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Tag: Trevor Zegras

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Breakaways

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

    Up next

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

  • Commissioner Gary Bettman explains NHL’s foray into the hockey romance space: ‘The data is overwhelming’

    Commissioner Gary Bettman explains NHL’s foray into the hockey romance space: ‘The data is overwhelming’

    The Summer He Turned Gritty?

    After the massive success of hockey romance series Off Campus and Heated Rivalry, and the overall prominence of “hockey romance” as a book genre, the NHL is trying to convert that growing young audience into fans through the “Hot for Hockey” campaign.

    “The data is overwhelming,” commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday from Xfinity Mobile Arena, that a large number of the NHL’s newest fans started watching the league after discovering the sport through one of those two television shows.

    “The hockey romance genre is extraordinarily popular,” Bettman said. “It’s not necessarily everybody’s taste. Not all of it is suitable for every audience or every age group, but for the people who are connecting to it? They’re also connecting to hockey.”

    Flyers Q&A: GM Danny Brière on facing increased expectations, Matvei Michkov, and LeBron James

    In January, StubHub reported a 40% increase in interest in NHL tickets following the release of Heated Rivalry. The first season of Prime Video’s series Off Campus released on May 13, but immediately became one of the streamer’s biggest hits, having the third-best debut in platform history. San Jose Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini did a joint interview with Off Campus star Belmont Cameli as part of a Hollywood Reporter series that also featured Sixers star Jaylen Brown and Mahershala Ali.

    Sean Eggert, the NHL’s new Chief Marketing Officer, told Sports Business Journal that hockey romance is by far the largest segment of the booming sports romance genre.

    So, as part of the NHL’s new campaign to draw in more of those fans, the league released a series of romance-inspired audio series, including one “starring” Trevor Zegras, The Summer I Turned Gritty. The goal of the campaign is to present real-life NHL story lines in the style of romance novels, written by popular hockey romance authors.

    The popularity of romance hockey shows like “Off Campus” has the NHL wading into new territory.Liane Hentscher

    Zegras’ voice isn’t actually featured in the audio — at least not in the first installment released on Spotify. Bettman said he listened to all of them — in addition to binging both Off Campus and Heated Rivalry.

    The first editions earned a fair bit of ridicule from fans across the spectrum, both older established fans and from the exact fans who might be the target audience for this kind of content.

    Spotify doesn’t publicize listener statistics for audiobooks, so it’s unclear how well these stories are actually performing on the platform. The Summer I Turned Gritty earned a 2.6-star rating from 16 reviewers as of Wednesday night.

    In 2023, the Seattle Kraken attempted to lean into the BookTok audience, inviting popular creators known for reading and reviewing hockey romance to games and engaging with their content on TikTok. The team ran into trouble when some of those creators began to sexually harass center Alexander Wennberg, in ways his wife Felicia said were “predatory and exploitative.”

    Despite the mixed success of the NHL’s attempts to engage romance readers and watchers, Bettman said the league’s efforts to reach that new audience will continue.

    The Flyers and their fans have craved a star in the mold of the Tkachuk bros. They look to have one in Porter Martone.

    “We’re going to do a variety of things to continue to market and promote the game,” Bettman said. “I don’t think we’ve ever had more fans. Our buildings are sold out. We set another record last season. Our ratings were up dramatically.

    “We’re looking to encourage people who might not be focused on hockey to take a look because we believe once they take a look, they’re going to like what they see and they’re going to keep coming back.”

  • Flyers players tuck in their jerseys in solidarity with Trevor Zegras after ‘tuck rule’ penalty

    Flyers players tuck in their jerseys in solidarity with Trevor Zegras after ‘tuck rule’ penalty

    It may have been the preseason finale for the Flyers, but Saturday night had some spiciness to it — even before the puck dropped.

    A majority of the Orange and Black’s players had their jerseys tucked into their pants as they flew out the door for warmups. Why?

    Trevor Zegras becomes first victim of NHL’s emphasis on jersey tuck rule vs. Bruins

    The Flyers, known for being tight-knit, were standing in solidarity with Trevor Zegras two nights after he was penalized in Thursday’s preseason game against the Boston Bruins for tucking his jersey into his pants. According to coach Rick Tocchet after Thursday’s game, the Flyers were recently informed that the NHL would crack down on this equipment issue, specifically at the start of a shift.

    “Yeah, honestly, I’m not going to really comment on that. I mean, he’s been doing it ever since he was a kid,” forward Owen Tippett said after the game Saturday. “I had to ask the refs about it today; there’s been times where my jersey’s tucked in, and I mean if we’re picking on that, then I don’t know. But yeah, we’re just having a little fun.”

    Zegras was warned in the first period before being spotted, alongside Travis Konecny, an alternate captain, discussing it with referee Jon McIsaac after the opening frame.

    “I started the game with it tucked; that’s how I usually play,” Zegras said Thursday. “Must have just went back down the bench and came out and forgot.”

    His teammates didn’t forget what transpired. Captain Sean Couturier, alternate captains Konecny and Travis Sanheim, and Rasmus Ristolainen, Porter Martone, Alex Bump, Cam York, and Jamie Drysdale were among the players who either tucked in the back of their jersey or had the whole thing tucked into their pants as they skated around in warmups.

