The Necessary Spark: Cole Knuble Is Injecting Life Into the Flyers Lineup

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The Necessary Spark: Cole Knuble Is Injecting Life Into the Flyers Lineup

NHL: Philadelphia Flyers at Buffalo Sabres — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

William James · Philly Hockey Now

Thu, Oct 22, 2026 ·

3 min read

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"Not a lot of brain cells," said Flyers forward Trevor Zegras following Monday's win vs. the Colorado Avalanche, about the trio of Denver Barkery, Alex Bump , and Cole Knuble . "They're great; they bring a lot of energy for the team in the locker room and on the bench. They're having a blast, which goes up and down the lineup."

The Flyers have felt the youthful energy after a recent flurry of call-ups, including Bump's return from the AHL and Knuble's call-up and NHL debut.

After a sluggish start to the 2026-27 season, the Flyers signed veteran winger Michael Bunting , looking to provide a spark. Bunting has looked solid so far in his time in Philly, but he has not found the offensive production that the Flyers were hoping for. That spark was still missing.

The Flyers found that spark with their new wave of young guys, and Cole Knuble is leading that charge.

Knuble scored not his first, but his first two career NHL goals on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres en route to their 3-1 win over the Atlantic Division foe.

"[I'm] so excited for the kid, you know, and then (Knuble) getting another one," said head coach Rick Tocchet on Cole Knuble scoring his first two NHL goals. "I think we all know he had a really good training camp; he stuck with it, went down [to the AHL]. Great attitude. And obviously, good things are happening for him.

Even if he was held off the scoresheet on Monday, Knuble's impact was on display against the Avalanche with his energy and hustle. He was rewarded with his first taste and a double dip of NHL scoring on Wednesday.

Knuble was called up on Monday due to a lack of healthy forwards. It may not have been intended to find the spark. But that is exactly what happened.

Cole Knuble on His 2 Games With the Flyers, So Far

"I've felt better and better every period," said Knuble on his first taste of NHL action after Wednesday's win. "So, I think it'll continue to come. It'll be nice to get some practice time. You know, maybe start playing with the same players . I think it'll just get better and better."

"I think I can obviously play and help the team at this level," said Knuble. "I think I can bring energy, and I'll do whatever it takes to be a part of this group."

In his short two-game stint with the Flyers so far, he has done just that.

NHL Game Score Impact Card for Philadelphia Flyers on 2026-10-21: pic.twitter.com/TQK3LXTMQA

— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) October 22, 2026

He's making his impact on the team, producing offense, and bringing a spark to the team's 4th line.

When asked about his early success, the young Flyers' winger says the work he's put in has helped him get here. "I've put a lot of work in over the years; I'm confident in my abilities. It's obviously a jump up. The best players in the world. I play with really great teammates too. So obviously those guys have been great for me. "