Two weeks before Christmas last year, the Flyers were in a bit of a mini-funk. It wasn’t huge, as they had a three-game winless streak. But had three loser points over that time. A 4-1 win over Montreal snapped the quasi-slump on Dec. 16. Philadelphia then lost 5-3 to the Sabres, meaning they had lost four of their previous five. The timing wasn’t great, as Tyson Foerster was at the time considered lost for the season. The team needed a spark plug, something to change the dynamic of the roster.
It was seen more as a stopgap measure, but on Dec. 19 the Flyers opted to call up winger Denver Barkey from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. To say it was a surprise was an understatement. Barkey wasn’t supposed to move the needle that much, but his first game with against the Rangers saw him earn a pair of assists. The team had a bit more oomph, and Barkey looked to be a breath of fresh air. Philadelphia went 5-2-1 in the first eight games Barkey appeared in. And appeared to be looking a bit younger, quicker and more talented then they did when he wasn’t in the lineup.
As we all know, Barkey was the first call-up last year to make an impact. Alex Bump was the next one who got the nod, and Porter Martone was the icing on the cake. All three contributed to Philadelphia’s success in different ways, whether through solid two-way play or having that extra gear late in games that some veteran teams simply didn’t have. But a new season awaits. And with that, there might be a new forward down in Lehigh Valley who could hit the ground running with the Flyers should he get the nod sometime this year. There could also be a defenseman that Philadelphia sees as fitting the bill, perhaps not in October but possibly in November or December.
Enter Cole Knuble. And Oliver Bonk. Clearly, there are older Phantoms who have more professional hockey under their belts than both Knuble and Bonk do. However, Barkey had just 26 games with Lehigh Valley last year before being called up to the Flyers. And Knuble could be the guy that seems to be Philadelphia’s best choice sometime this year for that same punch Barkey provided in 2025-26. The same goes for Bonk when it comes to Philadelphia’s blueline.
Why Knuble could be the guy up front
He’s not the big, physically imposing forward his father was in his days with Philadelphia, but Knuble brings a skill set that isn’t going out of style. For one, he loves going to the net and isn’t afraid of making the opposing goalie’s night a nightmare with traffic. But perhaps more importantly, Knuble seems to adjust to his surroundings quickly, and for the better. A look at his career shows that in his second season with a club, he seems to thrive. Back in 2021-22, Knuble had a credible 49 points in 62 games with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League. In 2022-23, in five fewer games, he had 66 points including 30 goals. So clearly he took a step forward in his development and production. As well, in nine playoff games Knuble had nine points, including six goals.
The same could be said when Knuble made the jump to the NCAA. Playing for Notre Dame in 2023-24, Knuble managed nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points in 36 games. He had a learning curve, playing against far bigger (and better) opponents over the year. Yet, he nearly doubled his production with 12 goals and 27 assists for 39 points in 2024-25. Once again, after getting accustomed to his surroundings and team, Knuble took another stride forward. Of course, his third season with Notre Dame saw him take a step back offensively, with 31 points in 36 games, and saw him with a -19 in terms of plus/minus. Not great.
Knuble finished the season with Lehigh Valley, and looked okay scoring his first goal in professional hockey while adding two assists in the seven-games stint. He might need some more seasoning obviously, but if he looks quite good off the jump with the Phantoms, he could move up the ladder in terms of the pipeline and who the Flyers might be calling on. Knuble has a lot going for him, and he’s only 22, meaning there should still be a lot there in terms of potential that he hasn’t really scratched the surface on.
As raw as Knuble might be, another guy who Philadelphia might get far more than a good look at will be on the back end. And that’s Oliver Bonk.
Why Oliver Bonk might be the guy on the back end
Oliver Bonk got his first goal in his first NHL game last year against Montreal. And his first multi-point game as well. He had three solid years in London, and essentially played almost a fourth season thanks to deep playoff runs in each of those seasons. After getting 40 points in 52 games with the Knights, he had 14 points in 17 playoff games in 2024-25. Unfortunately, his 2025-26 season was curtailed due to an injury he suffered in training camp, getting hit by Ty Murchison and feeling something odd after the fact. The injury left Bonk out of the lineup for an extended period, not getting into a Phantoms game until Dec. 6 against Utica. His first eight games saw him with zero points, but clearly he was still getting the rust off his game being out for a few months.
Bonk’s play rose the longer the season went on, with him getting 10 points in 12 games during a run from late February through late March. And his consistency seemed to give him more confidence, especially playing against stiffer competition compared to junior hockey, and coming off the injury. Unfortunately, Lehigh Valley missed the playoffs, meaning Bonk couldn’t get more playing time in the AHL. He was called up by Philadelphia for the postseason, often being one of the black aces during most of the two rounds. He did get the nod in Game 4 against Carolina, playing 12 minutes in the loss.
As poorly as the season started for the blueliner, it seemed to end on a high note, getting a taste of playoff hockey in just his second NHL game. Hopefully that standard of play is seen as soon as the puck is dropped for 2026-27.
What Knuble’s or Bonk’s call up possibly means for the Flyers
Both Knuble and Bonk could find a path that sees them playing with the big club at some point during the season. For Knuble it might be a bit more black and white. If there are a few injuries to some Flyer forwards, obviously there will be Phantoms getting the promotion to fill some holes. Nobody is hoping for a rash of injuries to the Flyers at any point this year. But any injury up front means the “next man up” mindset takes hold. Knuble can only look after his own play, and let the chips fall where they may. If he plays well, and someone is in the midst of a horrible slump, then Briere might make a change to see if Knuble’s upside is a catalyst for the Flyers.
As big of an impact Barkey made up front last year, there really wasn’t a newbie on the blueline who established himself as a key cog in Philadelphia’s wheel. The septet of Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nick Seeler, Noah Juulsen, and Emil Andrae composed most of the top six all season. Andrae is gone, and Simon Benoit is the guy replacing Juulsen basically. There’s a bit of wiggle room for Bonk to make the jump, but a few things are going to have to fall into place for Bonk to get that call. Two of them might not be in his control: if Ristolainen is still here in a month’s time, and if David Jiricek ends up playing his way onto the waiver wire, and possibly out of town. If one of those two things happen, then Bonk’s promotion looks a bit more clear cut. As nice as Simon Benoit is, he’s not a guy the Flyers are hoping to play on a consistent basis. As well, if there’s a lengthy injury to one of the top four Flyers defensemen, Bonk could see himself in Philadelphia a lot longer in 2026-27
Before any of those two things factor in, Bonk is going to have to be playing well from the start of the season with the Phantoms. He has no control over a possible trade involving Ristolainen, or if Jiricek’s play plummets to the point he’s a liability on the ice. And there’s always the possibility of injuries on the back end moving Bonk up the depth chart. But he has to remain healthy this year, and begin to make strides towards becoming a Flyer sooner than later. If the situation arises, and Bonk is playing well, then he should get the nod above all of the other Phantoms’ defensemen.
For both players, playing well is required in order to make that leap. Only time will tell if either one becomes this year’s version of Denver Barkey.