The main battles on defense for the Flyers at 2026 Training Camp (opening Thursday, Sept. 17) center on the third pair / seventh or eighth defenseman spots, with a young group of right- and left-shot prospects competing against a few veterans.
Projected locks for the top of the depth chart are generally:
- Left: Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Nick Seeler
- Right: Rasmus Ristolainen, Jamie Drysdale
That leaves the bottom of the lineup (third pair and extras) open to competition. The Flyers could carry 7 or 8 defensemen depending on how camp and the short pre-season go.
Key competition
The clearest battle is on the right side for a third-pair role (and potential Power Play help):
- David Jiříček (acquired from Minnesota for Bobby Brink last March) has the edge on paper. He’s no longer waiver-exempt, so the Flyers are highly motivated to keep him rather than risk losing him for nothing. He’s a big (6-foot-4) right-shot with a heavy shot that the coaching staff is interested in using on the power play. It’s viewed as something of a “now or never” opportunity for the former No. 6 overall pick.
- Oliver Bonk (2023 first-rounder) is the top internal challenger and has been one of the more discussed breakout candidates. He impressed in the recent Rookie Series (including an assist), showed poise and playmaking, and already has a bit of NHL experience (including playoff action last spring). Because he is still waiver-exempt, the Flyers would prefer he play significant minutes rather than sit as a healthy scratch; a strong camp could force them to keep eight D or push him into a regular top-six role. Multiple reports frame Bonk vs. Jiříček as a major camp storyline.
Other bubble defensemen
Also in the mix for the final spots (or to push veterans):
- Ty Murchison — Has drawn strong early notice from the brass after a good rookie camp; size and skating make him a dark-horse option.
- Hunter McDonald
- Helge Grans
- Simon Benoit (acquired in the Joseph Woll trade) — Big and physical, but his underlying numbers have been poor; he’s more of a depth/extra candidate who could be vulnerable if the younger players outperform him.
Nick Seeler is expected to hold a third-pair spot for his toughness and shot-blocking, but younger players will be pushing him. Veterans like Ristolainen (final year of his deal and frequent trade rumor subject) sit higher on the depth chart for now.
Overall, the defense has a relatively settled top four/five, so the real camp fights are for the bottom of the roster and ice time on the third pair. The shortened camp and limited preseason (only four games) mean players need to make an impact quickly. Bonk’s performance in particular is seen as a potential swing factor on whether the team opens with seven or eight defensemen.
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