You couldn’t have written a better script for Flyers winger Alex Bump. From missing the initial calls from the Flyers saying he was getting called up for Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh, to scoring his first National Hockey League goal, to getting a paper mask after the game thanks to Nic Desaluriers’ luggage snafu, it was one to remember. It sounds like Bump isn’t going to be one-and-done, or two-and-done if head coach Rick Tocchet’s statements after practice Monday is any measuring stick. That’s not to say he’ll play all 20 remaining games, but it’s more than a long shot that he’s going to get a good look.

“It’s a good question,” Tocchet said when asked what the plan was for the young forward. “I mean obviously he had a really good game, and he did some stuff that you got to give him a lot of credit for that he worked on down there. We’re in a situation too where if he’s playing that well, how do you send him down? But when he’s in the lineup he’s got to play too.”

Flyers coach Tocchet talks about if Alex Bump staying on Flyers roster

Bump had a good first game scoring his first goal, but was also a huge surprise from start to finish. He also was on one of the power play units and didn’t look like a proverbial deer in the headlights. As well, Tocchet was impressed with his usage, especially considering how many penalties the Flyers took against the Penguins.

“I mean in his first game he played 16 minutes, and we had 12 minutes in penalties,” Tocchet said. “So it’s a short game, because he was going. But there’s also situations, sometimes a young guy hits a wall, but you got to let them play through that wall, to play tired. And to play in situations. That’s the next learning thing, it’s hard to play tired. That’s where experience (comes in). Maybe this is the time to keep him in. I don’t know, I’ll talk to Danny about it. But obviously after last game, he’s in tonight. He played really well.”

When asked if the look would be the rest of the season, Tocchet wouldn’t commit to that or go that far. However, it sounded as if Bump was going to have a bit of a longer leash than Jett Luchanko did to start the beginning of both 2024-25 and 2025-26 with Philadelphia. Obviously both players were in different circumstances — one in junior and one now in Lehigh Valley — but Bump appears to have a chance to stay in the lineup if he looks as good as he did against Pittsburgh.

“I don’t think it’s that,” Tocchet said regarding if Bump is a lock in the lineup moving forward. “I haven’t talk to Danny about that. I mean it was just that we talked a couple of weeks ago of giving him a look to come up. He’s starting to play really well down there. So that’s kind of the plan. And get him some good reps too. I think he was on the second unit of the power play, trying to play him with some good veteran guys. If TK plays tonight maybe he’ll play with him. There’s certain things that we can do to help him also, that’s our job.”

Tocchet also lauded the play of Matvei Michkov, Bump, and Denver Barkey for shining in “pressure games.” Of course some might think the Flyers are not making the playoffs, so the pressure is essentially off. Yet if they’re still mathematically not eliminated, they are still in it. And the games still matter. “The more pressure games we can play it helps the development of the young guys,” Tocchet said. “The nothing games when you’re out of it, it’s hard to evaluate. I’ve been in that situation even as a player — not very often — where there’s 10 games left and you’re way out of it, it’s hard. But there’s a pressure game tonight, this is a game that you’re trying to win. So those guys are going to feel the pressure and that’s good, to get those reps.”

When Konecny returns to the lineup, there might be a bit more line juggling and Bump could see himself with new linemates and a new center. However, if he has another decent to very good game against the Rangers this evening in what will be his first home game as a Flyer, it will certainly make it tougher for Flyers general manager Danny Briere and Tocchet to be justified in sitting him down for a game or two.

Some might feel that if Bump was sent back down he could join the Phantoms as they still cling to the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. Currently Lehigh Valley hold the sixth and final playoff spot in the division and are three points ahead of the Springfield Thunderbirds with both having played the same amount of games. However, if the Flyers are still playing meaningful games now, then it’s good to see Bump up with the big club and gaining some experience.