VOORHEES, N.J. -- Alex Bump got his first taste of professional hockey last season with nine regular-season and playoff games in the American Hockey League.
Now the Philadelphia Flyers forward prospect is ready to take the next step.
"Physically, mentally, I think I'm ready for it," Bump said Friday, the second day of rookie camp at Flyers Training Center. "Big task to step up to, but I think I'm ready."
It's been a steady progression for the 21-year-old since he was selected by the Flyers in the fifth round (No. 133) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
That culminated last season when he led Western Michigan with 23 goals and 47 points in 42 games and helped the school win its first NCAA hockey championship.
He signed a three-year, entry-level contract April 15, and had three points (one goal, two assists) in two regular-season AHL games with Lehigh Valley, and two goals in seven playoff games.
Lehigh Valley coach John Snowden, who was an assistant last season, said it wasn't always smooth for Bump, however. He was held off the score sheet in a five-game loss to Hershey in the Atlantic Division Semifinals, in part because of an inability to handle some of the physical play.
But during the first two days of rookie camp, Snowden has noticed Bump playing far stronger on and off the puck.
"I think he's made a lot of gains, body-wise and maturity-wise, with his offseason," said Snowden, who is running rookie camp. "When he came in, right away [last season] he had a lot of success when we had the regular-season games. I think he had a lot of success in that [Atlantic Division First Round] series against Wilkes-Barre. And then when we played against Hershey, who's a veteran, older, tight-checking team, the conversations that we had was his pace off the puck needed to be a little bit quicker of just getting into spots because they close quick, they're hard at defending. He had a little bit more space in the regular-season games and in the first round of playoffs.
"Right now what I'm seeing with him is that his pace looks pretty good. He's jumping into the holes when he needs to be there. He's always attacking the interior of the rink; he's not afraid to go there. What we've talked about, and the constructive criticism, the teaching points that we had for him, he's really trying to make sure that he's got an effort in that."
As much as the physical gifts are impressive, Bump's ability to understand and process how to get better has been just as impressive.
"He's a cerebral, intelligent hockey player," Snowden said. "Especially when it comes to the offensive side of the game. He is so strategic in where he needs to go. He never puts himself outside of a scoring area. He always re-routes back interior so he's always putting himself into good spots. He understands how the plays are developing, and he understands the [defensive] zone coverage, where he can jump into holes and where they're vulnerable. A lot of those high-end offensive minds, it's just natural for them. So for him to grab the information that we had for him, that your pace just needs to step up a little bit to get to those spots a little bit quicker, and him to adjust in the offseason and take it in, not surprising to me."
Bump (6-foot, 195 pounds) said he put on about 10 pounds of muscle during the offseason and has felt stronger going through drills.
"Get bigger, stronger, faster," he said. "Just be in the gym as much as I can. I think that's the biggest thing for me right now, is trying to put on some good weight so I cannot get pushed around out there and get knocked off pucks."
It's Bump's first rookie camp, but he also has his sights set on training camp, which starts Sept. 18. There was thought that Flyers forward Tyson Foerster's potential absence at the start of the season while recovering from an elbow injury and subsequent infection sustained playing for Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship could open a roster spot for Bump. However, the Flyers already had him as an NHL option.
"I think Bump has put himself into position, regardless of Foerster's injury, where he's going to be competing for a job," Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr said. "He's done everything we've asked him to, as far as his collegiate career, training, since we drafted him. And you can see the product out there for a young guy. So he's not coming to camp to hope to play one day, he's coming to make the team."
Bump said he doesn't feel pressure to showcase himself, including in two games against New York Rangers rookies at PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Friday (7 p.m. ET) and Saturday (5 p.m. ET).
"Not at all," he said. "I don't think pressure is needed. I'm prepared for it. I don't really think there should be pressure, just if I'm prepared for it. ... I think just try and get a win is most important. I think that's what they care about most, is winning. If we can start winning down there, then we can bring it up to the NHL."
