The Philadelphia Flyers are looking to put a bad season behind them and make strides in the 2025-26 season. That all begins as the team begins training camp on Thursday, Sept. 18 with on-ice drills. The team made plenty of changes, like bringing in Rick Tocchet as their new head coach and players they hope can be difference makers like center Trevor Zegras and goaltender Dan Vladar.
Flyers general manager Danny Briere met with reporters on Tuesday, two days before the start of training camp and fielded questions about the team. Here are some takeaways that stand out.
Danny Briere provides injury updates on Rasmus Ristolainen and Tyson Foerster
The first question Briere was asked about was the statuses of defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and forward Tyson Foerster. Ristolainen is working his way back from a right triceps tendon injury, while Foerster is recovering from offseason elbow surgery to remove an infection.
Regarding Ristolainen, Briere said they knew he wouldn't be ready for the start of the season, but the defenseman is moving in the right direction.
"Risto is moving ahead. We knew all along he wouldn't start the season, but everything's moving and looking good for him to meet up with the team and hopefully the first month and a half and two months of the season at some point."
As for Foerster, he is more in line to return much earlier. In fact, Briere envisions Foerster potentially playing in preseason games.
"He's in a non-contact jersey to start training camp, but within the first week, we should be able to remove that and have him be able to take physicality and hopefully later in camp getting in some games if everything keeps going in the right direction."
When asked what it would take Foerster to return to contact, Briere said it's up to the process and for trainers to test him before receiving clearance.
Big things for Cam York
Briere was asked about Cam York, their young defenseman who had a great 2023-24 season. York had a career year, posting 30 points with 10 goals and 20 assists. But last season, he had a bit of a down season, as he recorded just 17 points (four goals and 13 assists).
Briere expects big things out of York in what will be his sixth season with the Flyers.
"We think he's closer to what he was two years ago than last season."
A reporter brought up York unlocking the offensive side of his game and that he had spent time with Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes during the national team program. Briere was asked if he and Tocchet can get York on a similar path as Hughes.
"We believe so, we believe there's more in there. He's rounded his game nicely. When I first saw him, I never thought he'd become as good of a defender as he's become, and he's fierce. I've been really impressed by how brave he is to go retrieve pucks down deep, taking hits, blocking shots, being willing to put his body on the line. I've been really impressed with that side of his game, and I think there's more offensively that hasn't come out yet."
Danny Briere leaves door open to Flyers selling again if they underperform
Last year, the Flyers sold at the trade deadline as they fell out of playoff position. Just last week, Flyers governor Dan Hilferty and president of hockey operations Keith Jones said that they expected the team to take that next step in improvement, even if it doesn't result in a playoff spot.
Briere was asked about the comments from Hilferty and Jones, and what happens if the team doesn't take that next step and finishes near the bottom of the league again. Briere left the door open to the team selling off players again if it does reach that point.
"We might have to. I mean, it's not off the table. It's not what we're looking to do at the moment. We want to keep helping the team improve and put them in a position to take a step forward. But yeah, the players will have a big say in that. But at the same time, there's a lot of young players that we need to be patient with. They're starting to take steps. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes time...There's going to be ups and downs throughout the year. We're just hopefully not going to be in a position where we want to go in that direction again where we move assets out to get younger or looking for draft picks."
So if the Flyers head into sell mode again, who would they target. Briere said he would ideally do it for prospects that are almost ready to help out at the pro level instead of draft picks.
"Ideally, if we do make some moves, it would be more for players that can help maybe not quite just now, but not a draft pick, it's a prospect that's almost ready to help us. We're shifting away, hopefully, from only draft picks and looking a little bit more at prospects."