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Flyers 2015 Development Camp Profiles: Attendees and Non-Attendees

July 6, 2015, 11:05 AM ET [268 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
FORWARDS (15)

#73 Nicolas Aube-Kubel (Entry-level contract, slide-rule eligible): Speedy winger had a rocket start to the 2014-15 QMJHL season. He was slowed by a knee injury in November after a knee-to-knee collision. Got red hot in the second half. Ran out of gas as the playoffs progressed. The player still needs to work on consistency and 200-foot game but improving with each year.

#68 Cole Bardreau (Entry-level contract): The Flyers signed the Cornell forward to an ELC in the spring, and he finished the 2014-15 season on a tryout with the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The entry-level deal kicks in for the 2015-16 season. Small in stature but "plays big" and is deceptively strong. Possesses both hockey smarts and grit. Bardreau projects as a bottom four forward but can contribute in different ways.

#81 Samuel Dove-McFalls (2015 fourth-round pick, as yet unsigned): Big-framed checking center who kill penalties and wins battles on the walls. He also brings some toughness to the lineup, He is considered a character player. Dove-McFalls' offensive game has yet to emerge but a 14-goal, 34-point QMJHL season in 2014-15 came without the benefit of power play time.

#75 Radel Fazleev (Entry-level contract, slide-rule eligible): The bright and exuberant Russian forward earned an ELC with the Flyers this year after the 2014 sixth-round pick enjoyed a strong two-way season for the WHL's Calgary Hitmen. At the pro level, he will likely be a bottom-six forward but has the potential to become a versatile utility player who can be plugged into a variety of different roles. Plays a responsible game away from the puck and is an above-average defensive forward. Offensively, he has always been more of a playmaker than a scorer. Fazleev has worked hard to improve his shot, and saw some dividends in 2014-15. Good on breakaways and shootouts.

#56 Tyrell Goulbourne (Entry-level contract): The Flyers 2013 third-round pick is recuperating from surgery in May to repair a torn calf muscle. The injury knocked the now-former Kelowna Rockets forward out of the WHL Finals and the Memorial Cup. Goulbourne plays a speedy, energetic and aggressive hitting game. More well-rounded as a player than now-former Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo, and also a bit more disciplined. Projects to be a fourth-line player if he reaches the NHL but his game has improved across-the-board the last two seasons.

#57 David Kase (2015 fifth-round pick, as yet unsigned): The Czech forward plays in a similar mold to first-round pick Travis Konecny. Both are small but play with skill, speed and determination. If he was a little bigger, he probably would have been a second-round pick in the 2015 Draft. Kase captained the Czech national Under-18 team in 2014-15 and also played for the Under-20 team in the World Juniors. Kase was recently selected by the Niagara IceDogs in the first round of the 2015 CHL Import Draft. The Flyers would prefer if Kase plays in the OHL next season rather than remaining with Czech team Chumatov, but the choice will be up to him.

#80 Travis Konecny (2015 first-round pick, as yet unsigned): Talent-wise, Konecny ranks right up there with anyone the next group beneath the top four or five forwards in this year's Draft class. He has outstanding wheels (he won the annual OHL Coaches' Poll in the "Best Skater" category) and upper-lineup puck skills. He always has feet moving and is a balanced offensive talent who can reliably finish scoring chances or create them for linemates. Although he plays center at the junior level, Konecny is more likely to play wing at the pro level. For Ottawa, he has been an effective power play weapon. The righthanded shooter is effective on the off-wing half-boards and can also man a point position. The forward rates also very high in terms of sheer competitiveness. Konecny plays with a hunger for the puck that is tough if not downright impossible to teach. If he gets beaten, it's not for lack of effort. He tenaciously stays with the play and is fearless about initiating or receiving contact. Konecny also has a knack for grating on his opponents.

