The Flyers open their preseason slate on Sunday with a road game against the Washington Capitals. Game time at Capital One Arena is 3:00 p.m. EDT. The game will be televised on NHL Network and streamed on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com.
Here are five things to watch in Sunday's exhibition game.
- Michkov's preseason debut
Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov is slated to make his NHL preseason debut on Sunday in DC. His probable linemates are Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett.
Frost and Michkov have played together often through the first three days of camp. The two showed instant chemistry in Thursday's scrimmages including Michkov garnering a secondary assist on a goal by Frost. Meanwhile, Tippett and Frost have frequently played on the same line for the Flyers over parts of the last three seasons: late in 2021-22 after Tippett's acquisition from Florida, the latter two-thirds of the 2022-23 campaign and the majority of 2023-24.
- Bounceback candidates: Farabee, Cates and Drysdale
Joel Farabee showed solid consistency last year from the start of the season through the All-Star break. Unfortunately, he struggled after the All-Star break. The 24-year-old winger has been focused in camp so far at getting to the net regularly again and deflecting pucks in front.
Noah Cates came on offensively late last season after goals had been very hard for him to come by for most of the year. The winger/center is always a reliable defensive player and strong on the forecheck. This season, he'll look to pick up where he left off near the end of 2023-24.
Injury issues sidetracked talented young defenseman Jamie Drysdale the last two seasons with both the Anaheim Ducks and Flyers. Coming off core muscle surgery this offseason, Drysdale added a reported 18 pounds of muscle heading into camp. He struggled mightily during the skating test on Thursday but looked more like himself during scrimmages the next two days.
- On the Brink
Bobby Brink had a very strong training camp last year and cracked the opening night roster. After getting off to a fast start in the season, he had an uneven campaign that included a return trip to the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. This year, he's looking to establish himself in the NHL lineup once and for all.
Brink is a half-step ahead of preseason roster players who are very much on the NHL/AHL bubble. On Sunday, keep an eye on Olle Lycksell, Latvian center Rodrigo Abos (who scored a scrimmage goal on Saturday), second-year defenseman Emil Andrae and fellow Swedish blueliner Adam Ginning.
- Future Watch: Luchanko and Gill
Most eyes will be on the 19-year-old Michkov but he's not the only youngster playing his first NHL preseason game. Philly's 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko had a strong rookie camp and could see more than just one preseason game this September before (most likely) being returned to the Ontario Hockey League's Guelph Storm for the upcoming season.
Additionally, lanky and smooth-skating 2024 second-round pick Spencer Gill (selected 59th overall) is in the lineup for Philly on Sunday. The right-handed shooting blueliner will play for the QMJHL's Rimouski Oceanic when the regular season arrives.
The Capitals are also expected to have some notable prospects in their lineup for Sunday's tilt. Drafted 17th overall in the first round of the 2024 Entry Draft, Terik Parascak is slated to make his NHL preseason debut against the Flyers. So, too, are defenseman Leon Muggli (drafted in the second round, 52nd overall) and center Eriks Mateiko (third round, 90th overall).
- Between the pipes
Ivan Fedotov will vie for playing time with Samuel Ersson once the season arrives. The hulking Russian netminder is expected to man the starting net for the Flyers on Sunday.
2024 second-round pick Carson Bjarnason is probably one season away from graduating from junior hockey with the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings to the professional ranks with the Phantoms. He will dress in Sunday's game in DC. Bjarnason had some impressive moments in the Rookie Series against the New York Rangers prospects.
