Cole Knuble picked the perfect night to announce himself.
With his father, Mike Knuble, in the building on Wednesday night in Buffalo, the Flyers rookie forward scored his first NHL goal in just his second league game, giving Philadelphia another jolt in a season that has shifted hard toward its young players and prospects.
The goal came with a little bit of grit and a lot of timing. After being knocked down, Knuble got back to his feet, circled the front of Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and finished a rebound from Bonk with a backhander into an empty net area.
For a player whose last name already carries some NHL weight, the finish fit the family tree. Mike Knuble spent 16 years around the net in the league, and this one had that kind of hard-earned feel to it.
It also gave Philadelphia exactly what it has been leaning on lately: another piece from the youth movement stepping forward. Knuble not only scored his first NHL goal, he picked up his first NHL point as well, while Barkey collected his fourth assist of the season and Bonk recorded his third.
The Flyers were already dealing with injuries to Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett, and Knuble’s place in the lineup stood out given that Tyson Foerster was back from injury and Michael Bunting was the alternative sitting there on the depth chart.
If Knuble keeps turning heads, the 22-year-old could make the decision a lot tougher for the Flyers going forward.
In Other News...
Flyers Face An Early Test As Buffalo Brings A New Problem
The Flyers arrive in Buffalo with a little momentum after shaking off a slow start and winning two straight, a welcome shift as they head into KeyBank Center for an early-season test. Philadelphias recent uptick has given the group a steadier feel, and the matchup offers another chance to see whether the gains they've made can hold up against a Sabres team that is just coming off a road trip through Canada.
Buffalo also brings a different look this time, with the club expecting one of its top blue-liners back in the lineup after time away. The projected goalies, betting odds and forecast all point to a game that should be tight enough to hinge on the details, which is exactly the sort of spot where Philadelphia can find out whether its recent surge is something more than a short-lived bounce. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers May Have Finally Found A Power Play Fit For Michkov And Zegras
Rick Tocchet has been shuffling the Flyers power-play setup in search of a better fit, and the early signs have been encouraging. The changes have given Matvei Michkov a more natural lane to operate in, and the unit has looked sharper since the coach adjusted the personnel and spacing around him.
The real intrigue is how Trevor Zegras has been used in the mix, with Tocchet trying to unlock more from a group that needed a jolt. Michkovs recent power-play production has helped validate the approach, but the broader question for Philadelphia is whether this alignment can stick once opponents start game-planning for it. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Surge Just Changed Danny Brieres Trade Deadline Pressure
The Flyers spent the early stretch of the season trying to keep their footing while key players were hurt and the results lagged behind the effort. General manager Danny Briere resisted the temptation to force a move during that rough patch, in part because the roster was so banged up and in part because there was little reason to sell off pieces when the team had yet to find any rhythm.
A small surge has changed the tone around the front office, though, and it has added a different kind of pressure. Two straight wins, including one over the Colorado Avalanche, gave the Flyers a little more breathing room and showed younger players can help steady the lineup, which makes Brieres trade-deadline decisions look a lot less straightforward than they did just a short time ago. [Read more 🡒]