Cole Knuble making strong case to stick with Flyers

Preseason games have officially commenced with the regular season less than a week away from starting up. After losing their first two games against the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins, the Philadelphia Flyers will have two more games to prep before they play host to the Pittsburgh Penguins on the 30th of September.

Training camp and the preseason slate won’t offer too many insights on who will make the roster or not because the team is more or less set. There is still some debate on who will make out the bottom-6, but even then they have an idea on who the likely 14 forwards are going to be on the opening night roster.

A player like Jett Luchanko, who made the cut in both 2024 and 2025, is likely ticketed for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, which is the perfect destination for the 20-year-old. He has had an up-and-down development since being drafted in the first round in 2024, but a lot of that can be attributed to the core injury he had been playing through for the last couple of seasons.

On the back-end, Oliver Bonk has an outside chance of having his name stapled for the NHL, but with David Jiříček signing a one-way contract this year and the Flyers having acquired Simon Benoit from Toronto, it’s likely he will also start the year out in Lehigh Valley.

It’s important for players like Bonk and Luchanko to start out in the minors, where they can play major roles, get acclimated to professional hockey, and develop into the middle of the lineup players they are perceived to be – at minimum.

Now that’s not the case for all, as a player like Cole Knuble could be fast-tracked ahead of the former first rounders. His game is way different than the two aforementioned prospects, and when drafted he was expected to fill out the bottom-6 at some point in his career.

Opportunity could strike for Knuble, especially if Denver Barkey is expected to miss time after he was forced out of Monday’s game with a lower-body injury. It’s too early to tell, but Knuble would be the next man up, especially with how quickly he has risen the ranks within the organization.

DFO’s Anthony Di Marco hinted as much in one of his more recent articles, articulating that the Flyers value his versatility and that his skillset goes hand in hand with players like Sean Couturier and Noel Acciari. That much is important because that would likely be Barkey’s spot to start the season.

“Overall, Knuble’s versatility is something the Flyers really value, per sources. The Flyers’ lineup is fairly filled out already, but if there is a spot available, the fourth-line center role is the opening to watch. Per sources, the Flyers envision Sean Couturier and Noel Acciari as two players that, though fourth liners on paper, can serve as shutdown players. Knuble’s skillset could lend itself to gelling with Couturier and Acciari in a defensive role. ”

The 22-year-old was drafted by the Flyers in the 4th round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft out of Fargo Force of the USHL. He collected 30 goals and 66 points in 57 games in his final year before committing to Notre Dame, where he scored 90 points in 106 games across 3 seasons, including 21 goals and 70 points in his final 70 games.

He also wound up playing for the Phantoms in 2025-26, albeit a short 7-game stint, however he scored a goal and added 2 assists for the AHL club.

He showcased his game for all to see in Monday’s contest against the Capitals, where he tied the game in the second period going hard to the net and finishing off a deflection. He has an endless motor, he goes into the dirty areas, and he doesn’t stop playing, which are all traits the Flyers have tracked for years.

He’s might not be as flashy as Matvei Michkov and he might not have the best offensive skillset like Porter Martone, but he is a suitable character for the bottom-6, especially at this stage of his young career.

With the Flyers fully engorged on the wings, Knuble being a centre aids his chances with the team’s primary weakness being down the middle. However with Couturier expected to man the centre position on the fourth line, Knuble would be relegated to playing the wing with the odd chance of taking a few faceoffs here and there.

What doesn’t help his case right now is that the forward group has 10 spots already locked in to Acciari, Couturier, Martone, Michkov, Noah Cates, Christian Dvorak, Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, and Trevor Zegras. Barkey and Bump are expected to fill out the final two spots but they still have to compete with the likes of Nikita Grebenkin and Carl Grundström for everyday roles.

That doesn’t leave too much room for players like Knuble unless injuries arise, someone like Barkey or Bump has a terrible camp, or the Flyers move off of a player like Grundström before the season starts. Grundström was placed on waivers on Wednesday but he could be back if he clears.

Nevertheless, it’s exciting to know that a player drafted outside the first two rounds has a legitimate shot at making the NHL roster before being fully immersed into the professional ranks. If he does start out the season in the AHL, expect Knuble to be one of the top candidates for a recall should an injury arise.

It’s been over 18 years since Cole’s dad, Mike, scored a memorable double overtime playoff game-winner against the Capitals, and considering how things are currently progressing, we might not have to wait too much longer for the younger Knuble to make his own mark for the Orange and Black.