In a recent trade, the Philadelphia Flyers acquired forward Tucker Robertson from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Jon-Randall (J.R.) Avon. Both players are 22 years old and have spent their early careers at the minor league level.
Robertson, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 189 pounds, has played most of the last two seasons with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. He also spent time with the Kansas City Mavericks in the ECHL during the 2023-24 season before becoming a regular in the AHL.
The Seattle Kraken selected Robertson in the fourth round, 123rd overall, of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. During their junior careers with the Peterborough Petes in the OHL, Robertson and Avon were teammates and often shared a line. In the 2022-23 season, Robertson led his team with 90 points while Avon was third on the team with 60 points. That season, their efforts contributed to winning an Ontario Hockey League championship and reaching the Memorial Cup.
Avon missed being drafted in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic caused cancellation of that year’s OHL season. However, he impressed during his participation at Flyers Development Camp in July 2021 and Rookie Camp later that year. This led to him signing an entry-level contract with Philadelphia. His contract returned him to Peterborough for two more seasons before making his professional debut with Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
During his rookie year with Lehigh Valley, Avon recorded 18 points over 65 games and participated in three playoff matches. He gained attention for his performance in shootouts, going four-for-five on attempts at the start of his first season. In his second campaign, Avon’s progress stalled as he alternated between center and wing positions without increased production or advancement in lineup placement. He did not appear during Lehigh Valley’s run in the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs.
Robertson attended Development Camp with Carolina Hurricanes around when Avon attended his first Flyers camp. After a strong season with Peterborough in 2021-22, he was drafted by Seattle.
With Coachella Valley Firebirds, Robertson has typically played third-line or fourth-line minutes. In 2023-24 he posted ten points (six goals and four assists) across 39 regular-season games and played one playoff game. The following season he registered nine points (four goals and five assists) over 38 games along with three appearances in Calder Cup playoff contests.
Professionally, Robertson is noted for working to meet defensive responsibilities required at higher levels of play and is regarded as coachable with solid awareness on ice.
