Oliver Bonk has gone from an afterthought in camp to one of the Flyers’ most interesting roster stories.
The 21-year-old rookie defenseman is averaging exactly 20 minutes of ice time per game since he entered the lineup on Oct. 11, and that workload says plenty about how quickly Philadelphia has come to trust him. For a 2023 first-round pick who didn’t even make the team out of training camp, that’s a sharp turn.
His first outing was rough. In his season debut against Carolina on Oct.
11, Bonk finished minus-3 in 16:28 of ice time and took two penalties in the Flyers’ eventual 4-1 loss. But since then, he has kept showing he can handle a bigger role, even when the assignment gets nasty.
That was on display against one of the NHL’s biggest superstars. Bonk was part of an unprecedented display and has helped the Flyers learn plenty about themselves during their current two-game winning streak, but his work as a top-pair defenseman may be the biggest revelation of all.
He also played a central part in Philadelphia’s one goal against MacKinnon. Bonk ripped a booming shot from the point after receiving a pass from Trevor Zegras, and Noel Acciari got the final touch by deflecting the puck past Mackenzie Blackwood.
Even with that contribution, Bonk ended the game at minus-1, having been on the ice for Avalanche goals by Martin Necas and T.J. Hughes. Still, those goals had nothing to do with what Bonk did or did not do on the ice.
Now the Flyers have a real decision to make. Injured defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is working his way back from an upper-body injury and has skated with the team and on his own several times over the last week. He remains on injured reserve for now, carries one year left on his contract at a $5.1 million cap hit, and has played more than 66 games in a season only once since arriving in Philadelphia in 2021.
There’s also David Jiricek to consider. The 22-year-old has taken on a key power play role, but he is no longer waivers-exempt, which means the Flyers could lose him for nothing if they try to send him to the AHL to make room for Bonk.
For the moment, Bonk has done the simplest thing possible: he’s earned his spot. And based on merit, he has shown again and again that he belongs. Soon enough, Philadelphia will have to decide what that means for the rest of the blue line.
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Flyers Face An Early Test As Buffalo Brings A New Problem
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Buffalo also brings a different look this time, with the club expecting one of its top blue-liners back in the lineup after time away. The projected goalies, betting odds and forecast all point to a game that should be tight enough to hinge on the details, which is exactly the sort of spot where Philadelphia can find out whether its recent surge is something more than a short-lived bounce. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers May Have Finally Found A Power Play Fit For Michkov And Zegras
Rick Tocchet has been shuffling the Flyers power-play setup in search of a better fit, and the early signs have been encouraging. The changes have given Matvei Michkov a more natural lane to operate in, and the unit has looked sharper since the coach adjusted the personnel and spacing around him.
The real intrigue is how Trevor Zegras has been used in the mix, with Tocchet trying to unlock more from a group that needed a jolt. Michkovs recent power-play production has helped validate the approach, but the broader question for Philadelphia is whether this alignment can stick once opponents start game-planning for it. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Surge Just Changed Danny Brieres Trade Deadline Pressure
The Flyers spent the early stretch of the season trying to keep their footing while key players were hurt and the results lagged behind the effort. General manager Danny Briere resisted the temptation to force a move during that rough patch, in part because the roster was so banged up and in part because there was little reason to sell off pieces when the team had yet to find any rhythm.
A small surge has changed the tone around the front office, though, and it has added a different kind of pressure. Two straight wins, including one over the Colorado Avalanche, gave the Flyers a little more breathing room and showed younger players can help steady the lineup, which makes Brieres trade-deadline decisions look a lot less straightforward than they did just a short time ago. [Read more 🡒]