𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The longer the 2025-26 NHL season continued, the more Mark Recchi became a frequent, conspicuous presence.

A 2017 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee whose 22-year playing career as a forward included parts of 10 seasons in Philadelphia, Recchi has recently taken a more active role in the Flyers’ hockey operations and coaching departments after he was initially hired in an ambassadorial role about a year ago, according to multiple team sources who spoke anonymously to discuss internal matters.

Over the final few weeks of the regular season and into the Stanley Cup playoffs, Recchi was around the players and the coaching staff much more than he was early on in his front-office tenure. One team source labeled the 58-year-old Recchi as a “rover,” in that he can touch on different parts of the organization as one of its most popular players ever. Recchi remains ninth in points in Flyers franchise history (627).

Recchi and Flyers coach Rick Tocchet have been friends for some time — they were teammates on the Flyers in 1999-2000, after Tocchet was acquired in March of that season — so Tocchet had Recchi sit in on some of the coaching staff’s meetings, valuing the latter’s insight and experience.

There’s a chance, perhaps even a likelihood, that Recchi will occasionally be on the ice when Flyers training camp begins in September. A more official title for Recchi — who isn’t even listed on the team’s website at the moment — is likely forthcoming at some point before then.

Recchi’s inclusion is representative of how Flyers general manager Daniel Briere brings some staffers into the fold. When the club initially hired Patrick Sharp and John LeClair three years ago, for example, their specific duties were fairly ambiguous, as Briere preferred they get involved in different aspects of the organization to figure out what drives them.

Sharp clicked with Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong, and has taken an active role in that area. He formed a bond with players like Denver Barkey and Alex Bump, helping them to navigate moving from the AHL to the Flyers last season. In March, Sharp was a fill-in on the bench as an assistant coach for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for three games when Terrence Wallin was away on parental leave.

LeClair has also gotten involved with younger prospects, and has been among the first members of the organization to greet draft picks on location in Los Angeles and Buffalo the past two years.

Another front-office change: Flyers assistant GM Alyn McCauley, also the GM of the Phantoms, will be physically moving from Lehigh Valley. He will retain his title, but Flyers director of pro scouting Mike Eastwood will be relocating from Toronto to the Philadelphia area for a more on-the-ground role with the AHL club while also scouting pro teams in the area. Expect the Flyers to announce a formal promotion for Eastwood at some point before next season.

In addition, Bryan Hardenbergh, the vice president of player engagement and team services, recently left the organization after more than 25 years.

Michkov’s training plan

Flyers forward Matvei Michkov is expected to return to the Philadelphia area in early August, according to a team source. The Russian native is currently training in his home country.

It is, of course, a big summer for the 21-year-old. After a difficult first two-thirds of last season, Michkov led the Flyers in points coming out of the Olympic break but grew ineffective in the playoffs, leading to his getting healthy scratched twice in 10 postseason games.

The Flyers are limited by the collective bargaining agreement when it comes to offseason contact with their players, but it seems like they are at least paying a little more attention to Michkov after his unproductive summer a year ago. According to multiple team sources, Michkov had a trainer that he is comfortable working with — and whom the Flyers know — visit him in Russia for approximately three weeks last month.

My impression is that the organization, particularly the coaching staff, knows that everyone will have to do more to ensure Michkov is more integrated next season into what has become a tight-knit dressing room. Ultimately, it’s going to be up to Michkov — something that Briere seemed to reinforce at the end of the 2025-26 season — but I would expect there to be a more proactive approach to getting the talented forward more ingrained from a culture perspective. It will be a vital stretch for Michkov, both on and off the ice, as he enters the third and final year of his entry-level contract.

Salary arbitration updates

There are arbitration dates on the calendar for Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras: July 20 for Drysdale, and July 22 for Zegras.

One Flyers team source doesn’t expect those cases will be necessary, but the team is currently preparing as if they will be. As of late last week, there was nothing imminent with regards to a contract extension for either player. (Reports of potential extensions earlier this summer have been wildly premature, or just plain false.) What I do believe is that both Zegras and Drysdale would prefer to remain with the Flyers for the foreseeable future. Both of them said as much on breakup day.

“I love it here. I made that clear the second I got here,” Drysdale said then. “Everyone’s treated me amazingly since I’ve got here.”

Added Zegras: “I would love to be here for a long time. I hope that will happen over the next couple months, or whatever the timeframe will be. But I love playing here, I love the fans, I love the group that we have. That would be something I’m excited for.”

Still, the prices for each have likely gone up in recent weeks. Extensions like Bo Byram’s astronomical $12.5 million average annual value over six years with the Chicago Blackhawks, and Simon Nemec’s five-year, $7.25 million AAV contract with Calgary probably upped Drysdale’s ultimate number.

In Zegras’ case, I wouldn’t be surprised if his camp is pushing for a bigger number after the success he had as a center late in the season. The Flyers expect Zegras to begin next season in the middle, too — an even more likely scenario now after the Leo Carlsson offer sheet ultimately failed.

Regardless, if the Flyers don’t make any more moves beyond extending Drysdale and Zegras, they’ll still have plenty of salary cap space when the season begins (and approximately $30 million with those two unsigned). They would be content starting the season that way — presumably until the next big target comes along.

Draft to Philly?

The Flyers are interested in hosting the 2027 NHL Draft next summer.

At the event in Buffalo last month, Philadelphia sent eight employees from the business side to observe the draft from an operational standpoint. Sportsnet initially reported that the Flyers sent a delegation there.

Flyers governor Dan Hilferty has been open about the club’s desire to get involved in league-wide events, including a potential outdoor game at Penn State between the Flyers and Penguins, and future international games.

According to a team source, the Flyers are hoping to receive more clarity from the league on what it would take to host the draft later this week.