Jett Luchanko played four NHL games for the Flyers already this season. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/cbdfddcd-c3c2-48f4-8177-34b65327a1a2.jpeg] Jett Luchanko played four NHL games for the Flyers already this season. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images) For the first time in what feels like a while, the Philadelphia Flyers have a strong contingent of young talent featuring for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs. The Phantoms, who kick off Game 1 of their Calder Cup run against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night, have had an infusion of exciting prospects in recent weeks with hockey seasons elsewhere coming to a close. So, while the Flyers themselves missed the playoffs, they have several potential future stars drawing attention to themselves this spring. With that said, I’ve identified five Flyers prospects, in particular, worth watching and becoming more familiar with during the Phantoms’ Calder Cup run. No. 5: Emil Andrae, LHD Flyers fans became very familiar with Emil Andrae throughout the 2024-25 NHL season. After a four-game cameo last season, Andrae impressed again in training camp, and despite not making the Flyers’ initial roster, ended up playing a significant amount of minutes at the NHL level for the first time. In 42 NHL games, Andrae finished with one goal, six assists, and seven points. And despite the unimpressive scoring relative to his skillset, the 23-year-old controlled the run of play more often than not. According to MoneyPuck, Andrae was second on the Flyers in 5-on-5 on-ice expected goals percentage [https://moneypuck.com/stats.htm] with 55.3%. The Flyers presumably re-assigned Andrae to the Phantoms on April 18 with the intention of giving him more reps in meaningful, intense games. He has three goals, 13 assists, and 16 points in 25 AHL games this season, and the longer his seasons, the better off he’ll be as an NHL regular down the line. With his rock-solid play in the NHL and hard work to get there, Andrae could position himself nicely to make the Flyers outright next season with a strong finish to the season. No. 4: Helge Grans, RHD In a contract year, Helge Grans is finally showing some signs of life as a pro player again. Acquired by the Flyers from the Los Angeles Kings, Grans was once one of the most enticing defense prospects in the world due to his alluring combination of size, skating, and passing abilities. Going into the 2020 draft, Grans was ranked 19th overall [https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/395302/helge-grans] by EliteProspects, who gave his skating a 6.5 grade out of 9 and passing a 7.0 out of 9. The 6-foot-3 Swede scored 24 points in 56 games in his first season in the AHL with the Ontario Reign, but in the next two seasons between the Reign and the Phantoms, scored a combined three goals, 14 assists, and 17 points in 105 games. Grans sought to pursue an NHL roster spot this season, and although he, like Andrae, didn’t get the call immediately, he still ended up making his NHL debut for the Flyers, filling in for an injured Jamie Drysdale. Overall, Grans played six NHL games this year, earning his first NHL point in his first NHL game with an assist against the Colorado Avalanche. And despite playing limited minutes, the former second-round pick played quite well for the Flyers in a contract year. According to MoneyPuck, Grans led all Flyers defensemen in 5-on-5 on-ice expected goals percentage with 55.8% of the share. A pending RFA, Grans’s development could prove to be a revelation for the Flyers heading into next season. Flyers GM Danny Briere revealed in his end-of-season press conference [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/inside-the-flyers-coaching-search-danny-brire-speaks-on-priorities-philosophy-and-whats-next] that Rasmus Ristolainen, a fellow right-shot defensemen, could miss the start of the season, which may open the door for Grans to make a name for himself going forward. As far as the Calder Cup playoffs go, Grans was benched for a game by head coach Ian Laperriere last season, so this postseason campaign will be an opportunity to prove himself in more ways than one. Grans has a career-high eight goals and 23 total points in 66 games with the Phantoms this season. No. 3: Nikita Grebenkin, LW Nikita Grebenkin may have only been with the Flyers for 30 minutes this season, but I have a feeling he’ll spend more time with them than that at some point next season. Grebenkin, 21, has been nothing short of a beast [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/players/nikita-grebenkin-continuing-torrid-start-to-life-in-flyers-organization] since arriving in the Scott Laughton trade. In 11 games with the Phantoms, the former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect has produced three goals, four assists, and seven points, giving him a total of 12 goals, 16 assists, and 28 points in 40 AHL games between the Phantoms and Toronto Marlies this season. Grebenkin did play seven NHL games for the Maple Leafs earlier this season, but failed to record a point whilst playing in a limited role. It might be a while before Grebenkin becomes a full-time NHLer, but his bubbly personality, size, aggressiveness, hands, and shooting and passing skills are sure to make him a Flyers fan favorite in due time. When he makes his Calder Cup playoffs debut, Grebenkin will be playing postseason hockey for just the second time as a pro; Grebenkin played 23 Gagarin Cup (KHL) playoff games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk last season, scoring three goals and three assists. No. 2: Jett Luchanko, C Expectations should probably be tempered for Jett Luchanko over the next few weeks, but I’d be remiss to exclude him from this list of Flyers prospects. Between the Flyers, the Phantoms, the Guelph Storm, and World Junior Championships, Luchanko has played at four different levels of competition this season. The Flyers' top 2024 NHL Draft [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/flyers-mock-draft-10-addressing-2-organizational-areas-of-need] selection joined up with the Phantoms in recent weeks and has since played in nine games, recording no goals and three assists. Luchanko's future, as far as next season goes, is totally uncertain, but a nice finish to a whirlwind season can help give the Flyers a better idea of what to do with him next season. The 18-year-old's offensive game, particularly in the end-product department, has not taken off quite as fast as many would have hoped, but there is still plenty of time. It’s entirely plausible that Luchanko may need another four or five seasons to become an NHL regular, as the Flyers are most concerned with identifying his peak and helping him get there. But he won’t get there without stringing together strong AHL seasons, which makes this playoff run all the more important. No. 1: Alex Bump, W All eyes are on newly-signed Flyers prospect Alex Bump heading into the Calder Cup playoffs. Joining the Phantoms on an amateur tryout offer, Bump made his pro debut on April 18, earning an assist. In his encore, one day later, Bump added a goal and an assist, giving him three points in two AHL games. Another thing to chew on: in two games with the 21-year-old in the lineup, the Phantoms are undefeated and have out-scored opponents 11-6. Bump just won the NCAA championship [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/flyers-alex-bump-wins-frozen-four-heartbreak-for-another-prospect] two weeks ago, jumped right into the lineup, and immediately started playing at a high level. There is a reality where Bump is on the Flyers’ opening night roster next season, so, for all intents and purposes, these next few games in the AHL can be considered an early audition for that.
