Flyers’ top prospects to watch during 2024-25 training camp

The Philadelphia Flyers suffered a late-season collapse in 2024. Philadelphia held on to one of the Metropolitan Division playoff spots for most of the season. And the Flyers made a late charge for a wild-card spot in the final weeks. Ultimately, they couldn’t hold on to it. Philadelphia missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs and entered the offseason with questions to answer.

It’s almost time to see if the answers they found were right. The Flyers, like other teams in the NHL, reported to training camp on Wednesday. Philadelphia begins its preseason schedule on Sept. 22 against the Washington Capitals. On Oct. 11, the team travels to Vancouver to take on the reigning Pacific Division champion Vancouver Canucks.

The Flyers will certainly be interesting to follow in the coming year. Especially with the prospects they have that could make their presence felt in the NHL. Here are two Flyers prospects that fans around the league should be interested in as training camp gets underway.

Matvei Michkov is the man of the hour

Connor Bedard was the star of the 2023 NHL Draft class. But he wasn’t the only one making waves. Many teams were interested in Russian phenom Matvei Mikkov. But there were questions about his KHL contract. The Flyers took a chance and selected him seventh overall. And they’re certainly glad they did.

Michkov terminated his KHL contract and signed his entry-level contract with the Flyers this offseason. The Russian phenom heads to Philadelphia with a roster spot to lose, unlike most prospects. He was incredible in the KHL last season, scoring 19 goals and 41 points in 47 games for Sochi as a teenager.

The hype surrounding Michkov is real, and for good reason. He could easily be a cornerstone player for this team. The term generational talent is often thrown around. But Michkov has the talent to live up to his nickname. There is a lot to like about Michkov.

Michkov is all but assured of a spot on the Flyers’ roster this fall. Regardless, he’s still worth keeping an eye on during the preseason, if only to get a glimpse into why Philadelphia fans are so hyped about the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Oliver Bonk could be a star

Oliver Bonk didn’t generate the same hype as Michkov when he entered the 2023 NHL Draft. Still, he was a great prospect in a deep league. The Flyers agreed and made him the 22nd overall pick in the draft. So far, it seems like a pretty smart move.

Bonk returned to the London Knights in the OHL for the 2023-24 season. With London, he made remarkable strides in his game. The Flyers draft pick scored 24 goals and 67 points in 60 games for the Knights. London reached the Memorial Cup Final in a loss to the Saginaw Spirit. However, he certainly had an impact on the overall success of his team.

Bonk is not expected to make the NHL after training camp. He could still play a few games in the NHL, though Philadelphia may wait until he is truly ready to make the jump before burning a year off his entry-level contract. Either way, Bonk has the potential to be one of the better offensive defensemen in the league.

A strong performance in training camp could force Philadelphia to make some tough decisions. But it doesn’t matter where Bonk starts the season. He’s certainly a player fans should be interested in, given his potential and the skills he showed for a good Knights team last year.