The Philadelphia Flyers might have to start their season without rising star Tyson Foerster, who’s dealing with a nasty elbow infection from an injury at the World Championships. The 22-year-old winger just had surgery, and they’ll know more about when he can return after his MRI next week.
It’s a tough break for the Flyers. Foerster was on fire last season, lighting up the scoreboard with 25 goals and 43 points in 81 games. Only Matvei Michkov scored more with 26.
The team isn’t planning to bring in any veteran free agents to fill the gap. Instead, they’re looking at their young talent – and they’ve got some pretty exciting options.
Porter Martone tops the list of prospects who could step up. The sixth overall pick this year has been turning heads in junior hockey, racking up an impressive 98 points in 57 games with the Brampton Steelheads. He’s not just skilled – he’s a natural leader who wore the captain’s C.
Then there’s Jett Luchanko, who already got a taste of NHL action last year. He played four games with the Flyers before heading back to junior hockey, where he put up 56 points in 46 games as captain of the Guelph Storm.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
Alex Bump might be the dark horse in this race. He just helped Western Michigan win their first-ever NCAA Championship, scoring 23 goals and 47 points in 42 games. Not bad for a fifth-round pick.
The Flyers seem pretty confident about Foerster’s recovery, which is why they’re not making any panic moves. When he does come back, he’ll slide right back into the top six forwards.
Last year’s shooting percentage of 17.6% might be tough to match – that’s pretty high – but Foerster’s always been a natural goal scorer. In his rookie year, he netted 20 goals and 33 points in 77 games.
These young guys will have to really shine in training camp to earn their spot. But with Foerster temporarily out, someone’s going to get a golden opportunity to prove themselves at the NHL level.
