The Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers]’ next wave isn’t a single file line—it’s a lattice. Some prospects are knocking on the door, others are learning to pick the lock, and a few are blue-sky bets who could change the trajectory of the roster if they hit. Quite a few of Philadelphia’s most promising names have made the jump to the AHL (or will do so this upcoming season), so what can fans expect from the next crop of prospects that will be populating the collegiate and junior hockey pipelines? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIER 1 — NHL-READY SOON Likely NHL impact in ~12–24 months if development stays on track JETT LUCHANKO (C, GUELPH STORM, OHL) Luchanko already carries himself like a pro: posture in transition, pace management, small-area give-and-go timing. His game is built on retrievals, intelligent routes through the neutral zone, and the kind of inside-ice touches coaches trust late in games. This season is about dominance, not survival—top-unit PP usage, heavy defensive-zone draws, and driving shot share. If he layers more one-touch deception on entries and keeps winning pucks back after the first touch, he’ll look NHL-ready [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/latest-news/making-the-case-should-jett-luchanko-stay-with-flyers-or-go-back-to-ohl] sooner than later. Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on X [https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1912271116720013313/9q49okiI_200x200.jpg] Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on X Jett Luchanko stuns in new shorthanded goal 😮💨 #LetsGoFlyers [https://x.com/sgnolan/status/1872821105851085206?s=46] PORTER MARTONE (RW, MICHIGAN STATE, NCAA) The NCAA accelerates decision speed. That’s perfect for Martone [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/players/the-college-test-what-porter-martone-s-ncaa-decision-could-mean-for-his-nhl-future], whose toolkit (power stride, downhill mentality, finish in traffic) already profiles for a top-six role. Michigan State should let him play up the lineup, kill penalties, and handle late-game shifts against older opponents. The checkpoints: how quickly he solves pressure on the wall, how consistently he wins body-position battles, and whether he moves from play-finisher to dual-threat (shot and pass) in the half wall. COLE KNUBLE (C, NOTRE DAME, NCAA) There’s nothing romantic about how Knuble wins—he just wins: touches in the slot, second-puck reads, and constant shoulder checks that keep him a step ahead. The stride isn’t flashy, but his brain is. Watch for faceoff progression, PK utility, and net-front play on the PP. If the shooting threat ticks up half a notch, he goes from dependable middle-six projection to a sneaky lineup driver. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIER 2 — HIGH-UPSIDE SWINGS Ceilings worth betting on; variance baked in SPENCER GILL (D, BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND ARMADA, QMJHL) Gill’s value proposition is simple: if he irons out the risk, you’ve got a modern puck-mover who tilts the ice. The stride is long, the head stays up, and he can puncture the first layer of a forecheck with one pass. Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on X [https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1912271116720013313/9q49okiI_200x200.jpg] Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on X John Tortorella said he was impressed by Spencer Gill’s camp, endearingly describing him as a “big, tall five-year-old that still needs to grow into his body…but he had a good camp.” #LetsGoFlyers [https://x.com/sgnolan/status/1838980629418959001?s=46] Big focus areas: gap control off the rush, early shoulder checks under pressure, and choosing the clean exit (bump, hinge, middle-pop) instead of the Hollywood one. If the decision tree stabilizes, there’s second-pair, PP2 upside. CARTER AMICO (D, BOSTON UNIVERSITY, NCAA) The frame and feet are intriguing, and BU will stress test both. You’ll know he’s on course if he’s trusted to start in his own end, break pressure with pace, and pair with a puck-leaning partner. He doesn’t have to be loud—he has to be reliable: first touch under pressure, stick-on-puck at the line, and hard stops in the slot. If that hits, you can suddenly imagine a multi-scenario defender who eats minutes without drama. SHANE VANSAGHI (RW, MICHIGAN STATE, NCAA) Nickname: The Truck—and it tracks. Vansaghi projects as a north-south forechecker who can dislodge pucks, park net-front, and make life miserable on the cycle. The upside comes if he adds pace through the neutral zone and turns retrievals into chances, not just possession. Benchmarks: board wins that become slot passes, second efforts that draw penalties, and repeatable F1 pressure that warps breakouts. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIER 3 — STEADY RISERS High floors, growing toolkits, coaches’ favorites in the making JACK NESBITT (C, WINDSOR SPITFIRES, OHL) Nesbitt is the type of center every coaching staff trusts: details first, pace second, ego last. He’s efficient off the puck and useful on it. The swing factor this season is offensive assertiveness—jumping into seams, leaning on his edges to create inside lanes, and hunting give-and-goes rather than deferring. Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on X [https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1912271116720013313/9q49okiI_200x200.jpg] Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on X Jack Nesbitt says that he's hoping to gain weight over the summer (he's aiming for 205-210 lbs.) He added that he's hoping to bring leadership and hockey IQ to the Flyers. [https://x.com/sgnolan/status/1938766244523712846?s=46] If the shot volume climbs and the touches come from the middle, you’re looking at a versatile NHL middle-six piece. JACK MURTAGH (C/LW, BOSTON UNIVERSITY, NCAA) Versatility is his calling card. Murtagh’s reads on the weak side are advanced; he fills, supports, and exits cleanly. In the NCAA, he’ll need to win more contested touches and turn defensive reliability into transition threat. If he proves he can play center against older competition while keeping his turnover rate low, he becomes the sort of glue forward who balances lines. MATTHEW GARD (C, RED DEER REBELS, WHL) Gard is the quiet problem-solver: he’s in the right lane, on the right shoulder, with the right stick angle—over and over. The WHL will give him heavy matchups; the test is whether he can add half-step separation and become a pressure-release valve on exits. If the hands catch up to the brain, there’s a sturdy bottom-six center path here. LUKE VLOOSWYK (D, RED DEER REBELS, WHL) Low-event is a compliment. Vlooswyk snuffs plays early: stands up at the line, seals the wall, and ends cycles with body position rather than penalties. What to track: first pass consistency, kill minutes, and rush defense vs. speed. If he proves his feet can keep pace, he becomes the dependable partner who frees up a puck-mover. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIER 4 — LONG-TERM BETS & WATCHLIST Patience required; ingredients worth stewarding RYAN MACPHERSON (C, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NCAA) The flashes—touch passes through layers, patient entries—suggest a creative mind. The project is strength and pace. UNH should give him reps to fail and learn; the goal by spring is visible growth in transition carry rate and more shot assists from below the dots. If he finds tempo, he climbs fast. NATHAN QUINN (C, QUÉBEC REMPARTS, QMJHL) You draft Quinn for the defensive spine: reads on the PK, wall work, and conscientious backtracking. Now it’s about adding threat. Watch for more middle-lane attacks, quicker releases off retrievals, and better body leverage in the slot. If the offense stays quiet, he still projects as a coach’s trust piece down the lineup. HEIKKI RUOHONEN (C, HARVARD, NCAA) Harvard will nurture the brain; Ruohonen already scans like a pro. The path forward is building explosiveness and battle strength to let that processing speed translate against pressure. If he can win more first touches and hold pucks a beat longer, the playmaking will surface. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHY THESE TIERS MATTER TO THE FLYERS’ TIMELINE * Role clarity: Luchanko, Martone, and Knuble shape the top-nine conversation as early as 2026. Their development informs how aggressively the Flyers pursue outside help at center and wing. * Cap flexibility: If a Gill or Amico hits, you can allocate free-agent dollars to scoring rather than defensive plug-ins. If they don’t, you know where to spend. * Identity building: Vansaghi (and, to a different flavor, Nesbitt) help define a heavy, honest forechecking identity that complements the high-skill tier already in Philadelphia. * Optionality: Murtagh, Gard, Vlooswyk, MacPherson, Quinn, and Ruohonen supply depth that lets you call up the right tool for the job without forcing prospects into roles they’re not ready for. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT PROGRESS LOOKS LIKE (PRACTICAL BENCHMARKS) * Tier 1 (NHL-Ready Soon): Top competition, special-teams usage, and tangible driving (entries with control, chance differential, primary points at five-on-five). * Tier 2 (High-Upside): Fewer self-inflicted negatives—cleaner exits for D, more retrieval-to-chance sequences for F, and better decision cadence under pressure. * Tier 3 (Steady Risers): Expanded responsibilities without slippage: tougher matchups, late-game trust, and steadier microstat profiles (successful breakouts, denied entries). * Tier 4 (Long-Term): Physical gains that unlock the hockey IQ—added pop in the first three strides, stronger puck protection, and more plays completed through contact. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE CLOSING THOUGHT Developing the future isn’t linear; it’s layered. The Flyers have a top layer (already in orange and black), but the layers beneath matter just as much. This tiered map isn’t a prophecy—it’s a plan: who’s close, who’s volatile in a good way, who’s quietly becoming indispensable, and who needs time. Track the tiers, not just the points. If enough of these players hit their checkpoints, the big club won’t just get deeper; it’ll get decisive—the kind of roster that wins because it can beat you in more than one way.