    Trevor Zegras posts Tom Brady picture on Instagram in response to viral ‘tuck rule’ penalty

    The Flyers’ form of silent protest went viral and came after Zegras took to social media Friday to express his dislike of the new rule.

    On his Instagram story, Zegras posted two pictures of him playing with a tucked-in jersey as a kid, and for his youth hockey team, the Mid Fairfield Rangers. He also posted a picture of Tom Brady and the “tuck rule” play against the Oakland Raiders.

    “Just having some fun with it,” Drysdale said postgame Saturday. “It’s something, as I’m sure all you guys saw, it’s something he’s been doing for his whole life, and I think he rocks it.

    “It was just us getting together as a team, and maybe one last time to tuck the jersey in. We won’t take a penalty like that during the year. It’s just get it out of the way and have a little fun with it. But yeah, that’ll be the last time.”

  • Trevor Zegras posts Tom Brady picture on Instagram in response to viral ‘tuck rule’ penalty

    Trevor Zegras posts Tom Brady picture on Instagram in response to viral ‘tuck rule’ penalty

    Trevor Zegras has been one of the bigger personalities and characters in the NHL since he entered the league in 2021.

    Whether it’s his California surfer guy resemblance to Fast Times at Ridgemont High’s Jeff Spicoli, his creative nicknames for teammates — see “Taco” for coach Rick Tocchet — or his silly intermission interviews, Zegras is always good for a chuckle.

    Trevor Zegras becomes first victim of NHL’s emphasis on jersey tuck rule vs. Bruins

    So it was no surprise that Zegras, a day after he was penalized for tucking in his jersey in the Flyers’ preseason game against the Boston Bruins, took to social media Friday to vent his frustrations over his delay-of-game penalty for “improperly wearing his equipment.”

    On his Instagram story, Zegras posted two pictures of him playing with a tucked-in jersey, first as a kid and later in his teens. This backed up his comments Thursday night that he’s always worn his jersey that way.

    “I started the game with it tucked; that’s how I usually play,” Zegras said. “Must have just went back down the bench and came out and forgot.”

    But after posting the two pictures with the tucked-in jersey, the New York native and proud Giants fan (yuck) couldn’t resist getting another jab in. This time, the Flyers center posted a picture of old Super Bowl rival Tom Brady and the “tuck rule” play against the Oakland Raiders that ultimately kick-started the New England Patriots’ dynasty.

    While we know Hall of Fame defensive back Charles Woodson is no fan of the NFL’s tuck rule, he has yet to weigh in on the NHL’s iteration.

    Don’t be surprised if you see more tucking infractions on the ice this season either, as Tocchet told reporters Thursday that the NHL has warned teams that they will be enforcing this type of delay-of-game penalty. It’s also worth noting that Zegras received a warning from referee Jon McIsaac earlier in the game before his saunter to the penalty box.

    We guess whether to tuck or not to tuck is no longer a question.

  • Trevor Zegras becomes first victim of NHL’s emphasis on jersey tuck rule vs. Bruins

    Trevor Zegras becomes first victim of NHL’s emphasis on jersey tuck rule vs. Bruins

    The biggest storyline coming out of the Flyers’ 2-0 preseason win against the Boston Bruins on Thursday at Xfinity Mobile Arena should have been that the majority of the main roster got some action or Joseph Woll looked good again — reminder: last season the team’s first shutout came in the playoffs — or that Matvei Michkov’s skating looks like he is floating now.

    Instead, the Flyers went viral after Trevor Zegras got a minor penalty for delay of game due to his equipment in the second period. The issue? His jersey was tucked into his pants before the shift started.

    “I started the game with it tucked; that’s how I usually play,” Zegras said. “Must have just went back down the bench and came out and forgot.”

    Zegras likes to play with jersey tucked into his pants; he’s done that for years. It is reminiscent of Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, who famously tucked the corner of his jersey into his pants; former Flyers forward Jaromir Jagr, who tucked his whole jersey; and the NHL’s all-time leader in goals, Alex Ovechkin, who tucks in his jersey, exposing the back plate of his pants.

    But according to coach Rick Tocchet, the Flyers were told recently that the league would be cracking down on this exact equipment issue, specifically that players are not allowed to start the shift with their jerseys tucked.

    Trevor Zegras on the puck during Thursday’s preseason game.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Although no language in the 2026-27 rule book states that jerseys must not be tucked into pants, Rule 9.5 states:

    “All protective equipment, except gloves, headgear, neck protection, and goalkeepers’ leg pads must be worn under the uniform. Should it be brought to the attention of the Referee that a player is wearing, for example, an elbow pad that is not covered by his jersey, he shall instruct the player to cover up the pad and a second violation by the same player would result in a minor penalty being assessed.

    “Whenever it is deemed by the Referee that a player is wearing any equipment that does not meet with League regulations, he shall instruct the player to change or remove the piece of equipment. If the player refuses he shall be assessed a minor penalty for delay of game and if he returns to the ice without making the change he shall be assessed a misconduct penalty. Should this happen a third time, the player shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty.”

    Zegras was warned in the first period, and he and teammate Travis Konency, who is an alternate captain, were seen speaking with referee Jon McIsaac at the end of the period about it.

    “TK came over and explained, ‘Hey, Trevor’s got a warning,’” Tocchet said.

