Ahead of their first 2026 preseason game scheduled for Monday, the Philadelphia Flyers made significant cuts to their training camp roster, releasing 15 players who will either join the minor league affiliate or return to junior hockey. The most notable among these is first-round pick Maksim Sokolovskii, an 18-year-old who had mostly practiced alongside NHL veterans during camp.
Sokolovskii didn’t participate in Saturday’s intra-squad scrimmage and was instead with Group C, which has now been eliminated except for injured forward Nikita Grebenkin. On that same day, the Flyers reduced their roster from 57 to 42 players, cutting prospects like Devin Kaplan—who already has NHL experience but was not given a chance in preseason—and others including Alex Ciernik, Zayde Wisdom, Brady Berard, Nathan Quinn, and several more.
Interestingly, from a prospects standpoint, Devin Kaplan’s exclusion from preseason game opportunities is notable, especially considering he has NHL experience. Kaplan has been overtaken on the depth chart by Noah Powell, who was not cut, along with veteran players such as Garrett Wilson, Zach Aston-Reese, and others like Danila Klimovich and Nolan Foote. Meanwhile, 2025 second-round pick Matthew Gard remains with the team despite being eligible to return to junior hockey, indicating the Flyers see potential in him. Additionally, 20-year-old Pautov, who could join junior hockey this season, is currently attending the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ training camp, having signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Flyers in June. Drafted eighth overall by the Gatineau Olympiques in the recent CHL import draft, Pautov’s high selection suggests the team values his development even if he might not play in the NHL immediately.
These roster moves clarify the Flyers’ current preferences in their player development and help identify which prospects are still competing for NHL spots, shaping expectations for the upcoming preseason.
Fan Take: These roster cuts signal the team’s focus on refining their core group and evaluating youth for future seasons, which excites fans eager to see emerging talent like Sokolovskii and Gard in action. For hockey enthusiasts, this process underscores the importance of player development and how preseason decisions can hint at the team’s long-term direction.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
