The Philadelphia Flyers traveled up to Long Island on Monday to take on the New York Islanders, where they walked away with a close 4-3 loss.
The Islanders fielded a roster that was very close to being a full-strength NHL roster, while the Flyers chose not to utilize as many top-level guys, but the group still held their own in a lot of aspects, making a promising case for guys that won’t be seeing the NHL roster right out of camp, but could still be put on standby for future call-ups.
Kolosov Debuts
Alexei Kolosov’s arrival at training camp has been the big storyline this week, and he got to see some ice time against the Islanders, stepping in halfway through the second period to relieve starter Ivan Fedotov.
For the most part, he looked solid. His athleticism was the standout trait during this game, moving really well to keep up with an onslaught of Islanders offense, while also displaying some pretty impressive vision and excellent reflexes.
Albeit a small sample size. You can see how well Kolosov moves. So fluid and explosive. I’ve also been impressed the way he finds pucks looking around screens and traffic.
— Jason Myrtetus (@jasonmyrt) October 1, 2024
At 22, there’s obviously still plenty of refining he can do to his game, but having only arrived to camp very recently, he had a respectable debut that makes for a good foundation to build on as the season progresses.
Mismatched Rosters
Full stop, the skill levels of the Flyers and Islanders teams were not very evenly matched, but the Flyers were able to stay with their opposition through much of the game. They created a host of dangerous chances that were saved by Jakub Skarek, who was having a fantastic game, and got both forwards and defensemen involved in the push forward.
On paper, the Islanders should’ve dominated, but they only found their winner in the last 50 seconds of the game, and without such an excellent performance from their goalie, it’s not outlandish to think that the Flyers probably would’ve gotten at least a couple more past them. A loss is a loss, but for a roster made up largely of guys who aren’t NHL regulars, they didn’t go down without a fight.
Guess Who’s Back?
Speaking of fielding more of a non-NHL roster, it’s interesting to see who the Flyers choose to call back for games, even if they’ve already been re-assigned. To know that it’s an option for them to bring back players that have been cut from the camp roster could give some valuable insight into who they’re keeping an eye on in the AHL.
It goes beyond just being cautious so as not to injure their top-level guys before the season starts—John Tortorella has stated that they’re constantly evaluating the younger players, and that they will be rewarded with opportunities that they’ve earned.
Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News
The best example of this would be Jett Luchanko, who just turned 18 back in August, still fully participating in training camp because he’s just been that good. Even if the Flyers do end up sending him back to the OHL, he’s clearly made an impression, and the organization won’t soon forget it. They’re serious about wanting to give younger players a chance to really prove themselves to the team, and it’s showing.
The Flyers next game will also be an away game, where they’ll be traveling up to Boston to take on the Bruins on Oct. 1 at 7:00 p.m.
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