-5 lineman committed to Florida.
“I don’t even watch the play, I just watch [Max],” Colton said of his brother. “I definitely like when he gets people on the ground, just pancakes, and that’s probably my favorite part.”
Max also played basketball, using it as a way to stay in shape, and even received an offer to play college hoops at La Salle.
Two Hillers are better than one
Meet Coatesville High’s Maxwell and Colton Hiller, who are rising stars in different sports
Max is a rising junior and ranked as one of the best offensive tackles in the country. Colton, who recently turned 15, is a 6-foot-6 shooting guard ranked No. 4 in his class.
Salman Khalil
Age: 21
Cairo-born Salman Khalil has been a standout in squash for Penn since he joined the Quakers in 2023. He was the Ivy League’s Rookie of the Year in 2023-24 and was the conference’s Player of the Year as a sophomore. Khalil, a rising senior, has been a standout for Penn as it has claimed its first two Potter Cups as the collegiate squash national champion in his first two seasons.
As a sophomore, Khalil became the first Quaker to claim the individual national championship (Pool Trophy) and the Potter Cup in the same season — and he did it while fasting for Ramadan. In addition to his career at Penn, Khalil is No. 52 in the squash world rankings. He holds a 42-16 record in noncollegiate events.
Khalil’s big win for Penn
Penn captured another national squash title even as three players fasted for Ramadan
Salman Khalil clinched the Potter Cup national team championship by beating Yale's Tad Carney. Khalil, Marwan Abdelsalam, and Omar Hafez of the Quakers were fasting during the final.
Makai Lemon
Age: 22
Makai Lemon, the Eagles’ first-round pick in 2026, hasn’t played a snap in the NFL yet. But with A.J. Brown gone, the rookie has big shoes to fill and a big opportunity in front of him. At Southern Cal, he averaged 14.6 yards per catch and racked up 1,156 receiving yards in 12 games in his final season. Lemon is known for his elite ball skills, despite being just 5-foot-11, on the smaller side for a receiver. He suffered an injury that sidelined him during minicamp and has been dealing with a hamstring injury during training camp. But when it’s time for him to take the field, Eagles fans will be “getting a dawg,” Lemon told the crowd on draft night.
“You drafted the guy that’s going to match the city’s intensity when it comes to pro football,” said Ray Fenton, Lemon’s former coach at Los Alamitos High School, located outside Los Angeles.
What Lemon brings
What the film says about Eagles first-round draft pick Makai Lemon
What does the newest Eagles wideout do well, and how does it fit in the new-look scheme?
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Isabeau Levito
Age: 19
Isabeau Levito became a household name this winter as one of the “Blade Angels,” the women’s figure skaters representing the U.S. at the Milan Cortina Olympics. She missed out on the podium, but she still got to bask in the experience of being an Olympian.
“It was just so cool with all these athletes from different sports all in one place,” Levito said. “It was very magical, and it was a dream come true.”
The South Jersey native also skated to a fourth-place finish at the 2026 World Championships in March. Levito has eight podium finishes at major events in her career, including silver at the 2024 World Championships and gold at the 2023 U.S. Championship. And she’s already started teasing her next routine.
What’s next for Isabeau?
South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito reached the peak this year with the Olympics. She wants more.
The Olympics were "very magical and a dream come true," Levito said. But she also wished she pushed herself more and is eager to get back to training and up her content for next season.
Porter Martone
Age: 19
Porter Martone, who got his start blasting holes in the wall of his parents’ basement before starring at Michigan State, made an immediate impact following his NHL debut, with 10 points in his nine regular-season games. After the Flyers’ season ended in the second round against Carolina, Martone joined Team Canada at World Championships and got ice time on the top line with Macklin Celebrini and Sidney Crosby, scoring one goal and four assists in 10 games.
“He wants to be out there when the game’s on the line,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “He’s unflappable.”
Martone’s origin story
Flyers rookie Porter Martone blasted holes in his parents’ basement before becoming an NHL phenom
The teenager has taken the NHL by storm in the playoffs. He honed his scoring touch growing up in Ontario, firing slap shots in the basement and beating "Jeff" the goalie in his backyard.
Matvei Michkov
Age: 21
Matvei Michkov’s sophomore NHL season was a bit turbulent, but the 21-year-old’s potential is sky-high, if his post-Olympic break stretch leading the team in points is any indication. At his best, the winger is a game-breaker and an elite talent the Flyers desperately need.
“He knows he needs to improve off the ice in his training — and that’s not a secret — he’s admitted that himself. … So, the big thing for Matvei is adapting," general manager Danny Brière said.
Coming to America
Matvei Michkov is 5,100 miles away from his home in Russia. But in Philly, ‘life has become easier.’
