All-access tour of Flyers Training Center
On Saturday night, following the first two tournament games earlier in the day, the players and coaches had a BBQ dinner at Flyers Training Center on the facility's new third rink area. Thereafter, Sharp and Briere conducted a comprehensive tour of the entire facility. Campers visited the locker rooms, press conference area and much more. In fact, they toured various sections that even Flyers players and staff do not typically venture: players-only inner sanctums and workout room (coaches and team management do not visit these areas and media access is not allowed) , head coach Rick Tocchet's office and assistant coach work areas, the trainers' work space, General Manager Daniel Briere and President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones' offices, executive meeting rooms and the perches overlooking the practice rinks.
Briere showed campers some of the tools of the general manager trade that he puts to use on a daily basis. He broke down what he does on an average day, and walked everyone through "typical" interactions with the assistant general managers: Brent Flahr (amateur prospects), Alyn McCauley (pro-level prospects and Lehigh Valley Phantoms operations), and Barry Hanrahan (Collective Bargaining Agreement compliance and salary cap matters). He also explained the functions of the management support staff.
Overall, camp attendees received a whirlwind tour of what the players, coaches and team hockey operations executives do on a day-in and day-out basis. Several Alumni on the tour (whose own playing careers overlapped with various different decades of team history) remarked on the care and attention to the smallest details that go in nowadays to tending to today's NHL players.
In a humorous moment, one of the Alumni commented on how much Flyers icon Bobby Clarke would have felt like he'd landed on a different planet (either as an NHL player or general manager) compared to today's luxurious digs. The Flyers of begone eras had state-of-the-art team facilities (especially workout areas) for their eras but as the Alum said, "The sweat, the blood and the laughter are the same. Everything else is different."
Retro Uniforms
The 2025 version of Fantasy Camp featured a major change from the 10 previous camps: the game day uniforms. Players practiced in customary camp sweaters in their team colors. However, once the games started, each of the four squads featured special retro uniforms modeled in painstaking detail -- crests, color schemes and stitching -- after four different American Hockey League farm teams from Flyers History.
Team New Balance (Green jerseys) channeled the Quebec Aces, the Flyers' original farm team from the formative years of the organization. Team PSS Group (orange) wore uniforms that evoked the Richmond Robins of the early-to-mid 1970s. Team River Rock Academy (white) featured the uniform design of the original version of the Maine Mariners from the late 1970s to early 1980s. Team Toyota (purple) became doppelgangers for the Philadelphia Phantoms during their years of playing away from their home at the historic Spectrum.
23rd St. Armory
Every year at camp, Alumni Association president Brad Marsh, Flyers director of youth and amateur hockey programs Rob Baer and now-retired Alumni Camp founder and longtime Flyers ambassador of hockey Bob "the Hound" Kelly take the camp attendees to a different secret location known ahead of time only to themselves. Last year, it was dinner on Boathouse Row. Another year, it was a suite at a Phillies game with Phils Alumni taking in the game with their Flyers Alumni counterparts and the players in camp. At a subsequent camp, the group received a private tour and dinner aboard the historic USS New Jersey battleship.
This year, the private tour and dinner took place at the 23rd St. Armory in Center City. The armory has been in continuous service to the country (and before that, the Pennsylvania colony) since 1774. Veterans of every foreign war, the Revolutionary War and the Civil War were connected to the Philadelphia armory.
During the visit, extremely knowledgeable tour guide Matteo walked the camp attendees through the artifacts and exhibits. Additionally, the Alumni camp coach plus longtime Alumni Association supporters Dan Maggiani and Steve Capoferri, visited the non-commissioned officers lounge for a short Alumni-only gathering shortly before dinner.
After supper, legendary Flyers public address announcer Lou Nolan introduced each of the four competing team rosters and coaching staffs. The annual tradition evokes opening night player and coach introductions for the Flyers players.