    “Obviously he can’t do it anymore,” Tocchet continued, speaking on Zegras. “He’s got to put a tie-down because the regular season starts; we can’t have a penalty like that for a tucked-in jersey.”

    A tie-down, which is also called a fight strap, secures the jersey to the pants. It was initially created to stop players from removing jerseys during an altercation. “I actually had to put [Matvei Michkov’s] down. I made him put a tie-down on the bench. We’ll have tie-downs,” Tocchet said.

    It reminded many of the time former goalie Ivan Fedotov was spotted pulling players’ jerseys down as they came to the bench two seasons ago.

    The Flyers look to be still working out the kinks in more ways than one this preseason.

  • Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov together? Here’s how the Flyers could line up on opening night.

    Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov together? Here’s how the Flyers could line up on opening night.

    We’re almost there, folks.

    No, we’re not just talking about the start of the NFL season. Flyers hockey also returns this month, with the Orange and Black opening up training camp on Sept. 17 before officially dropping the puck on the season on the 30th against the Penguins at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The Flyers’ complete 2026-27 schedule was announced Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know.

    So on the heels of the team’s surprising run to the second round of the playoffs and the increased expectations that come with it, how will Rick Tocchet line up his upstart team for opening night? Here’s our suggestion for what lineup we’d like to see — not necessarily what we expect to see — to start the season.

    Forward lines

    Here’s how The Inquirer would like to see the Flyers line up on opening night against the rival Penguins.Steve Madden

    The Flyers enter the season, at least on paper, with their strongest roster in quite some time. There is serious competition for spots at forward and on defense, and not a ton separating the two wingers who will play on the first line from the four that will comprise the second and third lines.

    Trevor Zegras remains entrenched as the team’s No. 1 center, although who his wingers will be remains up for debate. We like the idea of pairing Zegras with the team’s other creative mastermind, Matvei Michkov, especially with the Flyers hell-bent on getting the latter back on track after an up-and-down sophomore season.

    Michkov and Zegras also showed instant chemistry during the preseason and had some success in sporadic minutes over the course of the year. According to Natural Stat Trick, in 169 minutes together at five-on-five, the pair earned basically an even share of the shot attempts, outscored opponents 7-6, and created 38 high-danger chances compared to 30 against. The Athletic recently reported that the Flyers are intrigued to see if the two can develop chemistry.

    Rounding out our top line is a volume shooter in Tyson Foerster, who would relish a first extended chance to be set up by playmakers of the ilk of Zegras and Michkov. Foerster’s defensive responsibility would also offset some of the risk/concerns with Michkov’s game away from the puck.

    Travis Konecny, Christian Dvorak and Porter Martone stay together on our second line after a quietly impressive run in April. The trio logged a Corsi percentage of 50.93% and won the scoreboard battle 5-1 in 80 minutes together last season at five-on-five. This line wouldn’t be a ton of fun to play against either, as Konecny and Martone both play in-your-face hockey and thrive at getting under opponents’ skin. This could just as easily be considered the top line depending on how you look at it, too.

    After Porter Martone’s impressive late-season cameo, the Flyers have high hopes for the 19-year-old as he enters his first full NHL season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Our third line is centered by Noah Cates, who continues to develop into one of the league’s better defensive forwards. On one flank he’d have speedy power forward Owen Tippett, who raised his game a level last year and could finally be poised to crack the 30-goal plateau.

    The other wing will likely come down to a battle between goal scorer Alex Bump and diminutive playmaker Denver Barkey. While Barkey is ahead of Bump in the pecking order, if the Flyers want to squeeze their 12 best forwards into one lineup, Barkey’s feistiness and versatility to play up and down a lineup make him a more natural fit on the fourth line than Bump. Bump could also play out of his element on the fourth line or be the odd man out altogether if the Flyers believe Barkey, who they are extremely high on, needs to play in the top nine and Nikita Grebenkin is healthy enough to start the year.

    The Flyers are banking on internal improvements being enough in 2026-27. Here are five players they need to step up

    Sean Couturier, who thrived in a bottom-six role in the postseason, is poised to slot in as the team’s fourth-line center. Veteran free agent acquisition Noel Acciari represents an upgrade on Garnet Hathaway and should provide some beef and nastiness at right wing, as well as the versatility to take some draws at center when needed. That leaves Barkey, Grebenkin, and the speedy Carl Grundström competing for the final spot in what could be a rotation at least out of the gate. Grebenkin’s health remains a question mark, but he is reportedly ahead of schedule in his rehab from an upper-body injury.

    Defensive pairs

    The Flyers’ defensive pairs will look quite similar to last year, if Rasmus Ristolainen sticks around that is.Steve Madden

    Any discussion about the Flyers blue line starts with Travis Sanheim, who has elevated himself into a bona fide top-pair defenseman and is playing the best hockey of his career at age 30. Sanheim played the 10th-most minutes in the NHL last season and posted career highs in goals (11) and plus-minus rating (plus-12), all while shutting down opposing teams’ top lines.

    His partner to start the year is projected to be Rasmus Ristolainen, who is still around despite the latest cycle of trade rumors swirling around his name. The rugged and defensively solid Finn complements Sanheim well and allows his partner the increased freedom to jump into the rush. Ristolainen, who is a free agent at season’s end, might not be here come March, but for now he remains a big part of the Flyers’ blue line.

