The Flyers' prospect pool went through a substantial shift the last time we checked in on it.
Cutter Gauthier, the No. 5 overall pick from the 2022 draft who figured to be a key part of the organization's future, had just helped lead Team USA to gold at the World Junior Championship with a tournament-leading 12 points, which looked to have set the stage for him to make his much-anticipated jump up to the Flyers a couple of months later after the collegiate season at Boston College ended.
But yeah, a lot can change in a month.
Days later, Gauthier was suddenly traded to Anaheim for defenseman Jamie Drysdale. It turned out that Gauthier no longer had any interest in playing for the Flyers and the front office had known this going back to last spring. So, with his value at its highest, GM Danny Brière pulled the trigger on a deal that brought back a defenseman who figures to be a fixture of the blueline for years to come but at the cost of what could've been a major asset up front.
The outlook is different now, for sure, but far from dire. The way these names have been developing are a big reason why...
D Oliver Bonk and F Denver Barkey, London (OHL)
It's been about as simple as it gets for the London Knights: If either of Bonk or Barkey or both are on the ice, they're going to score.
Bonk, the Flyers' pick at No. 22 overall this past summer, is up to 18 goals and 54 points through 41 games, with six goals in his last seven following Sunday's win over the Guelph Storm.
And Barkey, Philadelphia's 2023 third-rounder, has a Knights-leading 26 goals and 71 points through 45 games, which includes seven points in his last five contests. By the way, he seems to be a big fan of the shorthanders.
Bonk, 19, always carried the first-round upside, but Barkey, 18, might also be showing the Flyers that they struck gold with him too.
F Matvei Michkov, HC Sochi (KHL)
Michkov, the Flyers' big gamble on a total gamechanger at No. 7 overall in the summer, is back in HC Sochi's lineup and back to putting on a show for the highlight reel.
Here's the latest play going around Flyers Twitter:
The 19-year old Michkov is up to 15 goals and 35 points through 39 pro games, but as always with his current KHL contract, it will be a few years before we can finally see how he'll translate that game to the NHL.
F Samu Tuomaala, Lehigh Valley (AHL)
We've noted before that Tuomaala exhibited the tools of a special player back at camp – like quick, fluid skating and a bullet of a shot – but that the puzzle still seemed a ways from being fully put together yet.
But down with the Phantoms in the AHL, it looks like the 21-year old Finn is putting the pieces in place.
Tuomaala has 13 goals and 35 points in 43 games for Lehigh Valley, both second on the team, and was chosen as the Phantoms' representative for the AHL's All-Star Game this past weekend, where he got to show off that shot of his both in the skills competition...
And the game itself...
The Phantoms return to action on Friday, and whether the 2021 second-round pick can keep his run of great play going for the final stretch of the AHL season will be a key beat to keep an eye on.
F Bobby Brink, Lehigh Valley (AHL)
Speaking of the Phantoms, Bobby Brink looks to have initially responded well to his demotion back down to the AHL.
The 22-year old winger out of the University of Denver hit a wall with the Flyers coming back from the holiday break, and was wasting away in the press box after head coach John Tortorella moved his lineup to an 11-forward, 7-defenseman setup.
Brink needed minutes though, so sending him down was the call in the hopes that he would continue developing his game over in Allentown. The other part of it too was a wakeup call and challenge to improve from Tortorella.
Brink answered immediately with three goals through his first two games back with the Phantoms, though he did cool off a bit after with only an assist across the next three games entering the AHL's All-Star break.
For now, there's no real opening for Brink to make it back up to the Flyers, but a run of good play could change that and force a decision during the final third of the NHL season.
D Emil Andrae, Lehigh Valley (AHL)
Andrae, one of the prime defensive prospects, is coming along but still has work to do.
The 21-year old Swede has racked up an impressive 19 assists and 23 points on the backend for the Phantoms as he continues to adjust to the North American rink, with this game-tying thread of the needle to Wade Allison being among them.
Like with Brink, it's unclear when Andrae will be due up for another look in the NHL, especially given the Flyers' current blueline logjam.
Maybe the March 8 trade deadline creates an opening in a few weeks.
D Ronnie Attard, Lehigh Valley (AHL)
Attard falls in a similar boat as well.
The 24-year old defenseman, and third-round pick from back in 2019, has posted a solid line for the Phantoms – nine goals, 14 assists, 23 points, and a plus-4 rating through 40 games – but probably isn't looking at an NHL call up just yet.
He's arguably on the fringe of one though.
G Yegor Zavragin, HC Yugra (VHL)
Going back over to Russia, Zavragin, the goalie prospect who the Flyers also picked up in the third round of the draft last summer, has been on an unreal tear.
Netminding for HC Yugra in the VHL, Russia's second-tier of pro hockey, the 18-year old has posted a near-absurd .944 save percentage and a 1.54 goals-against average. And through 15 games so far, he has a perfect 12-0-0 record with three shutouts.
Still, that doesn't mean he'll be fast-tracked to the NHL by next season or anything.
Again, goalies take a long time to develop. There's a ways to go and a résumé to keep building.
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