Takeaways from Flyers GM Danny Briere’s Pre-Camp Availability

Flyers GM Danny Briere addressed the media on Tuesday, on the final day of rookie camp and two days before main training camp opens ahead of the 2024-25 season. The topic at the forefront was the absence of goaltending prospect Alexei Kolosov. 

But after speaking on that topic for several minutes, the focus shifted to the current team. Here are five takeaways from Briere’s presser.

Ryan Johansen’s Contract Has Been Terminated

It was fairly late in the offseason that the Flyers made the decision to place Ryan Johansen on waivers for purposes of terminating his contract. Johansen cleared waivers as expected, setting the stage for the contract to officially be terminated, but there were reports that Johansen and the NHLPA was going to file a grievance.

The team never officially announced the termination of the contract, but Briere updated the situation on Tuesday.

“The contract is terminated,” Briere said. “I guess it’s in their hands now and they have to decide if they file a grievance or not. But, yes, as far as I understand it, the contract is terminated at this point.”

A ‘Tough Season’ Ahead for Michkov?

As for the players actively on the roster, all eyes are on Matvei Michkov as the shift from rookie camp to main training camp takes place. This is the first chance to see Michkov against veteran NHL players and coached under John Tortorella. 

The possibilities are endless with Michkov, who could play with a variety of players during camp and even into the season. Tortorella is known to change lines frequently and Briere noted that chemistry needs to come naturally and not be forced.

What part of Michkov’s game is Briere most excited for?

“I can’t wait to see how he’s going to create offense,” Briere said. “I think his brain is pretty special and he’s going to adapt. But it might not be instant. It might need time to adapt. 

“What I’ve been really impressed with is how hard he plays in traffic. He’s a little shorter, but he’s stocky, he’s strong. We look at the rookie games, how physical he was, how strong he was on the puck, at holding on to pucks and extending plays. That’s an area that I’m excited to watch.”

But Briere was also quick to pump the brakes on what the organization is expecting from the 19-year-old rookie. While fans have been lining up to see Michkov in his first practices at the Flyers Training Center, Briere believes that this could be a “tough season” for Michkov.

“I don’t have a lot of expectations for Matvei,” Briere said. “What I hope is for him to figure out how he can take the first step and get better as a player as the season goes on. I’m realistic. It’s going to be a tough season for him. This is the best league in the world. It’s a big step. It’s not going to be easy. So, my expectations are actually pretty low. I’m excited to watch him play, but he’s going to have to go through a lot before he’s probably the player he expects to be.”

Team is Entering Camp Healthy

Aside from a few holdovers from rookie camp, Briere said that everyone on the training camp roster is entering camp healthy. That includes players like Rasmus Ristolainen, who missed the conclusion of last season, as well as Jamie Drysdale and Sean Couturier, who each had offseason procedures for injuries. 

“As of now. You know how this goes. You always see it. Early in training camp, there’s a lot of guys that get banged up when the intensity rises,” Briere said. “You guys know Torts’ camp is not an easy one, but I believe it makes them stronger down the road. But as of right now, yes, our guys look strong, they look healthy.”

Health will play a critical role in both the team’s potential success and development this season. It’s an especially big season for Drysdale, whom the Flyers acquired last January. In his first full season with the Flyers, taking another step will be especially important. Meanwhile, established veterans like Couturier and Ristolainen can be essential parts to the team’s success.

Continued Development for Young Core

There are plenty of players not returning from an offseason procedure or injury last season that are going to be in crucial development years this upcoming season. Briere noted that one of the expectations this season is everyone taking another step individually, and pointed out some specific examples.

“There’s no doubt that Jamie Drysdale is one, being healthy. We’re excited to see him,” Briere said. “Maybe a guy like Bobby Brink had an up-and-down season, but we didn’t have him pegged in to make the team last year and he showed up and had a great training camp, and provided some sparks here and there throughout the season, so maybe he can expand on that. Another one for me would be Noah Cates. He had an excellent rookie season, last year was a little tougher for him. I expect him to bounce back.”

Briere also spoke about two players who are starting to hit a critical spot in their development. Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost are now both established veterans. Both Farabee and Frost are entering their sixth NHL season.

“Joel’s going to have a big role,” Briere said. “Adding Matvei now, you look at our wingers, it gives us three solid sets of wingers that you can work with so many different combinations. That’s the exciting part and Joel’s going to be part of it. We forget sometimes that Joel is still 24 years old, he’s been around for so long. He’s taken on a bigger leadership role. That probably started last year, and we expect to expand on that. He looks a little bigger and stronger. This summer for him having a chance to push, I expect bigger things from him.”

As for Frost, Briere believes that Frost being a much-earlier arrival to camp will be helpful for him starting the season off on the right foot. 

“I believe last year, arriving late at camp with the contract situation probably didn’t help,” Briere said. “He started behind the eight ball, behind everyone else, and he played catch-up the first month of the season. Then he was really good. He had some dips here and there, but overall it was a good season for Morgan. That’s another guy that we expect to take another step. You look at the wingers he’s going to have the chance to work with throughout the season, our centermen should be pretty excited.”

Any Spots Open from Last Year’s Roster?

Most of the Flyers roster is returning from last season. There was very little change, hold for the big addition of Michkov joining the fold. Does that leave any room for changes to the roster before opening night?

“When you look at last year, I think going into the season, we had [Tanner] Laczynski and [Wade] Allison kind of pegged in on those last few spots, and [Tyson] Foerster and Brink kind of on the outside, but those two guys played so well, we made room for them. Going into this year, and that's going to be the key, those players, including Tyson and Bobby, have to know that nothing's a lock, and they still have to push ahead and not take anything for granted. Some of the players that are going to be pushing for spots are probably guys like [Olle] Lycksell, Rodrigo Abols is another one. Anthony Richard, could surprise. There's also [Oscar] Eklind, a big left winger, There's definitely some guys that are going to be pushing for spots, and nobody can be too comfortable.”

Many of the names mentioned there are veterans of the minor leagues or international leagues, looking for an opportunity. What about prospects? Is there any chance for them?

“I don't want to say no, because we'll see how it is,” Briere said. “I've read some of the comments on [Jett] Luchanko. These guys are here. They have the mindset that they want to make the team. And I don't want to take that away from them before camp starts. Their play is going to speak on the ice, and we’ll see. When you talk about guys like Luchanko and [Oliver] Bonk it's more than just, are they ready? But what about the future too? You’ve got to consider what's best for the development. What's best for three, five or seven years down the road when you talk about guys that are 18 and 19 years old.”

Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on social media @Kevin_Durso.