The 21-year-old's adjustment to North American culture, the English language, and the NHL is ongoing. But the Flyers winger is starting to feel more comfortable on and off the ice.
Quinyon Mitchell
Age: 25
Quinyon Mitchell is the oldest player on our list and the only one who has already turned 25 — he beat our cutoff date by about two weeks — but the Eagles cornerback is more than deserving. He won the Super Bowl and was runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 and has just kept improving.
Mitchell was named first-team All-Pro in his second season and was ranked 47th on the NFL’s top 100 Players of 2026 by his peers, and there’s still room for him to grow. Mitchell’s lockdown coverage makes him a ball repellent. He was targeted just 85 times last year and gave up 36 catches for 451 yards and one touchdown. But in two NFL seasons, Mitchell still hasn’t picked off a pass in the regular season. He’s hoping to change that in 2026.
“I’ve been working with the staff on catching and eye placement and stuff like that, so I just need to get better,” Mitchell said.
Commentary from Marcus Hayes
Quinyon Mitchell looked like an All-Pro vs. the Lions. His Florida family and friends were there to see it.
The Eagles cornerback allowed zero catches against Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jared Goff, and the highest-scoring offense in the NFC.
Andrew Painter
Age: 23
After years of anticipation, Andrew Painter got his first crack at the Phillies’ rotation this year, and it didn’t go as many hoped. The 23-year-old had a 7.06 ERA in 14 appearances, including 12 starts, before being demoted to triple A. His first game back in the majors showed promise. After giving up a double and a home run early, he settled in for six strong innings and only allowed one hit after that.
“When he’s done some things with his delivery, which is going more directly to the plate rather than spinning off, he’s had more life,” Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowskisaid.
His three starts since — including one that was cut short by hamstring tightness — have been trending in the wrong direction. But at his best, Painter still represents a ton of potential.
Commentary from David Murphy
Andrew Painter has reached his Roy Halladay moment. It is on him to seize it.
Failing is easy. The hard work is what comes next with his demotion to triple A. It's an endeavor upon which Painter must embark, much like Halladay did at his age.
Jordyn Palmer
Age: 17
Westtown School star Jordyn Palmer is a 6-foot-2 rising senior guard/forward who is No. 9 in her class, according to ESPN. Palmer, a three-time Gatorade Pennsylvania Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year, averaged 23.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 3.3 steals, and 2.5 blocks as a junior, helping lead the Westtown School (28-2) to the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association championship game. She has 1,746 career points and 894 career rebounds.
She has offers from more than 20 colleges, including South Carolina and LSU. In June, she was named Miss Pennsylvania Basketball, awarded to the best female high school basketball player in the state, voted on by fans, coaches, and media.
Best is yet to come
Westtown’s Jordyn Palmer — a basketball phenom and highly sought-after recruit — has untapped potential
The 6-foot-2 junior, who is ranked No. 6 in the nation, has had constant attention on her since she was 14. She has taken her game to a new level, but the best of her talents has yet to be displayed.
Labaron Philon Jr.
Age: 20
Labaron Philon Jr. is one of a few professional players on this list who have yet to make their debut, but there are high hopes and plenty of hype surrounding the former Alabama point guard who fell to the Sixers as the 22nd overall pick in this summer’s draft.
Of course, the expectations have eased in recent weeks as the Sixers added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. But the 20-year-old brings shooting (48.2% for the Crimson Tide in two seasons) and a spark off the bench behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Philon’s Sixers career already got off to a good start at NBA Summer League, and he’s got a plan for his transition into the league.
“Having the same ‘dawg’ mentality that I had at Alabama and being the same person,” Philon said after his Sixers debut. “Being me, really.”
Philon’s ready for Philly
Labaron Philon Jr. is ready for his rookie season with ‘a lot at stake’ after Sixers added LeBron James, Jaylen Brown
"Being a rookie and being able to be around all those guys is a privilege for me," Philon said after the Sixers added James and Brown this offseason.
Lavar Scott
Age: 22
South Jersey’s Lavar Scott comes from a racing family, so it’s no surprise that he was able to climb the ranks of stock car racing to become one of three active Black drivers in NASCAR. In two full seasons in the ARCA Menards Series, Scott finished in the top five 22 times for Rev Racing, including four second place finishes.
He earned a full-time spot in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026, making 22 starts in Alpha Prime Racing’s No. 45 Chevrolet. Scott has earned five top-20 finishes in 22 starts this season. Still looking for his first NASCAR win, Scott is chasing a feeling that he first learned racing go-karts at five years old.
“It’s a feeling that when I go to bed, I think about, [when I] wake up, [I] think about, [when I] sleep, [I am] thinking about. It’s just the feeling of standing on top of your car after a win and [celebrating] with your friends and family and knowing you did your job really well that day,” Scott said in June.
