VOORHEES, N.J. — After playing a key role in two straight Memorial Cup championships for the London Knights, Flyers standout junior prospect Oliver Bonk could afford to take summer development camp off due to a lingering injury.
The 20-year-old defenseman banged up his shoulder in May and the team medical staff decided to follow that old “discretion is the better part of valor” bit of wisdom. So Bonk is at the Flyers Training Center and enjoying himself as he interacts with some of the other highly regarded prospects.
“Physically I feel pretty good,” he said. “Just a couple bruises from the playoffs. We decided it was better to take another week off the ice and kind of get the body right before a big summer. It’s hard not being out there. You want to be out there with the boys. It’s tough but you get to hang out with them in the locker room. So it’s been fun.”
Bonk, the son of former Ottawa and Montreal great Radek Bonk, was a first-round draft pick (22nd overall) in 2023. Since that draft, he’s put together two magnificent seasons: In 2023-24, 60 games, 24 goals and 67 points with a plus-28. In 2024-25, 52 games, 11 goals and 40 points with a plus-37.
The fact that his offensive production fell off a bit this past season doesn’t seem to bother him a bit.
“It felt like this year I wasn’t getting too many bounces,” Bonk said. “Obviously the year before I got every single bounce. But I don’t feel like my offensive game has gotten any worse.”
At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Bonk could probably add a few pounds if he has designs on playing in the NHL.
“Get physically ready, mentally ready,” Bonk said in response to a question about his aspirations for the big time. “Physically, this summer, I have to get a lot bigger. Put on some weight. When you’re playing against heavy guys, that’s important.”
Coming out of last year’s fall training camp, there was talk Bonk might have a chance of making the Flyers roster. That didn’t happen but Bonk believes he’s making progress.
“I learned a lot from last year,” he said. “I talked with ‘Torts’ (former coach John Tortorella) and he gave me some good advice. That doesn’t change no matter what coach we have. There’s a new coach (in Rick Tocchet) and I’ll listen to him.”
His goals this year?
“My expectation is I’m going to make the team,” he said. “You can’t be aiming to go to the ‘A’ (AHL) because then you will be going to the A. If you set the bar higher than it should be, that’s where you will end up.
“Some guys will say it’s not realistic but I think it is.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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