Brink Returns to Philadelphia as Wild Opponent
Former Flyer Bobby Brink faces his old team Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena in his first visit as a Minnesota player.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Hockey
Minnesota Wild forward Bobby Brink will return to Philadelphia to face the Flyers on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Brink, who spent 201 NHL games with Philadelphia, was traded to Minnesota last March in exchange for defenseman David Jiricek.
Why it matters
The matchup brings a former Flyer back to the city for the first time since the trade, with Philadelphia currently sitting at 4-8-4 after a 0-6-3 start. For Philadelphia-area fans, it is a direct look at how both sides of the trade are performing this season.
Brink has one goal in Minnesota's first 16 games this season, and his two assists in Sunday's 5-1 win over Washington were his most recent production. Jiricek has one assist across nine of the Flyers' 16 games, while Philadelphia started 0-6-3 before improving to 4-8-4.
The players
Bobby Brink
Brink is a Minnesota Wild forward who was born in Minnesota and spent his early NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers after being drafted in the second round in 2019.
David Jiricek
Jiricek is a defenseman who was traded from the Wild to the Flyers in exchange for Brink and has since played nine of Philadelphia's first 16 games this season.
The details
Brink was selected by the Flyers in the second round of the 2019 draft and played the first 201 games of his NHL career in Philadelphia before Minnesota acquired him in a March trade. Tuesday's game is the first time he returns to Xfinity Mobile Arena as an opponent, and it closes out a stretch in which the Wild are on the road following a 5-1 win over the Capitals.
Timeline
2019 – Flyers select Bobby Brink in the second round of the NHL Draft.
March 2025 – Wild trade Bobby Brink to Minnesota for David Jiricek.
Oct. 25 – Brink scores a highlight-reel goal during the Wild's visit to Vancouver.
Sunday – Wild beat the Capitals 5-1; Brink records two assists.
Tuesday, Nov. 3 – Brink returns to Philadelphia as a Wild player to face the Flyers.
Season Trajectory
Tuesday's game follows the March 2025 trade that sent Brink to Minnesota and Jiricek to Philadelphia, a swap now being judged on the ice. Philadelphia's climb from 0-6-3 to 4-8-4 makes this a matchup between two teams trying to change their early-season direction.
Fantasy managers tracking Brink and Jiricek should note that Brink's two-assist game against Washington came in the Wild's current road stretch, while Jiricek's limited production in nine games may affect his value on rosters. Viewers can follow the Tuesday matchup on local broadcasts for Philadelphia and Minnesota.
The takeaway
The Brink-Jiricek trade continues to shape both franchises as Philadelphia works to recover from its 0-6-3 start. Tuesday's game gives an early measure of how each player has adapted to a new team.
Further reading
For more on the Flyers and the NHL season, see Philadelphia Hockey.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Twin Cities.
