Flyers: Observations at the Preseason Halfway Point

Four preseason games out of seven on the schedule are in the books after the Flyers 3-2 overtime win against the Boston Bruins.

With the preseason and training camp now past the halfway point, here are five observations from camp so far.

Michkov Comes as Advertised

What more is there to say about Matvei Michkov that hasn’t already been said? The 19-year-old has been every bit as advertised in his first training camp and preseason.

Since his arrival in North America in July, fans have been wondering just what this would look like. Michkov has delivered on every expectation so far. In three preseason games, he has three goals and three assists, capped off with his overtime winner on Saturday night.

But Michkov’s game is about more than the totals. His hockey sense is off the charts, and even from afar, you can see the wheels turning in his head and that he’s always one step ahead in what he wants to do. The result has been frequent displays of skill, whether it’s cross-seam passes, firing a shot like he did on the overtime winner, or attempting a lacrosse-style goal.

Michkov’s game also goes beyond the offensive creativity. That part of his game was expected. Michkov’s is hardly the tallest player in the game, at 5’10”, but he uses his broad frame to be competitive in other areas of the game. He’s won several puck battles and even displayed an awareness for backchecking that brings defensive qualities to his game.

That only bodes well for his continuing adjustment to the NHL. His first handful of preseason games have not featured full NHL lineups just yet, so there may still be some growing to do and roadblocks to get through as the regular season arrives, but Michkov’s got the high-level talent to be the centerpiece of the Flyers offense.

Luchanko Earning an Extended Look

With all eyes on Michkov, it’s certainly understandable if most fans looked at Jett Luchanko as an oversight at camp. But past the halfway point of the preseason, Luchanko is still here.

The 2024 first-round pick just turned 18 in August, but has managed to make it through the first two rounds of roster cuts. He’s played in three preseason games and seen a healthy dose of playing time in all situations. And while his offensive numbers are hardly in Michkov territory – Luchanko has been held off the scoresheet for the last two games – he has displayed the smarts and poise to at least make the decision process a difficult one for Flyers brass.

There’s a lot of discussion around Luchanko. Michkov was essentially established as an NHL-ready player, and is having the preseason by the numbers to back it up. Luchanko figured to be several seasons away and more of an upside pick. Could he really make the team out of camp?

Considering he’s come this far, it’s definitely a possibility. That said, to stay beyond a possible nine-game tryout that he is allotted before he’d have to be returned to his junior team, Luchanko is going to need to do more than just provide the little things. He’s going to need to take over games and really knock someone else out of a spot. That makes him far from a sure thing to be on the roster as Michkov was.

With three preseason games to go, don’t be surprised if Luchanko gets a couple more right to the end. That’s when it will be decision time for the Flyers. And regardless of whether they think Luchanko is ready or he simply goes back to juniors as expected, it’s safe to say that perhaps Luchanko will be ready sooner than many anticipated.

Healthy Drysdale Will Be Key

When the Flyers acquired Jamie Drysdale in January, they got a player that has always had high potential. That got him selected sixth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. But Drysdale’s entire career essentially has been marred by injury. That was no different last season after the Flyers made the trade. Drysdale tried to play through injury in the first place, and then suffered another injury that kept him out for several weeks. 

So this season is very much a new beginning for Drysdale. It is his first full season with the Flyers, and after an offseason surgery, he’s back and healthy to start the season. And it shows.

Just watch Drysdale’s mobility and he looks like a completely different player from last season. For a team that struggled so much on the power play, adding the skill and creativity of Michkov and the skating ability that Drysdale possesses while quarterbacking a man-advantage, and there is certainly hope that more can happen on special teams this season.

Drysdale staying healthy is the key. Over his four seasons in Anaheim, Drysdale only played 123 games, including only eight in 2022-23 and 10 prior to the trade in 2023-24. Changing that could also change the narrative about the former Top-10 pick and what role he could play in the Flyers rebuild.

Goalies Getting Plenty of Work

Usually the first several preseason games involve plenty of shuffling in net, trying to get as many goalies in action as possible. In their last two preseason games, the Flyers have used both the likely starter and backup in full games, very much making clear who the two netminders will be to start the season.

Sam Ersson may not need much more work in game action anyway. His 37-save shutout on Thursday sure felt like a statement about how he may handle being the No. 1 for the Orange and Black. Ivan Fedotov has now appeared in parts of two games and allowed four goals on 39 shots, an .897 save percentage. 

Goaltending was one of the biggest questions coming into camp for the Flyers. Fedotov was the third backup option late in the 2023-24 season, as the Flyers desperately searched for any alternative to using Ersson on a nightly basis. Ersson said early in camp that physically he was fine, but that he learned lessons about the mental aspect of playing so much in a short span.

Finding the right spots to utilize Fedotov while still putting plenty on Ersson as the projected starter and finding a balance for both netminders can go a long way into a successful season in goal.

Much of the Roster is Already Set

Similar to the goalies, you don’t usually see most of the roster pretty well decided around the midpoint of the preseason. But the Flyers roster picture very much looks like it is taking shape.

There are 20 forwards remaining in camp, including the injured Samu Tuomaala. Add in players like Cooper Marody, who are going to likely be Phantoms, and the roster battle between Rodrigo Abols, Oscar Eklind, and Anthony Richard. The trio of newly-signed players this offseason may all be on the outside looking in. 

That is partially due to Michkov’s addition. Michkov has skated on a line with roster mainstays Owen Tippett and Morgan Frost in his first two games, and again with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny on Saturday. There is no question about roster spots for Scott Laughton, Joel Farabee, Tyson Foerster, Garnet Hathaway, Ryan Poehling, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink either. 

That’s 12 forward spots right there, and one of the main questions left is whether the Flyers carry 13 or 14 forwards to start the season. If they carry 14, and none of the above names in the battle make the team, only one cut is needed to get to 14 forwards. It could be as simple as returning Luchanko to his junior team. Or could it be that Olle Lycksell and Nick Deslauriers don’t make it? The Flyers like Deslauriers as a protector for Michkov, and Lycksell has had a solid camp.

Carrying 14 forwards also creates an interesting dynamic for dressing 12 for a lineup. There could be nights where, to get Deslauriers in, a player like Cates or Brink sit out. 

Defensively, the picture may be even clearer. There are only 12 defensemen left on the camp roster. Guys like Drysdale, Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Nick Seeler, Rasmus Ristolainen, Egor Zamula, and Erik Johnson are essentially guarantees. That would be your group of seven defensemen if the team carries 14 forwards.

But if they were to carry an extra defenseman to go to eight, the battle really comes down to Adam Ginning, Emil Andrae, and Hunter McDonald. Oliver Bonk is likely to go back to juniors and Helge Grans seems like to join the Phantoms soon. Ginning and Andrae were most-likely the two at the top of the list, but Flyers brass has not been shy in showing their feelings on McDonald. And while the possibility seems likely that none of these players make it and the team goes with a 14-forward, seven-defensemen roster, these few battles are really all that remain in camp with three preseason games to go. 

While the goaltending appears to be locked in with Ersson and Fedotov, there is a new wrinkle into the camp roster with Alexei Kolosov reporting in the last few days. He’ll at least last on the camp roster for several days to get games in at the NHL level, and while it seems likely he’ll still start the season in the AHL, his long-term future remains a big question for the Flyers.