The 2026-27 season is a big one for the Philadelphia Flyers. After making the playoffs for the first time in six years with one of the youngest rosters in the NHL, there are loads of questions that we are going to ask and not find out the answer to until all 84 games have been played.

One of those questions just so happens to be which player might just pop out and surprise us all. It might not be a breakout season or anything, but who is the player that we’re all expecting to be just fine or mediocre, who might really end up being one of the better players on this team?

Who is going to be the biggest surprise for the Flyers next season?

Thomas: I think the one player that might just shock some people outside of Philadelphia for finishing with a very solid amount of production, while also growing into someone fairly crucial for this team, is Alex Bump. While the Flyers are loaded at wing, they are begging for any of them to truly establish themselves as a top-six force. Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov have the potential, Travis Konecny is already there, and while Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster have been great, they need to take a step further. I just think Bump has the potential to leap over them in a more dynamic way and by January we’re going to see him higher up the lineup, maybe next to Trevor Zegras even, and we’re talking about him in a completely different way.

Kyle: My vote goes to David Jiricek for two main reasons. There’s the cop-out reason: we’ve only seen him play one game as a Flyer, so the bar to be a surprise is pretty low. There’s also the power play reason: Jiricek has serious potential to improve the team’s power play. Over the past 10 seasons there are only five instances where a Flyers defenseman scored over 15 points on the power play. That’s another low bar, and Jiricek should get a lot of opportunities on the man advantage. Sure, it’s a lot to expect a guy with 0 points on the PP to suddenly hit 15. But if he helps improve the PP in general, that’ll go a long way towards having a surprise season. But mostly, my vote goes to Jiricek because I like his upside and I’d like to see him impress in the face of the many doubters.

Jason M: There’s a few people who might surprise. But I think this is going to be a huge, mondo year for Mr. Matvei Michkov. Yes, he will bounce back from the miserable season that still saw him earn 50-plus points. That might not come as a surprise. The degree to which he storms back might impress even his biggest backers. An 80-point or 85-point season might not be out of the realm, provided he hits the ground running and Rick Tocchet has wiped the slate clean. If the power play begins clicking or showing any signs of a pulse, that might also result in Michkov piling up more points than anyone anticipated. As much as he wanted to prove to everyone that his rookie year wasn’t a flash in the pan, the winger is probably spending all summer with a chip on his shoulder, and ready to prove to all doubters he’s here to stay. He looks like he’s capable of averaging a point a game. Time to show he has that in him.

Jacob: I think Denver Barkey had an artificial cap put on his potential coming out of the draft, simply because of his height. But after a season where he broke down the door and made the NHL way ahead of schedule, I think he’s going to continue his ascension in his second year. I believe Rick Tocchet loves the player and his motor, and since he can play in essentially every spot in the lineup, he’ll be a lot easier to slot in wherever he’s needed than some of the other bubble guys. He’s proven to be a battler with some sweet hands, and I think he’s in a great position to become a Swiss-Army knife with the ability to hit 40-50 points depending on his linemates. A 20-goal year isn’t out of the question, either, and I think he’s earned the right to have a full 82-game leash, health depending.

Joe: Like Kyle, I think Jiricek is going to be a pleasant surprise — but I’m throwing my vote in for another of the Flyers’ young, right-shot defensemen: Jamie Drysdale. His progression since joining the Flyers doesn’t get nearly enough attention because his improvements have been more gradual: a slow and steady upward trajectory, rather than sudden bursts. Last season, he set a career high in goals and tied his career high in points, and averaged 21:33 of ice time per night — another career high — while staying healthy enough to play 78 games. In 10 playoff games, he scored four points (including the first goal of the Penguins series) and averaged over 22 minutes. Accounting for his trajectory to date and his exit interview describing his plans for the summer (working on his shot, play with the puck etc.), he seems like a player poised to pop in 2026-27. I think he’ll play himself onto the top pair opposite Travis Sanheim in short order, and establish himself as a legit top-pair defenseman.

Evan: I think Travis Konecny could finally break 80 points and have a career season – his 11th in the league despite not yet being 30 years old. We kind of just expect Konecny to give us 65ish points every year by now, but I feel there’s a little more to be had. It’s the second year of Rick Tocchet’s system, so everyone should be that much more comfortable, with hopefully long and healthy seasons from Tyson Foerster and Porter Martone to help the power play. Konecny managed 52 assists in Michkov’s rookie year two seasons ago, and that was objectively a much less talented team that finished deep into the lottery. The Flyers scoring rank among NHL teams has improved every year since 2021-22 and they’re still in the 20’s. If these players are who we think they are and that trend continues, Konecny won’t be the only one putting up bigger numbers than we’re used to seeing.