The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects and has been condensed from two articles to one. The article will bring you: The highlighted team’s draft; insights into its off-season moves; looking at prospect risers, fallers and likely prospects to play NHL games; and of course, the writers’ top-20 prospects. Articles may be brought back when an important team update occurs, so check back because we plan to fill your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season!

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Read past 32 series stories here: https://dobberprospects.com/category/feature/32-in-32-series/

Make sure to check out the Philadelphia Flyers team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/philadelphia-flyers/

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The Philadelphia Flyers return a squad that made a strong run into the 2nd Round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs, including a series victory over Sidney Crosby and the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round, only to be stopped by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes. 

This off-season, Philly took a big swing (but missed) on restricted free agent Leo Carlsson, who remains in Anaheim on a five-year, $90 million contract extension. General Manager Daniel Briere risked four first-round choices over the next five years in the attempted coup, but Anaheim’s GM Pat Verbeek matched the sizable offer to retain Carlsson’s services. As of press time, no top-line center was moved this off-season, so Briere took the only shot he really had at a difference-maker this off-season.  

That airball leaves the Flyers’ trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire goaltender Joseph Woll (and bottom-six defender Simon Benoit) as the dominant adjustment to last season’s lineup. With backup goalie Sam Ersson having an up-and-down campaign last season, a Vladar-Woll combo could be among the best in the league in 2026-27 if the new Flyers goalie can bounce back in another highly-scrutinized hockey environment. 

Philadelphia handled their own business by re-signing Tyson Foerster, Dan Vladar, Trevor Zegras, and Jamie Drysdale to multi-year contract extensions. These deals represent a commitment to the current core with long-term contracts already in place with Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, Owen Tippett, Christian Dvorak, and Noah Cates. On the blue line, Philly has Travis Sanheim, Cam York, and Drysdale locked up through the rest of the decade. 

The Flyers signed several veteran forwards (Zach Aston-Reese, Noel Acciari, and Danila Klimovich) in free agency to compete with young players like Denver Barkey and Alex Bump for roles inside the bottom-six next fall. The younger athletes will always have the chance to hone their craft in the AHL if they are squeezed out of the NHL lineup early on. 

At this summer’s draft, Briere took swings on potential to add to the organizational depth chart. He traded back in the opening round and still acquired a smooth-skating, 6-foot-7 giant with raw skills in Maksim Sokolovskii. Meanwhile, second-rounders Brek Liske and Martin Psohlavec added talent at the right-handed defensive spot and the goalie position, respectively. Ultimately, the Flyers’ system hinges on improved development from first-round centers Jett Luchanko or Jack Nesbitt to grow into a top-line player the Flyers desperately need.  

After making the playoffs last season, the target has shifted to routine playoff appearances and building an annual contender. The franchise has nearly $14 million in open salary cap space to pounce on the next disgruntled NHL center that becomes available. The biggest question becomes: will Philly have the necessary prospects in this system to outbid other suitors (like the Minnesota Wild) to land their long-coveted top-line star pivot? 

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NHL Draft Recap

Round 1, 27 overall: Maksim Sokolovskii, Defenseman

25/26 Stats, London (OHL): GP: 44 G: 2 A: 6 P: 8 PPG: 0.18

Many Flyers fans were shocked after Briere selected a first-round defender with EIGHT total points in an entire OHL season. However, Sokolovskii’s skating and maneuverability were on full display during the Flyers Development Camp this summer:

2026 Flyers first-rounder Maksim Sokolovskii on the ice for the early session this morning. The big dude moves well – love the edge work and quickness in camp so far. #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/9ahtQHc1AQ

— Christopher Babos (@CBabosWrites) July 2, 2026

London Knights head coach Dale Hunter instructed the big blue liner to focus on his defensive play, which helps explain his limited offensive production. Philadelphia trusted Hunter with the development of Oliver Bonk, a defender who impressed enough to earn playoff ice time in Philly last spring. 

It’s a long-term bet for Philadelphia, which will need to wait at least two seasons before seeing Sokolovskii skating in pro hockey. The 18-year-old is expected to return to London for another season of tutelage under his former NHLer bench boss before heading to college with a commitment to the University of Maine (NCAA) for the 2027-28 season.  

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Round 2, 53 overall: Brek Liske, Defenseman

25/26 Stats, Everett (WHL): GP: 52 G: 7 A: 17 P: 24 PPG: 0.46

A do-it-all defender with average NHL size at 6-foot-2, Liske projects as a “low ceiling, high floor” prospect.  He features one of the coolest stories from the 2026 NHL Draft: his father, Lonnie, has been a die-hard Flyers supporter for decades, including driving a Flyers-themed Jeep through the forests of Manitoba, Canada. 

