Flyers cut four players to all but finalize roster for opening night vs. Penguins
Friday brought a few surprising cuts as Cole Knuble and Oliver Bonk were sent to Lehigh Valley. The Flyers roster now stands three players above the maximum of 23 ahead of Monday's 5 p.m. deadline.
Cole Knuble, Jett Luchanko, Oliver Bonk, and Jacob Gaucher have been sent down to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, the Flyers announced Friday.
The Flyers’ preseason roster is down to 26 names. Teams can carry up to 23 players on the active roster in the regular season. The remaining cuts are likely to be third goalie Aleksei Kolosov (assuming Dan Vladař is healthy for the opener), defenseman Helge Grans (who was injured in Thursday’s game), and Garrett Wilson. NHL opening rosters are due by 5 p.m. on Monday.
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Knuble, Luchanko, and Gaucher’s line stood out in a good way on Thursday, with Luchanko, 20, using his trademark speed to make plays and Knuble scoring a rebound goal in tight, his second of the preseason.
“They’re stacking some good games together,” Tocchet said after Thursday’s contest. “[Knuble] is really playing well, and I thought [Luchanko] has gotten better every game, so that’s huge for us, that they’re pushing.”
Despite their performance in camp, Tocchet pointed to the competition on the roster when asked if Knuble had a shot at making the opening night roster.
“You know the numbers game, but he’s definitely pushing some people,” Tocchet said.
The Flyers would prefer for Knuble and Luchanko to play every day down in Lehigh Valley, as opposed to sticking around on the NHL roster as an extra waiting for a chance. It’s also worth noting that Knuble, Luchanko, Bonk, and Gaucher are all waiver exempt, while players like David Jiříček, Carl Grundström, and Nikita Grebenkin are not. The Flyers snuck the veteran Grundström through waivers earlier this week, but would likely be hesitant to try the same with Jiříček and Grebenkin.
Knuble, 22, getting sent down could be a positive sign for Denver Barkey, who Tocchet said could be an option for Saturday’s preseason game after he was injured in Monday’s preseason opener. Barkey, who is still listed as day-to-day with a lower-body ailment, has been skating in a non-contact jersey in recent days.
Bonk, 21, was in competition with Jiříček for the final defensive spot, but it looked like Jiříček, in part due to his contract situation, had the inside track for opening night since the start of camp. Jiříček also got reps quarterbacking the second power-play unit and played with Nick Seeler in Boston on Tuesday. That duo looks to be the Flyers’ third pair to start the season.
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But Bonk, who made his NHL debut in the final regular-season game last season, is likely to be a top contender for a call-up, if the Flyers need it.
“He’s got the right mindset, he’s got the right attitude, and he works the right way,” Phantoms coach John Snowden said.