    Rasmus Ristolainen remains a Philadelphia Flyer for now despite widespread speculation that he would be traded during the summer.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Jamie Drysdale and Cam York have long been close off the ice, so it came as no surprise that they thoroughly enjoyed their time playing together on the second pair last season. In almost 500 regular-season minutes, the results were mixed, while in the playoffs the two got caved in at points, particularly against Carolina (31.76 Corsi %). This pairing probably isn’t ideal long-term given their size and lack of physicality, but they’ll get another shot to prove they can play together in 2026-27. The Flyers are counting on both, particularly Drysdale, to take another step forward this season.

    As long as Ristolainen remains in Philadelphia, the third pair figures to feature some sort of rotation. The selfless Nick Seeler is the most veteran option on the left, while former Toronto Maple Leaf Simon Benoit, beyond being Ristolainen insurance, could push for playing time due to his combination of size, skating, and snarl. The Flyers also like Ty Murchison, who impressed before suffering a season-ending injury last season, quite a bit on the left as well.

    Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale’s summer training has fueled his game. He is ‘excited to show what I can do and keep it going’

    Former top-10 pick David Jiříček, 22, will try to revive his career with his third NHL team after being acquired from Minnesota last March for Bobby Brink. The towering Czech, who can handle the puck and possesses a booming shot, was tasked with working on his defensive game in the American Hockey League last year and figures to get the first shot on the right given he’s no longer waiver-exempt. He also should get a look on one of the power-play units given the team’s longstanding ineptitude in that area. Righty Oliver Bonk, 21, will push hard for a roster spot as well, but he’ll have to blow the Flyers’ doors off to usurp Jiříček given the team has the option to send him to Lehigh Valley without waivers.

    Goaltenders

    Projected Flyers goaliesSteve Madden

    Long the biggest sore spot in the organization, goaltending improbably became the team’s biggest strength last season thanks to the revelation that was Dan Vladař. The 29-year-old career backup enjoyed a breakout season, starting a career-high 51 games and posting a .906 save percentage (eighth among goalies with 40 starts) and saving 13.8 goals above expected (10th-best), according to Money Puck. Now, after signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract in the summer, the question becomes: Can Vladař do it again?

    Dan Vladař’s breakout season has earned him a contract extension with the Flyers. Now can he do it again?

    All signs point to yes based on his mental makeup, play in the postseason, and the way this team is set up to defend under Tocchet. Vladař also may not have to, as the Flyers significantly upgraded the backup position by swapping Sam Ersson for Joseph Woll.

    Woll, 28, has a .906 career save percentage and, when healthy, has shown the capability of being a No. 1 goalie in this league. Woll’s presence should not only ease the physical burden on Vladař but also allow the Flyers to feel much more confident about their chances on days the Czech netminder gets a rest.

    In his first year with the Flyers, goaltender Dan Vladař came out of nowhere to finish sixth last season in the Vezina Trophy voting.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
  • From Jalen Carter to Jett Harrison, these athletes just missed the cut for our 25 under 25 list

    From Jalen Carter to Jett Harrison, these athletes just missed the cut for our 25 under 25 list

    Find yourself debating our 25 under 25 list? Well, maybe this list will help explain some of our reasoning — or give you something else to talk about.

    Several athletes, ranging from high school to professional, just missed the cut. Some turned 25 earlier this year, while others were considered but didn’t quite crack the final list.

    However, this gives you a glimpse into the name’s to look out for in next year’s 25 under 25. With that being said, here’s our top Philly athletes who missed the list.

    Just aged out …

    Tyrese Maxey

    Since Maxey’s rookie season in 2020-21, he has been on an upward trajectory to becoming the focal point of the 76ers. The point guard was named NBA Most Improved Player and earned his first All-Star selection in 2023-24.

    These are the Philly area’s 25 best athletes under 25, from high school phenoms to household names

    Maxey’s stellar fourth year led to a five-year, $204 million max contract. Lingering injuries derailed his 2024-25 season, but he made up for it last season, when he became the franchise all-time leader in three-pointers, surpassing Allen Iverson.

    He also earned his second All-Star nod and was named a starter for the Eastern Conference. Let’s also not forget his highlight moment when he recorded a career-high 54 points to become the second player in Sixers’ history to record at least 50 points and nine assists in a game.

    Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, 25, is the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Jalen Carter

    Carter still has some time to claim the title as best defensive tackle in the NFL, but he has established himself as one of the top players in his position in just four seasons in the league.

    And the Eagles believe so as well. Carter signed a contract extension this offseason through 2031 that’s worth $152 million, with $106 million guaranteed, making the 25-year-old the highest paid defensive tackle in league history.

    Carter received back-to-back Pro Bowl nods in 2024 and 2025, despite missing time while recovering from shoulder injuries last season. His 2024 season might have been his most productive, as he played 79.4% of the defensive snaps.

    Jalyx Hunt

    There’s high expectations for Hunt after a record-setting 2025 season, where the edge rusher became the first player in Eagles history to lead the team in sacks (6½) and interceptions (three) in the same season.

    As a rookie, he played 23% of defensive snaps, had 21 tackles, and recorded a half-sack in Super Bowl LIX.

