Cole Knuble, son of former NHL forward Mike Knuble, made his NHL debut on Monday night for the Philadelphia Flyers, the team he grew up rooting for. His parents were in attendance at the Flyers' home arena, a place where his father played during a lengthy career.
The 22-year-old was one of three players called up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League to fill in for injured forwards Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster and Travis Konecny against the Colorado Avalanche. Knuble said the moment carried extra meaning for him.
"Obviously I have been a fan of this team my whole life, so I think it's extra special," Knuble said.
A fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft, Knuble nearly made the Flyers' roster out of training camp. He was disappointed to be sent to the minors but quickly changed his outlook. "I came [to camp] trying to make the team," he said. "But I think once I got down to Lehigh, the staff was so great. The players were all very welcoming, and I got to play in every situation." He added that getting an opportunity every game to showcase himself has been a lot of fun.
Mike Knuble played 362 games, counting playoffs, with Philadelphia during the 2005-09 seasons and in 2013.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing