Flyers’ 23-man opening night roster headlined by rookies Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko

While most NHL teams spent last weekend mulling over their roster decisions before the 5 p.m. Monday deadline, the Flyers said no thank you.

Last Friday, the Flyers announced the 23 players who earned the official road trip tracksuit — highlighted by two teenagers, 19-year-old Matvei Michkov and 18-year-old Jett Luchanko. They are two of 13 players age 25 or under on a team looking to take another step forward in Year 3 under coach John Tortorella.

The Flyers season officially opens Friday against the Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m., NBCSP) with the home opener coming eight days later against the same Canucks (7 p.m., NBCSP).

Here’s an in-depth look at the 23 players set to don the Orange and Black:

Sean Couturier, 31: This time last year, Couturier was hitting the ice in games for the first time in almost two years after undergoing multiple back surgeries. His first year back was up and down, starting hot with nine goals and 23 points in the first 31 games but finishing with 15 points (two goals, 13 assists) over his final 43. Named the Flyers captain in February, by March he was a healthy scratch for a pair of games as the former Selke winner endured a disastrous minus-15 downturn. Couturier revealed after the season he had surgery to repair a core injury and said as training camp opened that he is “over the hump.” Now the question is, which Couturier will appear, the one from the first 31 games or the last 43?

Morgan Frost, 25: This is a big year for the center who will be a restricted free agent on July 1. Last season, Frost was a healthy scratch in 11 of the Flyers’ first 38 games. But after things boiled over and he sat down with Tortorella in early January, the Canadian became a mainstay. He improved from 11 points (five goals, six assists), including one power-play goal, in his first 27 games to 30 points (eight goals, 22 assists), including 10 power-play points, across his final 44. The one caveat is the creative forward went cold offensively down the stretch and played less than nine minutes in the do-or-die finale against the Washington Capitals. So, as it seems to be the case every year, he has much to prove.

Jett Luchanko, 18: Three-plus months ago, Luchanko was grinning ear to ear on a stage inside the Sphere in Las Vegas with the Flyers brass and boxing announcer Michael Buffer after being selected with the 13th pick. Six weeks ago, he turned 18. Now he has made the Flyers and is poised to become the youngest debutant in team history. Luchanko has certainly taken off. The speedster has excited a certain grizzled coach with his 200-foot game. Slotted in between Joel Farabee and Bobby Brink, two players with experience, he can stay with the big club for nine games without his contract kicking in. Will he stay beyond? That’s the big question.

» READ MORE: The Flyers seem to be starting 2024 first-rounder Jett Luchanko in the NHL. Is that a mistake?

Ryan Poehling, 25: The Minnesotan bet on himself last summer and it paid off tenfold. Poehling not only earned a two-year extension worth $3.8 million, signed in January, but he also registered career highs in multiple categories, including goals (11), assists (17), and points (28). Poehling got some time on the power play — he scored once — and was a key cog in the Flyers’ fourth-ranked penalty kill with three short-handed goals. A player with speed who can forecheck, Poehling has proven to be a versatile, reliable guy down the middle.

Noah Cates, 25: For the moment, Cates is the guy on the outside looking in, skating as an extra forward with Luchanko as the third-line center and Poehling on the fourth line. Tortorella recently praised the defensive forward’s reliability, but he wants more. After scoring 38 points in 82 games two seasons ago, Cates, who has played both center and wing, dealt with injury and inconsistency last season and saw his production drop to 18 points in 59 games. “I want him to take a chance. We need to try to unlock him a little bit in trying to create some offense, too,” Tortorella said.

Travis Konecny, 27: Easily the Flyers’ best player last year with 33 goals, the feisty winger continues to age like a fine wine. And this season it should continue to track after he inked an eight-year extension in July and skated on a line with the familiar Couturier and the creative Michkov. Named an alternate captain last season, Konecny said during training camp he wants to be more of a leader by not only saying but showing how to play the right way. He doesn’t want to be called a rat, but for Konecny, his game excels when he has the right mix of agitation and puck possession

Tyson Foerster, 22: Last October, Foerster was the talk of training camp as he broke through for a spot on the team. He scored 20 goals and 33 points while becoming a versatile player on both sides of the puck, giving Tortorella the confidence to play him in key situations as a rookie. According to Natural Stat Trick, Foerster finished third in Corsi For percentage at five-on-five, with the Flyers having 54.34% more shot attempts when he was out there. Although he struggled to find offense sometimes, the hope this year is he can unleash the wicked shot he was known for coming out of the draft.

Bobby Brink, 23: After an up-and-down season — literally, he was up and down between the Flyers and Phantoms — Brink came into camp a man on a mission. Known for his creativity and skating, he flashed those attributes plus a defensive game, and some checking, areas Tortorella criticized were lacking last season. Slotted on a line with Luchanko, the two kids should play off each other well as Tortorella seeks more consistency from Brink.

» READ MORE: Bobby Brink knows the Flyers are seeking more consistency from him this season

Garnet Hathaway, 32: There’s a reason Hathaway was one of the first signings when free agency opened on July 1 — and he wasn’t even due for a new deal until next summer. Tortorella hates the word culture but Hathaway has been a key player in creating a new one in the Flyers room. Hathaway has fought his way — sometimes literally — to becoming an everyday player and has not only developed into one of the games’ biggest pests but a top forechecker (finished No. 2 in hits last season in the league) and penalty killer. When Nic Deslauriers isn’t in the lineup, he’ll be called upon to serve as one of the teenagers’ protectors.

Matvei Michkov, 19: The Flyers may not want to make it all about Michkov, but the youngster is proving early and often to be a special talent. He has a high hockey IQ, great vision on the ice, a nose for the net, and an unrivaled intensity to be the best player on the ice and in the NHL — along with an edge. Tortorella said he is “not interested in turning him into a checker,” and knows there will be some growing pains on the defensive end, but the coach is aware the Flyers have been starving for the magic Michkov brings. It’ll be interesting to see how the two work together and how the teenager does against the game’s best.

Owen Tippett, 25: Last year, this roster breakdown highlighted Tippett’s breakout 27-goal season in 2022-23. He built on that last season by one, with a few highlight-reel goals added. And like 12 months ago, he’ll be shooting to break the 30-goal mark. The fastest skater in the NHL last season, he’ll be a dynamic force this year as he continues to grow into a power forward.

Joel Farabee, 24: Like Tippett, what was said last year can just be repeated for Farabee. Inconsistency once again plagued the forward, who was shifted up and down the lineup. Leading up to the All-Star break, Farabee had 17 goals and 40 points in 50 games. But in the final 32 games, he had just five goals and 10 points. Farabee said he’s in the “best condition of my life.” He had a good offensive preseason (five points), both at five-on-five and on the power play, something the Flyers will need this season.

Scott Laughton, 30: Where Laughton fits is still up for debate, but the versatile forward is, for now, a winger. Laughton is the heart and soul of the Flyers, and a glue guy whose tenure is always on the brink, but he started to play better in the second half after resetting during last year’s All-Star break. He finished with 39 points, including a league-best eight on the penalty kill.

Nic Deslauriers, 33: How, and how often, Deslauriers fits into the lineup this season will be intriguing. Tortorella appreciates what the veteran tough guy brings, and he’s already been deemed Michkov’s “best friend” by general manager Danny Brière, but not every team has someone he needs to protect the phenom from. Will he play against the New York Rangers and Matt Rempe? Yes. Will he play against the Calgary Flames? Probably not.

Cam York, 23: What a difference a year makes. York went from Tortorella’s saying he wasn’t sure he was an NHLer last camp to the team’s best defender by February. This September he said he feels like he has just scratched the surface of what he can do. York’s game in his end exploded, and he became half of the Flyers’ top pairing, playing hard minutes — and a lot of them — against opposing top lines. Now the offensive game, something he was known for when drafted, needs to surface too. Is this the year it breaks through?

Travis Sanheim, 28: The yin to York’s yang, Sanheim continued to be a key cog on the blue line. Early in the season, he brought a strong defensive game and some jump on the other end. But the heavy minutes — he was averaging 24 minutes, 10 seconds before the All-Star break (York was next at 22:05 in one more game played) — wore on the blueliner. He had a breakout year offensively and is focused on locking things down at both ends this campaign.

Jamie Drysdale, 22: The only thing Drysdale needs to do this year is remain healthy. Th e veteran of four NHL seasons hasplayed more than 35 games just once because of a litany of injuries. Last season, he played just 34 games between the Flyers and Anaheim Ducks after suffering a core injury on opening night. Now declared healthy, Drysdale has shown the skating speed and agility in preseason that made him the No. 6 overall pick in 2020. His skating will be a critical piece to the power play as it tries to dig itself out of the basement.

Nick Seeler, 31: Tortorella said Drysdale is still learning his way around his own zone, but at least he will have the veteran Seeler to lean on. Until the trade deadline, Seeler complemented Sean Walker who, like Drysdale, is known for his skating; the pairing was steady, drove play, and controlled possession as one of the top duos in the NHL. Now the puck-eating machine (he finished fifth and just 13 off the league lead in blocks last season) will do the same alongside Drysdale.

Rasmus Ristolainen, 29: After completing the dreaded rope test on Sept. 19, Ristolainen said he is “fully healthy and ready to go” after missing all but 31 games last season. Watching the Finn during camp, it is clear that statement is accurate. Practicing against guys like Michkov and Konecny in the preseason, Ristolainen showed just how much the Flyers missed his tough, hard-nosed play.

» READ MORE: Sam Ersson keeping the same ‘earn it’ mentality despite now being the Flyers’ No. 1 goalie

Egor Zamula, 24: This will be a big year for the young blueliner. After playing in 26 games across his first three seasons with the Flyers, Zamula is coming off his first full NHL season, in which he played in 66 games and registered 21 points (five goals, 16 assists). Although he was scratched several times, his game progressed overall and he knows it has to take another step or he’ll spend more time in the press box. Tortorella still wants him to work on his quickness moving the puck, but the coach has already stated Zamula will be on the point for one of the power-play units.

Erik Johnson, 36: Johnson will step into the role the recently retired Marc Staal had last season. The Stanley Cup champion knows he’s not guaranteed a lot of playing time, but he’ll be ready to step in when needed while serving as a mentor to the young defensive group and even the kids up front. Johnson returned to the Flyers as an unrestricted free agent this summer because of the team culture, and his big personality will only fuel the vibes.

Sam Ersson, 24: The net belongs to Ersson. Last October, the Swede was heading into the season as the backup; by late January he was the No. 1 guy. Tortorella knows he overextended Ersson, who had just 10 NHL starts before last season, but both are more prepared this year. Ersson has put the disappointing end to last season in the past and is focused on being a No. 1 netminder the team can trust. He knows there will be ups and downs — and “nothing is given, you have to earn it still” — but is ready to be the goalie Tortorella has penciled in for 55-60 starts.

Ivan Fedotov, 27: The Russian netminder finally made his way to Philly at the end of last season and, although the stats weren’t great, fans need to remember he hadn’t played for the previous month. Fedotov put up great numbers in the Kontinental Hockey League but is aware that the NHL is a different beast. At 6-foot-7, he fills up the net but is still working on getting more comfortable with his angles and facing the game’s best shooters.