EA’s latest NHL release is almost here, and the Flyers have a solid presence in the game before the real season even starts.
EA NHL 27 is set to drop on September 11, and the new Top-300 player rankings already have 10 Flyers on the list. That’s the kind of number that gets fans debating whether the ratings team nailed it or missed the mark entirely. For anyone who lives for Chel season, the countdown is on.
The bigger conversation, though, is swirling around Connor McDavid. He could headline the 2028 free agent class, but he’ll also be eligible for an extension after this coming season.
The speculation has been relentless, with the Oilers’ struggles alongside the sport’s two best players fueling questions about whether he could eventually leave Edmonton. A trade next season or a move in free agency both remain on the table.
EJ Hradek of NHL Network added more fuel to that fire on the Bleed Oil Blue podcast. He said winning would matter in McDavid’s choice and named three possible landing spots: the Rangers, Red Wings, and Flyers.
🚨 NHL Network analyst E.J. Hradek names three possible destinations for Connor McDavid if he ever leaves the Edmonton Oilers : Philadelphia, Detroit, and the New York Rangers.
Speaking with the Bleed Oil Blue Podcast, Hradek says winning would be the deciding factor.… pic.twitter.com/rbjNkI9DsD
- Bleed Oil Blue (@BleedOilBlue) August 17, 2026
The league’s expansion plans are also moving forward. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the NHL is on pace to award its 33rd team to Texas by the end of the calendar year.
Houston has long been the assumed destination, but interest in Austin has picked up recently. Daly also said the new club could be playing by 2029-30.
And there’s more expansion talk beyond that. A 34th team would be next, with Phoenix or Atlanta in the mix.
Elsewhere in the prospect world, New Jersey Hockey Now reports that Devils prospect Samu Salminen will not be heading back to college hockey this season. Instead, he’s deciding between turning pro in North America or returning to Europe, where he played his junior hockey. With a return to the University of Denver no longer an option, Salminen’s next step is still up in the air.
Finally, Detroit Hockey Now turned its attention to JP Hurlbert, a player the Flyers couldn’t land in the 2026 NHL Draft. The scoring forward went 23rd overall to the Red Wings, and Max Smith writes that Hurlbert is headed to Michigan to keep sharpening his game. Smith also lays out why he believes Hurlbert will become an NHL player.
In Other News...
Flyers Arena Has A Forgotten Piece Of History Above The Ice
Since the Flyers moved into the building now known as Xfinity Mobile Center in 1996, the arena has carried more than hockey history. Long before the current name, the old Spectrum built a reputation as one of the citys most important stages, and that legacy still hangs above the ice alongside the franchises own memories.
What makes the ceiling worth a second look is the company kept by those banners. The venue honors Billy Joel, Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen for the kind of runs that turned concerts into milestones, with sellout streaks and landmark nights tying the present building to its Spectrum past. It is a reminder that for Flyers fans, the arena has always been part hockey rink, part Philadelphia music hall. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Fans Will Have Strong Opinions On These NHL 27 Ratings
The first round of NHL 27 ratings has already given Flyers fans something to argue about, with the game unveiling its top 300 players and handing out confirmed numbers to a cluster of Philadelphia skaters. Travis Sanheim, Travis Konecny, Cam York, Dan Vladar, Trevor Zegras, Matvei Michkov and Owen Tippett are all in the mix, giving the orange and black a decent footprint in a list that tends to spark as many debates as it does excitement.
Sanheim and Konecny sit in the same tier near the top of the Flyers group, which is exactly the kind of detail that invites instant comparison from a fan base that knows its roster well. Vladars number may draw even more attention, though, because the early rating has already prompted the familiar question of whether the game is catching up to what he showed in recent play. [Read more 🡒]