The Flyers hit the midpoint of their 2024 exhibition schedule and play for the first time at Wells Fargo Center as they host the New York Islanders on Thursday evening. Game time is 7:00 p.m. EDT. The game broadcast is available on NBCSP.
Here are five things to watch in this game.
1. Michkkov's home debut: Nineteen-year-old prized prospect Matvei Michkov will make his Wells Fargo Center debut in Thursday's game. For most of camp to date, he has skated on a line with Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett. At Wednesday's practice, Hockey Operations and John Tortorella took a look at a different combo that had Michkov with Sean Couturier and Tyson Foerster. In Thursday's morning skate, Couturier was in the non-game group. Michkov was back with Frost and Tippett. Konecny skated with Foerster and 18-year-old prospect Jett Luchanko. This will be TK's first game of the 2024 preseason and Luchanko's home debut.
2. Flyers top D pair reunites: Defending Barry Ashbee Trophy winner Travis Sanheim (right defense) and Cam York (left defense) formed a successful pairing last year. With the Flyers playing their first home preseason game of the schedule, they'll dress for the Islanders game after not playing in the games against the Washington Capitals (6-2 win on Sunday) and Montreal Canadiens (5-0 loss on Monday).
3. Ersson gets the start: As with Konecny, Sanheim and York, Samuel Ersson has gotten plenty of practice time and scrimmage work in camp so far but has not yet played a preseason game. That will change on Thursday. Veteran NHL depth goalie/ Lehigh Valley Phantoms 1A/1B goalie Cal Petersen is the backup goalie against the Islanders.
4. The "F Troop": As I dubbed them last season (in tribute to one of my wife's grandfather's favorite television shows), the Flyers "F Troop" consists of Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost and Tyson Foerster. The 2024-25 season will be a crucial one for all three players. Farabee is coming off a four-point game (power play goal, three assists) and Frost a three-point game (even strength and power play goals, one assist) on Sunday. Foerster's play was a bright spot in Monday's otherwise desultory game in Montreal. The Flyers hope all three players carry it through on a consistently productive basis. Frost and Foerster are each in Thursday's lineup. Farabee practiced on Wednesday with the regulars but is not playing tonight.
5. Rocky behind the bench: Flyers head coach John Tortorella annually delegates the first three games of the preseason to his assistant coaches (or Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere) to run to manage from behind the bench. Tortorella watches from the executive box with general manager Daniel Briere and Hockey Ops personnel. On Thursday, assistant coach Rocky Thompson will run the bench during the game.
