The Philadelphia Flyers season is continuing on. We’re pushing ourselves through the goo of what is likely yet another season without playoffs in Philadelphia and without completely bottoming out to then get excited about a potentially elite talent coming in the draft. But, there is thankfully still a couple things to be excited about.
Such as, college players graduating and deciding to start their professional hockey careers.
As soon as their season wraps up, college players are free to sign with the NHL team that drafted them, or as undrafted free agents, go and join an organization who might develop them correctly into being an actual NHL player. It’s the one period where we can get excited about transactions once again after the NHL trade deadline comes and goes.
But what might be more interesting than signing Karsen Dorwart and Ty Murchison, no offense to those two, is that the Flyers have a few players in the NCAA who could bring a whole lot of excitement back into this fan base. A total of seven Flyers prospects are currently playing college hockey, so we decided to see what the likelihood of each player turning pro in just a few months is.
From players who could probably stay for a few more seasons, to guys who are itching to leave campus and start only focusing on hockey.
Cole Knuble, C
Cole Knuble should probably already be here and playing for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season. In Charlie O’Connor’s interview with Brent Flahr that was published last week, the Flyers assistant general manager mentioned very blatantly that Knuble will be leaving school at the end of the season. Saying that Notre Dame already knows that Knuble and a couple other of his teammates are leaving so they’re not focusing a whole lot on winning.
Additionally, Flahr mentioned that Knuble himself is frustrated at the situation and wishes that he turned pro last summer. Previously, we did not know that it was the player’s decision to go back to school. Now, it’s possible that the Flyers approached Knuble and asked if he wanted to sign his rookie deal to play in the AHL for this season, but he decided to hold off from it and re-join his NCAA teammates. Well, now it looks like a little bit of a mistake.
Knuble’s production has taken a slight dip (going from 1.14 points per game, to just 0.80 this season) but it’s not too concerning knowing the situation he is in. For instance, he’s gone from a plus-6 to a minus-20 — we’re comfortable mostly blaming his lack of production on the team.
Anyways, it’s almost that we’ll be seeing Knuble in some sort of orange and black soon — possibly as soon as in a few weeks as his regular season ends on March 6.
Decision: It’s basically been guaranteed, so yeah, probably.
Porter Martone, RW
Okay, the guy that we’re here for. Porter Martone has been a phenom — an event — for Michigan State this season. As one of the dozens of CHL imports that decided to make use of the new ruling and take one step up on the developmental ladder, the Flyers sixth-overall pick last June is now competing to take home the Hobey Baker as the top player in the country.
We have enough digital ink spilled on just how well his season is going — he scored a damn hat trick and had a five-point weekend recently — so we don’t need to waste your time repeating the same sentiment, but it creates a rare situation. Basically, it is very hard to see Martone sticking around in the NCAA another year after being one of the best.
Even if the Spartans don’t win the Frozen Four, it’s not like he has immense ties to the program to try and stick around for another year with the same team. He never thought about playing for Michigan State this time last year, it was the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads and then trying to make the NHL at 18 years old. This season is more for development than winning a national title.
The only scenario where Martone doesn’t sign with the Flyers in the hours after his season ends, is that most of that Spartans team stays together — which is also very unlikely. Top center Charlie Stramel feels destined to sign with the powerhouse Minnesota Wild to be their supporting center, goaltender Trey Augustine is most likely leaving — even players like Eric Nilson or Ryker Lee could see a better challenge in the AHL since like Martone, they aren’t tied to the Spartans program.
Basically, I give Martone becoming a Flyer as soon as humanly possible, a 98 percent chance.
Decision: Yes, please. We need this.
Shane Vansaghi, RW
While there has been subtle speculation that the Flyers are looking at turning the 19-year-old (who will be 20 before next season starts) into a professional hockey player, Shane Vansaghi’s season isn’t screaming “I need to leave school right now and I’m ready”.
The 2025 second-round pick has scored three goals and nine points in 28 games on the powerhouse Michigan State team. His role there is to be more of a disruptor of plays, be annoying and hard on the forecheck, and maybe score some points along the way. So, it’s not like he’s this ultra-skilled player who is just not putting points on the board — that’s not really his job in college and won’t be his job at the pro level, either.