#49 Scott Laughton (Entry-level contract, second pro season): The 2015 Development Camp will the fourth Laughton has attended since the Flyers selected him in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft. He saw some time in the NHL last season but is still finding his way at the pro level. A mid-season concussion from a hit by Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen set Laughton back even after his return. However, he finished out the year with a strong final month for the Phantoms. As a result, Laughton put encouraging bookends -- excellent first two weeks to the AHL season and a good finish -- to a rollercoaster rookie pro campaign. He admitted at the end of the season that he'd lost some confidence in the middle portion of the year. Laughton plays a responsible and physical two-way game but needs another summer of intensive focus on adding strength to his frame.

#58 Taylor Leier (Entry-level contract, second pro season): A defensively responsible if smallish winger with speed and good hockey sense, Leier endured some lengthy offensive dry spells as an AHL rookie despite commendable effort. It is not uncommon for a first-year pro to face adversity, and he handled it maturely by working that much harder in practice and trying to contribute in other ways. Leier still has third-line NHL potential in a similar role to that of current Flyers veteran Matt Read but further AHL season will be needed. It will be important for Leier to show continued progress in 2015-16.

#74 Oskar Lindblom (2014 fifth-round pick, as yet unsigned): Last year, the Flyers got a nice low-risk, high-value pick in Lindblom, who started the 2013-14 season projected as potential late first-round to mid-second round pick and then saw his stock tumble. According to Flyers scouting director Chris Pryor, there is now much less concern about Lindblom's skating than a year ago. As he's continued to gain physical strength, he's also started to improve his explosiveness as a skater. Even if he'll never be confused with Michael Grabner or Carl Hagelin in the speed department, he gets where he needs to get. In the meantime, Lindblom is developing into a bull along the walls, hard on the puck and willing to get his nose dirty in the scoring areas along with being an increasingly solid two-way player. As such, he has the potential to adapt to different roles -- possibly even a top-six, but conservatively a bottom-six -- when he eventually comes over to North America. He will spend the 2015-16 season in Sweden with Brynäs IF Gävle. The Flyers are comfortable letting him develop in Sweden and his not yet being signed to an entry-level contract is simply a matter of waiting until the player feels ready to move overseas.

#60 Brett McKenzie (Invitee, not selected in 2015 Draft): McKenzie is a player whom the Flyers apparently had interest in the l2015 NHL Draft but who went unselected. The North Bay Battalion (OHL) center is a defensively sound center with good size and skating ability but got buried offensively in a deep lineup. Nevertheless, the forward was ranked 75th overall by The Hockey News, 157th overall by ISS and 105th by McKeen's.

#82 Cooper Marody (2015 sixth-round pick, as yet unsigned): A late-blooming forward who stuck with the game despite numerous early setbacks, Marody has gone on to become an impact player at the USHL level. He has good speed and has shown finishing ability at that level. He was named to the 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Marody is committed to the University of Michigan, where he will play his freshman season in 2015-16. There is a need to add considerable strength to a scrawny frame.

# 70 Danick Martel (Entry level contract, rookie pro season): Although severely undersized, Martel is a highly skilled player with excellent speed, creativity and playmaking skills. He has produced 102 points (48 goals, 54 assists) in 64 games for the Armada this season. Junior-level offensive stats and especially overager numbers must be taken with a fistful of salt but Martel is very good with the puck on his stick. He was impressive offensively in a late-season cup of coffee in the AHL with the Phantoms. A center at the junior level, his pro future is on the wing.

# 63 Pavlo (Pavel) Padakin: (AHL contract for 2015-16, rookie pro season): Formerly a teammate of Travis Sanheim and Radel Fazleev on the Calgary Hitmen, the thickly-built Ukrainian (6-foot, 205 pounds) was a sturdy two-way player at the junior level. The undrafted 21-year-old Padakin was a tryout player for the Calgary Flames at training camp last year. He returned to the WHL for an overage season after not receiving a contract offer from the Flames. Padakin spent most of last season with the Regina Pats, He is signed to an AHL contract for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the 2015-16 season.

#85 Luke Philp (Invitee, unselected in 2014 and 2015 NHL Drafts):Philp, who turns 20 in November, has twice been passed over by every team in the NHL Draft, but is skilled forward. The undersized forward (listed at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds) has put up good scoring stats in the WHL for three-plus seasons with Kootenay.

