QUICK HITS: JAN. 11, 2018

1) Flyers captain Claude Giroux was named to Team Metro for the 2018 NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 28. The All-Star weekend Skills Competition will take place the previous night.

It will be Giroux's fifth trip to the All-Star Game. The Flyers' franchise record for All-Star appearances is Bob Clarke, with 10.

"It’s a pretty good feeling,” Giroux said, in a statement released by the Flyers. “I think a lot of guys on the team are deserving of going, too. But at the same time it is pretty exciting."

Giroux is certainly a worthy selection. He embraced the challenge of moving from center to left wing, and is tied for 2nd in the Art Ross Trophy race with his 52 points (14 goals, 38 assists) in 42 games played.

It is not surprising that Giroux immediately made mention that others on the team were equally deserving. The omissions of Selke Trophy candidate Sean Couturier (who is also fourth leaguewide in goals) as well as NHL assist leader Jakub Voracek were irksome when a team behind the Flyers in the standings was given two representatives. Cases could also be made for Shayne Gostisbehere (2nd in scoring leaguewide among defenseman) over Pittsburgh's Kris Letang or for the selection of Ivan Provorov (one of the NHL's fastest-rising two-way defensemen and on pace for a 16-goal, 40-point season if his second half numbers match the first half).

However, the All-Star selection process is what it is. With every NHL team having to be represented by at least one selection, there are always worthy players who are left off. There is also a tendency to favor established big names. Giroux, the Flyers' longest-established star, was a shoo-in this year. It was always a matter of whether a second Flyers would go.

2) OHL: Flyers 2017 first-round pick Morgan Frost extended his point streak to 18 games with a first-period assist in the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds' 3-1 home win on Wednesday against the Saginaw Spirit. Frost has racked up 38 points (13 goals, 25 assists) over the last 18 games.

Frost, the Ontario Hockey League's leading scorer, is now playing on arguably the top line in any of the three CHL circuits. Rejoined by WJC gold medalist Boris Katchouk, Frost's line now also includes recently acquired WJC standout Taylor Raddysh. A Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, Raddysh made his Greyhounds debut on Wednesday and scored two goals.

The first goal, a late first period power play tally, was set up by Frost. From the left circle, Frost put the puck to the net. Raddysh was there to sweep it home for a 1-0 Hounds lead.

Frost, who finished at plus-one and went 11-for-19 on faceoffs, played into a bit of tough luck in Wednesday's tilt. He easily could have had another three-point game, as he did on Sunday against Guelph.

Early in the first period, Frost tipped a puck on net. Many Greyhounds fans jumped up, thinking it was going to be a goal, but Spirit goalie Cameron Lamour stopped it just before it crossed the goal line. Later in the game, Frost worked a nifty give-and-go with Raddysh and had his new linemate set up at the doorstep but Raddysh tucked the puck wide of the net. The play ultimately cost Raddysh a hat trick, because he later tallied a third period insurance goal (no point for Frost on the play).

Two other Frost highlights from Wednesday: In the third period, he made a tape-to-tape stretch pass to Katchouk that forced Saginaw to take a penalty before Katchouk could have an unimpeded path to the net. On another shift, Frost started out with a full stride disadvantage behind a Saginaw player in a flat-out footrace to a loose puck. Winner of the Best Skater events with and without the puck at last year's Top Prospects showcase, Frost showed why. He won this foot race with ease despite his opponent's head start.

The Greyhounds now have a 27-game point streak (26-0-1) and a gaudy 35-3-3 record overall. The team hosts Maksim Sushko's Owen Sound Attack (16-16-6) on Friday.

3) The Flyers Alumni Team will play the Bruins Alumni on Feb. 17, 2018, at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, ME. The event will be part of the kickoff of celebrating the creation of the new Comcast-owned Maine Mariners, which will play in the ECHL. Both the Flyers and Bruins had historical connections to the original AHL version of the Mariners. During the years when the Mariners were the Flyers' farm team, the team won two Calder Cups and reached the finals two other times.

The Flyers Alumni Team roster, which is still being finalized, will include the likes of Eric Lindros and Danny Briere, as well as guys who played on the original Mariners such as Terry Murray and Frank Bathe. The Bruins Alumni roster will include the likes of Rick Middleton and original Maine Mariners center (as a Flyers prospect) Ken "the Rat" Linseman.

Ticket prices will start at $13. For more information, visit MarinersofMaine.com.


4) Today marks the 42nd anniversary of the famed Flyers vs. Red Army Game at the Spectrum. For a look back at the background, strategy and aftermath of the game -- as well as other notable Jan. 11 dates in Flyers history -- click here.