Philadelphia Flyers prospect Alex Bump loves to stir the pot and feed off the energy from the fans. He has had more of that and some since being drafted in the summer of 2022 — between his family missing him being drafted, to entering the NCAA transfer portal, and to being ‘flipped the bird’ by angry opposition fans.
“I like stirring the pot – it entertains me and makes me happy,” said the 20-year old Western Michigan University left wing with a chuckle about being middle-fingered in a game against Denver University. “It puts a smile on my face if I can do something to get the fans engaged.”
Bump is among a solid crop of young players selected by the Flyers in the 2022 NHL Draft two summers ago. He and fellow Philly draftee, current Northeastern University blueliner Hunter McDonald, had played together in the USHL as a part of the Omaha Lancers from 2021 to 2022 before they committed to different colleges programs — and both “heard their names called” at the Bell Centre in Montreal on July 8, 2022.
Bump was dealt from Omaha to the Tri-City Storm during the 2022-2023 season in an complicated trade between the two clubs in which the Lancers received forward Haden Kruse, future considerations, and six junior hockey draft picks in 2023 and 2024 from the Storm for Bump and a 2023 pick. He then moved on to his current college hockey career the following season.
Left: Alexis Gendron, Middle: Alex Bump, Right: Hunter McDonald (Photo: Zack Hill)
Bump was not originally supposed to be a product of Western Michigan but the University of Vermont. However he requested to be put into the NCAA transfer portal from Vermont shortly after head coach Todd Woodcroft was fired on July 18 following a University-led investigation that revealed inappropriate and unprofessional behavior involving a student at UVM.
Despite the falling out in Vermont, Bump stayed in high spirits and made the best decision for his future both on and off the ice after meeting with WMU coach Pat Ferschweiler.
“I love my decision,” Bump says proudly. “In my opinion, he’s the best coach in college hockey and think he can get me ready to play professional hockey. After my very first conversation with ‘Fersh’, I knew I wanted to play for him. There’s something about his energy, how he approaches the game, how he approaches life. It made me want to play for him.”
Since being drafted, Bump has developed his game immensely working hard to find his best balance in playing both sides of the puck and giving high praise to Ferschweiler who Bump calls the “best head coach in college hockey.”
“Getting more mature this last two years, I think I’m starting to really form into a two-way player.” Bump says. “I like my offense for sure. I can see plays, make plays, and shoot the puck well while still trying to ground out my defensive play and off the puck. I’m more offense-minded.”
“I produce a lot off the rush, thankfully to ‘Fersh’ who preaches that,” Bump happily expresses. “He’s always patiently harping on us to do something off the rush and he’s doing well.”
Ashley Huss-WMU Photographer
Not only is Bump well looked after at Western Michigan, but by the Flyers as well. In his opinion the NHL club’s development staff does a stellar job of that by taking care of the future of the club, Bump included, both mentally and physically, with health being the most important thing to them.
“They really make sure you’re okay as a person.” Bump notes. “There are a bunch of teams that only care about hockey and how you’re doing on the ice. In Philly, they treat you like a whole person. If you’re not good that way, you’re not going to be good on the ice.”
Flyers forward Alex Bump skates with the puck during a development camp scrimmage game at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, New Jersey (Photo: Yong Kim-Philadelphia Inquirer)
The 20-year old would do anything in order to experience again the feeling he had when he was selected in the 2022 player lottery – a moment some of his family members actually missed despite being there in person.
“My entire family was in Montreal to commemorate the moment and celebrate the work I had put into the game I love,” he recalls fondly. “However, when my name was called, my brothers were nowhere to be found. They had actually gone on a beer run and missed me being drafted. But it was it was a pretty surreal feeling, just hearing your name called. There was something special.”
Bump has been very amendment about wanting to be a part of the club’s rebuilding process and “New Era of Orange” now being with the organization for almost two full calendar years and enjoying every second. To that end Bump wants to stay on track and think about the now rather than the future by keeping a level mind while continuing his development at Western Michigan.
“I’m looking forward to the future,” he says. “While I hope I can be a part of that roster and play in the NHL, that’s the future. I have to focus on the now.
“Philly is a special place,” Bump continues proudly. “I know their fans love it, every second of it, good or bad. I don’t know if there’s another place l’d rather play.”
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