In their 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 18, there was one member of the Philadelphia Flyers who should feel good about himself. Helge Grans, who was called up from the American Hockey League (AHL) due to numerous injuries on their blue line, recorded his first NHL point in his debut.
Not done yet. #COLvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/ZQYX2UYcGX
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) November 19, 2024
Grans, a 22-year-old defender, was selected in the second round by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2020 NHL Draft. He had some decent progression in Swedish juniors and eventually the AHL, but a disappointing showing in 2022-23 led to him being expendable for the Kings. He was a throw-in piece for the massive three-way trade that sent Ivan Provorov to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Along with a plethora of assets, the Flyers received Grans.
The young defenseman put up eight points in 56 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season. That’s a third of what he did in the AHL at 19 years old (24 points), so, even if he’s not exactly an offensively-minded player, the regression was notable. However, his play with the Phantoms this time around got him a call-up opportunity. With Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, and Emil Andrae all out with injuries, it was Grans’ time to shine.
In his NHL debut, Grans recorded a secondary assist in the third period. Scoring is a career milestone, but it doesn’t keep you with the big club. That said, the Flyers controlled the pace when he was on the ice, outshooting the Avalanche 13-5 and outscoring them 2-0 at 5-on-5. He most definitely earned himself another look.