DEFENSEMEN (13)

#62 Terrence Amorosa (2013 fifth-round pick, as yet unsigned): The puck-moving, 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman will enter his sophomore year at Clarkson University in 2015-16 after dressing in 18 games as a freshman. Needs continued improvement in several areas -- decision making, coverages,etc -- to get on a pro track but has made progress since being drafted.

#61 David Drake: (2013 seventh-round pick, as yet unsigned): Drake is a similar situation to Amorosa but is perhaps slightly ahead. Dressed in 32 games as a freshman for the University of Connecticut last season (one goal, five points, 14 penalty minutes, minus-15). He needs to add strength to a 6-foot-4 frame that is still listed at 181 pounds.

# 53 Shayne Gostisbehere (Entry-level contract, second-year pro): The highly touted offensive defenseman was forced to make lemonade from lemons in the 2014-15 season after suffering a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in an early November game in the AHL. He missed the rest of the season. On the positive side, Gostisbehere used the time off the ice to add a reported 15 to 20 pounds of lean muscle, and now carries about 185 pounds. The added strength was much needed, and should not affect the speed that is one of the player's best assets along with an accurate howitzer shot and high-end breakout passing ability. Former Phantoms coach Terry Murray said last year that Gostisbehere is NHL-ready when it comes to puck skills and skating but needed improvement in the 18-odd minutes in which he does not have the puck on his stick. That learning process can now resume. Prior to his injury,Gostisbehere appeared in two NHL games with the injury-riddled Flyers but played sparingly.

# 72 Mark Friedman (2014 third-round pick, as yet unsigned): The Flyers are quietly excited about the rapid progression of their third-round pick from last year. He is player in a similar vein to Gostisbehere, although perhaps a little better away from the puck than "Ghost" at the same age and a little less dynamic with the puck. Both players are undersized but have an "it" factor buoyed by a strong dose of self-confidence. Friedman, who will turn 20 in December, enjoyed a very solid first year as a true freshman at Bowling Green in 2014-15. He posted 19 points in 39 games, was a plus-seven, played in all manpower situations and showed a feisty streak (75 penalty minutes). If he continues to improve at the same steady rate he did over the course of the 2013-14 (USHL) and 2014-15 seasons, he will have a pro future ahead of him.

#48 Robert Hägg (Entry-level contract, second-year North American pro but first year of ELC clock ticking): The Swede played a full AHL season for the Phantoms in 2014-15 as a slide-rule eligible European import, so the 2015-16 season will be the first to count on his three-year entry-level contract period. This was confirmed by Prior on April 30. With Hägg, it is important to remember that he only turned 20 in February. He has been a "name" prospect since he was 16, and compiled a slew of Under-20 level international experience. Expectations have always been very high for him and his inconsistency and laid-back personality have led to some frustration among scouts. That's why he slid from a projected first-round pick in 2013 to the second round and why some have found his progress since then to be no more than adequate. The Phantoms were hoping for a little more from his first full AHL season after an impressive showing in a 10-game run late in 2013-14. Above all, Hägg needs to push himself to set the bar a little higher. He has two-way upside, with natural NHL caliber skills in all the key areas including size, but needs to improve his pacing to walk on the right side of the line between poised and "too casual." Shows flashes of offensive ability and is good at getting shot attempts on net. Defensively, he can sometimes be assertive physically and has an above-average grasp of structure and positioning for a young player. He just needs to be more assertive with and without the puck; more decisive and more confident.

# 54 Nick Luukko (AHL contract for the 2015-16 season): After completing his collegiate career at the University of Vermont, Luukko finished out the 2014-15 season on an AHL tryout contract with the Phantoms. The Flyers sixth-round pick in the 2010 Draft signed a full-season AHL contract for 2015-16. The organization likes his size (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) and demeanor. Luukko is in the mix for third-pairing or seventh defenseman duty with the Phantoms or as an ECHL/AHL swingman playing regularly for the Reading Royals.