    Last season, he took quite a leap. He more than doubled his tackles (52) and is now preparing for his third NFL season.

    The 25 Under 25 ‘From Here’ List: Hannah Hidalgo, Kevin McGonigle, and the best athletes who no longer play in Philly

    Trevor Zegras

    Zegras, another Philly star now on a big contract, signed a four-year, $36.5 million extension, carrying an average annual value of $9.125 million, which made him the highest-paid Flyer in annual average value.

    The center quickly became a fan favorite last season, his first with the Flyers. Zegras had a career high in goals (26) and was a key contributor in the Flyers’ postseason run.

    Flyers stars Jamie Drysdale (right) and Trevor Zegras didn’t quite make The Inquirer’s 25 Under 25.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Next up …

    Jamie Drysdale

    In two seasons with the Flyers, Drysdale, 24, developed greatly on the defensive side of the puck and was awarded the team’s most improved player for 2025-26.

    He’s dealt with numerous injuries throughout his NHL career, and, despite struggling early on in Philadelphia, the defenseman skated in 78 games while averaging 21 minutes, 33 seconds and a career-high eight goals this past season.

    He earned a four-year, $26 million extension this offseason. The deal made him the highest-paid defenseman on the Flyers in AAV.

    Dominick Barlow

    Barlow joined the Sixers last season on a two-way contract, but later had it converted to a standard two-year deal. He jumped right into the action and even became a part-time starter.

    Before free agency began, the Sixers picked up his $3.4 million team option for the 2026-27 season. The 23-year-old is coming off the best season of his career four-year career, in which he averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He made 59 starts in 71 games.

    While his role certainly will change this season, the forward has shown he can be a valuable resource.

    Neil Pierre

    The 18-year-old homegrown talent signed a professional contract in 2023 with Union II, the club’s reserve team. In 2025, the 6-foot-5 defender signed a first-team contract through the 2028 season, with an option for 2029.

    He was named MLS Next Pro Defender of the Year that season, and in January was loaned to Danish first-division side Lyngby Boldklub. He returned to the Union in July and quickly stepped in at centerback. He even scored his first goal in his second career game for the first team.

    Aidan Miller is one of the Phillies’ top prospects.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Aidan Miller

    Miller is ranked as the Phillies No. 2 prospect and 61st in the MLB. However, the infielder has missed the entire season with recurring lower-back issues.

    Last year, however, he was on a tear. Miller had 14 home runs, 42 RBIs, 59 stolen bases, a .264 average, and an .825 OPS across 116 games between double A and triple A.

    In June, Miller underwent a radiofrequency ablation of the facet joints in his spine. The Phillies said in July that they expect the 22-year-old to play this season, though he likely won’t reach the majors.

    The future …

    Jasmine Jackson

    Jackson has become one of the nation’s fastest hurdlers at 16 years old. The Winslow Township High junior set several records this spring. She won the New Jersey Meet of Champions with a personal-best 13.28 seconds.

    Her time ranks third in state history, No. 3 all-time on the wind-legal list for sophomores, and No. 3 in the nation for the 2026 season. When she was 14 years old, Jackson broke the national record for the 100-meter hurdles in her age group with a time of 13.72 seconds.

    Friends Central’s Ryan Carter (right) has been getting Division I scholarship offers since she was in eighth grade.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    Ryan Carter

    Since eighth grade, Carter has been getting looks by Division I schools and even received several scholarship offers. Now entering her senior year at Friends’ Central, the 6-foot guard is ranked nationally by ESPN as the No. 12 girls’ basketball player in her class.

    She spent two years at Penn Charter, playing varsity as an eighth grader, then played a season at Archbishop Wood, where she won a state championship, and will finish her high school career with the Phoenix. She averaged 17.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.8 steals last season.

    Carter recently won a gold medal with the United States under-18 national team and has more than 30 college scholarship offers, including from LSU, Duke, and Notre Dame.

    Jett Harrison

    Harrison, the younger brother of Marvin Harrison Jr. and son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr., is considered ESPN’s No. 6 overall player in the class of 2028. He had 15 receiving touchdowns as a sophomore for St. Joseph’s Prep.

    He announced his commitment to Ohio State in July, following in his brother’s footsteps. Recently during Arizona Cardinals’ training camp, Marvin Jr. said, “he’s definitely more talented than I was ever at that age.”

  • The Flyers’ rivalry with the Ducks might be the strangest part of a strange Philly sports summer

    The Flyers’ rivalry with the Ducks might be the strangest part of a strange Philly sports summer

    The Flyers’ schedule came out last week, and maybe I’m an exception in this regard, but I did not scan it immediately for games against the Penguins and Rangers and Capitals. My eyes fell on two dates: Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Jan. 3. A pair of unmissable matchups against the Flyers’ newest and most hated rivals: the … Anaheim Ducks?

    This has been an odd few months, in so many ways, for the Philadelphia sports scene. Think about some of the stories. The A.J. Brown trade watch. The reasons for that trade — i.e. his relationship, such as it was, with Jalen Hurts. The Phillies’ slow start. Their decision to fire Rob Thomson. Their inability to play reasonably intelligent baseball. The Sixers’ comeback over the Celtics. Their embarrassing sweep by the Knicks. Their decisions to fire Daryl Morey and hire Mike Gansey and trade for Jaylen Brown. Their nightly vigil for LeBron James.

