The Flyers will play their seventh and hopefully last meaningless game of 2024-25 Thursday night at home to close out the exhibition season. The Flyers are expected to dress a squad similar to the one dressed against the Islanders on Monday night, namely one that is very low on roster players and a whole bunch of Lehigh Valley players. The Flyers lineup might still look to have the advantage over the pseudo-Devils who are playing a NHL game Friday in Prague. And no, there are no plans for a redeye flight to Prague after the game. The Devils lineup will be essentially a non-NHL roster.
Probably the one surprise might be the absence of Jett Luchanko who is still trying to prove himself to the coaching staff and others that he deserves a spot for at least nine games if not the entire regular season. He can skate like the wind, but I don’t think it’s wise to put a newly-turned 18-year-old who has room to grow and beef up in the NHL when he can still develop his game even more in junior. A reassignment to junior is not the end of the world.
The Flyers should have nearly all of their roster spots accounted for by now with possibly one forward position still open for one or two players trying to stay with the big club. Any way you slice it this should be a game that is basically AHL calibre at, unfortunately for those attending, NHL prices.
Players to watch
Olle Lycksell
Although he’s had a bit of chemistry with Matvei Michkov, it still looks like Olle Lycksell is playing tonight with a job on the line as the 13th (or possibly 14th) forward for the Flyers. Through four exhibition games he has three points (one goal) two assists and seems to be vying for the spot alongside Anthony Richard and (although probably a much longer shot) Rodrigo Abols. It’s also proof that coach John Tortorella doesn’t play favorites as Lycksell, who played 18 games last season, is still not a lock to make the club.
One would hope that one of either Lycksell, Richard or Abols tries to make an impact and makes the decision for the Flyers a lot easier by rising to the top. If none of the three are able to excel in what is basically their last audition (albeit against a bunch of minor league players) then it’s anybody’s guess who ends up sticking with the Flyers when the regular season begins next week.
Emil Andrae
Another Flyers prospect who looked to take the next step with the team but who hasn’t really made a huge impact has been defenseman Emil Andrae. Granted it would’ve taken a gigantic leap in development for the 22-year-old Swede to end up ousting one of Erik Johnson, Egor Zamula or Rasmus Ristolainen for one of the six defensive spots, but he hasn’t embarrassed himself like another defenseman who shall go unnamed this camp. Andrae has two assists in three games and is a +3 with four blocked shots.
Look for Andrae to try and make a case to be on the top of the list from Lehigh Valley if the Flyers run into the injury bug on the backend. Andrae should be ahead of a few other defensemen on the roster (particularly Helge Grans and Oliver Bonk) given how Tortorella acknowledged that Bonk’s pace has been slow when it comes to game action.
Alexei Kolosov
Alexei Kolosov was the most talked about Flyers prospect this offseason not named Matvei Michkov. With all the speculation and controversy surrounding his return across the Atlantic to a North American-sized ice surface, Kolosov is hoping as much as Flyers fans that he is able to perform, adjust and be a vital cog in the Flyers’ often rotating wheel of keepers. He looked fine in his backup role earlier this week against the Islanders, beaten on a late goal but one that was by no means his fault.
If Kolosov is to make both the front office and the Flyers coaching staff forget about the last month or five weeks before his eventual arrival, it’s imperative he gets off to a great start. And there’s no better way to get off to a good start than against the Devils on Thursday night, even if it’s the Devils in name only.
Lineups
Philadelphia Flyers
Olle Lycksell — Rodrigo Abols — Garnet Hathaway
Noah Cates — Jacob Gaucher — Anthony Richard
Elliot Desnoyers — Sawyer Boulton — Brendan Furry
J.R. Avon — Garrett Wilson — Oscar Eklind
Emil Andrae — Erik Johnson
Hunter McDonald — Oliver Bonk
Adam Ginning — Helge Grans
Alexei Kolosov
Ivan Fedotov
New Jersey Devils
Chase Stillman — Justin Dowling — Kevin Lebanc
Max Graham — Ryan Schmelzer — Brian Halonen
Mike Hardman — Filip Engaras — Cam Squires
Samuel Laberge — Adam Beckman — Matyas Melovsky
Jakub Zboril — Daniil Misyul
Will MacKinnon — Mikael Diotte
Jackson van de Leest — Andy Welinski
Isaac Poulter
Tyler Brennan
