The 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase will occur from July 26 to August 3 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The United States, Canada, Finland, and Sweden will participate in the nine-game tournament.
The showcase allows players to represent their country while also trying to prove their case to be selected for their respective national team for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in December in Ottawa.
Six Flyers prospects will represent their home nations at the showcase later this month. Carson Bjarnason, Denver Barkey, Oliver Bonk, Jett Luchanko, and Carter Sotheran will all represent Canada, while Noah Powell will represent the United States.
Carson Bjarnason (G)
Drafted 51st overall in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Bjarnason attended Flyers Development Camp earlier this month and will return to the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL for 2024-25.
In 2023-24, Bjarnason played in 46 games finishing with a 24-17-5 record, a 3.01 GAA, and a 0.907 SV%. He ranked 11th overall in WHL wins, 11th in goals against average, and ninth in save percentage.
Bjarnason is in contention to make Canada’s roster for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. At his second development camp this year Bjarnason noted that going into next season, he would like to focus more on his footwork considering his 6’3″ frame.
“Just a lot with the footwork, I’m a big guy and I have to use my frame to my advantage,” Bjarnason said. “Getting the hands out and active and just being able to beat the pass.”
While honing on his skills in what looks to be his final year of junior hockey, Bjarnason has the potential to develop into a solid piece for the Flyers’ future between the pipes.
Oliver Bonk (D)
One of the most exciting Flyers prospects beyond Matvei Michkov, Bonk had a stellar season with the London Knights in the OHL. In 60 games, he registered 67 points (24G, 43A). Bonk turned some heads at Flyers Development Camp, most notably with his defensive game.
Bonk represented Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. In five games, as Canada was eliminated early, he recorded three assists. It seems almost certain that Bonk will once again be named to Canada’s roster for the 2025 tournament.
He was signed to his entry-level contract by general manager Daniel Briere in August 2023. At development camp, Bonk mentioned that he’ll probably go back to London next season, but he doesn’t want that to be his mindset when training camp comes around.
“You gotta come in and believe you’re gonna make the team,” Bonk said. “It’s probable that I go back. They didn’t tell me for sure you’re going back; they didn’t tell me that you’re staying here. You just gotta put in your head that you wanna stay here; you gotta not lose any battles; you gotta out battle every single guy; do your best because if you already think you’re going back, you’re probably gonna end up back there.”
Bonk will enter training camp with the mindset that he can make the team. But regardless of the outcome, expect Bonk to put on another clinic with the London Knights in 2024-25 in hopes of winning the Memorial Cup.
Carter Sotheran (D)
The Flyers’ 135th overall pick in 2023, Sotheran will be entering his third season with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL. In 2023-24, he tallied 40 points (13G, 27A) in 66 games played.
Sotheran will be aiming to put on a good showcase later this month and potentially pave his way onto Canada’s World Junior roster. He’s a right-handed shot defenseman, something that has become rarer in today’s game, and is an all-around player willing to do whatever it takes to win.
2024 Flyers Development camp marked the second time that Sotheran was a participant. He also attended Flyers Training Camp in September 2023. When thinking about learning experiences to take back with him to Portland from his second development camp, Sotheran wants to take back a little bit of everything.
“A little bit of everything,” Sotheran said. “Got a good group of coaches here, so whatever they teach me throughout the way, take that into Portland and hopefully have another good year.”
Denver Barkey (F)
Another London Knight, Barkey attended Flyers Development Camp after a flat-out dominant season in the OHL. In 64 games, Barkey scored 102 points (35G, 67A) which ranked him fifth in league scoring.
At 2023 Flyers Development Camp, Barkey was limited due to injury. This year, he was active throughout the entire camp. He wasn’t selected for Canada’s 2024 World Junior team but made a strong statement with his play in the OHL as to why the team made a mistake passing on him.
Going into next year, Barkey’s main goal is to continue adding weight to his frame. Barkey is on the smaller end regarding NHL forwards, standing at 5’9″ and weighing around 160lbs. Continuing to add strength will benefit his game in the long run and will allow home to keep up with the level of physicality in the NHL.
“The biggest thing for me my whole life is just continuing to get bigger and stronger,” Barkey said. “Putting on weight, spending a lot of time in the gym, that’s always been the biggest thing for me and that’s gonna be another big thing this summer.”
Barkey signed his entry-level contract with the Flyers in March.
Jett Luchanko (F)
The Flyers’ 13th overall selection at the 2024 NHL Draft, Luchanko is ready for the task at hand to make the World Junior team for the first time. At Flyers Development Camp, Luchanko impressed the most during the Team Jones vs Team Briere scrimmage.
Speed is the name of Luchanko’s game. One of the fastest skaters in the 2024 draft class and also one of the most impressive at the combine, Luchanko plays older than his age. Only 17 years old, Luchanko inked his entry-level deal at the end of development camp.
The selection of Luchanko seemed like a reach for many analysts and draft pundits, but the Flyers have a long-term vision for Luchanko, which is why they traded back one position to snag the Guelph Storm centerman.
When talking about being picked by the Flyers at development camp, Luchanko said that the draft doesn’t change the way he sees things and he just wants to work hard every single day regardless of where he went in the draft.
“The draft doesn’t change the way that I see things or go about my business,” Luchanko said. “For me, I’m always trying to work hard every single day and I think good things come from that. I’m not really worried about where I went; just worried about getting to work and getting started here.”
Noah Powell (F)
Shifting to the United States now, Powell was selected by the Flyers with the 148th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Standing at 6’2″ and playing on the right-wing, Powell is a goal scorer. He lit he lamp 43 times with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL in 2023-24. He led the USHL in goals and finished fifth overall in points with 74.
Powell put together an impressive development camp overall. His skating ability may be a bit underwhelming right now, but he has the tools to improve with time.
An interesting fact about Powell is that he has climbed the ranks of hockey while dealing with hearing loss since birth. Despite his hearing loss, Powell doesn’t let that change the way he plays or thinks about the game, and he’s adapted well over his career.
“I read lips pretty well and I do wear hearing aids, sometimes it’s hard to wear them because there’s a lot of sounds on the ice and it can echo and ring,” Powell said. “But I feel like I’ve gotten better over the years in terms of really listening and hearing what the coaches are saying.”
In 2024-25, Powell will play in the NCAA for Ohio State University.
Photo credit: Haley Taylor-Simon
