The Philadelphia Flyers kick off their season by heading west, taking on the Vancouver Canucs at 10 p.m. Eastern.
Flyers Roster updates
The team’s roster was finalized a few days prior, and it’s reported that defenseman Nick Seeler will be missing tonight’s game. However, the Flyers have recalled Emil Andrae from Lehigh Valley. Other than Seeler being out, the rest of the 23-man roster is good to go.
On the 23-man roster are two rookies, Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko. There is a lot of anticipation for Michkov to take the ice in the orange and black, which fans will see tonight. While Michkov will play with Travis Konecny and Sean Couturier, there is still a possibility that lines could change for the young star.
The first game of any regular season is a trial run. You finally have all the pieces and it’s time to see how they fit. Michkov did look good with Couturier and Konecny in preseason, while Jett Luchanko is one of the two rookies who gained NHL minutes from this most recent draft. His experience on this trip out west is critical.
Jett Luchanko’s first NHL minutes
There is a 9-game trial period to see if Jett should stay wearing the orange and black or return to his junior team. While the Flyers need more depth in the center, it could be risky to play an inexperienced Luchanko to see if he can keep up with the NHL pace. While at camp, Luchanko looked solid; he didn’t do much during the preseason games to make him a standout, unlike Michkov.
Luchanko does have the ability to dictate his future here this season. Remarkably, he made the team out of camp, an accomplishment he should be proud of. He brings energy to the ice and is good at positioning.
Other storylines to note
With the two rookies bringing a lot of excitement, Jamie Drysdale’s fully healthy status adds many benefits to the Flyers’ defensive core. He stated at camp that this was the healthiest he felt, and going up against a Vancouver team with forwards such as Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser, and Elias Pettersson will be a good test for Drysdale.
Besides Vancouver’s speedy forwards, they shine on defense with captain Quinn Hughes. However, for goal scorers like Travis Konecny, this should be an excellent way to jump right into the season and try to earn some points. TIK shined at camp and will likely put up 75-78 points this season.
Finally, Sam Ersson will get the start in net as it’s his first entire season being the starting goalie. This will be a big test for Ersson, especially since the Flyers will play the Calgary Flames tomorrow. While Ivan Fedotov is capable and has proven he’s been developing at training camp, the Flyers have a tough choice with who they put in the net.
Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
