VOORHEES, N.J. – If it appears Oliver Bonk doesn’t look intimidated being around possible future NHL regulars, there’s a simple explanation.
He grew up in a household where his dad was one of the brighter stars in the game.
Radek Bonk played 14 years in the NHL, totaling nearly a thousand games and almost 500 points for Ottawa, Montreal and Nashville.
When you’re a little kid and you get to run around locker rooms full of professional players, it becomes somewhat routine.
Now, as Flyers rookie camp is winding down, Oliver’s future looks extremely bright. And he certainly doesn’t look intimidated in this environment.
He posted 24 goals/67 points in 60 games for London of the Ontario Hockey League last season. One more year in the OHL should get him ready for a steady position in the NHL within another year or two.
After Monday’s session at the Flyers Training Center, Phantoms coach Ian Laperriere – who played against Radek in the big show – said Oliver does have one significant similarity with his father.
“The biggest quality I see in him is he’s comfortable,” Laperriere said. “He’s around us. Sometimes you see kids, they don’t want to talk too much.
“But ‘Bonker’ is a great kid, great personality. He wants to do it right. I think it’s coming from a kid who grew up with a hockey dad who played for a long time. It’s not a bad quality to have at this level. You don’t get impressed by what’s around you.”
The 2023 first-round pick (22nd overall) could be a fixture on the Flyers’ power play somewhere down the road. And, given the recent team struggles on the man advantage (32nd in the NHL last season at a franchise-worst 12-plus percent), that would seem to be a welcome improvement.
Laperriere believes Bonk, who turns 20 this coming January, has the tools to make a significant contribution. The thing is, Bonk can’t play for the Phantoms this season. That said, the coach implied Bonk has enough talent to make the jump straight from junior to the NHL.
The feeling is Bonk could take over the “bumper” spot, meaning the guy who blasts away from the top of the slot (usually in even-strength situations).
“I want to put him there because I’ve seen so much success he’s had in that position in London,” Laperriere said. “To be honest, I’ve never seen a defenseman in the bumper spot on the power play, so I’m anxious to see that.
“He’s looked pretty good. You can tell he’s comfortable. His puck retrieval is amazing in that position. So if I get him next year (on the Phantoms) – and I wouldn’t be surprised if I never see him – but if I do, I will work with him for sure.”
Bonk, listed at 6-foot-2, 194 pounds, also has the size and strength to muscle forwards off the puck in front of the net and in the corners. No wonder he finished with a plus-28 for the 2023-24 season.
As for his NHL dream, he’s already thinking about making that a reality.
“I don’t want to go back (to London),” he said. “I know it’s a great spot. But at the end of the day, you don’t want to go back, you want to stay here for as long as you can. So that’s the goal.”
Hanging around NHL players at an early age probably plays into that swagger.
“Yeah, my dad was great,” he said. “He always pushed me and I’m used to being pushed. When the coaches are yelling here and there and they want to get you going, I’m ready for it and it doesn’t really intimidate me.”
>Avon a feel-good story
How can you not root for a kid who was never drafted and was born on the Fourth of July to boot?
J.R. Avon, signed as a free agent by the Flyers a year ago, got into 65 games with the Phantoms last season and posted nine goals/18 points as a utility player.
It’s always nice to have a couple guys around who had nothing handed to them and then try to get the most out of the talent they have.
“There’s a lot of things I worked on during the year,” said the 21-year-old Peterborough, Ontario native. “I want to translate those to this year in the AHL (American Hockey League). Mostly, it’s gaining trust with the coach. That will be huge for me this year.”
