Puck drop: 7:00 p.m.
How to watch/listen:
📺: Flyers website
Pregame reading
- The kids got out on the ice for the first time yesterday afternoon, but there was one notable absence from the group.
- We might only see him sparingly this weekend (more on that later) but before we get to game time, let’s check in with Oliver Bonk as the newest addition to our Top 25 Under 25 ranking.
Pregame watching
Projected lineups
Philadelphia Flyers
Alex Bump — Jack Nesbitt — Samu Tuomaala
Devin Kaplan — Jacob Gaucher — Denver Barkey
Nikita Grebenkin — Karsen Dorwart — Alexis Gendron
Sawyer Boulton — Matthew Gard — Tucker Robertson
Nathan Quinn
Hunter McDonald — Luke Vlooswyk
Andre Mondoux — Ethan Samson
Ty Murchison — Spencer Gill
Austin Moline
Carson Bjarnason
(Joey Costanzo)
New York Rangers
The specific lines for this evening are still up in the air, but the lineup for the series on the Rangers’ side at least is as follows:
It’s that time again!
The Rookie Camp roster is set: https://t.co/vF1mKNrvin pic.twitter.com/Up6lZGN2Cm
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 8, 2025
Storylines to watch
Big name absences
The Flyers will certainly have no shortage to interesting names worth keeping an eye on that they’ve brought with them to this series, but it remains that the lineup isn’t going to be quite as stacked as it could be. As it stands, the Flyers will be without both Jett Luchanko — who was not on the ice for development camp back in July and was also held off from yesterday’s practice — along with Oliver Bonk — who missed development camp but was able to take place in yesterday’s skate — as they’re both being held out for precautionary reasons. It’s a shame for the both of them in each of their own ways, as Luchanko was likely hoping to use this as a springboard for another run for a lineup spot through main camp, while Bonk, though all but certainly Phantoms bound to start the season, did gain some really high praise from his soon to be head coach who was running the day’s session, who felt that his pace had taken a marked step forward since he saw him last, but it won’t be something he’s able to showcase in this game, at least. We’ll see when they’re able to get back to action, but this also opens the door nicely for other prospects to jump forward into a larger role and make an impression.
Bump, Grebenkin stepping up
All of that said, there are still some big-name prospects taking part in the series, and we’re expecting them to make some real noise. Both Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin, fresh off of solid showing with the Phantoms back in the spring, are coming into this hoping that they can keep that momentum rolling as they head into main camp, and make their push for spots in the Flyers’ opening night lineup. They’re both off to good starts, as they were standouts in Thursday’s practices sessions, bringing both notably high compete levels in drill settings and also allowing each of their shootings to pop. This isn’t an absolute make or break situation that they’re stepping into with these games, but we do recall years not too long ago when players who we expected to come into these rookie games with the leg up ended up having middling showings and putting themselves back foot heading into main camp, as a result. So, while the stakes aren’t sky-high here, they’re also not nothing, and it will be important for these two to not to put the cart before the horse, as it were, and phone it in for these games and place their focus too soon on the NHL preseason. This is their foundation before they move to the next step, and they have to make sure they’re taking care of it.
Goalie Watch (prospect edition)
The Rangers might not be bringing with them the same amount of firepower that they’ve had at their disposal in some of these tournaments past, but we can still expect to see Carson Bjarnason reasonably tested throughout this weekend. And it will be a pretty big test for him as well, ramping up after being banged up at the end of his WHL season (which also prevented him from playing in the Calder Cup playoffs for the Phantoms) and somewhat limited in Development Camp (as is just sort of the nature of the setup for goaltenders broadly), as he heads into his first professional season with the Phantoms, as he’s set to join them on a more full-time basis. He’s not in the position like someone like Bump or Grebenkin, where they’re hoping that a strong showing in this rookie showcase can springboard them and help their chances of making the big club, he’s not there yet, but it will be important for him to settle in quickly, as things are going to be ramping up even more for him in not too long. This is just the first step, but it’s worth seeing how he handles it, all the same.