The Flyers opened Development Camp 2026 on Monday with a busy skate that mixed the usual fundamentals with a few fresh wrinkles. The first day was built around skating work, and the group cycled through a variety of drills that used everything from bungy cords to radar guns.
This year’s camp also stands out because several players who have already made their NHL debut with the Flyers were on the ice. Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, and Oliver Bonk all took part in the opening session.
The organization’s latest draft class was a major focus, too. On Friday at the NHL Entry Draft, the Flyers added two defensemen, two goalies, and a late-round center while loading up on the back end.
Their first selection was Maksim Sokolovskii, a 6-foot-7, 238-pound left-handed shutdown defenseman taken 27th overall in the first round. The Russian-born blueliner is with the OHL’s London Knights and will turn 18 on July 12th.
The Flyers are not planning to rush him toward the NHL.
General manager Danny Briere said, “ He’s the type of player we want to have around on our team. Guys that are ultra competitive. Guys willing to go above and beyond and make life miserable on the opposite team “.
With their second pick, the Flyers selected Brek Liske 53rd overall in the second round. The Manitoba defenseman comes from a Flyers household; his father has long been a big fan and passed that along to his son.
Liske also arrives with some winning on his résumé after helping the Everett Silvertips capture the WHL championship in May. He’s described as a right-handed, well-rounded two-way defenseman.
For plenty of the prospects, Development Camp isn’t exactly new territory. Jack Nesbitt, Cole Knuble, Jack Murtagh, and Spencer Gill are among the familiar names back in the mix, along with members of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and a number of camp invites.
Jett Luchanko is on the roster, but he did not skate Monday because of a lower body injury. He was dealing with issues around this same time last year as well.
Camp continues Tuesday morning at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees and runs through Friday, July 3rd. The sessions are free and open to the public, and the week will wrap up Friday with a 3-on-3 tournament beginning at 10:00 AM.
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Claude Girouxs next move is starting to matter again in Philadelphia, not because the Flyers have forgotten what he meant to the franchise, but because his career has reached the kind of offseason that forces old questions back into the room. Since being traded in 2022, Giroux has played for Florida and Ottawa, and the possibility that he could be available down the line has naturally revived the thought of a reunion with the only NHL team many fans still associate him with.
For the Flyers, the appeal goes beyond sentiment. A return would be judged against roster fit, role and timing, not just nostalgia, and that makes the conversation more complicated than a simple homecoming pitch. Giroux has remained productive into his late 30s, and if free agency opens the door, Philadelphia would at least have to decide whether this is the right moment to revisit a familiar face or let the past stay where it is. [Read more 🡒]
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From the Flyers side, the fit is more interesting than it looked at the time of the trade. They are also chasing other roster upgrades, which means the summer could still reshape the depth chart in ways that leave room for familiar names to come back into the picture. Brinks value, meanwhile, is tied to what he might command elsewhere and whether Minnesota can get its own business done before the market opens. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers May Have Another Blue Jackets Difference Maker In Sight
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There is also a broader sense that the Flyers are not limiting their attention to one avenue as they explore ways to sharpen the lineup. Columbus has the kind of talent that can change the conversation around a rebuilding or retooling club, and Philadelphias interest reflects how urgent the need remains after a power play that sputtered badly in the playoffs. Whether those talks lead anywhere is still unclear, but the Flyers are clearly looking for more than just depth pieces as they map out the next step. [Read more 🡒]