The '25-'26 Philadelphia Flyers thread

[bigegypt0417]

I guess my question is do they need to stop this workaround? The players who are going to take advantage of this are players that still need to develop so is it the worst thing in the world if they do that playing in college while also making some money?

[zambonir]

Well "they" need to stop it if they think it benefits the players more than it benefits the teams. But it's probably not a priority, and the new CBA is already done.

The changes are really more about the CHL and the NCAA. The NHL's deal with the CHL regarding when a kid can turn pro probably no longer makes sense, and of course we've already seen the first step away from that. Just not this season, which is too bad for the Flyers.

[Docs]

I guess my question is do they need to stop this workaround?

If the workaround that we are referring to is drafted players going to the NCAA where they can make a good amount of money through NIL and then become UFAs after graduation because the team that drafted them lost their draft rights, then yes I think the NHL teams would like to prevent that workaround. From the players point of view no they don't want to.

[Austinfan]

Let's be clear, they don't become UFAs able to sign for big money, they become UFAs able to sign an ELC with a two tier salary (minor/NHL) for 1-2 years depending on their age when they leave college. They might be able to get a bigger signing bonus, but that's about it - and they miss a chance to burn a year off their ELC.

[andyb]

A 22 year old can sign a 2 year ELC instead of 3. Picking an organization might mean one extra year max on the ELC (and since they are 2-way in the AHL the money difference would be minimal since the 21-year-old would be more likely to NEED that year in the AHL than the 22-year-old.

Picking an organization might be enticing to some players, and bonuses (which do eventually come out of the NHL cap but could easily be offered to attract a prospect) might make up any financial difference. It is almost certain that more draftees will take this free agency route and it will probably be addressed (the free agency loophole) in future agreements.

[phillychuck]

I think it’s great to allow prospects to earn NIL while developing, but there NHL is not going to want to allow them to become FAs after doing this and have teams lose players they drafted and spent time with.

[zambonir]

Most of these guys are probably going to just sign. It's not like NIL would have kept Gauthier at BC or Buium at DU for an extra year. The CBA was just ratified until 2030 so they will have lots to consider after a few years of this.

Imagine being a Buffalo Sabres fan and seeing your owner's money being best spent on Penn State. Also isn't that a potential conflict?

[zambonir]

Penn State is rumored to be recruiting Martone and Misa [they already have the other Misa].

Penn State hockey coach Guy Gadowsky on landing top NHL prospect Gavin McKenna:...

[bigegypt0417]

Thought i'd post this since it wouldn't be behind a paywall...

Flyers' Egor Zavragin Badly Underrated in Latest Prospect Rankings

Here's the list...

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6469707/2025/07/15/nhl-goalie-prospects-rankings-summer-2025/

[Austinfan]

When you compare Zavragin to the top KHL goalies who came over, Bob, Sorokin, Shesterkin, etc., he's in that ballpark in terms of his development in Russia.

[phillychuck]

You can certainly argue he is the Flyers’ top goalie prospect, and among the top 4 or 5 prospects in a strong organization. Bjarnason is good, too.

[zambonir]

Like so many other hallowed media brands the Hockey News is just an Internet content farm now, even though it still has a few legacy writers and the actual magazine. Getting worked up that Scott Wheeler ranked him 17th seems like thin gruel for a column. I realize BE only posted it because it summarized the actual paywalled list.

Seems more interesting to me that Bjarnason wasn't ranked at all. I guess the other thing, which the Hockey News writer also mentions, is that five goalies taken in this year's draft are ranked ahead of Zavragin, so between those two things, were they correct not to take a goalie? [All five of those went in the late first or in the second.]

[bigegypt0417]

The article does point out that Wheeler has a very large list of goalies in a second tier so at the end of the day it speaks more to the deep amount of goalie talent in the NHL pipeline. Wheeler also speaks to how quickly Zavragin is climbing from a development aspect. The headline is dramatic...for sure.

[kmc1019]

I would submit that we are at least 20 years into a period where the Flyers and their fan base dramatically overvalue their prospects compared to national ranking and writers, with - unfortunately - the rankings and writers having been proven right in nearly every case. Luchanko as latest live example. Still a shocking absence of high-ceiling talent in system.

[Austinfan]

I think Luchanko is underrated, having watched him in the AHL playoffs.
He's a true 18 year old and held his own. Won't turn 19 until the end of August.
His been buried in a black hole in Guelph, where Kazin was his only NHL prospect linemate, and the HC split them up.

Same with Bonk, who scored at a high rate given his role was primarily defensive (Dickinson is the offensive defenseman). You could see a big dropoff defensively when he wasn't on the ice.

What they both have in common is the lack of flashy skills that play better at lower levels, but are full sized, high IQ two way players who'll quickly adjust to the NHL game.

Bjarnson has steadily progressed in the CHL, but hasn't played at a level yet that says top goalie prospect, but goalies often take time to develop, I expect at least 2 years in the AHL before they know what they have in him.

Nesbitt is a gamble they can improve his skating, worked with Foerster who'd be top 15 in a re-draft - not too many 20 goal scorers who are close to elite defensively. If Nesbitt can improve to average or so as a skater, he has the tool kit to be a big goal scoring center. Not sure I'd gamble that high in the draft, but full sized true centers are hard to find.

[bigegypt0417]

I'm not sure a first round pick in 2024 can be defined as underrated.