The Philadelphia Flyers dropped their 2026-27 opening night roster Monday afternoon, just squeaking past the 5 p.m. ET deadline. While most of the names were expected after a weekend of cuts, one forward addition definitely caught some eyes: Garrett Wilson. After Oliver Bonk, Cole Knuble, and Jett Luchanko were sent down, and Aleksei Kolosov got loaned back to the AHL, everyone thought they had the 23-man roster figured out, but Wilson sneaking in as one of the 14 forwards changed that.
Who Saw Garrett Wilson Making The Cut?
Let’s be real, Wilson making the roster was a curveball. The chatter is that it’s likely due to Denver Barkey starting the season on season-opening injured reserve, or SOIR. Barkey’s been day-to-day since getting dinged up in the Flyers’ first preseason game, and that probably opened the door. The Flyers gave a subtle hint when they signed Wilson to a one-year contract on Sunday, but even then, it felt like a long shot for a permanent spot. The cool thing about SOIR is that, unlike normal injured reserve, Barkey can play whenever he’s ready, which is huge since the Flyers are kicking off with a back-to-back and four games in just six nights. He qualified for SOIR because he’s on a two-way deal and played fewer than 50 games last season. Beyond Wilson, the forward group looks pretty familiar to last season, with Noel Acciari being the lone new face after signing a two-year, $5.6 million contract this offseason.
Defense and Goalie Drama: Who’s Locked In?
On the backend, the Flyers are rolling with seven defensemen: David Jiricek, Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, Nick Seeler, Simon Benoit, and Rasmus Ristolainen. Jiricek and Benoit are the only new guys here, though Jiricek did play Game 82 last season. Still, he might have lost his grip on an opening night lineup spot after a rough showing in the final preseason game. Benoit, acquired from the Maple Leafs in the Joseph Woll trade, steps in as a veteran presence on the third pair. He’s a responsible guy who will probably be a healthy scratch sometimes, which is what you expect from a veteran blueliner. He’s also in the final year of his contract with a $1.3 million cap hit. Helge Grans is also out, designated as injured non-roster. But the biggest sigh of relief has to be for the goalies. After Dan Vladar left his preseason debut early with what looked like a right arm injury, there was some real worry. Thankfully, Danny Briere and Rick Tocchet gave positive updates, and Vladar is ready to go. He and Joseph Woll could be one of the better tandems in the league this season, assuming they can stay healthy. That’s a big “if,” but the potential is absolutely there.
It’s going to be a wild start to the season with that four-game sprint in six nights. Keeping Vladar and Woll healthy is paramount if this team wants to make some noise.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
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