Six Flyers who need to have strong training camps

The Flyers punched above their weight for most of last season and enter 2024-25 with increased expectations, especially after the early arrival of top prospect Matvei Michkov. While the roster seems mostly set minus a place or two, we identified six players with a lot to play for as the team begins training camp Thursday.

1. Morgan Frost, Center

Morgan Frost's love-hate relationship with John Tortorella is well-documented at this stage. But it seems the two may have had a breakthrough last season after a rocky start that included Frost being scratched for 10 of the first 20 games.

Entering the final year of a "prove it" contract, Frost desperately needs a good start to build some good faith with his coach. Frost has posted back-to-back 40-point seasons, but the Flyers are looking for him to take another step and firmly establish himself as a second-line center. Having Michkov as a winger could help.

2. Ivan Fedotov, Goaltender

Ivan Fedotov will start the season as the team's No. 2 goalie after signing a two-year, $6.55 million contract in April. Now it's up to Fedotov to prove he's worth it after an uneven three-game NHL cameo at the end of last season.

But it would be quite unfair to judge Fedotov on last season given that he was coming off a year away from hockey (to complete his military service) and joining the Flyers rusty in the middle of a playoff race. Fedotov, 27, will be keen to show he why he was once considered the top goalie not playing in the NHL.

3. Jamie Drysdale, Defenseman

Jamie Drysdale, the big return piece in January's Cutter Gauthier trade, never got to truly strut his stuff due to a series of injuries last season. The result was just 24 games played for the Flyers and offseason sports hernia surgery.

A smooth-skating defenseman with major offensive upside, Drysdale is someone GM Danny Brière is very high on. The problem is the blueliner hasn't been able to stay healthy in the NHL to this point. Drysdale, 22, will be eager to show he's fully healthy and ready to be a key piece of the Flyers' future.

4. Rodrigo Ābols, Center

The June signing of Rodrigo Ābols didn't raise too many eyebrows in Flyers Land, but don't rule out the Latvian making the opening night roster. Ābols, 28, is a 6-foot-4, 206-pounder who combines size, grit, pace, and some skill.

He tallied 14 goals and 26 points last year for Rögle in Sweden and has previous IIHF and AHL experience. Ābols is a Tortorella type, known for playing hard, and comes motivated for what probably represents his last chance to make it in North America. Fellow European free agent signing Oscar Eklind is another to watch.

5. Bobby Brink, Right Wing

Bobby Brink was probably the biggest story from training camp a year ago, as he leapfrogged several wingers to earn an unlikely roster spot. This year, Brink goes from hunter to hunted, as he tries to stave off competition for his spot.

While Brink is extremely skilled and put up solid rookie numbers of 11 goals and 23 points in 57 games, he is in no place to get complacent. Tortorella has been critical of the 5-8 winger's checking game before and has shown he's not afraid to bench him if Brink isn't playing the style of game he demands.

6. Emil Andrae, Defenseman

The Flyers' top six D-men seem mostly set, but players like Egor Zamula will be looking over their shoulders at the hard-charging Emil Andrae. Andrae earned an NHL cup of coffee with last year's strong camp and is hungry for more this time.

The 2020 second-round pick is undersized at 5-9, but he plays much bigger than that and also possesses terrific passing vision from the back end. Andrae is ready to take that next step, so don't be surprised to see the young Swede jump someone in the pecking order or for the Flyers to keep eight defensemen out of camp.