Let the job competition begin.
When the Flyers take to the ice for the first day of training camp on Thursday morning, there may be a slight feeling of urgency because of the nature of the roster.
Among the notables no longer on the roster include veteran defensemen Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo, plus forwards Kevin Hayes and James van Riemsdyk.
The Flyers were busy in the free-agent signing period, acquiring ex-Penguin center Ryan Poehling, ex-Florida defenseman Marc Staal and ex-Washington/Boston forward Garnet Hathaway among others.
A total of 57 players are currently scheduled to attend training camp – 30 forwards, 21 defensemen and six goaltenders – at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, N.J.
The players will be sorted into three teams for the first four days, featuring on-ice and off-ice sessions. Friday through Sunday will feature scrimmages between the teams. Each day’s players in the teams will be posted on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com and the team’s social media channels.
On Monday, Sept. 25, the Flyers will begin their 2023 preseason schedule with a game against the New Jersey Devils at 7 p.m. at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
All Flyers home preseason games will be televised on NBCSP (Oct. 2 vs. Boston; Oct. 5 vs. the New York Islanders) and on NBCSP+ (Sept. 30 vs. the Devils) while the contest at Boston Bruins on Friday, Sept. 29 will be broadcasted on NHL Network. All the preseason games will also be aired on 97.5 The Fanatic radio station.
Fans can follow all training camp activities on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com, through the team’s social media channels and on the Flyers Broadcast Network. Visit PhiladelphiaFlyers.com to access all the coverage throughout the week leading up to the team’s season opener set for Thursday, Oct. 12 at Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m. (ET).
After finishing out of the playoffs for a third straight season last year, the Flyers decided to go into a total rebuild this year.
Leading the overhaul at ice level will be second-year head coach John Tortorella.
Tortorella is a shrewd evaluator of talent and will be important in this changeover as the Flyers look to get younger and more skilled.
At his press briefing on Tuesday, general manager Daniel Briere said he’s a big believer in Tortorella for this role.
“I think there’s a perception out there that is not quite right about him,” Briere said. “You look at what he did last year. Vet or rookie, he will use a player that’s the most deserving. Or a player that he feels is ready for it. Look at how he used Noah Cates last year. He’s great to work with. He’s excited about his chance to build a team with the young guys.”
Critics would say Tortorella is a bit too demanding. Does Briere have any concerns about that contention?
“Well, ‘Torts’ is a demanding coach,” Briere acknowledged. “No doubt about that. He’s fair, he’s to the point. But he has a knack to let the players know he cares about them. He has a knack because it’s genuine. He cares about his players. When you hear him talk about his players, he really cares about them.”
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The Flyers’ preseason game schedule (all games 7 p.m.): Monday, Sept. 25 at New Jersey Devils; Wednesday, Sept. 27 at New York Islanders; Friday, Sept. 29 at Boston Bruins; Saturday, Sept. 30 vs. New Jersey Devils (Wells Fargo Center); Monday, Oct. 2 vs. Boston Bruins (Wells Fargo Center); Thursday, Oct. 5 vs. New York Islanders (Wells Fargo Center).
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The training camp roster:
FORWARDS
Wade Allison, RW; Cam Atkinson, RW; J.R. Avon, C; Denver Barkey, C; Jordy Bellerive, C; Bobby Brink, RW; Matt Brown, LW; Adam Brooks, C; Noah Cates, C; Sean Couturier, C; Nick Deslauriers, LW; Elliot Desnoyers; Joel Farabee, LW; Jonathan Fauchon, C; Tyson Foerster, RW; Morgan Frost, C; Brendan Furry, C; Rhett Gardner, C; Jacob Gaucher, C; Alexis Gendron, RW; Garnet Hathaway, RW; Travis Konecny, RW; Tanner Laczynski, C; Scott Laughton, C; Ollie Lycksell, RW; Cooper Marody, C; Ryan Poehling, C; Owen Tippett, RW; Samu Tuomaala, RW; Zayde Wisdom, RW.
DEFENSEMEN
Emil Andrae, L; Ronnie Attard, R; Louis Belpedio, R; Oliver Bonk, R; Adam Ginning, L; Helge Grans, R; Adam Karashik, R; Matteo Mann, R; Victor Mete, L; Mason Millman, L; Rasmus Ristolainen, R; Ethan Samson, R; Travis Sanheim, L; Sam Sedley, R; Nick Seeler, L; Carter Sotheran, R; Marc Staal, L; Sean Walker, R; Cam York, L; Egor Zamula, L; Will Zmolek, L.
GOALTENDERS
Carson Bjarnason, Samuel Ersson, Carter Hart, Nolan Meier, Cal Petersen, Felix Sandstrom.