From South Jersey to NASCAR
South Jersey’s Lavar Scott, one of NASCAR’s three Black drivers, is chasing greatness and not looking back: ‘There was no Plan B’
Go behind the scenes at Pocono Raceway with 22-year-old South Jersey native Lavar Scott and the family that helped him become one of three active Black drivers in NASCAR.
Luigi Suigo
Age: 19
Standing at 7-foot-3, Italian-born center Luigi Suigo was the marquee addition for Kevin Willard this summer as he tries to lead Villanova back to the NCAA Tournament. Suigo, born in northern Italy, has played professionally in Europe since 2023. He averaged 7.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 26 games during 2025-26 for KK Mega Basket of Serbia. Suigo entered the 2026 NBA draft and was projected as a late first-round, early second-round selection before he withdrew and decided to play college basketball at Villanova.
“He wants to make sure when he gets drafted, he’s going to play,” Willard said of Suigo in June. “The big thing is I think he needs to get Americanized a little bit, to American basketball. I think that’s why college will be really good for him.”
Even better for the Italian big man, Suigo will begin his college career with a game in Rome, where the Wildcats will play Notre Dame on Nov. 1.
From Italy to the Main Line
Big man Luigi Suigo has arrived at Villanova. His journey to the 2027 NBA draft is underway.
Suigo is expected to join the short list of Villanova players who are on campus for one season before being selected in the NBA draft. But his temporary stop at Villanova is a critical one.
Cavan Sullivan
Age: 16
Cavan Sullivan, the youngest professional on this list, has a chance to be the most internationally recognized real athlete to come from Philadelphia — apologies to Rocky. The attacking midfielder has a deal in place that will send him to English giant Manchester City once he turns 18, but for now, he’s tearing up the pitch for the Union. He netted his first MLS goal in May, and his role for the team has continued to grow.
“It’s a big year for me,” Sullivan said in January. “It’s exciting, but I’m not going to get ahead of myself. I know there’s still work to do and stuff to prove.”
Look out for Sullivan in stars and stripes, too. He’s still waiting on his first senior team call-up, but he’s received numerous call-ups to U.S. youth national teams and scored twice at the 2025 FIFA under-17 World Cup in Qatar.
A Philly soccer story
Why Cavan Sullivan, hyped as the world’s best 14-year-old soccer player, chose to turn pro with the Union
In a few years, Sullivan will play for English superpower Manchester City. But for now he has chosen to start with his hometown team. Here's the inside story of why he picked the Union.
Quinn Sullivan
Age: 22
While his younger brother has Europe’s attention, Quinn Sullivan has developed into an integral piece for his hometown club. Before an ACL tear ended his 2025 season, Sullivan scored three goals and logged eight assists in 31 appearances across all competitions as the Union claimed the MLS Supporters’ Shield.
Sullivan also has experience with the U.S. men’s national team and made one start during the 2025 Gold Cup.
Sullivan returned from his ACL injury in July 2026, and now that he’s fully healthy, he’s back in the Union’s starting lineup. Quinn isn’t making a move to Europe yet, but the Bridesburg native is happy to represent his hometown club for now.
“I’d love to be the face of this team,” Sullivan said in January. “I mean, I grew up supporting this team. I love this team; I love this city. I feel like I embody what Philadelphia means.”
Holding down the homefront
Quinn Sullivan ‘would love to be the face’ of the Union. When he returns from a torn ACL, he just might be.
Though the 21-year-old from Bridesburg likely won't be back on the field until July, he's in good spirits. He appreciates all the support he's gotten from fans, the Union, and the national team.
Gage Wood
Age: 22
Gage Wood, the Phillies’ first-round pick in 2025, made his first start at Citizens Bank Park in July — as part of the MLB All-Star Futures Game.
But the right-hander, who was promoted to double-A Reading earlier this season, is progressing quickly through the system. Wood’s elite fastball helped get him to No. 33 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects, but there are questions about whether Wood is a starter or a reliever long-term.
“Obviously, I want to go back to the Bank as fast as I can,” Wood said. “I just keep working every day and try to get there as fast as possible.”
Patience paying off
Phillies prospect Gage Wood may have to take a longer road to the majors — and he’s OK with that
After the Phillies drafted the 22-year-old pitcher out of Arkansas, they plan to develop Wood as a starter. Fans caught a glimpse of the first-round pick in the Spring Breakout game on Saturday.
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That completes the first installment of The Inquirer’s 25 Under 25 athlete list. Naturally we couldn’t include every great athlete from the area, so be sure to check out our list of those who just missed the cut. We also have a list of the best under-25 athletes that are from the region but no longer play here. And, of course, we want to know who you think should’ve made the cut but didn’t, so email us at sports.daily@inquirer.com with anyone we might have missed.
