September 17, 2026
Eric Hartline/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Flyers will be getting a full year of Porter Martone for the 2026-27 season.
Danny Brière took a bit of a do-over.
Back on July 1, after the first day of NHL free agency, the Flyers general manager explained to the press that, while he is excited about the direction of his young team, he and the organization were bracing for all possible outcomes heading toward a new season, which included a potential step backward from a hard-earned playoff breakthrough.
"We took a big step forward last year," Brière said at the time. "And, you know, there's a chance, and a good chance, that we take a little bit of a step back this year. We're ready for that."
But that didn't quite sit right with some fans across the Flyers sphere from the moment he said it. After all, they finally got an exciting team to believe in again after years of mostly meaningless and apathetic hockey. What do you mean "a step back?"
"I think I didn't explain myself properly when I said that," Brière followed up on Tuesday, when he met with the press again just ahead of camp at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees. "You know, the part that keeps me up at night is having some of your players feel complacent, feel like they've made it."
"Let's face it, we're still a young team," Brière continued, with a whole lot still to learn.
But maybe with some tough lessons that just don't have to be.
Brière, on Tuesday, didn't have to go far to find an example of where that concern of possible regression stems from.
Matvei Michkov arrived to North America two years ago, quickly looked like he was going to be the Flyers' next big star as a rookie, but then had a tumultuous and sensationalized sophomore season that was rooted in his underwhelming conditioning and often clashed with the team's overall successes.
By all accounts, the 21-year-old seems to have learned his lesson, as Michkov reported back to Voorhees looking leaner and much faster on the ice during informal captains' skates, all with the aim of bouncing back in a big way.
But then there's Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, and Alex Bump, all core young players who made their NHL debuts later into last season, yet each produced the kind of results that were crucial to the Flyers making the playoffs, and then pushing into the second round of them.
Alex Bump brought strength along the walls and a shoot-first mentality that the Flyers needed in the latter half of last season.
At times, it was almost like it was easy for them, especially for Martone, who was at over a point-per-game pace for the season's last stretch after joining the team from Michigan State.
Now that each is expected to play their first full NHL season, and become even greater parts of the Flyers' lineup, what if they fall into the trap of thinking that it always will be?
"Those are the things that keep me up at night, worried that, you know, coming back, they'll think it's a little easier than they realize," Brière reiterated. "Obviously, they're gonna be a big part of our team, so if that happens, we could have a setback. That's kind of what I meant by that, after seeing what happened with Matvei.
"But at the end of the day, I'm hoping that they don't take it lightly, and they come out swinging again and they have a great second year pro."
Granted, it never seemed like they were.
Martone, Bump, and Barkey still reported for and participated in the Flyers' development camp earlier this summer, even though they probably don't need to anymore, and skated through the team's rookie camp for the past week up in Allentown and then back down at the training center in Voorhees as well.
"There's still a team to make and a job to earn," Martone said during dev camp back at the end of June.
They don't want to go backwards, and ultimately, Brière has far more faith in them than not that they won't, with a veteran enough support system around them to ensure that.
"We have a big belief – a huge belief – in Porter and Denver Barkey and also Alex Bump," Brière said. "I mean, those three, they're young. We know there's gonna be some ups and downs along the way. That's when you're hopeful that [Travis Konecny], Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster and company, that they'll protect those guys when the ups and downs come.
"But we see those three young guys as a big part of our future."
And they'll play crucial parts in ensuring that the Flyers don't take that step back, the thought that's been costing Brière some sleep.
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