    But none of those developments, none of them, compares to the sheer weirdness of the rising tensions between the Flyers and their Disneyland-adjacent counterparts. Imagine the Eagles and their fans hating the Jacksonville Jaguars or the Phillies and their fans being obsessed with beating the … Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and you have a sense of just how strange it is that the Ducks have become mallard non grata around here.

    Soccer’s lingering post-World Cup problem, the new and ugly era of Brady-Belichick, and other thoughts

    It’s one thing to despise Sidney Crosby; the guy is one of the greatest players in hockey history, has won three Stanley Cups, has tormented the Flyers for years, plays exactly the tenacious, win-at-all-costs style that would make him a god if he wore orange and black, and is based just 300 miles west of the Xfinity Mobile Arena. It’s another to despise a franchise that has been in existence for just 33 years, has won just one Stanley Cup (almost 20 years ago), and was named after a children’s movie. But here we are.

    The origins of the bad blood are no secret, at least not to anyone who follows the Flyers closely. On Jan. 8, 2024, they traded Cutter Gauthier — the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NHL draft, the prospect who was presumed to be their top goal scorer and franchise centerpiece for the next decade or more — to the Ducks for Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick. The deal was a shocker, and when Flyers president Keith Jones said during an NBC Sports Philadelphia interview that they traded Gauthier because “he didn’t want to be a Flyer,” Gauthier’s villain status was instantly established.

    The public sentiment here, with some exceptions, went from For chrissake, the Flyers let their future get away to Who the hell does that punk think he is? And Drysdale, whom the Flyers recently signed to a four-year contract extension and whom they consider an important member of their corps of defensemen, would forever be compared to the potential superstar the Flyers felt they had to give up.

    “The only thing that it does and will continue to do moving forward is just motivate me,” Drysdale said Monday. “I want to be the best player I can for the city, for the team, for the fans, for everything. I know I still have a lot more to give, and that’s exciting for me on my end.”

    Things have gotten only more intense since the Gauthier-Drysdale trade. It’s not just that the two franchises consummated another significant trade — and, for the Flyers, a so far highly successful one — 13 months ago, when Anaheim sent Trevor Zegras here for forward Ryan Poehling and two draft picks. It’s not just that the Flyers have beaten the Ducks all four times the clubs have faced each other over the last two seasons. It’s not just that the teams’ last matchup in Philadelphia, a 5-2 Flyers victory on Jan. 6, was loaded with checks and hits that sometimes crossed the line separating clean from dirty.

    Cutter Gauthier became an enemy for the Flyers’ fan base after his trade to Anaheim two years ago.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    It’s this: Of all the possible maneuvers and gambits that Flyers general manager Danny Brière could have attempted this offseason to supercharge the team’s push toward Stanley Cup contention, he and his staff decided to target Leo Carlsson, maybe the Ducks’ most important player. On July 3, they sent him to a five-year, $90 million offer sheet, one that would have made Carlsson — 21 years old, nearly a point-per-game player last season, still improving — the highest-paid player in the league.

    The Ducks always had the right to match the Flyers’ offer, and as expected, they did, and Brière and the Flyers still have to figure out how to acquire (or somehow develop) a top-line center. A disappointing result, to be sure. But from the Ducks’ perspective, the outcome of the Carlsson situation wasn’t exactly seashells and balloons. Brière made a bold move at Anaheim’s expense, forcing Pat Verbeek, the Ducks’ GM and a notoriously tough and frugal executive, to pay a price that he never would have otherwise chosen to pay to keep Carlsson — who had made it clear he wouldn’t have minded playing somewhere else. Plus, though the NHL’s salary cap is rising and will likely continue to rise for a while, the Carlsson deal promises to limit the Ducks’ ability to add or re-sign other vital players, including Gauthier.

    Without Leo Carlsson, the Flyers’ hunt for their pot of gold just got harder and longer

    What we have now are two organizations that have squared off in some high-stakes competitions — on the ice, yes, but the boardroom battles between them have been even better. No, this coast-to-coast duel doesn’t immediately call to mind the fear and loathing that Philadelphia fans have had for the Cowboys, the Mets, and the Celtics. Yeah, it feels sort of silly to have a rivalry with a franchise whose spiritual forefathers are Emilio Estevez and the guy who played Pacey on Dawson’s Creek. But if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be … well, you know.

  • Trevor Zegras inked a major contract extension with the Flyers. Next up: Lending his time and service to the Shoulder Check cause.

    Trevor Zegras inked a major contract extension with the Flyers. Next up: Lending his time and service to the Shoulder Check cause.

    It’s been a busy few days for Trevor Zegras.

    The forward posted on social media that he attended the World Cup Final in New Jersey on Sunday. That came four days after he became the highest-paid Flyer in annual average value.

    Zegras signed a four-year, $36.5 million extension with an AAV of $9.125 million on July 15 after filing for salary arbitration on July 5. The contract avoided a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, which he is happy about.

    Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale’s summer training has fueled his game. He is ‘excited to show what I can do and keep it going’

    “I think I just had a lot of fun being at the rink and being around the guys,” he said when asked why the Flyers became a fit after just one season during a Zoom session on Tuesday. “ … I find it lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing people, from like the guys to the coaching staff to Danny [Brière, the Flyers general manager] and [president Keith Jones], Dan Hilferty, the [governor].

