Evaluating the Flyers’ rookie prospects for the 2025-26 season – The Hockey Writers – Philadelphia Flyers

When the NHL resumed play nearly two weeks ago, only three teams started the 2025-26 season with a younger roster than the Philadelphia Flyers, with an average age of 26.58 years old. Last season’s run for the Calder Trophy was largely decided by Matvei Michkov, whose fourth-place finish was the Flyers’ best finish since Shayne Gostisbehere finished second behind Artemi Panarin in 2015-16.

While many of the team’s best young talents aren’t joining the club this season, such as 2023 first-round pick Oliver Bunker and 2025 sixth overall pick Porter Martone, the Flyers did add three Calder-eligible players to their opener roster. The pair have played three games so far this season, with forwards Jeter Lukanko and Nikita Graybenkin making their debuts in the team’s second game on October 11. They join linebacker Adam Kinning for three straight games before the three collectively take on the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night.

While all three are at the rookie level, each is at a different stage of their development cycle. Here’s a look at how each has fared this season and where they’re headed in the near future.

Nikita Greybenkin

Among these young people, Gray Benkin’s performance is the most eye-catching. A fifth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022, the Russian winger has risen quickly, arriving in Philadelphia with some hype and seven games of NHL experience ahead of the 2025 trade deadline as part of the return of key player Scott Laughton.

Gray Benkin got off to a good start last season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, scoring 11 points in 18 regular season and playoff games. He emerged quickly at the start of training camp and hasn’t let up, recording a goal and an assist in five exhibition games. Graybon King had a tough game that made head coach Rick Tocchet comfortable with using him in a depth role, but that’s not ideal for any rookie.

With two games against the big clubs, his momentum still looks strong. Greybenkin had a higher expected goals rate than his teammates in each of his first two games and showed off his skills well, joining Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny ​​in the third period of Monday’s home opener.

However, he faced an unfortunate moment in a crucial moment of Thursday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. Trailing 1-0, Gray Benkin was unable to handle a fairly routine breakout pass from Travis Sanheim, which led directly to Mark Scheifele’s first of two goals in the game, leaving the Flyers feeling almost out of reach in a sluggish game.

Jet Rushanko

Unlike Gray Benkin and Kinning, this is not the first time Lukanco has been named to the opening night roster. Lukanco has opted to train with the Flyers in both training camps since being drafted 14th overall in 2024, rather than splitting with his junior team, the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League. However, last year’s feeling was more about Lukanco’s retirement, and this season, it seems to have more to do with the team’s reluctance to let him repeat at the OHL level (although last season’s lack of center talent was also a factor).

So far, Lushanko has primarily skated on the team’s fourth line with Gray Benkin and Garrett Hathaway, so their game-driving numbers look very similar; projected goals percentage is in the mid-30s, down single digits Thursday after two quality games in which neither player scored (Lushanko two, Gray Benkin three).

However, these numbers are not final by any means. Lushanko didn’t get any significant promotions like Gray Benkin did on Monday, and he wasn’t as visually striking. His calling card is high-end skating ability, and that has shown up at a few points. On Monday, he used his speed to call a penalty kick on Sam Bennett and fly back on the final play to disrupt the Jets’ game. But his offensive game still needs improvement. Lukanko attempted just one shot in roughly 27 minutes of ice time; only Arshdeep Bains of the Vancouver Canucks has attempted one or zero more shots than any forward this season.

Adam Kinning

Kinning was the least likely player on this team to break into the clubhouse, taking advantage of lackluster competition for depth defensemen and injuries to Cam Yorke and Rasmus Ristolainen to earn a desirable roster spot. For now, the Flyers are just asking the 25-year-old to survive 5-on-5 situations, avoid making critical mistakes and contribute in shootouts, something he has done 14 times in their first three games.

Judging from the results, this goal has been achieved. The Flyers are even with a goal differential in 5-on-5 (2-2) games with Kinning on the ice and are shooting 80 percent from the penalty spot in the four games he has played. However, the underlying data isn’t that great. Kinning hit 50% xGF% in the season opener, but has been below 40% in the three games since (like Luchanko and Grebenkin, he was below 20% on Thursday).

To be fair, Kim Ning may have the hardest role to play among the rookies. The same injury that opened the door for him to make the team also forced him to play without a partner well-suited to balance out his offensive limitations. His main partner is Noah Juulson, who played 35 games last season without scoring a single point, nine more than the next most-used player.

The pair performed poorly (28.96% xGF%, 2-1 score). However, when Ginning plays alongside the more dynamic Jamie Drysdale, the results are even better (50.16% xGF, no goals or opposition). With York returning on Thursday and adding more puck skills elsewhere in the backfield, perhaps Kinning will be a better fit in the near future.

future plans

The Flyers sent Lukanco back to Guelph last season after playing in four of the team’s first eight games. While the team could make six more moves for him this season without burning his one-year entry-level contract, a referendum appears to be sooner rather than later. Giving the 19-year-old minutes on the fourth line was never a long-term situation, and he hasn’t produced enough to warrant a larger role.

Whenever Ristolainen returns, Kinning’s roster spot will likely expire, though he’ll have a say in that. Juulson certainly wasn’t a lock in the lineup, and there was growing frustration with Egor Zamura’s return throughout the preseason and into the start of the regular season. Before Saturday, Zamoura had played back-to-back matches for the first time since the Four Nations showdown. If his play doesn’t improve, he could be a candidate for trade or waivers.

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The player who seems to have the widest range of results is Ginning. Even if he stays up all or most of the season, it’s unlikely he’ll be a competent six blueliner. Lukanco’s role isn’t limited to his current fourth-line role. If another rookie or minor league veteran, like Alex Bump or Anthony Richard, surges, general manager Daniel Briere shouldn’t hesitate if he can’t play his part. While there may not be a Calder candidate among the Flyers’ rookies this season, there’s still a lot of risk involved for the team’s three youngest players.