Nikita Grebenkin’s first full season in a Flyers uniform was quite a mixed bag, but we leave the season with belief that Grebenkin can be an incredibly effective fourth liner for this team moving forward.
Acquired in the Scott Laughton trade, Grebenkin came over as a lottery ticket prospect addition in the deal. Grebenkin did not play in any games with the Flyers in 2024-25, but he did make an impact in his limited time with the Phantoms last season (3 goals, 4 assists in 11 games). Moving into last offseason and into training camp, Grebenkin was one of the main rookie contenders for a roster spot on opening night.
While he wasn’t the most consistent player this year, he flashed the level of play that the best-case scenario of Grebenkin might eventually be. Rookie inconsistencies are to be expected, and injuries aside, it’s hard not to leave this season excited about what Grebenkin might be. The stats aren’t overwhelming, but for a player who was being used in 3rd and 4th line minutes, the counting stats aren’t too bad. Purely by the eye test too, Grebenkin excelled in puck protection, along the boards, and in winning one-on-one battles all over the ice. Plainly, it is easy to imagine Grebenkin’s game translating in the coming years to a really effective bottom-six role.
| Games played | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM | Shots On Goal | Shooting Percentage | Average TOI |
| 55 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 46 | 32 | 12.5 | 11:17 |
In terms of advanced stats, Grebenkin’s season was also a mixed bag. At 5-on-5, the Flyers were below water by pretty much every stat when Grebenkin was on the ice. It is worth remembering, however, the state of the Flyers fourth line for the majority of the season. Grebenkin’s most common linemates were Rodrigo Abols and Garnet Hathaway through the first half of the season. Neither Abols nor Hathaway (1 goal, 2 assists in 63 games) were viable NHL linemates for the vast majority of the season prior to Hathaway’s resurgence in the playoffs. It’s not like Grebenkin was getting heavy minutes with top-quality linemates, although there was a stretch of the season where Grebenkin was playing more with Noah Cates, Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, and a few others. Either way, these numbers aren’t inspiring, but the context of Grebenkin’s linemates offer a partial explanation for them.
| (5v5) Goals For % | Expected Goals For % | Corsi For % | High Danger Attempts For % | PDO |
| 43.18 | 46.88 | 48.02 | 46.26 | 0.976 |
Isolating for individual impacts, the numbers are pretty below average for Grebenkin as well. Yet again, it’s important to keep in mind the linemates that Grebenkin played with, but these numbers are going to need to improve. Generally, these numbers are around the averages for NHL-fourth liners, so it’s a solid place for Grebenkin to build from moving forward. You’d like to see more shot attempts and shots on goal coming from Grebenkin, especially for a player that excels in puck possession. Hopefully, next season brings higher quality linemates and more offensive zone time, where Grebenkin will be best able to make an impact with his play along the walls.
| 5v5) Points Per 60 | Primary Points Per 60 | Shots On Goal Per 60 | Shot Attempts Per 60 | Expected Goals Per 60 |
| 1.35 | 0.97 | 3.19 | 7.06 | 0.4 |
Did Grebenkin live up to expectations?
For the most part, yes. Considering the quality of linemates, Grebenkin did pretty well for his first full season in the NHL. He flashed skills that are typical of what we’d expect from a fourth-liner, having numerous games throughout the year where a Grebenkin-led fourth line physically took over. If Grebenkin had not got injured in late March, he might have looked even better next to a rejuvenated Garnet Hathaway or the playoff-version of Sean Couturier. It’s easy to imagine that Grebenkin’s puck protection skills would have helped that line a lot, and it’s a shame that we never got to see it in really important games.
What can we expect from Grebenkin next season?
In the best case scenario, we can expect Grebenkin to benefit from the Flyers’ increased depth and infusion of young talent on all four lines. Next year, with full seasons of Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and more, Grebenkin’s most common linemate is not going to be a Rodrigo Abols type player. It will hopefully be a young player with skill, or a version of Sean Couturier that we saw in the playoffs, or at the very least the effective version of Hathaway. Hopefully, an increase in quality of linemates will help Grebenkin excel in his second full season in the league, and bring his advanced metrics to at least break-even.
How do we grade Grebenkin’s 2025-26 season?
In the end, while it was not an entirely smooth season for Grebenkin, Grebenkin showcased a valuable potential role in this organization. He’s kinda exactly what you dream of in a modern fourth liner – a physical presence that is both a pest for the opposition and has enough skill to pot around 20 points a year. If he can get his play-driving numbers up with better linemates next season, there’s a long-term role for Grebenkin moving forward. For a rookie season, showing this potential earns a solid overall grade for Grebenkin.
Grade: B