# 46 Christian Marti (Entry-level contract, first-year North American pro): The Flyers signed the 22-year-old Marti to an entry-level contract on May 1. He has spent the last two seasons playing in the Swiss National League for Geneve-Servette HC (GSHC) after previously playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.The main intrigue point on the player is that he is both big (listed at either 6-foot-2 or 6-foot-3 and about 210 pounds) and mobile. He also plays pretty physical style compared to the majority of Swiss-trained players, who tend to be very technical. The primary question mark on Marti is the degree of his hockey sense versus his upside as he matures. Even in NLA, he had some ups and downs.

#50 Samuel Morin: (Entry-level contract, first-year pro): The towering (6-foot-7, 225 pound) 2013 first-round Draft pick is in his third development camp with the Flyers. He will turn pro this season, after nearly earning an NHL roster spot out of training camp last year. The question is whether he will be with the Flyers or the Phantoms. A broken jaw set Morin back last year, leading to considerable weight loss as well as interrupting his season with missed time for the QMJHL's Rimouski Oceanic. He made the Team Canada roster for the World Junior Championships but was consigned to a limited role. At the QMHL level, he has shown himself to be a dominating shutdown defenseman -- ask Aube-Kubel, whose line accomplished little in the Quebec League semifinals -- but he is still a frequently nitpicked prospect among his critics. He skates quite well in a straight line, especially for such a big man. Morin even showed jaw-dropping closing ability in an open-ice foot race in the playoffs against speedster Anthony DuClair. That is because Morin covers huge swatches of ice with each and every stride. His defensive footwork and turning are improving steadily but remain a bit of a work in progress. Although not known as an offensive defenseman, Morin makes a good first pass and has improved his point shot by leaps and bounds in the last three seasons. His wingspan and almost freakish reach work to his benefit defensively, but he is less effective when having to pull his arms in. Morin plays an aggressive physical game and is an emotional player. He had a few discipline lapses in his junior career that led to suspensions.

#64 Casey Nelson (Invitee, undrafted collegiate player): The 22-year-old Nelson is entering his junior year at the University of Minnesota at Mankato. He he shown himself to be a good puck-moving defenseman at the NCAA level thus far and has a 6-foot-2, 182 pound frame. Last season, Nelson posted 33 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 40 games and was plus-19 as an all-situations defenseman. As with McKenzie and Philp, the only way the Flyers could get unaffiliated player Nelson under their organizational umbrella this year if he impresses them sufficiently would be to sign him to a contract (either NHL entry-level or AHL) kicking in immediately. In Nelson's case, that would mean forgoing the rest of his collegiate eligibility quite late in the year.

# 59 Jesper Pettersson (Entry-level contract, second-year North American pro): The small, gritty Swedish defensive defenseman nicknamed "Pit Bull" had a rough North American hockey baptism in his rookie year with the Phantoms. He had trouble adapting his game to playing against big forwards and got frequently manhandled early in the season. He spent lengthy stints as a healthy scratch. However, late in the season, Pettersson settled in and started to play more effectively. It is hard to make it to the NHL as undersized defensive defenseman -- even the best of the lot, such as ex-Flyer Lasse Kukkonen often struggle rise above third-pair status in the NHL. However, Pettersson makes an underrated first pass and once he gained a bit of confidence late in the season, started showing the traits (shot blocking, tenacious hounding of the puck carrier) that got him drafted by the Flyers. He will be in the mix for more AHL playing time next season.

# 79 Ivan Provorov (Entry-level contract, slide rule eligible): A potential top-two defenseman with a conservatively projected top-three upside and a "home run" upside as a number one is rarer to find than a conservatively projected top-six forward with possible first-line upside in their best-case scenario. That is why the Flyers, already deep in defense prospects, took Provorov with the seventh overall pick of the 2015 NHL Draft and signing him within a week to an entry-level contract. Provorov's attributes are outstanding. It is rare to find a player his age -- let alone a defenseman -- who combines a similar level of skill with smarts. Even the way he skates shows hockey sense; there may be others with greater pure speed (although he is by no means speed deficient) but few who move with the fluid economy and consistently take the shortest possible route. He has good defensive footwork, takes good angles and makes aggressive but intelligent pinches in the offensive zone to support the rush. Provorov is also well above-average as a shooter and passer. He shoots hard but, even more important, quickly and accurately. The player is also a good breakout passer. He will have to adapt to the pacing of an NHL forecheck but already does things quickly in terms of retrievals and making the first pass. Lastly, in terms of competitiveness and maturity, Provorov is an impressive young man with a good head on his shoulders. He has been living and going to school in North America since he was 14. He speaks excellent English now and excelled academically. Communication will not be an issue and he will fit in very readily in the dressing room and off the ice.

