Karsen Dorwart makes NHL debut for the Philadelphia Flyers

You know the saying hard work pays off, and to some, it is just a saying. To others, it is not and if they put in the time, it is something that can lead to opportunities, and Karsen Dorwart is an example of this.

Dorwart got the opportunity to do something few hockey players get the opportunity to do, and that is playing in his first NHL game. This is due to all of the work that he put in, even if it started in a place that a lot of hockey players don’t come from.

The state of Oregon is not a place that most people think of when it comes to hockey. Those could be Minnesota, the Dakotas, and even Michigan. These are the big hockey states, and there are hundreds of NHL players from those areas. The same can’t be said about Oregon. Heading into Saturday night, Oregon has had seven players from the state make their NHL debut. Well, that number increased by one with Dorwart making his debut. This did not come without making decisions like moving away from Oregon and eventually getting a chance to play at Michigan State. Some of these decisions had to be made for an opportunity to continue his hockey career and give himself the best chance to one day play in the NHL.

That chance eventually meant coming to Michigan State as an undrafted center still looking for an opportunity in the pros. That opportunity would come after three great years playing at Michigan State, developing into a center that made plays on the ice and was a key contributor to back-to-back Big Ten championships.

After losing in the NCAA tournament to Cornell, Karsen was contacted and signed an entry level contract (ELC) with the Flyers.

With this contract, Karsen Dorwart made his debut on Saturday in Montreal. Before his debut, he was asked about making the debut and he went on to say how it has been special and that he has family and friends who will be there. Not only did Karsen make his debut, but he is going to help the Flyers in a major area of need: size at the center position.

He is going to give the Flyers a huge boost, and he has already had his chance to take his rookie lap and lead the team out of the tunnel.

Karsen Dorwart rookie lap time ⏰
pic.twitter.com/jM4BpVmkun

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) April 5, 2025

You should keep an eye on Karsen moving forward at center, and hopefully this was the first game of many to come in his professional career.