{"id":255595,"date":"2025-10-20T13:53:16","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T13:53:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/255595\/"},"modified":"2025-10-20T13:53:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T13:53:16","slug":"evaluating-flyers-rookie-performances-to-start-2025-26-the-hockey-writers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/255595\/","title":{"rendered":"Evaluating Flyers’ Rookie Performances to Start 2025-26 – The Hockey Writers –"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the NHL resumed play almost two weeks ago, only three teams began the 2025-26 season with a younger roster than the Philadelphia Flyers, with an average age of 26.58 years old<\/a>. Last season was largely defined by Matvei Michkov\u2019s chase for the Calder Trophy, with his fourth-place finish<\/a> the best by a Flyer since Shayne Gostisbehere finished second to Artemi Panarin in the 2015-16 campaign.<\/p>\n

While a lot of the team\u2019s best young talent isn\u2019t with the club this season, such as 2023 first-round pick Oliver Bonk and 2025 sixth overall selection Porter Martone, the Flyers did name three Calder-eligible players to their opening night roster. Fittingly, two have played three games so far this season, with forwards Jett Luchanko and Nikita Grebenkin<\/a> making their season debuts in the team\u2019s second game on Oct. 11. They joined defenseman Adam Ginning<\/a> in the lineup for three straight contests before the trio collectively sat on Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild.<\/p>\n

Although the trio shares a rookie level of status, each is at a different stage in their development cycle. Here\u2019s how each has fared out of the gates this season and where their immediate future is trending.<\/p>\n

Nikita Grebenkin<\/p>\n

Of these youngsters, Grebenkin has delivered the most noticeable highlights. A fifth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022, the Russian winger quickly rose through the ranks, arriving in Philadelphia with some hype and seven games of NHL experience at the 2025 Trade Deadline as part of the return for franchise staple Scott Laughton.<\/p>\n

His time in the organization got off to a promising start, as Grebenkin closed last season by tallying 11 points in 18 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms across the regular season and playoffs. He quickly rose to prominence at the start of training camp and didn\u2019t let his foot off the gas, registering a goal and an assist in five exhibition games. Grebenkin plays a tenacious game that made head coach Rick Tocchet comfortable with having him play a depth role, which is not ideal for all rookies.<\/p>\n

Through two games with the big club, his momentum still looked strong. Grebenkin registered a better expected goals percentage than his teammates in each of his first two performances and showcased his skillset nicely, earning a promotion alongside Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny in the third period of a close home opener on Monday.<\/p>\n

However, he had an unfortunate moment at a critical juncture of Thursday\u2019s game against the Winnipeg Jets. Down 1-0, Grebenkin\u2019s inability to handle a fairly routine breakout pass from Travis Sanheim directly led to the first of two Mark Scheifele goals in the game and made the sluggish contest feel almost out of reach for the Flyers.<\/p>\n

Jett Luchanko<\/p>\n

Unlike Grebenkin and Ginning, this wasn\u2019t Luchanko\u2019s first time making the opening night roster. In each of his two training camps since being drafted 14th overall in 2024, Luchanko has broken camp with the Flyers, rather than with his junior team, the Ontario Hockey League\u2019s Guelph Storm. Last year, though, it felt more because Luchanko popped, whereas this season, it seemed to have more to do with the team\u2019s reluctance to have him repeat the OHL level (although last season\u2019s lack of center talent was also a contributing factor).<\/p>\n

So far, Luchanko has mostly skated alongside Grebenkin and Garnet Hathaway on the team\u2019s fourth line, so their play-driving stats look pretty similar; an expected goals percentage in the high-30s, weighted down by a single-digit mark on Thursday after two quality results, and neither has been on the ice for a goal for (Luchanko two against, Grebenkin three).<\/p>\n

\"JettJett Luchanko, Philadelphia Flyers (Amy Irvin<\/a> \/ The Hockey Writers)<\/p>\n

