The Philadelphia Flyers will face the New York Islanders on Thursday evening in their second-to-last game of the 2025-26 preseason. The Flyers, led by head coach Rick Tocchet, currently have a 2-3-0 record in exhibition play.
The match is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on NBCSP and 97.5 The Fanatic.
As the preseason winds down, several roster decisions remain for Tocchet and his staff. The team must decide whether to carry 13 or 14 forwards and seven or eight defensemen for opening night. There are currently 14 healthy forwards and eight defensemen in camp, excluding injured players.
One key decision involves whether 19-year-old Jett Lunchanko will make the opening night roster for a second consecutive year. Another consideration is Latvian forward Rodrigo Abols, who has played in every preseason game so far. Veteran Nick Deslauriers is also among those being considered as the coaching staff finalizes the lineup. Rookie Nikita Grebenkin remains in contention for a roster spot as well.
On defense, if the Flyers choose to keep eight blueliners, all remaining players at that position would stay with the team; otherwise, one cut would need to be made if only seven are retained. Third-pairing jobs are still open among Egor Zamula, Adam Ginning, Noah Juulsen, and Dennis Gilbert.
Forwards Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov have been developing chemistry during camp and are expected to start together this season with Zegras at center and Michkov on right wing. Tocchet said Wednesday that he is seeking “a two-way presence to play left wing on the line.” He added that it would not be fair “to ask one player to carry the entire off-puck load on any one line.” Candidates such as Christian Dvorak, Nikita Grebenkin, and Owen Tippett have all been tested alongside Zegras and Michkov in practice sessions. According to Tocchet: “I really liked Tippett’s play in practice that day.”
Goaltending decisions also remain unsettled heading into the final stretch of preseason games. Samuel Ersson and Dan Vladar will each receive another start before preparations begin for opening night against last year’s Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. Their performances over these final games will determine which goaltender starts when the regular season begins.
The power play has received increased attention during recent practices under assistant coaches Yogi Svejkovsky and Jay Varady as improving special teams remains a priority for Philadelphia entering this season. While early results from camp do not always predict regular-season success due to large rosters and divided practice groups, more focus has recently been placed on tactics and personnel combinations within both primary power play units.