#71 Travis Sanheim (Entry-level contract, slide-rule eligible): The Flyers are in the enviable position of having a pair of very high ceiling blueline prospects under the organizational umbrella. Provorov and Sanheim are more of the organization's 1A and 1B prospects rather a clear line of demarcation. With that said, Provorov is probably a bit closer to being NHL ready (despite being younger) for the simple reason that he is physically mature whereas Sanheim is still quite lanky and needs to add considerable strength to be truly NHL ready. Provorov is a little bit ahead of Sanheim defensively but Sanheim may have a slightly higher offensive upside is an excellent skater. Pryor has likened Sanheim's rate of development over the last two years to a "rocket ship" but notes that he has to keep going. For an in-depth look at Sanheim's development and projections, click here.

#76 Reece Willcox: Willcox completed his junior year in 2014-15. The campaign was perhaps a baby step forward or a lateral step from his strong sophomore season. A high ankle sprain physically set back the 21-year-old Wilcox this year but, when healthy, he continued to receive top-end ice time and use in many different situations. Nevertheless, the Flyers organization is pleased with the progress of the 6-foot-4 righthanded defenseman since the time he was drafted out of the BCHL in the fifth-round of the 2012 NHL Draft to play collegiate hockey as a true freshman. Willcox turned 21 in March. Willcox occasionally likes to pinch up on the play but he has always been more of a two-way puck mover than a point producer. He's never reached double-digit points at the collegiate level, which is why he sometimes gets overlooked as a pro-level prospect. Likewise, he's more of positional defenseman than a crushing hitter, so he tends not to noticed by casual observers. When the Flyers first drafted Willcox, he was very skinny (about 180 pounds on a 6-foot-4 body). He's been working the last few years in filling out his frame. Further progress this summer and next year would help his cause in seeking a professional contract. While his junior year was not markedly better than his sophomore year, it was also not a backward step despite the lingering injury.


GOALTENDERS (5)

#67 Merrick Madsen: (2013 sixth-round pick, as yet unsigned): As a freshman at Harvard University, Merrick only played in one game during the 2014-15 season, while backing up workhorse senior Steve Michalek (a Minnesota Wild prospect). He was a split-time starter at the NAHL level (rather than the USHL) the previous year. The goaltender will turn 20 on August 22. He figures to get more playing time next season. The 6-foot-4 Madsen was listed at 177 pounds when the Flyers drafted him two summers ago, has been working on filling out his frame and reportedly has good work habits at practice. With three years of NCAA hockey eligibility remaining, he has plenty of time to continue developing his game and gaining much-needed game experience. He is a good athlete but very raw as a goaltender. Madsen will turn 20 in late August.

#66 Martin Ouellette (AHL contract, second-year pro): Signed to a minor league contract last season, Ouellette saw some AHL time with the Phantoms while Rob Zepp was on NHL recall and a brief period in which neither Zepp nor Anthony Stolarz was available. Ouellete spent the majority of the 2014-15 season at the ECHL level with Reading. Ouellette had some impressive games with the Phantoms but also struggled at times on his angles and rebound control. He will turn 24 in December.

#83 Felix Sandström (2015 third-round pick, as yet unsigned): The Flyers internally had Sandström ranked as the second-best goaltender available in the 2015 Draft, and took him with the first of two picks in the third round. The Swede entered the 2014-15 season as a candidate to be the first goaltender chosen in the 2015 Draft but his stock slipped a bit in some rankings. Sandström, who appeared in two SHL games for Brynäs IF's senior team, was set back this past season by injuries and a bout with mononucleosis. He is mechanically sound, if a bit deep in his net, covers well down low but is a bit vulnerable up high, especially on the blocker side. A good natural athlete who is a plus skater. However, he needs to get quicker on getting up when he butterflies and get over faster on wraparounds. He did not have a particularly good Under-18 Worlds. The Hockey News felt he may be a bit too laid back, but others praise his composure. Felix's twin brother, Simon, is a defenseman in Brynäs' junior system.

