Flyers trim training camp roster by 14, but Jett Luchanko and Oliver Bonk stay for now
The organization will give a longer look to two of its top prospects. Luchanko in particular has impressed coach John Tortorella and given him a lot to think about ahead of opening night.
The Flyers announced their first round of training camp cuts Wednesday, reducing the roster to 44 players.
The 14 subtractions included five Canadian Hockey League-based prospects, with goaltender Carson Bjarnason and defenseman Spencer Gill the headliners. But the biggest news might have been that Jett Luchanko, a 2024 first-round pick and Guelph Storm center, has survived the first round of cuts. London Knights defenseman Oliver Bonk, a second-round selection by the Flyers in 2023, also is sticking around, at least for now.
Bjarnason, 19, will return to the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League, where he posted a 24-17-5 record and a .907 save percentage last season. The 2024-25 campaign is viewed as a crucial one in terms of Bjarnason’s development, as the 2023 second-round pick is expected to take another step and contend for a spot on the Canadian World Junior team.
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Gill also was always headed back to junior, as the lanky defenseman will rejoin Rimouski of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League for a third season. The 59th overall draft pick in June, Gill got a nice taste of being a pro this past week while skating alongside some of the senior members of the Flyers and getting to play in a preseason game Sunday against Washington.
Forward Josh Zakreski (Portland, WHL), defensemen Carter Sotheran (Portland, WHL), and goaltender Sam Hillebrandt (Barrie, OHL) also returned to their junior clubs. Zakreski and Hillebrandt were on amateur tryouts.
In terms of the nine players the Flyers assigned to Lehigh Valley of the AHL, there weren’t too many surprises. Forwards Zayde Wisdom and Alexis Gendron were among the cuts, as was defenseman Ethan Samson. The fact that Wisdom, 22, was part of the initial cuts likely doesn’t bode well for his long-term future with the organization. Once a player the Flyers really liked, Wisdom has struggled to find his footing the past two seasons in the minors, tallying just six goals and 18 points in 100 games between the AHL and ECHL.
Rounding out the forward cuts were Matt Miller, Nick Capone, and tough guy Sawyer Boulton. Defensemen Matteo Mann, Émile Chouinard, and Sam Sedley also were optioned to Lehigh Valley to begin their first pro seasons after completing their junior careers.
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The fact that Luchanko and Bonk remain in Flyers camp does not come as a huge surprise, as coach John Tortorella said this week that he wanted a longer look at two of the organization’s top prospects. While it is still unlikely that either makes the opening-night roster, Luchanko has had a strong few weeks hinting that he could be closer to playing in the NHL than initially thought. The 13th overall pick’s elite speed has popped throughout camp, and he looked right at home while centering a top line and picking up two assists in his preseason debut Sunday.
That said, expect Luchanko to eventually return to junior for one more season, where the Flyers will hope the 18 year-old continues to get stronger and further develop his offensive game. Ditto for Bonk, who doesn’t have an obvious path to a roster spot because of a logjam on the back end and probably would benefit from another season playing big minutes on a top OHL team and likely at the World Juniors with Canada.
With the roster now at 44, the Flyers still need to cut at least 21 players by the 5 p.m. Oct. 7 deadline. The Flyers will open the season in Vancouver against the Canucks on Oct. 11.