David Jiricek is headed into Flyers camp with a clear message from the top: let it rip.
The defenseman, now in the first year of a two-year deal carrying a $1.5MM AAV, recently spoke with Philadelphia’s brass and came away with direct encouragement. As Jiricek put it, “We don’t have many guys like you here, so shoot the puck.
That’s maybe why I am in Philly,” Jiricek said. “I try to make it work.
I try to shoot as much as I can right now, and shoot everything - if I have a pass for one-timers, I’m going to shoot it.”
That confidence comes at an important time for Jiricek, who spent most of last season in the AHL after being traded from Minnesota to Philadelphia. He split time between the Iowa Wild and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, finishing 2025-26 with 4 goals and 23 points in 39 AHL games.
He had a tougher run trying to establish himself in Minnesota’s system, but the signs now point toward him making Philadelphia’s opening night roster. He also lost his waiver-exempt status on July 1.
Flyers training camp opens Sept. 17.
Philadelphia’s future home is also taking shape, though the move is still years away. The Flyers and the NBA’s 76ers announced a new arena plan this morning in a press release, with the building set for the historic Spectrum site in South Philadelphia. It is scheduled to open for the 2030 season, which will also be the first season for a new WNBA team in Philadelphia.
Comcast will hold the naming rights, with the arena to be formally named later. The design takes inspiration from the shape of the old Spectrum, the longtime home of the Flyers during the Broad Street Bullies era. The goal for the exterior is a modern look that still stands out as a new city landmark.
The project is being billed as the largest fully privately funded development in the city’s history. According to the announcement, it is expected to create nearly 15,000 jobs and generate nearly $6 billion in revenue over the next 10 years.
Kurz also pointed to Cole Knuble as a name to watch once camp begins. The 22-year-old joined the Phantoms late last season and appeared in seven games after three seasons at Notre Dame.
In college, he put up 30 goals and 90 points in 109 games, and he also stood out at Flyers development camp earlier this summer. A fourth-round pick in 2023, Knuble is viewed as a versatile forward.
In Other News...
Flyers Just Unveiled A New Arena That Will Stir Strong Feelings
The Flyers have offered the first real look at the arena they hope will define their next era in South Philadelphia, releasing initial sketches and some early details for a building slated to open around 2030. It is meant to be a shared home for the Flyers, the 76ers and a future WNBA franchise, with the broader goal of giving the city a modern venue for sports and live entertainment.
What makes the project especially resonant is where it is headed and what it is trying to evoke. The plan calls for the new building to rise on the site of the original Spectrum, with a design meant to nod to that old landmark rather than simply replace it, a move sure to stir memories for longtime Philadelphia fans as the team moves closer to a venue it wants ready for the next wave of basketball and hockey in the city. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Just Unveiled A New Arena Vision Tied To Franchise History
The first exterior looks are out for the new South Philadelphia arena that the Flyers and 76ers are planning, and the project is being pitched as much more than a building. The privately funded venue is designed to bring the teams together with Philadelphias WNBA club, while also leaning into the citys sports past with design touches inspired by the old Spectrum.
There is still plenty to sort out before it becomes real, including the name fans will eventually be using. Comcast will hold the naming rights, and the broader pitch from team officials is a big one for the region, with the arena expected to generate nearly $6 billion in economic activity and create about 15,000 jobs over the next decade. [Read more 🡒]
Devin Kaplan Has One Big Chance To Change His Flyers Outlook
Devin Kaplan got a taste of the pro game with the Phantoms last season and showed early why the Flyers were intrigued in the first place. He scored twice in his debut, a fast start that hinted at a winger who could eventually push for more than a bottom-six role, but the rest of the year was a tougher climb as his production and consistency came and went.
The bigger question now is whether he can turn that first impression into something more durable. The Flyers still view him as a right wing option on the third or fourth line, and the path forward is pretty clear: clean up the inconsistency, keep generating chances and show that the flashes from the opener were the beginning of something rather than the high point. [Read more 🡒]