The right-handed defender needs to continue to add weight and round out his game in his final season of WHL eligibility. His WHL point production projects as that of a top-four NHL defender, per PNHLe. That could be a very useful addition to Philadelphia’s group (or someone else’s system…) in a few seasons. 

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Round 2, 62 overall: Martin Psohlavec, Goalie

25/26 Stats, HC Energie Karlovy Vary U20 (CZE): GP: 42 Rec: 31-11-0 GAA: 1.92 SV%: .928 SO: 8 

Psholavec impressed at the Under-18 World Juniors behind a 3-1 record, a 1.68 goals against average (GAA), and a 0.926% save percentage (SV%). Those numbers were an extension of his work for his U-20 club team in Europe. The teenager posted a sub-.200 GAA with a 92% save rate for HC Energie Karlovy Vary U20 in Czechia last season. Much like Sokolovskii, Psohlavec was a stand-out performer at the Flyers post-draft development camp in July. 

The 6-foot-5 netminder moves to North America to play for the Saskatoon Blades for the 2026-27 season. If he can replicate his play from Europe on the smaller ice surface, the Flyers could’ve found an excellent option to challenge highly-touted Russian netminder Yegor Zavragin (who is signed to a KHL contract through May 2028) for backup minutes behind Vladar. 

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Round 4, 120 overall: Marek Skelnicka, Goalie

25/26 Stats, BK Mlada Boleslav (CZE): GP: 42 Rec: 20-12-6 GAA: 3.21 SV%: .902 SO: 3 

Skelnicka impressed Philly scouts who were likely in the building to look at second-rounder Psohlavec, but came away equally astounded by the backup netminder’s skills. The 17-year-old didn’t see a lot of action during the U-18 World Juniors, but he posted a 2-1 record with a 1.91 GAA and a .921 SV% when given the opportunity in the crease. 

Those numbers resembled his first North American pro season with the Seattle Thunderbirds. Skelnicka amassed a 20-12-6 record with a 3.21 GAA and a .902 SV% in his first taste of WHL competition. He won five postseason games for Seattle, including three shutout victories on the way to a 1.78 playoff GAA. Those Seattle vs. Saskatoon intra-conference WHL battles between the Flyers prospect goalies will be a fun watch next season. 

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Round 5, 136 overall: Kurt “KJ” Sauer, Center  

25/26 Stats, Lincoln (USHL): GP: 5 G: 2 A: 3 P: 5 PPG: 1.00

Briere used a fifth-round draft pick on a 6-foot-3 center with a pro hockey pedigree that runs through the family. His father, Kent, skated 166 games in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) between 2000-01 and 2003-04. Meanwhile, two of his uncles have NHL time under their blades. Kurt Sauer skated 357 games for three organizations over seven seasons between 2002-03 and 2009-10, while Michael Sauer skated 98 games for the New York Rangers organization between 2008-09 and 2011-12. 

All three of his uncles were defensemen, so it makes perfect sense that KJ’s checking and defensive game are important calling cards of his game as a forward. The 18-year-old is expected to play for the Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) in 2026-27 before a commitment takes him to one of college hockey’s premier programs, the University of Minnesota-Duluth, in 2027-28. 

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Round 7, 213 overall: Max Laatikainen, Defenseman

25/26 Stats, Kiekko-Espoo U 20 (FIN): GP: 22 G: 3 A: 8 P: 11 PPG: 0.50

Philadelphia selected the youngest player in the draft pool with a final round selection in 2026. Laatikainen gives the Flyers a slick-skating right-handed option on the blue line. His stats don’t jump off the page after a season-ending injury, but his September birthday gives him an additional year of developmental runway (…much like Jett Luchanko) as his cake day falls one day short of the deadline for eligibility for the 2027 NHL Draft. The 17-year-old has moved from Kiekko-Espoo to Sport (Liiga) for the 2026-27 season. 

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Off-Season Moves

Incoming

Joseph Woll, G – Traded from TOR (06/16) – 3 years, $3.6 million AAV contract (year 2)

Simon Benoit, D – Traded from TOR (06/16) – 3 years, $1.3 million AAV contract (year 3) 

Noel Acciari, W – 2 years, $5.6 million AAV contract (07/1)

Danila Klimovich, W – 1 year, $850K AAV contract (two-way) (07/1)

Zach Aston-Reese, F – 2 years, $1.75 million AAV contract (07/1)

Cam Dineen, W – 2 years, $1.75 million AAV contract (07/1)

Jack Studnicka, C – 2 years, $1.75 million AAV contract (07/1)

Nolan Foote, D 1 year, $850K AAV contract (two-way) (07/3)

Outgoing

Sam Ersson, G – Traded to TOR on 06/16; signed 2 years, $4.4 million with OTT on 07/1