Vansaghi is very good at his job, though. You see it during every Spartans game how he is noticeable and impacting play and contributing to their success, but just not in a way that shows up on the stat line. So, in theory, he could be a player that jumps to the AHL rather easily and tries to do exactly what he is currently doing, but just against tougher competition (but with better teammates, as well).
It wouldn’t be overwhelmingly surprising if he did sign, but if he stayed at Michigan State (especially if they don’t win the national championship), it would be just fine, as well.
Decision: Rumored, but Vansaghi could probably use one more year.
Owen McLaughlin, C
The oft-forgotten Flyers prospect, Owen McLaughlin is 22 years old and made the big transfer from the University of North Dakota to Boston University, as loads of players were leaving that program and going to other schools — that’s a completely different story that involves change of off-ice personnel and whatnot.
But McLaughlin has been consistently scoring — 39 points in 39 games in the 2023-24 season, 30 points in 38 games last season, and now 16 in 29 games but on a suffering Terriers squad. The Flyers need to make a decision though.
McLaughlin’s signing rights are set to expire on August 15 of this year. Meaning if the Flyers don’t sign him, he will be an unrestricted free agent and free to go to another organization. While he doesn’t hold the strongest ground as a 2021 seventh-round pick and someone who doesn’t have a very unique skillset, he is still a natural center that could further develop at the pro level.
It would not shock us if the Flyers signed him and stuck him down with the Phantoms immediately. Especially with the fact that the only current Phantoms forwards who are under contract next season, are Alex Bump and Devin Kaplan — zero centers are guaranteed a spot next season in the AHL. So, why not have more organizational depth?
Decision: Yes, if the Flyers want to sign him.
Heikki Ruohonen, C
Originally, the thought process existed that Heikki Ruohonen turning pro this spring held more of a 50-50 chance. He had a very good showing at World Juniors and he isn’t this high-level scorer, so getting him in the organization as soon as possible to work on the details to develop him into a solid third-line center potentially, makes some sense.
That was until Charlie O’Connor’s interview with Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr where the executive said Ruohonen is going to be spending at least one more season with Harvard, and that he’s in a good spot there.
It makes sense. It would be one thing if he was playing in the Liiga over in Finland before coming overseas to play at the college level, but he was playing juniors and then came to play in the USHL last season before taking the trip to Harvard. There is still development needed before making the jump up to playing against grown men at a very high level.
This time next year, though, if he sees his production take a surge from the 13 points in 22 games he currently has, it will be much more likely.
Decision: Officially confirmed he will not be signing with the Flyers this spring.
Carter Amico, RD
More than anyone, Carter Amico feels the furthest away from turning pro — but we all knew that almost as soon as the Flyers selected him in the second round last year. The 6-foot-5 defenseman suffered a brutal knee injury that kept him out of all but 17 games during his draft year. Something not great to happen for a large blueliner whose main tools are his mobility and physicality, not his scoring touch.
He was always viewed as more of a long-term project, but he was heading to Boston University as a freshman and the expectations were to go from there. He played in 18 games but with extremely limited minutes and zero points, he then agreed to go back to juniors and lace up for the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks.
Since then, he’s scored a goal and six points in 14 games. Obviously, scoring isn’t his job, and we would be lying if we say we’re watching Muskegon Lumberjacks games to discuss how he looks down there.
Amico will be returning to Boston University next season and will probably stay there until there is definitive proof he is ready. Possibly even for one or two more seasons after that.
Decision: Most certainly not.
Jack Murtagh, LW
Just a step above Amico in the likelihood meter, is winger Jack Murtagh. Also selected in last year’s second round and also committed to Boston University, Murtagh is not blowing the doors off with the Terriers (but no one else on that team really is, either).
The 6-foot-1 speedy winger has scored five goals and nine points in 30 games during his freshman year. It’s not production that you really get excited about while looking how Flyers prospects are doing around the world, but it isn’t upsetting either. But, him staying another year or two to further develop that scoring touch and elevate his game is the most logical path. It would be jumping the gun a whole lot to think Murtagh is ready to be a pro.
Decision: Extremely unlikely.