Philadelphia Flyers defenseman prospect Oliver Bonk skated with the NHL team for the first time this week during practices halted by the 2026 Winter Olympics break. Recalled from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Tuesday alongside another young blueliner, Bonk soaked in the atmosphere while goaltender Carson Bjarnason had arrived a day earlier to back up the roster thinned by Olympic absences and injuries.

The Olympic roster freeze ends Feb. 22. Bonk expects a quick return to Allentown before the Flyers resume play Feb. 25. Still, the stint offers a glimpse of NHL life. ‘Yeah, I mean it’s cool. This is where you want to be all the time, so it’s nice for sure,’ Bonk told reporters after his initial session.

His pro career started roughly. Bonk suffered an injury after rookie camp last fall, missing the entire Flyers training camp and his AHL debut until Dec. 6. A long shot to crack the opening roster even with Rasmus Ristolainen sidelined, the setback pushed any NHL dreams further out.

Recovery took time. Bonk said he felt normal after about 10 games. ‘Dropped some weight that I was carrying from rehabbing and not skating as much. And I started feeling better on the ice with skating and stuff like that,’ he explained.

The layoff reshaped his routine. Extra stretching and rehab now precede every skate. ‘It teaches you how to be a pro early on,’ Bonk said. ‘It’s something you have to deal with and you deal with it — and hopefully now I’m past it and it doesn’t happen again.’

Those habits could pay dividends. Bonk posted two goals and six points in 22 AHL games. His first eight produced nothing, matching his self-described return to form. That leaves six points in 14 games — solid output for a 20-year-old in his pro debut season.

Flyers practices this week let coaches eye young talent with veterans like Dan Vladar at the Olympics and Sam Ersson nursing an injury. Bonk’s turn comes amid a quiet stretch before the Phantoms’ next game Friday, when he could head back down.

Familiarity matters. Bonk aims to build on the exposure. A strong AHL finish positions him for another training camp push in several months. Adversity hit early. Now he carries pro-level preparation into the stretch run.