Thd Flyers made some roster cuts, and placed six players on waivers today. If all players clear waivers, the Flyers roster will sit at 29.

Flyers Cuts:

The following six (6) players will be assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms today:
F – Noah Powell
F – Riley Thompson
D – Spencer Gill
D – Hunter McDonald
D – Ty Murchison
G – Carson Bjarnason

The following six (6) players have been placed on waivers:
F – Zach Aston-Reese
F – Nolan Foote
F – Carl Grundstrom
F – Danila Klimovich
F – Jack Studnicka
D – Cam Dineen

Matthew Gard has been returned to the Seattle Thunderbirds

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Flyers’ Goaltender Dan Vladar suffered an upper-body injury (reportedly involving his right arm/shoulder area) during Tuesday night’s (Sept. 22, 2026) pre-season game against the Boston Bruins and did not return.

It happened in the first period (around the 13:31 mark) after he mishandled a dump-in/rebound and made contact with Bruins forward Tanner Jeannot. Vladar dropped his stick, favored his right arm/blocker hand, and left the ice. Aleksei Kolosov replaced him for the rest of the game, which the Flyers lost 5-1.

The team listed it as an upper-body injury. As of Wednesday (Sept. 23), Flyers’ Head Coach Rick Tocchet noted that he was day to day in his presser following Wednesday’s practice. The regular season starts next week, so the Flyers will be monitoring it closely.

“He’s day to day. You are kind of in that situation, you dodge a bullet, you dodge a bullet. He’s in good spirits today, could be 48-72, etc. hours, I don’t know,” Flyers’ Head Coach Rick Tocchet said after practice today.

Tocchet also said that he doesn’t know if he’ll be ready for the home opener

This was his first pre-season action of 2026-27 after a strong 2025-26 season with the Flyers (where he established himself as the Number 1 goalie).

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Flyers’ Head Coach Rick Tocchet said this morning that forward Denver Barkey (lower-body injury) is day-to-day and that he doesn’t think it’s serious.

“Barks is day to day. He’s getting evaluated now. I’d say day to day, and not serious.” – Flyers’ Head Coach Rick Tocchet said at morning skate yesterday

Barkey left Monday’s pre-season game against the Washington Capitals after a hit from Martin Fehervary late in the first period, took one short shift to open the second, and didn’t return. It was an unfortunate turn of events, as Barkey is vying for a Center spot.

The 21-year-old Forward in Barkey was getting evaluated yesterday and wasn’t at the non-game group skate. Good news overall for the young forward, who was having a really good camp.

Dan Vladar

Dan Vladar left the Flyers’ pre-season game against the Bruins last night (Sept. 22) in the first period with an upper-body injury and didn’t return.

It happened when he went down to play a rebound and Bruins forward Tanner Jeannot made contact with his right arm/skate area. Vladar lost his stick, was clearly favoring the arm, and headed to the bench. The team officially listed it as upper-body; Aleksei Kolosov took over in net.

No further update on the severity yet—coach Rick Tocchet said after the game that he was still being evaluated. Fingers crossed it’s just a precautionary thing and nothing major.

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The Flyers roster for their second 2026 preseason game (at Boston Bruins, tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET at TD Garden):

Forwards (12)

• 18 – Danila Klimovich
• 20 – Alex Bump
• 21 – Zach Aston-Reese
• 23 – Jack Studnicka
• 25 – Nolan Foote
• 27 – Noah Cates
• 54 – Cole Knuble
• 74 – Owen Tippett
• 77 – Jett Luchanko
• 78 – Jacob Gaucher
• 82 – Matthew Gard
• 91 – Carl Grundstrom

Defensemen (6)

• 5 – David Jiricek
• 19 – Hunter McDonald
• 24 – Nick Seeler
• 29 – Ty Murchison
• 42 – Spencer Gill
• 59 – Oliver Bonk

Goaltenders (2)

• 35 – Aleksei Kolosov
• 80 – Dan Vladar

This is the official lineup posted by the Flyers for preseason Game #2. It mixes some regulars (e.g., Noah Cates, Owen Tippett, Nick Seeler, Dan Vladar) with prospects and depth players after a more prospect-heavy group in last night’s 5-2 loss to the Capitals. Denver Barkey (lower-body injury from the opener) is not listed. Goalie split is expected to feature Vladar and Kolosov.

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Cole Knuble is turning heads at Flyers training camp, and head coach Rick Tocchet just said exactly that.

On Monday (Sept. 21, 2026), Tocchet praised the 22-year-old forward (Mike Knuble’s son, a 2023 fourth-round pick out of Notre Dame):

“A guy that has elevated his stock. It gives you a lot more options.” – Flyers’ Head Coach Rick Tocchet

Tocchet’s comments on Knuble’s camp success comes out on the same day that Knuble scores a goal and registers an assist In his first pre-season tilt of the season. He just happened to be in the right spots, but his skills took over against the Washington Capitals, “Cole Knuble was flying out there. A couple of guys caught my eye like that,” Flyers’ Head Coach Rick Tocchet said after the game.