#65 Anthony Stolarz: The Flyers' 2012 second-round pick is a work in progress. From day one with Stolarz, it has been a vision of what he could become in the long-term future with a lot of hard work and an equal amount of organizational patience through the growing pains that made him intriguing. Nothing has changed. He faced his share of adversity as a first-year AHL player and will probably have more adversity that is yet to come. There are no guarantees that Stolarz will maximize his still-raw potential. However, he has a good head on his shoulders and a strong work ethic to go along with his massive frame (6-foot-6, 220 pounds) and natural athleticism. That gives him a fighting chance. He's already come a long way since the Flyers drafted him in 2012 -- Stolarz was all over the place at his first camp in the organization -- but has an equally long way to go. He's gone from project to prospect, but anyone who expected him to fast-track to the NHL was being unrealistic. For an in-depth look at his rookie season and the challenges ahead, click here.

# 69 Matej Tomek (2015 third-round pick, as yet unsigned): As an incoming freshman to the University of North Dakota who was recruited by Dave Hakstol prior to his departure to accept the Flyers' head coaching job, this was a player who figured ahead of the Draft to be one of the goaltenders on Philadelphia's organizational radar screen. Dealt with a leg injury in October that sidelined him for a month, and came back strong. The Slovak had a very good season in the NAHL for Topeka, winning the league's award for top goaltender, but faded a bit late in the campaign. Quick feet and an economy of motion are his best assets at this age, according to Hakstol and scouts.


AFFILIATED PROSPECTS NOT ATTENDING DEVELOPMENT CAMP

Nick Cousins (Center, entry-level contract, third-year pro): The Flyers' Development Camp is open to drafted teenage prospects, undrafted invitees, rookie pros and second-year pros. With Cousins set to enter his third full pro season, he is ineligible to participate again. The player, who will turn 22 in late July, enjoyed a breakthrough second pro season in the AHL in 2014-15 but struggled a bit as his 11-game first NHL callup progressed. He did score a pretty shootout goal against Carolina in his first NHL shootout attempt.

Ivan Fedotov (Goaltender, 2015 seventh-round pick, as yet unsigned): Hextall admitted this draft pick was a "shot in the dark." The goaltender appeared in one KHL game for Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk in 2014-15, having a rough time in a blowout loss. The trend in recent years has been toward bigger and bigger goalies and Fedotov stands between 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-7 (depending on the source). This late-draft selection was a low-risk gamble that he could turn into something of value down the road. Fedotov has no international experience but performed well at the MHL level in the regular season before a rough playoffs. He is contractually committed to his KHL team.

Brandon Manning: (One-year, one-way NHL contract, fifth-year pro): The 25-year-old went through his share of these development camps in previous years and actually was a mentor of sorts to first-time attendees. As a fourth-year pro, he is not eligible to attend. He is a candidate for the Flyers' sixth or seventh defenseman job out of training camp, and could be rotated in and out of the NHL lineup with Radko Gudas. Because he is on a one-way contract, he will earn an NHL-level salary next season even if he is waived and assigned to the Phantoms.

Mark Alt: (Defenseman, entry-level contract, third-year pro): The righthanded-shooting 24-year-old saw much of his second season with the Phantoms lost to a separated shoulder and a broken hand. The 2014-15 season was not a total loss, however. The former Carolina Hurricanes second-round pick (2010) made his NHL debut when the Flyers were riddled with injury.

Michael Parks (Right winger, 2010 fifth-round pick, unsigned): The now-graduated University of North Dakota forward played under new Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol for the last four years. His NHL rights expire in August, whereupon he can become an unrestricted free agent. If the Flyers intended to sign the player, it probably would have happened already. Parks overcame injury his sophomore year and went on to have a good collegiate career as a top-six forward. If he has a pro career, it would be as a fourth-line type in similar fashion to current Flyers forward (and fellow UND alum) Chris VandeVelde. The latter, however, is bigger and a little faster.

