The Philadelphia Flyers have made the following additions to their hockey operations staff for the 2026-27 season, according to General Manager Daniel Briere.
Kyle Blackstone: Massage Therapist
Blackstone brings seven years of massage therapy experience to the Flyers. He is the owner and operator of Blackstone Massage & Recovery, which he founded in 2021. Through his practice, Blackstone has served as a Massage Therapist for the University of Pennsylvania’s Track & Field, Cross Country, Basketball, Squash and Rowing teams, while also working with athletes ranging from high school to the professional level across a variety of sports.
In his role with the Flyers, Blackstone will support Melissa Rucker in providing therapeutic massage and soft-tissue treatments to promote player recovery, mobility and overall physical well-being.
Daniel Spencer, Emergency Backup Goalie
Spencer enters his first season as the Flyers’ Emergency Backup Goalie in a full time capacity after spending the last three years as the local Emergency Backup Goalie. In this expanded role, Spencer will travel and practice full-time with the club, strictly as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. Spencer earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Finlandia University in 2019, where he played four years of Division III hockey.
William Heim: Assistant Athletic Trainer, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Heim joins the Phantoms after spending the last two seasons as an Athletic Trainer for the Tahoe Knight Monsters of the ECHL where he led communications surrounding players’ orthopedic injuries, rehabilitation, and return-to-play progressions. He also spent time at the University of Utah as a Clinical Athletic Trainer from 2023-24. Heim earned a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Lasell University and a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance from Oklahoma State University.
