Flyers’ Ethan Samson Out Long-Term, Three Out Day-To-Day

The Philadelphia Flyers shared updates on four injured players on Thursday morning. Most notably, depth defenseman Ethan Samson is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks with an upper-body injury. Samson appeared to be well outside of the NHL roster by the end of training camp, but he was a standout during the team’s rookie showcase. His absence will alter Philadelphia’s plans for building their minor-league defense through the season’s first couple of months.

Samson was a pivotal piece of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season. He led the team’s defense in goals (12) and ranked second in points (24). Both were substantial improvements over the three goals and 12 points that Samson managed as an AHL rookie in 2023-24. He’s proven to be a diligent offensive-defenseman in the minor ranks, with an impressive bit of grit behind his downhill drive. He appears close to earning a spot on Philadelphia’s call-up sheet, though will now need to wait until at least mid-season to see that through.

The Flyers also announced that defenseman Oliver Bonk, and forwards Karsen Dorwart and Lane Pederson, are all day-to-day with upper-body injuries.

Bonk has carried a day-to-day designation for a full week now. He has been on and off of the ice since Philadelphia’s rookie camp, both donning a non-contact jersey and in a regular jersey. Bonk played through 69 games last season, as the London Knights blazed to an OHL and Memorial Cup championship. It seems the Flyers’ top defense prospect is still working his way back to 100 percent – a factor that could default him to the AHL when the season opens up.

While a part of Philadelphia’s injury updates, Dorwart did briefly return to the ice on Thursday after missing the last few days. He played through the first five games of his NHL career after signing with the Flyers as an undrafted college free agent. The former Michigan State Spartan could be a candidate to carve out a fourth-line role when the Flyers break camp. Pederson, who was injured in Philadelphia’s last preseason game, will more likely start in the AHL. He appeared in 18 games and scored 12 points with the Bakersfield Condors last season, before a separate injury ended his campaign early.