Emil Andrae, D – Traded to TOR – Received qualifying offer from TOR on 6/16

Garnett Hathaway, F – Traded to FLA on 06/25 – 2 years, $2.40 million (final year)

Rodrigo Abols, C – Signed with a 3-year contract with SC Bern in Switzerland

Luke Glendening, F – Unrestricted free agent

Re-signed

Aleksei Kolosov, G – 1 year, $850K extension (re-signed on 5/15) 

Ilya Pautov, W – 3 years, $2.95M extension ($985K AAV) (re-signed on 06/1)

Jacob Gaucher, W – 1 year, $850K extension (re-signed on 06/4)

Carl Grundstrom, C – 1 year, $1 million extension (re-signed on 06/30)

Tyson Foerster, F – 8 years, $56.8 million extension ($7.1M AAV) (re-signed on 07/1)

Dan Vladar, G – 5 years, $27.5 million extension ($5.5M AAV) (re-signed on 07/1)

Trevor Zegras, C/W – 4 years, $36.5 million extension ($9.1M AAV) (re-signed on 07/15)

Jamie Drysdale, D – 4 years, $26 million extension ($6.5 AAV) (re-signed on 07/17)

Nikita Grebenkin, W – 2 years, $2.2 million extension ($1.1 AAV) (re-signed on 08/6)

Hunter McDonald, D – 2 years, 1.82 million extension ($912K AAV) (re-signed on 08/18)

Notable RFAs

None

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In the System

Risers

Porter Martone, W

 25-26 Stats: Philadelphia (NHL) GP: 9 G: 4 A: 6 P: 10 PPG: 1.11

Porter Martone scored 50 points in 35 games for Michigan State (NCAA) before jumping on the speeding train that was the Flyers’ push to end a five-season playoff drought in Philadelphia. The 19-year-old instantly became a critical member of the Flyers’ offense, totaling 10 points in nine games at the end of the regular season, including an overtime game-winner for his first career NHL goal on April 5 against the Boston Bruins. He is the only player in franchise history to score his first NHL goal as an OT game-winning goal (and the second youngest player in NHL history behind New York Rangers center Alexis Lafreniere). 

Porter Martone scored the game-winning goal in overtime for the @NHLFlyers who now sit in a playoff spot for the first time since Jan. 12, when they also ranked third place in the Metropolitan Division.#NHLStats: https://t.co/yPzzE2Vqjo pic.twitter.com/TN6XvTLz5y

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) April 5, 2026

Martone scored two goals and amassed three points in the Flyers’ opening-round win over Pittsburgh, finishing with five points in 10 NHL playoff games. The 6-foot-3 forward should easily slot inside the top six of head coach Rick Tocchet’s lineup next fall. His late-season showcase places him among the early favorites for the 2027 Calder Trophy alongside Gavin McKenna. 

Oliver Bonk, D

25-26 Stats: Lehigh Valley (AHL) GP: 46 G: 6 A: 13 P: 19 PPG: 0.41

Oliver Bonk spent the majority of his season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but he was with the Flyers in the spring for the playoff push when it mattered. He scored a goal in the final career NHL contest, the final regular-season game after Philly had clinched a postseason spot last season. With the Flyers struggling for defensive bodies against Carolina in the 2nd round, Bonk did not look out of place in the Flyers’ final playoff matchup against the eventual Stanley Cup Champions from Raleigh, North Carolina. 

David Jiricek has the lead track on the third-pairing role at the NHL level next season as he is waiver-eligible next fall. It’s tough to see Briere losing a premium asset (young right-handed defender) for nothing without giving the 22-year-old lottery pick (sixth overall in 2022) a real opportunity in the NHL. That moves comes with benefits for Bonk, who would be in line to receive 20+ minutes per night in the AHL as opposed to a limited number of NHL minutes per night next season. That Flyers battle for playing time on the back end is one of the most exciting storylines entering 2026 Flyers Training Camp. 

Jack Berglund, C

25-26 Stats: Farjestad BK (SHL) GP: 40 G: 7 A: 5 P: 12 PPG: 0.30

Berglund put the hockey world on notice as the captain of the Sweden U-20 squad, the gold medal winners at the 2026 World Juniors. The 6-foot-4 center totaled 10 points in seven games as Tre Kronor claimed its third title at the prestigious tournament. The 20-year-old handled himself well at Farjestad BK (SHL), recording 12 points in 40 games against pro-level competition. He was selected for Sweden’s squad at the 2026 IIHF World Championships, where he totaled four points in eight games. 

Despite a short five-game stint with Lehigh Valley (AHL) last fall, Berglund was loaned back to Farjestad BK for another development campaign in 2026-27. He projects as a middle-six center in a position where Philadelphia needs a prospect to break out into an elite-level player. Even with another impressive Euro season under his skates, the second-rounder from the 2024 NHL Draft may need time in Lehigh Valley to adjust to North American ice before he is ready for NHL duty. 