    “So, I found that it was just a very good situation for me mentally, and it was a lot of fun on the ice, too.”

    Zegras is now locked up for several years, alongside a strong core of players, including defensemen Jamie Drysdale, who signed a four-year contract Friday, Cam York, and Travis Sanheim; forwards Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, and Christian Dvorak; and goalie Dan Vladař.

    Comfortable playing wing or center — he skated down the middle in the playoffs, which he said gave him confidence — Zegras is projected to be the top-line center for the Flyers this season.

    His offseason work involves getting bigger and stronger to help in the faceoff circle — he has won just 38.9% of his draws across 349 NHL regular-season games with the Flyers and Anaheim Ducks — and a bit more skating in August, given the shorter training camp and preseason on the horizon.

    Last year, Trevor Zegras took part in the Shoulder Check Showcase in Connecticut. The event raises money and awareness for mental health.Jackie Spiegel

    First, there is one more date circled on the calendar for Zegras in July. On July 30, he will join other NHLers in the Fourth Annual Shoulder Check Showcase at the Martire Family Arena on Sacred Heart University’s campus in Fairfield, Conn. The puck drops at 6:30 p.m., the game will be televised on NHL Network, and “Gritty’s coming, so I’m pretty fired up about that,” Zegras said.

    But the charity game, the premier event for the HT40 Foundation, is secondary to the meaning and importance of it.

    Created in 2023, the HT40 Foundation rose from tragedy. Hayden Thorsen, who wore No. 40 and was a goalie for the Junior Rangers in the Mid Fairfield Youth Hockey Association, died by suicide at the age of 16. The foundation and the game honor his memory.

    Blake Zielinski is the latest South Jersey native drafted into the NHL. He’s honoring a legacy that includes the Gaudreau brothers.

    “[Rob Thorsen, Hayden’s father’s] basic premise was like, ‘Who’s Hayden?’ And for him, Hayden was that kid, the guy who was always checking on his buddies,” Gary Zegras, Trevor’s father, told The Inquirer.

    “If you look at pictures of Hayden, he’s always got his arms around his buddy’s shoulders.

    “And so Rob’s idea was just really born out of who Hayden was, which was the guy that would ask you how you’re doing, what’s going on, arm around your shoulder, always had a smile … that simple, just act of kindness.”

    Last year, Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale participated in the Shoulder Check event held at a sold-out Terry Conners Rink in Stamford, Conn. Flyers mascot Gritty is expected to be at the 2026 edition.Jackie Spiegel

    Trevor, a Bedford, N.Y., native, also grew up playing for the Connecticut-based organization. His father, who has been with the association for more than 20 years, is the vice president and coaches a pee-wee team. He is also on the board and the secretary for the HT40 Foundation.

    “I think the message is good because it’s something, as hockey players and athletes, we can all kind of relate to and get behind, and that would be checking in on each other,” Trevor said.

    “You never know what somebody’s going through on a day-to-day basis, and maybe your phone call or your text is the reason why maybe they turn the corner for whatever reason. So it’s a pretty inspiring game, and I’m lucky that I got a lot of buddies that come and play in it.”

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    The Shoulder Check initiative was created to raise mental health awareness and encourage people to reach out to, and check in with, one another. Although the event includes a hockey game, the message intends to reach beyond the sports world to broader communities, including schools, community centers, and places of worship.

    “Ten years ago, 20 years ago … you weren’t supposed to talk about that kind of stuff,” Gary Zegras said. “But you can talk about your feelings. You can ask your friends, how they’re doing. You can make sure that they’re doing OK. You can put your arm around their shoulder. It’s just so important that the younger kids see that so that something like what happened with Hayden doesn’t happen again.

    “I just think these guys are role models in their world, and listen, not everybody in the country or the world knows who these NHL players are, right? In our world they’re everybody, but you know the reality is not everybody knows who they are. So while it’s a great starting point for the message, we’re doing everything to get the message out.”

    Fans will be able to get autographs, interact with and watch NHLers including Zegras, former Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere and goalie Alex Lyon, San Jose Sharks forward Will Smith, Seattle Kraken forward Matty Beniers, and Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto. Everyone in attendance will pledge before the puck drops to “Reach Out. Check In. Make Contact.”

    “Yeah, I’m a big phone-call guy,” Trevor Zegras said when asked how he reaches out. “So whether I’m driving or doing whatever, I like to check in, calling people, and seeing their face, seeing how they’re doing.”

  • Flyers GM Danny Brière talks Trevor Zegras contract, Leo Carlsson efforts, and more: ‘I’d be very comfortable going into the season’

    Flyers GM Danny Brière talks Trevor Zegras contract, Leo Carlsson efforts, and more: ‘I’d be very comfortable going into the season’

    It may be mid-July, but the Flyers brass is still working.

    On Thursday, Flyers general manager Danny Brière spoke to the media via Zoom less than 24 hours after inking restricted free agent Trevor Zegras to a four-year, $36.5 million extension with an annual average value of $9.125 million.

    Of course, it wasn’t the only topic, as this was the first time he was speaking since sending shock waves through the NHL by tendering a five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson that the Anaheim Ducks eventually matched.

