Quick Hits: October 1, 2018
1) The Flyers announced three roster cuts on Sunday. The team assigned top goaltending prospect Carter Hart to the American Hockey League's Lehigh Valley Phantoms, along with young defensemen Philippe Myers and Mark Friedman. Flyers general manager Ron Hextall also confirmed officially that Mikhail Vorobyev has made the NHL team's opening night roster. For more, click here.
2) There has never been a question about Vorobyev's talent or skill. As a rookie with the Phantoms last season, he showed high-end passing ability and ice vision. The question last season was one of day-in and day-out consistency, adapting to the North American game and grasping the related expectations of his coaches and teammates. Injuries were also a factor.
In camp this September, consistency has been one of Vorobyev's strongest traits. In both practices and games, he stood out. Not coincidentally, his English has also improved significantly over the last year, although he is not yet comfortable enough to do interviews in English.
3) Hextall said that goaltender Michal Neuvirth (lower-body injury; suspected groin pull) has resumed skating. There is a chance he could be ready for the home opener on Oct. 9. Neuvirth will begin the season on the injured reserve list, along with fellow goaltender Alex Lyon (lower-body injury) and forward Corban Knight (upper-body injury). Rookie pro forward Pascal Laberge (hip surgery) will be placed on the injured non-roster list.
4) With two goalies injured and Hart being assigned to the Phantoms, Anthony Stolarz has earned an opening-night roster spot as the backup to veteran Brian Elliott. "Stolie the Goalie" has had a long road back from two meniscus tear surgeries that cost him the 2017 playoffs and almost the entire 2017-18 reason. The 24-year-old New Jersey native is now finally healthy again and had a good camp. He has practiced well and looked sharp in all but one of his preseason game appearances.
5) The Flyers still have one roster cut to make before Tuesday's deadline to submit their opening night roster to the National Hockey League. Assuming the Flyers do not make a trade today, the last cut will be a forward; likely one from among Dale Weise, Tayor Leier or Jori Lehterà¤. All three are subject to waivers.
With the recent injury to Knight and the seeming preference to play Scott Laughton at left wing rather than center, Lehterà¤'s appears to be safe for now (legal issues in Finland and NHL investigation into the case notwithstanding). However, if head coach Dave Hakstol opts to have Laughton or Jordan Weal at fourth-line center, Lehterठcould then be subject to waivers. The 30-year-old Lehterठhas one season remaining on a contract with a $4.7 million cap hit. He will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Although Leier has not had much offensive success in the NHL and was taken off the penalty kill about a quarter of the way into last season, the 24-year-old winger has good speed. Leier plays a two-way game and had offensive success in the AHL and junior hockey as an all-situations player. If waived, there is a chance he could be claimed by another NHL team. Leier, who can become a restricted free agent next summer, carries a $720,000 cap hit this season.
Weise, who turned 30 on Aug. 5, has two seasons to go on the four-year contract his signed with the Flyers in 2016. His overall play has been a disappointment thus far. The Flyers hoped to be getting a big winger with above-average skating ability, double-digit goal-scoring outputs and some physical edge and agitation to his game. Those traits have not been on display with nearly enough consistency the last two seasons. Weise did have a solid camp this September but so did the younger Leier. Weise carries a $2.35 million cap hit this season and next.
Whomever the Flyers waive will be announced after noon eastern time on Monday. If the player clears on Tuesday, he can then be assigned to the Phantoms. Leier's entire salary can buried in the AHL this season, while the Flyers can only get $1,025,000 of cap relief off Lehterठor Weise's contracts. However, because the Flyers are in good shape relative to the NHL's salary cap ceiling -- even with multiple players going on IR -- they do not have to make cap relief their primary consideration in whom to waive to get down to 14 forwards on the opening night roster.