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Fallers

Jett Luchanko, C

25-26 Stats: Brantford (OHL) GP: 27 G:5 A: 21 P: 26 PPG: 0.96

Philadelphia was so enamored with Jett Luchanko’s potential that they’ve tried to keep him around the organization during the early portions of the last two seasons. In doing so, he’s skated for five teams over the last two years: the Flyers (NHL), the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL), the Guelph Storm (OHL), the Brantford Bulldogs (OHL), and Canada’s Under-20 squad.  That’s a ton of different voices in your ear at a critical time in development. 

A full season with one mailing address (and one consistent message) could go a long way for a 20-year-old center after bouncing around from place to place so much recently. The biggest question is whether he earns a role with the NHL squad out of camp or if 2026-27 is a development season at the AHL level. Luchanko certainly owns the speed to compete at the NHL level, but he needs to prove the rest of his game is ready for high-level competition, too. 

Alex Ciernik, W

25-26 Stats: Nybro Vikings IF (SWE) GP: 21 G: 2 A: 3 P: 5 PPG:0.23

Alex Ciernik doesn’t exactly deserve to be on this list, but given his limited point production against European competition, he watched several forwards pass him on this summer’s rankings. The 21-year-old totaled five points in 21 games for Nybro Vikings IF (HockeyAllsvenskan) before a mid-season promotion to the Pelicans (Liiga), where he amassed three points over a 19-game sample size. 

The Slovakian winger can bounce back up the depth chart with a strong AHL campaign in 2026-27. The Flyers have a logjam of talented wingers in the organization, but Barkey and Bump proved last season that talented wingers can find their way (and stick) on an NHL roster over the course of a long season.

Aleksei Kolosov, G

25-26 Stats: MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL) GP: 38 Rec: 15-21-2 GAA: 2.98 SV%: .895 SO:2

Aleksei Kolosov posted a losing record for a Lehigh Valley team in transition in 2025-26, but his underlying statistics with a 2.98 GAA and a .895 SV% were serviceable. However, it was an incredibly telling move that Flyers brass didn’t yet trust the 24-year-old goalie when they completed a trade for Woll this offseason. 

Kolosov could find his way back to the NHL, but it’s likely as an injury replacement at this point in Philly. Otherwise, he will continue to hone his craft in the minor leagues while awaiting his next NHL opportunity. 

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Likely to start in the NHL 

Porter Martone

Denver Barkey

Likely to see NHL action

Jett Luchanko

Alex Bump

Oliver Bonk

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Top 20 Prospects

This section is intended to paint a picture of the Philadelphia Flyers prospects whose current trajectory projects them to make the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL. Arrival date and NHL certainty have been taken into consideration; however, potential upside is the most important factor in determining this list. 

1. Porter Martone
2. Yegor Zavragin
3. Denver Barkey
4. Oliver Bonk
5. Jett Luchanko
6. Alex Bump
7. Maksim Sokolovskii
8. Jack Nesbitt
9. Jack Murtagh
10. Jack Berglund
11. Alex Ciernik
12. Brek Liske
13. Carter Amico
14. Shane Vansaghi
15. Carson Bjarnason
16. Spencer Gil
17. Martin Psohlavec
18. Heikki Ruohonen
19. Max Westergard
20. Cole Knuble

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Final thoughts

Briere has often drafted the best player available at NHL Drafts during his tenure, a move that has netted him promising talents like Matvei Michkov and Martone in the first-year player selection process. This has left the Flyers with a promising system of wingers but lacking a high-end center to put the entire puzzle together. It also creates a metaphorical bloodbath for bottom-six spots in the lineup between NHL veterans and young NHL-ready talent like Barkey and Bump next fall.

Philadelphia will eventually figure out how their defense shakes out behind veterans Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York and Drysdale. Jiricek, acquired for NHL forward Bobby Brink, is a bet on untapped potential who should get an opportunity to skate good minutes in the NHL next season. But he will have Bonk lurking close after already proving himself to the coaching staff and earning a playoff opportunity last spring. 

When the chips meet the table, the true priority is finding a top-line center that can play alongside Martone (and/or Michkov) for the next decade. Until Briere acquires that prized possession, the puzzle will feel incomplete on Broad Street. With 16 selections in the opening two rounds of drafts over the last five years, Philly has plenty of role players to augment the roster if (and when) they finally land their star pivot. 

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Make sure to check the Philadelphia Flyers team page: https://dobberprospects.com/team/philadelphia-flyers/

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Christopher Babos

Managing Editor, Player Profiles at Dobber Prospects

Twitter/X: @CBabosWrites (Twitter/X) 

IG: Crispy_Image