An annual rite of passage at the start of summer, the Philadelphia Flyers’ 2024 Development Camp will run from Tuesday, July 2 through Saturday, July 6. The structure and format of daily activities often changes a bit from year to year, but the basic goal remains the same.
Unlike rookie camp in September, development camp isn’t primarily about impressing coaches by showing they’re ready to compete for NHL (or AHL) roster spots once the main camp begins. Players aren’t expected to be at their best and on top of their game by early July.
Rather, it’s about absorbing advice from the pros on how to train, hone targeted skills, and manage diets and fitness regimens during the offseason. It’s an opportunity to ask questions of the camp coaches. It’s also an opportunity to make new friends and renew old ones with other young players who could potentially become your professional teammates for many years to come.
While competing for jobs and team sports and winning hockey aren’t the primary goals, coaches and hockey operations staff keep a watchful eye on the participants. They want to see who takes the camp to heart and absorbs something useful. They want to get a sense of who takes the initiative to ask questions. They want to see which participants come back as camp leaders, helping newcomers. There’s also just enough competitiveness at the end to get the juices flowing in simulated game conditions.
Flyers Director of Player Development Riley Armstrong and Assistant Director of Player Development Nick Schultz, along with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms coaches, will lead on-ice sessions at the 2024 development camp. For the third consecutive year, Princeton University women’s hockey head coach Cara Morey joins the development staff for this summer camp.
Here are five things to watch for during the 2024 development camp at the Flyers’ practice facility:
1. 2023 and 2024 recruits are highlighted
Several players selected by the Flyers in the 2023 or 2024 NHL Draft will be at the top of the list of participants in this year’s development camp, whether they are new or returning. Selected 22nd overall in the 2023 draft, defenceman Oliver Bonk is coming off a breakout season with the OHL’s London Knights this past year. Speedy, playmaking centre Jett Luchanko, selected 13th overall in the 2024 draft, will be attending his first NHL development camp.
Other top prospects in attendance include Denver Barkey (London Knights winger), Western Hockey League goaltender Carson Bjarnason (Brandon Wheat Kings), Cole Knuble (Notre Dame), talented Alex Ciernik (now with the Nybro Vikings, Allsvenskan level in Sweden), defenceman Carter Sotheran (Portland Winterhawks, WHL) and massive defenceman Matteo Mann (Saint John, QMJHL, one game with the Reading Royals, ECHL). Top-tier college forward Massimo Rizzo, now on an entry-level contract, is also on the roster.
Among the names other than Luchanko that the Flyers called up last weekend during the 2024 NHL Draft is an international cast attending development camp: Canadian defenceman Spencer Gill (Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL), big Swedish two-way centre Jack Berglund (Färjestad BK Karlstad of the Swedish Hockey League), big Finnish centre Heikki Ruohonen, American power forward Noah Powell (bound for Ohio State University) and lanky defenceman Austin Moline (bound for Canada to play in the BCHL next season).
Among the more experienced participants are 2022 draft pick Devin Kaplan (junior power forward from Boston University), AHL pro Ethan Samson and promising college sophomore Alex Bump (who stood out last year at development camp and Western Michigan).
2. Development Camp is a little different for non-affiliated guests
Every year at development camp, there are always a handful (or more) of invited participants who were not drafted by an NHL club. This year, the Flyers have 15 invited to camp. The reasons why these participants may be present can vary from player to player.
Some come to Voorhees simply for the experience and to get advice they can put into practice. For example, Jack Page, a West Chester native and son of former Wells Fargo Center president John Page, played in four varsity games last season as a sophomore at Boston University. The 22-year-old defenseman and former New Jersey Rockets standout can take what he learned from the instructors and being around the group at camp.
Other participants have their eyes set on their professional futures in the near future. Camp invitee center Jack Williams (a teammate of McDonald’s at Northeastern the past two seasons) was a Hobey Baker candidate last year after a breakout season in Hockey East. Russian defenseman Artyom Kudashov became a semi-regular player at 19 last season in the KHL with Dynamo Moscow.
3. Team Brière and Team Jones
The camp is divided into two groups: Team Briere and Team Jones. Fostering a team atmosphere, players train alongside their assigned group and eventually play as teammates in simulated game conditions.
4. Small group and full group sessions
Individual attention in small group learning environments is an important component of the development camp. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the day begins with separate small group on-ice sessions specifically for the goaltenders, defensemen and forwards attending the camp. There is no on-ice work on July 4th.
On Wednesday and Friday mornings and afternoons, there are full group sessions where all players from Team Brière or Team Jones practice on the ice with their assigned teams.
To view the daily schedules for small group and full team ice sessions, click here. The full list of drafted and invited participants is also available from this hyperlink.
5. Closing the scrum
On Saturday, July 6 at 6:00 p.m. EDT, a game between Team Briere and Team Jones will mark the closing event of the 2024 Development Camp. Barring injury, illness or prior commitments, the entire camp roster is expected to participate in the action.
If you can’t attend the scrimmage in person at FTC, a live stream will also be available. Jason Myrtetus and Brian Smith will be providing commentary for the match.