Staff Contributors
Design and Development: Julia Duarte
Reporting: Gabriela Carroll, Owen Hewitt, Mia Messina
Editing: Matt Mullin
Illustration: Vivi John
List Curation: Inquirer Sports Editors
Digital Editing: Matt Mullin
Copy Editing: Maria McIlwain
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Weeks have passed since the NHL draft, development camps across the league have wrapped up and there are still a few months to go until preseason hockey is underway.
But there’s still plenty happening to keep give fans their hockey fill, including Scott Wheeler of The Athletic releasing his list of Top 100 drafted NHL prospects on Tuesday morning.
The list of 100 prospects is made up of players who fall into two qualifications: skaters under age 23 and/or skaters not yet fully established with their clubs. The latter requirement is left up to Wheeler’s discernment. The players are then ranked from 1 to 100, and sorted into six tiers.
The ranking includes 24 players from this year’s draft and 25 from last year’s, with the other 51 ranging from the 2022 to 2024 drafts.
But despite the 38 picks the Flyers had across those five drafts, Philly had just two players make this list with Porter Martone coming in third on this list as a top-tier prospect and David Jiříček just inching his way onto the list at 97 as a sixth-tier prospect.
Alex Bump, Jett Luchanko, Jack Nesbitt, and Oliver Bonk were each part of the final cuts, and were considered by Wheeler to be tier six prospects.
Porter Martone was ranked No. 3 on the Athletic’s drafted prospects list, and nearly made No. 2. Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Martone played just 19 games with the Flyers last season, nine in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs, making the 19-year-old eligible for the list on both qualifications. During the regular season, he had 10 points in his nine games, four goals and six assists, and his 14 shots on goal were the most by a rookie in his first two games in the league.
During the playoffs he became the first teenager in league history to score a game-winning goal in each of his first two career playoff games. He added three assists to those two goals to finish with five points in the playoffs.
With just the Nos. 1 and 2 overall picks in the 2026 draft, Penn State product Gavin McKenna (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Ivar Stenberg (San Jose Sharks) ranking ahead of him, the 6-foot-3 right winger is described by Wheeler as a “modern powered forward who blends size with skill, poise, physicality and scoring ability.” Wheeler says he debated ranking him No. 2.
Wheeler continued on to mention Martone’s build, battle for the puck and puck handling skills, and willingness to drop the gloves, among other attributes, but also noted that there are instances where he falls to poor play selection, turnovers, bad penalties, and other issues. His biggest note was about Martone’s skating which he said “can kick out from the knees” and will need to improve so the rest of his game can improve, but again noted the teenager’s many attributes.
“He’s going to score goals, make plays and be able to impose himself in the NHL when he really comes into his own,” Wheeler said. “He has the talent to become a high-end point-producing winger. The skill and hockey sense are real, and the consistency of his effort level and toughness have developed over time, too. He’s one of the top forward prospects in the game.”
Michael Misa of the Sharks finished out the top four, making Misa the second San Jose player in the top tier and one of six Sharks to make the list.
The Detroit Red Wings and the Vancouver Canucks also had six prospects each. The Blackhawks had the most appearances in the top 100 with eight prospects, followed by the Calgary Flames and the Nashville Predators who had seven each.
David Jiříček played in one NHL game in 2026-27 and projects as a key part of the Flyers’ future. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Helping close out the list was Jiříček who was drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022. One of 30 defensemen in the ranking, the 22-year-old was acquired by the Flyers at this season’s trade deadline in exchange for Bobby Brink.
The 6-4 blueliner played one game with the Flyers in the last game of the regular season and was later called back up for the playoffs after the Phantoms season ended, but did not see ice time.
Wheeler said Jiříček has a number of desirable attributes including his point shot, commanding presence, and strong frame, but said he is stilted in his backwards skating and pivots, which causes him to struggle to keep up in a fast-paced game.
Jiříček’s offensive contributions, such as being a puck transporter and a puck handler or distributor, were also commended by Wheeler, but he noted that while Jiříček has tools one would look for in a top defenseman, he also lacks some of the most important tools including play reading ability.
“Because his decision-making and footwork don’t seem to be improving enough, he no longer projects as a top-four D and now looks more like a potential third-pairing type with some offense,” Wheeler said.
Flyers left wing Alex Bump was among the players who just missed the cut for the top 100. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
As for the rest of the Metropolitan Division, the New York Islanders had five prospects make the list, the most out of any team in the division, followed by the Washington Capitals with four.
Cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, had three players make the list with Harrison Brunicke (74) and Rutger McGroarty (84) coming in the fifth tier while Will Horcoff (92) came in tier six.
The New York Rangers also had three with Alberts Šmits (9) and Gabe Perreault (19) in the second tier and Liam Greentree (91) in the sixth.
The Blue Jackets, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils also had two prospects each on the list.
