The Philadelphia Flyers have been one of the biggest stories of the NHL this season, holding a playoff spot a third of the way into the season. As we get closer to the holidays, more interesting news is creeping up about the team. We will look at the World Junior Championship rosters, Carter Hart, and a new announcement about the Flyers’ Stadium Series matchup in February.
World Juniors Rosters Announced, 3 Flyers Participating
World Junior action starts on Dec. 26, and the rosters for each country have already been announced. Defenseman Oliver Bonk, whom the Flyers selected with their 22nd-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, is the Flyers’ lone representative on Team Canada.
The 18-year-old blueliner is a point-per-game in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the London Knights, tied for sixth in overall points among defensemen in the OHL with 30. He’s a pretty clear choice to make the team, enjoying a 17-11-1 record with the Knights. London teammate and third-round selection of the Flyers in 2023, Denver Barkey, did not make the final cut despite leading the team with 41 points.
Canada’s roster is a bit weaker than in previous years — especially without teenage star Connor Bedard this time around — but they still have some good talent. Canada won the tournament last season, but it won’t be a gimme for them to do it again.
No surprises, the Flyers’ former fifth-overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft, Cutter Gauthier, was a lock for Team USA. On a fairly stacked roster, he is one of the most talented players on the team. Playing for Boston College, he is tied for second in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in goals with 13 and is the only teenager in the league in the top 10. His 23 points in 17 games put him in some pretty good company, but his shot is the most lethal part of his game. There’s still some growth needed in his overall game, but he has time for that to happen.
Finally, a second Flyers draft selection (2023) was chosen to represent his country. Alex Ciernik, a winger out of Slovakia drafted in the fourth round, is playing solid hockey in the HockeyAllsvenskan. Among teenagers in the league, he is third in points with 12 in 19 games. The individual numbers aren’t super impressive, but he is also playing in a league that is largely filled with players older than him. He should be one of the best that Slovakia has to offer, and the tournament should help…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…