However, those numbers aren\u2019t the end-all by any means. Luchanko hasn\u2019t received any notable promotion like Grebenkin on Monday, and he also hasn\u2019t popped as much visually. His calling card is high-end skating ability, and it has shown up at points. He used his speed to draw a penalty on Sam Bennett on Monday and flew back to disrupt a Jets 2-on-1 in his last game. But his offensive game still needs to come around. Luchanko only has one shot attempt in about 27 minutes of ice time; only the Vancouver Canucks\u2019 Arshdeep Bains has played more among forwards with one or zero shot attempts this season.<\/p>\n

Adam Ginning<\/p>\n

The unlikeliest of the group to crack the club, Ginning took advantage of a lackluster race among the organization\u2019s depth defensemen and injuries to Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen, earning a gratifying roster spot<\/a>. Right now, the Flyers are just asking the 25-year-old to survive and avoid egregious mistakes at 5-on-5 and contribute to the penalty kill, which was tested 14 times across their first three games.<\/p>\n

From a results standpoint, that goal has been accomplished. The Flyers have an even goal differential with Ginning on the ice at 5-on-5 (2-2), and the penalty kill had a respectable 80% success rate in the four games he dressed in. However, the underlying numbers aren\u2019t as kind. Ginning cleared 50% in xGF% in the season opener, but has been below 40% in his three games since then (and like Luchanko and Grebenkin, he was below 20% on Thursday).<\/p>\n

In fairness to Ginning, he probably has the hardest role of the rookies. The same injuries that opened the door for him to make the team have also forced him to play without a partner well-suited for balancing his offensive limitations. His primary partner is Noah Juulsen, who played 35 games last season without registering a single point, nine more contests than the next most-used player to put up a donut.<\/p>\n

That duo has fared poorly together (28.96% xGF%, outscored 2-1). However, when Ginning has suited up alongside the much more dynamic Jamie Drysdale, the results have been better<\/a> (50.16% xGF, no goals for or against). With York returning on Thursday to add more puck skills elsewhere on the backend, perhaps there\u2019s a more natural fit for Ginning in the near future.<\/p>\n

Future Plans<\/p>\n

Last season, the Flyers sent Luchanko back to Guelph after he played in four of the team\u2019s first eight games. Though the team can dress him up to six more times this season without burning a year of his entry-level contract, a referendum feels like it\u2019s coming sooner rather than later. Having the 19-year-old play fourth-line minutes was never a long-term situation, and he hasn\u2019t popped enough to warrant a larger role.<\/p>\n

Ginning\u2019s roster spot could have an expiration date whenever Ristolainen returns, although he could have a say in that. Juulsen certainly isn\u2019t a roster lock, and there\u2019s growing frustration around Egor Zamula\u2019s regression throughout the preseason and the start of the regular season. Before Saturday, Zamula had sat in consecutive games for the first time since the 4-Nations Face-Off. If his play doesn\u2019t pick up, he could be a trade or waivers candidate.<\/p>\n

Related: Flyers News & Rumors: Michkov Drama Worsens, Zegras Hot & More<\/a><\/p>\n

The player who seems to have the widest range of outcomes is Ginning. Even if he does stay up for all or most of the season, he\u2019s unlikely to be more than a competent number-six blueliner. Luchanko can be more than his current fourth-line role. If another prospect or a minor league veteran, such as Alex Bump or Anthony Richard, surges, general manager Daniel Bri\u00e8re shouldn\u2019t have to hesitate if he can\u2019t pull his weight. While there may not be a Calder candidate among this season\u2019s Flyers rookie class, there is still a lot at stake for three of the team\u2019s youngest players.<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When the NHL resumed play almost two weeks ago, only three teams began the 2025-26 season with a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5286,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5112],"tags":[34300,1468,5,176,4,775,1467,56,5205],"class_list":{"0":"post-255595","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-philadelphia-flyers","8":"tag-adam-ginning","9":"tag-flyers","10":"tag-hockey","11":"tag-jett-luchanko","12":"tag-nhl","13":"tag-nikita-grebenkin","14":"tag-philadelphia","15":"tag-philadelphia-flyers","16":"tag-philadelphiaflyers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/115406831860630347","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=255595"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255595\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=255595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=255595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=255595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}