Woof. What a start to the week for our boys on the ice. The Kraken just got absolutely hammered, a 6-2 thrashing from the Vegas Golden Knights. Not the vibe we want to see, especially this early in the season. But if you wanna talk about a team already making boneheaded moves, you gotta look at what’s going down with the Philadelphia Flyers. Seriously, what are they even doing?
The ‘Preset Mindset’ Blunder Is Real
You always want some healthy competition going into training camp. That’s how guys push each other, earn their spots, and make the team better, right? Well, the Flyers apparently skipped that memo this year. General Manager Danny Briere straight up admitted it in an interview with Jason Myrtetus on Flyers Daily before the season. “You almost have to come in with a preset mindset,” he said. A “preset mindset”? Are you kidding me? He even said, “A couple things you tweak here or there if there’s injuries, but you don’t have six or seven games to give your young guys. If we kept playing Knuble and Luchanko, they may have snuck in.”
Yeah, I know, the league-mandated a shortened training camp, limited veterans to just two preseason games. But come on, every team is dealing with that! You still need to be a little bit flexible, especially in a two-week camp. Briere basically told everyone they had their opening night roster locked down on July 1 after signing Noel Acciari. That kind of thinking? That’s how you miss opportunities to make your squad actually better.
Sticking to Their Guns and Missing the Young Guns
So, what were those opportunities they blew? Turns out, Cole Knuble and Jett Luchanko were tearing it up. The source says they were the two forwards “most deserving of a promotion” to the opening night roster after some “impressive showings” in camp. And get this: there was even an injury to Denver Barkey that could have opened a spot! Plus, Nikita Grebenkin is now on IR. In theory, those two injuries could’ve cleared space for Knuble and Luchanko.
The Flyers’ argument is they only want players in the NHL if they’re going to stick around. Luchanko has played for a handful of different teams recently, and Knuble could use some more time in the AHL. I get not wanting to rush prospects, but if someone is performing and there’s an opening, you gotta take a shot! Especially when Luchanko can play center, which is where Barkey was lined up, and has some NHL experience. Having a usable 13th forward like one of those guys for the first four games? It “certainly couldn’t have hurt.” It could’ve given them a spark, a fresh set of legs, something different! But nope, “preset mindset.”
The Garrett Wilson Mess
And then there’s Garrett Wilson. Look, it was cool to see Wilson get into three games with the Flyers last season after not playing in the NHL since 2019. He put in the time in the AHL with the Phantoms, so props to him for that grind. But let’s be real, the source is blunt: “He is not an NHL player.”
The absolutely dumbfounding part? The Flyers didn’t even have a healthy forward to make a change in the *second game* of the season after getting absolutely dummied by their biggest rival in the home opener. Think about that! They got smoked, and still couldn’t pivot? They stuck with a guy who isn’t an NHL player, instead of giving a deserved shot to a young, hungry prospect like Knuble or Luchanko who actually impressed in camp. That’s just bad management, plain and simple.
The Flyers are already showing zero flexibility, holding back their promising young talent while sticking to a “preset mindset.” That kind of thinking early in the season? That’s how you shoot yourself in the foot. Makes you appreciate a team that’s willing to make smart adjustments, unlike what we just saw. Hopefully, our Kraken can bounce back from that brutal loss against Vegas and show some of that flexibility on the ice themselves next time out.
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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