Jersey numbers aren’t just styling choices for players; they signal habit, history and a hint of future role. Flyers fans will watch 2025-26 unfold with Sean Couturier in 14, Sam Ersson in 33, and Bobby Brink in 10, each choice tied to personal lore and team tradition. New additions carry numbers that angle toward roles to watch: Travis Konecny at 11, Trevor Zegras returning to 46 with Anaheim, and Christian Dvorak shifting to 22. Dvorak’s move mirrors Pelletier’s last-season 22, a nod to Flyers context and history. On defense, Dennis Gilbert lands 48 while Noah Juulsen takes 47, with Dan Vladař holding 80. The mix foregrounds how numbers can illuminate, but fantasy value still hinges on ice time, line combos and performance rather than digits.

Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger were named to USA Hockey’s Olympic Orientation Camp in Plymouth, Michigan (Aug. 26-27), joining 42 other invitees from 24 NHL teams as Team USA gears up for 2026 Milano Cortina. The two-day camp is administrative and team-building, with no on-ice sessions. The selection marks an early step toward finalizing the Olympic roster, which already included six players announced in June: Eichel, Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Hughes and McAvoy.

The U.S. sits atop the IIHF rankings and is chasing its first Olympic gold since 1980, after a 4 Nations final loss to Canada earlier in 2025 and a World Championship gold in May. A full invitee list was released by USA Hockey, underscoring the depth and ambition of this roster-building phase.

Patrick Kane will attend USA Hockey’s orientation camp in Plymouth, Michigan, aiming for a third Olympic appearance in Italy next year, and his veteran presence immediately becomes a focal point for the US lineup. Kane joins a cadre of Olympians and former Olympians at the two-day camp that doubles as administrative team-building ahead of the formal selection process. The gathering also highlights several expected contributors and surprises, underscoring how final roster decisions in January will hinge on health, chemistry, and where veteran leadership can push younger talent toward Olympic-level performance.

USA Hockey announced six of the 2026 Olympic forwards and defensed early this summer, with the final 25-man roster due in January. Notably absent from invites were high-end scorers like Alex DeBrincat, while names such as Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, and Brayden Tkachuk are already positioned as core pieces. Coaching duties fall to Minnesota’s Bill Guerin and Mike Sullivan, and the event itself signals a careful balance of continuity and new voices as the US chases a deep, adaptable squad for the Winter Games in Italy.