    The Flyers still have a ton of cap space — Puckpedia has it at $20.4 million — and although Brière reiterated the mantra that they are always looking to improve the roster if it makes sense, he added, “What I can tell you is I’d be very comfortable going into the season with this lineup.”

    Here’s what else Brière said.

    Trevor Zegras became the highest-paid Flyer on Wednesday. Chris Szagola

    On the Trevor Zegras contract

    “Yeah, it’s a nice feeling,” Brière said of getting the contract done and avoiding salary arbitration next Wednesday. Had it reached that point, the Flyers would have had an option of only a one- or two-year deal set at the AAV decided upon by the arbitrator. If they had opted for two years, Zegras would have been an unrestricted free agent in 2028.

    Brière continued: “Obviously, Trevor is a big part of our team, a big part of our future as well. Since we acquired him, it’s been extremely positive, and the way he carries himself, he’s lively in our locker room — he’s a big part of the locker room — but he’s also a big part of the community. People, they love him. So I’m glad it’s done. It’s much nicer to get a deal done, and a long-term deal done, rather than go through arbitration.”

    There was some give and take with Zegras and his agent, Pat Brisson. Some wonder why the New York native, who said countless times this past season that he loves playing in Philly, wasn’t locked up for longer, but it sounds like four years were “the sweet spot” and that “they gave us some things that were more in our favor on a four-year deal.”

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    “He’s about winning. He cares about this team,” Brière said. “Even in this negotiation, he took charge. He’s the one who said, ‘I want to be in Philly. I love it here. I want to stay there.’

    “So it’s a big reason why this contract was done, this extension was done, because Trevor was really involved, and Trevor was adamant that he wanted to be in Philly.

    “ … He’s going to have to take a bigger part of the leadership process on this team. So I’m really excited about him and how he’s grown as an individual in the last year, especially with us. But I think it goes way back — he’s gone through a lot in his career, some ups and downs that weren’t always easy. I think that makes you stronger in the long run, and we’re fortunate that we’re the team benefiting from that.”

    While the AAV looks more like the money doled out to a center, is that where the Flyers see him? Brière wouldn’t commit, saying it’s “not up to me to decide.” He did stress that the final contract to Zegras and the offer sheet to Carlsson, a center, had nothing to do with the other. “We wanted both on the team at the time when we made the offer sheet,” he said.

    Brière talked for the first time since the Anaheim Ducks matched the Flyers’ offer sheet for center Leo Carlsson (91).John Locher

    On the impact of the Leo Carlsson offer sheet

    According to Brière, the league, including players and agents, took notice that the Flyers not only have deep pockets, but also want to be back on top.

    “The answer is yes. I just can’t give you much detail, unfortunately,” he said, hinting at needing to avoid tampering. “But yeah, I mean, it was noticed. It was noticed around the league. But what I hope, too, is that it is noticed by our fans and by our players that we’re serious.

    “The players did their part last year, and we’re trying to do ours, and we’re going to keep trying to improve the team to give them the best chance to just be a contender for years to come.”

    Players are choosing to stay in Philly, like Zegras, like goalie Dan Vladař, who inked a five-year extension and is here for six years, and like forward Tyson Foerster, who signed an extension that will keep him around for nine more seasons. The next step is having a team that is trending to be a contender for the Stanley Cup, and while the Flyers did not get Carlsson, there were “many teams to choose from, and he selected us, which was a good sign.”

    What’s next for the Flyers after missing out on Leo Carlsson?

    Did the massive AAV, which would have made Carlsson the highest-paid player annually, impact contract negotiations with Zegras and other restricted free agents? The Flyers still have to ink defenseman Jamie Drysdale, who has an arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday, Hunter McDonald and forward Nikita Grebenkin.

    “No, I don’t believe it’s affected our other contract negotiations … The marketplace changes daily. There’s new deals being given or coming out on a daily basis,” he said, noting it may have impacted players who make above the high-end threshold.

    “I think, in Trevor’s case, for example, when we were working on it three months ago and six months ago, the marketplace was totally different than it was last night when we were talking. So, not necessarily the offer sheet, but every other deal, yes, they were affecting our negotiation.”

    Danny Brière said the team made some efforts to improve the power play but came up short in an outside acquisition. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    On not adding players for the power play

    The Flyers’ power play is bad. This isn’t a new phenomenon under coach Rick Tocchet. It’s a problem that has persisted for five years and across three coaching staffs. It sounded like the Flyers wanted to take action to fix things, but while they were reportedly interested in signing unrestricted free agent John Carlson, who ultimately went to Tampa Bay, and Zach Werenski, who backed down from his trade request, they did not get either player.

    “We took some swings there, too. I unfortunately can’t get into details because players are elsewhere, but we took some swings there,” the Flyers GM said. “We tried to improve the power play. We’re going to keep looking. At this point, most free agents are signed, so it’s more on the trade front. So if there’s a chance there, we’re going to look to improve that.

    “But I also expect our guys to take a bigger bite of it. Adding a guy like [Porter] Martone, and [Denver] Barkey, and [Alex] Bump late in the season, you hope that they’re better at it with more experience. I expect guys like Trevor Zegras to improve on that. Matvei Michkov coming back and, after a sophomore — let’s call it a slump — we expect him to bounce back and have a big say in improving our power play.”