PHILADELPHIA - Porter Martone has already gotten a taste of NHL life, but Wednesday night brought a different kind of buzz. Opening night has its own charge, and Martone was feeling it after the morning skate at Xfinity Mobile Arena as the Flyers prepared to begin the 2026-27 season.
“I wouldn’t say it’s nerves, it’s excitement,” Martone said. “I remember it was nice to get a little break in the summer but after about a week you’re itching to play hockey again.
“It’s back, it’s awesome. I think this group is really excited.
It’s fun coming back to the rink, getting into that routine. Coming in for breakfast this morning with all the guys.
It’s been a long time since we played a game. . .where we got beat up by Carolina last year. I’m excited to get going against Pittsburgh again.”
Rick Tocchet has spent camp trying to keep the Flyers steady rather than sky-high, knowing an 84-game schedule is about to start rolling.
He said he’s been talking often with younger players like Martone, and those conversations aren’t always centered on the rink.
“Spend a lot of time with them, not always talking hockey,” Tocchet confirmed. “I hate overloading the young guys.
Sometimes as coaches we can overload them and then that’s even worse. So maybe just give them little bits and pieces - the team environment and that’s how you do it with the young players.”
Tocchet believes the NHL experience some of the younger players picked up during two rounds of playoff action last season will matter.
“Just being in the playoffs can fast-track development,” Tocchet said. “But you have to safeguard that, sometimes you think it’s going to be easy (going forward).”
He described the mood around the group as part excitement, part nerves, which is exactly what opening night tends to bring.
“I would say a mixed bag,” he said. “The excitement usually happens in the first game.
Everybody’s always, if you win the first game, it’s ‘Oh my god, these guys are going to win the Stanley Cup.’ And if they lose, ‘Oh, they’re in trouble.’
“We all do that. That’s been part of the NHL for a lot of years, that focus on one game.
I just want them to just have fun but also play our game. Those two exhibition games helped.
We have to sharpen up. Put some urgency in our game tonight.”
The Flyers went 1-3 in the preseason, but Tocchet said he isn’t reading too much into it.
“It was a good camp away from the games,” he said. “Exhibition games, I wasn’t too worried.
Now if this is a pattern for the next couple weeks, then I would be concerned. I’m not concerned.
It’s more just a messaging thing for me.”
Two players were absent from the morning skate: Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin.
Barkey remains day-to-day.
“He’s improved, he might be a little ahead of ‘Grebby,’+” Tocchet said. “Probably have a better answer the next couple days with ‘Barks.’+”
Tocchet also pointed to Noel Acciari as a useful piece down the middle, especially on the fourth line. The right-handed center can help on faceoffs and bring a presence the Flyers know well from past seasons.
“He killed us last year,” Tocchet admitted. “That (right-handed presence) will help us on faceoffs.
It’s just his leadership. He was in St.
Louis, Florida - you talk to those coaches, he’s a solid, predictable guy. That right-handed draw is going to help us, especially on the penalty kill.”
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