Knuble has been one of the more noticeable young players early in camp. He’s shown strong compete, puck battles, speed through checks, and two-way play. Sources and reports have him as a versatile C/RW type who could fit a bottom-six or fourth-line role (sometimes compared to a Pageau- or Stankoven-lite profile). He’s been skating in groups with veterans and other prospects, and the staff values that flexibility.

It’s still early (camp just opened), so making the Opening Night roster remains an uphill battle with the lineup looking relatively set. But elevating his stock this way is exactly what a prospect needs to force the coaching staff to keep him in the mix longer — whether for the big club, as injury insurance, or as a high-end AHL call-up option with the Phantoms.Tocchet noticing him and publicly calling out the “options” it creates is a clear positive signal for Knuble’s camp.

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The Flyers open their 2026 pre-season tonight (Monday, September 21). They’re facing the Washington Capitals at Giant Center in Hershey, PA (neutral site, home of the Caps’ AHL affiliate Hershey Bears). Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Here is the lineup for tonight:

Martone-Barkey-Auston-Reese
Bump-Luchanko-Knuble
Grundstrom-Studnicka-Gard
Wilson-Thompson-Powell

96 – Murchison
3 – Grans
75 – McDonald
44 – Benoit
59 – Bonk
5 – Jiricek

This is a shortened four-game pre-season (down from previous years) because the regular season expanded to 84 games. Training Camp opened September 17.

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Kevin Hayes, a 34-year-old forward, announced his retirement on September 21, 2026, after appearing in just five games for AK Bars Kazan in the KHL (the 2026-27 season). He had signed a one-year deal with the club in late August following 12 NHL seasons.

In his statement (shared via the KHL): “I have decided to end my hockey career. I can no longer play at the level I am capable of because my body does not allow me to perform at my best. And I cannot accept not being in top form.”

Career Highlights

NHL totals: 805 regular-season games, 185 goals, 261 assists (446 points) with the New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Drafted 24th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010; never played for them. Made his NHL debut with the Rangers in 2014-15 after Boston College.

Notable stops included a big seven-year, $50 million contract with the Flyers (signed in 2019) and two seasons in Pittsburgh (where limited ice time and injuries marked his final NHL year in 2025-26: 4 goals and 8 points in 28 games).

It was a short and abrupt end to what was expected to be a final chapter in Russia. Condolences and well wishes have been circulating from former teammates, media, and fans, noting the personal challenges he faced over the years (including the loss of his brother and close friend Johnny Gaudreau).

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Denver Barkey said he plans to “pick the brain” of Captain Sean Couturier if he continues playing Center.

The 21-year-old in Barkey (5’10, 170 lbs) discussed a potential shift to center after playing there in a couple of playoff games last season due to an injury to Noah Cates. Coaches liked how he handled it, and he worked on the position over the summer.

Barkey noted the Flyers already have depth at Center (Trevor Zegras, Couturier, Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates, and others competing for spots). On learning from Couturier.

.

“If I continue to stay there (at Center), Coots will be a big one… Pick the brain of him … Selke (Trophy) winner, someone who knows how to play the game the right way. He plays the offensive side of the puck and the defensive side of the puck very well. He’s just a guy you can put out there in any situation and rely on him. I’ll work with him after practice. See if he has some pointers to help me out.”

Barkey (drafted 95th overall in 2023) had 17 points in 43 NHL games in his first pro season (mostly as a winger, often alongside Couturier and Owen Tippett). He has emphasized versatility and wants to “run away with” a center opportunity.

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Maksim Sokolovskii (the massive 6’7, 238 pound London Knights Defenseman the Flyers took 27th overall in June) was among the first wave of cuts on Saturday, sent back to the OHL as expected for an 18-year-old long term project who’s still years away from pro hockey (he’s committed to Maine for 2027-28).

The early returns from Training Camp were genuinely encouraging for a kid that size and raw. He opened camp skating in Group A with NHL’ers (including a pairing with Rasmus Ristolainen), put together some noticeable moments—smart stick work and clears against Alex Bump, a slick deke that left Simon Benoit looking foolish in a drill, and even a snipe in practice—and generally made an impression with his mobility and physical tools.

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Sokolovskii had a solid (or better) showing relative to the expectations for a project prospect this early. He’ll head back to London with some positive momentum and more NHL exposure under his belt. The ceiling remains high if the skating, decision-making, and puck play continue to progress.

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The following eight (8) players will be assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms camp:

F – Brady Berard
F – Alex Ciernik
F – Devin Kaplan
F – Owen McLaughlin
F – Ilya Pautov
F – Zayde Wisdom
D – Jackson Edward
D – Andrew Perrott

The following seven players have been sent back to their Junior team:

F – Nathan Quinn
F – KJ Sauer
D – Brek Liske
D – Maksim Sokolovskii
D – Luke Vlooswyk
G – Martin Psohlavec
G – Marek Sklenicka

The Flyers roster now sits at 42

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