Unofficial 2025 All-Fantasy Camp Awards
The Flyers official website and the Alumni started this unofficial tradition three years ago: based loosely on the Flyers annual team awards. Fantasy Camp standouts are honored in the end-of-camp wrapup article on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com. Here are the 2025 Camp winners:
Bobby Clarke Award (tournament MVP): Devon Richio, F, Team Toyota
The Flyers Warriors power forward used his size and strength advantage to buzz regularly around the scoring areas and scored several clutch goals for his championship-winning team. He tied with Team PSS Group forward Zach Stahl for the tournament goal-scoring lead. Stahl, from Brockport, NY, beat Richio by one point (12 points in four games apiece) for the overall points lead among individual players. The 2025 camp marked the third time since overall scoring stats started to be unofficially tracked that Stahl has been the top scorer. In one game, Zach and father Eric combined for seven goals in a 10-7 win over River Rock Academy. Meanwhile, Richio had a five-goal game in Team Toyota's opening 13-8 win over Team PSS. Zach Stahl racked up four goals in a losing cause in the same game.
Bernie Parent Award (top goaltender): Phil Brady and Conor McElwain, Team Toyota
The Brady/McElwain tandem went undefeated in the tournament, combining for a 3-0-1 record. Meanwhile, Team River Rock Academy's Glenn Moir and Dean Humphreys flirted with a shutout for two-plus periods in an eventual 2-2 tie with Team Toyota on Sunday. Richo and John Hughes scored late goals to forge the eventual deadlock. Dan Rieber of Team PSS won the unofficial award previously.
Dave Poulin Award (leadership and dedication): Brian George, F, Team River Rock
Originally from the Delaware Valley but living for many years in Chicagoland, Brian George is a member of the select "Eleven Club" of five people who have taken part in each and every camp in some capacity. The five: George, Eric and Zach Stahl, Team River Rock forward/defenseman Lupo Dion (Yamhill, OR), and Team River Rock leader Steve "Cappy" Capoferri. At Sunday night's Farewell Dinner and Hockey Hot Stove Q&A session, the five members of the Eleven Club were honored with a special acknowledgement and gift from the Alumni. Meanwhile, George overcame a lower-body injury suffered on Sunday morning to return to action and score a goal in Monday's championship game. George doesn't care about personal stats or ice time. He just wants to help his team win: an unselfish leader by example.
The WSS -- Watson/Sutter/Schenn -- Award (tournament families): The Jaffes, the Yuters, the Stahls, the McElwains, the Koltenbacks.
Each year, Flyers Alumni Fantasy Camp features brother combinations (including Howard, Fred and Mark Jaffe of Team New Balance), father-son teammates (Jordan and Ben Yuter of Team New Balance, Eric and Zach Stahl), cousins and more. The 2025 tourney even had the husband/wife tandem of Dominic and Jenny Koltenback (Hatfield, PA). Jenny was also part of another piece of Fantasy Camp history. Together, she and Team PSS Group goalie Heather Meister (Philadelphia) represented the first time that two women played on the same team at Fantasy Camp.
The Mark Howe Award (best defenseman): Phil Foster, Team Toyota
On the Flyers, of course, the best defenseman award is named in honor of the late Barry Ashbee. In the unofficial Fantasy Camp version, it's named for Hockey Hall of Fame member Mark Howe, who has coached at several Fantasy Camp tourneys. This year, Flyers Warriors regular and Team Toyota defenseman Phil Foster was the shoo-in winner for the Howe Award as the best all-around defenseman in the tournament. He's a very smooth skater, positionally smart, and contributes offensively as well as defensively.
The Kevin Dineen Award (on-ice agitator, off-ice gentleman); Lupo Dion, D/F, Team River Rock
A new award this year, named in honor of former Flyers captain Kevin Dineen, who was as feisty as could be as a hockey player and an extremely approachable and friendly presence off the ice during his many years playing in the NHL. At Fantasy Camp, Lupo is one of the most easy-going and friendly people off the ice. On the ice, he's a frequent visitor to the penalty box with a chippy streak.
The Pelle Lindbergh '83 Award (rising star): Ben Yuter, G, Team New Balance
The 2025 tournament marked the second time that goaltender Ben Yuter (after a one-year absence) played in the Fantasy Camp Cup tournament. He and teammate Chris Schultz kept their team competitive and the team itself improved as the tournament moved along. As one of the younger players competing in the tournament, Ben represents the future possibilities of continuing the annual event for years to come.
The Gene Hart Award (Fan Club award): Ian Wessels, F, Team River Rock
Each year, the official Flyers fan club presents an award to a Flyers player. This year, Ian Wessels had the most visible cheering section at the games, complete with "Go Dad!" signs.
