Development camps opened across the NHL this week, giving fans their first look at the 2026 draft class in team colors. Plenty of storylines emerged from the opening sessions, starting in Voorhees, where the Flyers’ returning young core set the tone and their newest first-rounder stole the show.
Porter Martone, Denver Barkey and Alex Bump are all but locks for Philadelphia’s opening night roster after breaking through last season, but all three were back on the ice Monday for the start of development camp anyway. Martone explained his mindset simply, telling Nick Tricome with PhillyVoice: “There’s still a team to make and a job to earn.” Player development director Riley Armstrong said the trio’s willingness to mentor the new draftees is exactly what the organization hopes carries over down the line.
The bigger buzz, though, surrounded 6-foot-7 first-round pick Maksim Sokolovskii (27th overall), who turned heads on day one with mobility that belied his size. Barkey, skating next to him in drills, told The Hockey News of the gap between them, “It doesn’t make me feel too good about myself.” Even Jack Nesbitt, a 6-foot-5 first-rounder himself who faced Sokolovskii in the OHL last season, came away wary, telling The Hockey News, “Definitely a big boy, and he can hit alright. Try to stay away from him a little bit.” Sokolovskii himself was all smiles afterward, telling Broad Street Hockey he felt “amazing” after putting on the Flyers logo for the first time. Maksim will look to return to the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this year, and is committed to the University of Maine for the 2027-28 season.
Additional Development Camp Notes:
- The Penguins kicked off camp by deliberately splitting up identical twins Liam Ruck (No. 22) and Markus Ruck (No. 39), placing them in separate practice groups for the first time in years. The forwards, per Wes Crosby on NHL.com, had gone no longer than four days apart since Markus was born eight minutes ahead of Liam on Feb. 21, 2008, in Osoyoos, British Columbia. Markus, who led the WHL in points (108) and assists (87) while Liam ranked second in points (104) and goals (45), downplayed their division of labor: “We don’t tell each other, ‘Hey, you score. Hey, you pass.’ It’s just kind of the way it unfolds.” Both noted the value in learning to play apart, Markus citing the possibility of injury or landing on different teams, though the dream remains a shared NHL debut. They return to Medicine Hat next season before North Dakota in 2027-28.
- In Nashville, the Predators got their first on-ice look at first-rounders Wyatt Cullen (10th overall) and Tommy Bleyl (31st), who skated in the same group Monday and came away impressed with one another. “He’s a great player,” Bleyl said of Cullen, per the Predators’ team site. “We were doing some shooting a little bit beforehand, and he has a great shot. I can tell he’s a fast player, really fun to play with.” Cullen returned the compliment, calling Bleyl “such a dynamic defenseman, such a good skater, such a good puck handler.” Cullen carries a notable legacy as the son of three-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Cullen, who played for Nashville from 2013-15, while Bleyl arrives as the reigning QMJHL Defenseman of the Year and Rookie of the Year.
