VOORHEES, N.J. – There are defensemen out there who know how to stop the other team’s offense.
And, we might add, some who know how to generate some offense of their own.
One example of this would be Flyers rookie Oliver Bonk, who just might appear on the team’s roster this season if his services are required.
It’s no surprise the 21-year-old Bonk has some playmaking instincts. His dad, Radek (a forward) was a star when it came to putting pucks in NHL nets.
Could some of that “nose for the net” be rubbing off on the younger Bonk?
“Sometimes it’s just looking up, I don’t know if it’s the instincts of a forward,” he said after Monday’s practice session at the Flyers Training Center. He then explained what happened on the opening goal of Sunday night’s 4-1 win over the New York Rangers, where he set up Denver Barkey for an easy tap-in.
“Obviously when you’re playing with ‘Barks,’ it’s a lot easier,” Bonk said. “Because he’s always in the right spot. He makes everyone look good. He made me look good last night.”
Plays like that make scouts, coaches and talent evaluators smile.
“It (the rookie games) is the time to kind of find the best of yourself,” Bonk said. “See how far you can go, see how many plays you can make. See how well you can do. It’s like the task before the big dance. I was happy with my game (Sunday) going forward.”
Bonk did get into one game with the Flyers at the very end of last season and registered a goal and an assist. He made the whole thing look rather easy, even though Montreal was still playing for home-ice advantage in the about-to-start playoffs.
“Definitely a little bit of a confidence booster coming into this,” he said. “But I wouldn’t say I’ve changed my game just because you think you’re the best player out there and now you can play differently. You still have to play how you play and do the best you can.
“You can’t say I played one game in the NHL last year so I’m good, I can take this camp off. Every game I try my best and keep building on it.”
The Flyers’ 2023 first-round draft pick (22nd overall) got into only 46 games with the Phantoms last season due to a couple injuries. He’s hoping to enjoy better health this time around.
This year’s training camp is much shorter and Bonk, like most of the younger Flyers, knows there’s no time to waste to make a good impression.
“It’s a bit different but not much changes,” he said. “You’re still doing your best every camp. It’s definitely shorter so you have less time to show yourself.”
Bonk was paired with Maksim Sokolovskii, the 6-foot-7 2026 first-round draft pick, for the second Flyers-Rangers game and that was a kick.
“It was a lot better being his teammate,” Bonk said with a grin. “He’s strong, he defends well, he’s mean. I really like being his partner. I thought we were a good duo. He’s really good with the puck, too. I’m excited for what the future holds for him. A lot of potential.”
Regardless of which partner he’s paired with, Bonk appears to be getting closer to making the jump to the NHL.
Phantoms coach John Snowden confirms the raw talent is there. Now it’s just a matter of taking advantage of an opportunity if it presents itself.
“I think he’s done everything to put himself in a great situation, to fight for his spot on that team,” Snowden said. “It’s just like every other player. It’s just another opportunity where if he shows well. . .
“Every player has his own pathway to get to the NHL. Some positions might take more time than others. He was a little bit delayed last year because of injuries. But he made really good strides throughout the year. He’s got the right mindset, the right attitude. He works the right way to give himself a chance at that (NHL).”
>Short shots
Both Jett Luchanko and Barkey had Monday off as maintenance days. . .Camp concludes on Tuesday. The big camp opens on Thursday.
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