Flyers prospects set to take on future Rangers in sixth annual September series in Allentown

The Flyers’ prospects are heading back to Allentown.

For the sixth straight year, the next generation will take on their New York Rangers counterparts in a two-game series at the PPL Center.

Game 1 will take place at 7:05 p.m. on Sept. 12, and Game 2 will be at 5:05 p.m. Sept. 13. The PPL Center is the home of the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

“We’re looking forward to hosting the Rookie Series once again,” general manager Danny Brière said in the team’s news release on Thursday.

“The series has become an important part of our evaluation process, giving our young prospects the opportunity to showcase their development in a high-level environment and gain experience competing against another strong organization.”

The team also announced its development camp will be held June 29 to July 3, rookie camp will open Sept. 11, and the first on-ice sessions of training camp are Sept. 17.

In the prospects series, the Flyers prospects hold a 5-4-1 record after splitting last year’s series.

Defenseman Oliver Bonk was unable to play in last season’s series because of an injury that kept him out of the lineup with the Phantoms until early December.

His teammate with London of the Ontario Hockey League, Denver Barkey, returned from a high ankle sprain suffered in late May and played in Game 1. The forward put on a show with his speed, quickness, leverage, and ability to win pucks. He consistently beat the Rangers’ defense, including scoring a nifty goal, with it all serving as a precursor to his season with the Flyers after he was called up in late December.

Two seasons ago, Flyers fans got their first look at Matvei Michkov, who arrived in North America that summer. The Russian phenom brought his creativity and vision to the ice as fans in Michkov jerseys dotted the arena. He scored a goal and skated in the first game alongside 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko.

NCAA players are not eligible to play in the series, so Porter Martone was unable to suit up in last year’s series. This year, the expectation is that soon-to-be Michigan forward Jack Nesbitt; Shane Vansaghi, who is returning to Michigan State; Boston University forward Jack Murtagh; and Harvard’s Heikki Ruohonen will be unable to participate.

But fans could see several players who turned pro after their college seasons ended, including Martone, Noah Powell, and Cole Knuble. Those who are coming over from Europe for the first time in Jack Berglund, Ilya Pautov, and Alex Čiernik also could be on the roster. Pautov signed his entry-level contract on Monday, and, according to a source, is expected to spend the upcoming season in Pennsylvania.