Valeri Vasiliev (Defenseman, 2012 seventh-round pick, as yet unsigned): According to Russian media reports, the physical defensive defenseman expressed interest a year ago in coming to North America. The Flyers did not feel he was ready for an entry-level contract. Previously, Vasiliev nearly played in the USHL for Waterloo but ultimately remained in the KHL. He has been in the KHL for two-plus seasons but his ice time and development rate have been sporadic. The player himself said that added strength is a must to play the style that makes him effective. His most recently reported height and weight are 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds. Thus far, he has been a passable young KHL defenseman on a third pairing but not a player who jumps out as a clear candidate for the NHL. Injuries have been an issue, as has lack of opportunity. Going from a strong Avangard Omsk club midway through last season to a much weaker Nizhny Novgorod (his third KHL organization) meant more playing time. He played well in nine games for his new club.

Mikhail Vorobyov (Center, 2015 fourth-round pick, as yet unsigned): Vorobyov will not be at Flyers development camp due to his KHL contractual commitments to Salavat Yulauev Ufa. He is a defensively aware forward who earned a spot on Russia's U18 World Championship roster and posted four points (one goal, three assists in five games) in addition to playing well away from the puck. A good playmaker in the Russian junior league. Big and physically strong but scouts believe his skating needs improvement. Flyers scouts believe this is simply a matter of gaining some more lower body strength, as happened with Lindblom over the past year. The Flyers believe Vorobyov has top-nine, possibly even top-six NHL upside over the long term.

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TENTATIVE DAY-BY-DAY DEVELOPMENT CAMP SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, JULY 7 (Skate Zone, Voorhees, NJ)
Goalies 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Forwards, 2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Defensemen, 3:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8 (Trial on the Isle, Stone Harbor, NJ)

9:00 a.m.: Warm-ups on the beach at 96th Street, followed by skills and team building exercises. New this year, the Flyers' prospects will participate in a sand-sculpture building contest, with Flyers fans serving as judges.

10:45 a.m.: Water sports activities at the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor (9001 Sunset Drive).

12:15 p.m.: Shayne Gostisbehere, Samuel Morin, Travis Sanheim, and two Flyers’ first-round picks in the 2015 NHL Draft will host a free “Hooked On Hockey” clinic for young fans at the Stone Harbor Elementary School (275 93rd Street).

1:30 p.m.: all participating Trial on the Isle prospects will be available to sign autographs at Stone Harbor Elementary School. Admission to the signing is a $10 donation to Flyers Charities, and proceeds from the session will be donated to the elementary school’s Garden Of Kindness.

3:45 p.m.: Prospect beach volleyball tournament at 96th Street Beach. Fans can register in teams of two at PhiladelphiaFlyers.com to participate in the tournament. Proceeds will be donated to the American Legion Post 331, for the express purpose of enabling Coast Guardsmen stationed in Cape May County to return home to their families for the 2015 holiday season.

THURSDAY, JULY 9 (Skate Zone, Voorhees)
Goalies, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Forwards, 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Defensemen, 10:45 a.m. to noon
Forwards, 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Defensemen, 4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 10 (Skate Zone, Voorhees)
Goalies, 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Forwards, 8:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Defensemen, 10:30 a.m. to noon
Forwards, 3:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Defensemen, 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, JULY 11 (Skate Zone Voorhees)
Goalies, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Forwards, 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Defensemen, 10:45 a.m. to noon
Forwards, 2:30 p.m. to 3:35 p.m.
Defensemen, 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

SUNDAY, JULY 12 (Skate Zone, Voorhees)
Goalies, 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
Forwards, 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.
Defensemen, 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
3-on-3 Scrimmage (all attendees), 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
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» Wrap: Flyers Unable to Muster a Go-Ahead Goal in 2-1 Loss to Caps
» Flyers Gameday: 4/15/2024 vs. WSH
» Quick Hits: Practice Day, Phantoms
» Quick Hits: Practice Day, Phantoms