The Philadelphia Flyers have signed one of their prospects to an Entry-Level Contract after his collegiate career wrapped up earlier this month.
Cole Knuble, out of the University of Notre Dame, has signed his rookie deal with the Flyers on Tuesday afternoon. It was almost a guarantee that this was going to happen shortly after his Notre Dame team were knocked out of the Big 10 playoffs by the University of Michigan last Wednesday. And now after taking a week or so to put pen to paper, he’s going to ride out the remainder of his season in the Flyers organization.
A gift from the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 17, 2026
We’ve inked forward Cole Knuble to a two-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2026-27 season. https://t.co/OJh4zqkvS1
Knuble’s Entry-Level Contract will officially start next season and due to him starting that contract at the age of 22, it is going to be just a two-year rookie deal as opposed to the three-year standard for younger players.
What makes it more interesting is that the Grand Rapids, Michigan native, is going to report to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the remainder of the season and give that team some jump down the middle. Or, he will at least get a taste of professional hockey before truly kicking off his career next season.
Knuble had a stellar sophomore season last year, scoring 12 goals and 39 points in 34 games, leading Notre Dame in scoring. He did, by all accounts, have the opportunity to turn pro last summer but wanted one more year in school. Unfortunately, it did not go according to plan as he saw a slight dip in production this past season, with nine goals and 31 points in 36 games. It’s not a massive decrease but it wasn’t building off on his great second college season.
Hopefully, he can finish his season on a strong note with the Phantoms. Knuble is not projected to be some offensive powerhouse at any pro level, but rather potentially a solid bottom-six center. There is obviously no telling what his role is going to be with the Phantoms for the rest of the season, but with that team in a tight playoff race with zero wiggle room for any mistakes, it is easy to think that he’s going to start in a lesser role until he proves himself to be more deserving of a big opportunity than more experienced players like Philip Tomasino or Lane Pederson down the middle.
Knuble’s signing starts what could be an interesting wave of prospects coming to the Flyers and the Phantoms. Obviously, Porter Martone is the big fish and we’re all dying to see him in the Orange and Black but other prospects like Jack Berglund, who is about to start his SHL playoff run with Farjestad next week, could end up stateside before the end of the season.
It will be an interesting few weeks as the season comes to a close and we get a little, itty-bitty glance at the potential future of the Flyers.
