The Flyers got a more familiar NHL-looking lineup Thursday night, and the result matched the vibe. They handled the Bruins 2-0 at Xfinity Mobile Arena, with Matvei Michkov and Cole Knuble supplying the offense and Joseph Woll blanking Boston in net.
For a team that dressed some inexperienced groups in its first two preseason games, this one felt different. The Flyers played cleaner, sharper, and a lot more like the regular season was creeping up fast. They’re now 1-2-0 in the preseason and have one game left before opening night next Wednesday.
Michkov was the biggest story, and not just because he scored. The 21-year-old winger looked fast, loose, and far more explosive than he did at times last season. His hands and feet were working at a different level, and the buzz around his offseason work looked real.
He got the Flyers on the board 4:02 into the game by burying a rebound. The sequence started with some crisp puck movement in the offensive zone, the kind that lets his skill jump off the ice.
Later, in the second period, he slipped a slick touch pass through his legs to set up Christian Dvorak for a chance. And in the third, he had a clean look that could have turned into a second goal if he finished it.
Even without that extra score, it was a strong night for Michkov and a promising sign after his sophomore slump.
Woll was just as important on the other end. The Flyers’ new backup goaltender turned aside all 28 shots he faced for the shutout, a solid tune-up with Dan Vladar day to day because of an upper-body injury. Whether Woll is needed on opening night remains to be seen.
The Flyers also made some roster moves Thursday, with Zach Aston-Reese, Jack Studnicka, Danila Klimovich, Nolan Foote and Cam Dineen clearing waivers and being loaned to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. Carl Grundstrom cleared as well, but he’s staying with the big club for now. That likely ties back to the uncertainty around Denver Barkey, who has been day to day with a lower-body injury.
Barkey skated Thursday in a non-contact jersey with the non-game group, but he left the ice early, according to Travis Ballinghoff of the Nasty Knuckles podcast. Rick Tocchet said Barkey might be an option for Saturday’s preseason finale, though that’s no sure thing. His status for next Wednesday’s regular-season opener is still up in the air.
If Barkey can’t go, Grundstrom or Nikita Grebenkin could enter the picture. Grebenkin also had to leave briefly in the third period after taking a hip check into the boards. He had a delayed start to camp because of a flare-up with the injury he dealt with last season.
Knuble, though, is making his own case. The Flyers have given the 22-year-old prospect a real look, and he’s answered with production.
In three preseason games and one rookie game, he has three goals. Jett Luchanko has also been steady, picking up an assist in each of the Flyers’ three preseason games.
There was a setback on defense, too, as Helge Grans exited in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return. He had assisted on Michkov’s goal before leaving.
The Flyers are down to 30 players on the roster, and that number has to be trimmed to no more than 23 before Monday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline.
They’ll get Friday off, then finish the preseason Saturday at home against the Capitals at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSP.
In Other News...
Flyers Are Still Chasing The Impact Forward This Roster Needs
The Flyers are still in the market for the kind of forward who can change the shape of a roster, with Dave Pagnotta saying on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio that the club remains interested in adding a star-caliber piece. Philadelphia has the cap room to work with and enough young talent it believes can keep growing, which gives the front office some flexibility as it keeps looking for ways to push the team closer to playoff status.
And this is not a case of a team passively waiting for the market to break its way. The Flyers have already shown a willingness to take a swing for a bigger-name addition, and the pursuit of impact help is still very much part of the plan. For a club trying to speed up its timeline, the search for that difference-making forward remains one of the more important storylines around the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Suddenly Have Two Injury Questions Right Before Opening Night
The Flyers are heading into the final stretch of the preseason with a couple of health questions hanging over the roster. Goalie Dan Vladar left Tuesdays exhibition game after taking an upper-body injury, and the team is still sorting out what it means as opening night gets closer. On a club that already knows how quickly goalie depth can matter, any uncertainty there is worth watching.
Denver Barkey added another concern when he left practice early after dealing with a lower-body injury, putting his status in doubt for the preseason finale and maybe even the opener. Philadelphia is monitoring both players as the regular season approaches, and with the calendar tightening, the next few days could say a lot about how much lineup flexibility the Flyers will have when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Preseason Test Could Start Sorting Out Key Roster Battles
A mostly NHL Flyers lineup gets a useful preseason stress test against the Bruins, and for a team still sorting out the edges of its roster, these are the kinds of games that matter. Philadelphia will be without injured Dan Vladar and Denver Barkey, but the lineup still has plenty of names worth tracking, with Cole Knuble, Jett Luchanko, Matvei Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin all expected to be in the mix.
The night also carries a little extra weight in goal, where Joseph Woll is set for his first full game with the Flyers. Grebenkins return adds another layer of intrigue after his injury absence, giving the coaching staff another look at a player who has been out of game action since March 21 of last season. For a preseason meeting, there is more than enough here to start separating who is pushing for jobs and who still has more work to do. [Read more 🡒]