The Flyers’ top defensive prospect, Oliver Bonk, will not play against the New York Rangers on Friday night.
According to Lehigh Valley Phantoms coach John Snowden, he is being held out for the first game in Allentown due to load management, but he is expected to play on Saturday night. The Flyers’ rookies will take on the Rangers in Allentown, with Friday’s game starting at 7 p.m. and Saturday’s game starting at 5 p.m.
Bonk missed development camp in early July because of bumps and bruises following a long season that ended with a Memorial Cup title on June 1. He was on the ice Thursday and spoke to the media after, disclosing he put on 15 pounds during the summer — by eating at Jersey Mike’s.
» READ MORE: Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey display an appetite to succeed at Flyers rookie camp
Bonk is one of several prospects, including forwards Alex Bump, Samu Tuomaala, Nikita Grebenkin, and Karsen Dorwart, who should push for an NHL roster spot.
A two-way blueliner, he worked on his game last season with London of the Ontario Hockey League, potting 40 points in 52 regular-season games before adding another 14 points in 17 playoff games.
» READ MORE: With his prospect clock ticking, offensive D-man Ethan Samson is ready to put the ‘ups and downs’ behind him
One criticism he got last season at training camp from then-Flyers coach John Tortorella was his pace of play. He worked on it this past season.
“I think Torts was saying it last year, but just being more of a pro and moving the puck quicker,” Bonk said on Thursday. “I know Torts talked about that last year, with what I needed to work on is that I’m pretty good, but I don’t move the puck quick enough, and stuff like that. So definitely that was stuff I was working on all season, being able to transition quickly and kind of play a more professional style of hockey.”
Breakaways
On the main rink in Voorhees, the NHLers took to the ice. Goalies Sam Ersson, Dan Vladař, and Aleksei Kolosov tended the net. Tyson Foerster remained in a purple no-contact jersey as he recovers from an elbow injury and infection. Defensemen Emil Andrae, Adam Ginning, Helge Grans, Travis Saheim, and Egor Zamula skated with forwards Travis Konecny, Garnet Hathaway, Massimo Rizzo, Nick Deslauriers, Zayde Wisdom, Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates, Sean Couturier, and Matvei Michkov.