Quick Hits: September 13, 2023
1) On-ice work at the Flyers 2023 Rookie Camp gets underway tomorrow morning at the FTC in Voorhees. Today, attending players will undergo physical testing.
Of all forwards in Rookie Camp, 2020 first-round pick Tyson Foerster arguably has the highest chance to earn an opening night NHL spot with the Flyers this season. Foerster, an AHL All-Star Game selection last season along with teammate Ronnie Attard, led the Phantoms in scoring last season with 48 points (20g, 28a) in 66 games before posting a pair of goals (both in Game 1) and three points in Lehigh Valley's best of three playoff series with the Charlotte Checkers. He also had his first NHL callup and impressed with seven points (3g, 4a) in eight games.
2) Among the defensemen, Swedish rookie Emil Andrae figures to generate the most attention. Keep in mind that neither Attard nor Egor Zamula --Andrae's primary immediate competition among prospective NHL rookies -- are attending Roookie Camp. They'll all be part of NHL Training Camp come next week.
3) On PhiladelphiaFlyers.com, I wrote an article focused on first-time Rookie Camp attendees (such as Andrae and the crop of 2023 Entry Draft selections who are gaining their first NHL Rookie Camp experience) as well as returning attendees who will by rookies this coming season with the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. For more,
click here.
4) Charlie O'Connor, on the first day of his new gig with PHLY Sports, wrote a pair of articles. One is a Rookie Camp preview, breaking the camp roster down by likelihood of each player playing in the NHL, AHL, earning an entry level contract or simply gaining some valuable experience. It's hard to quibble with any of the categorizations. For more,
click here.
I do want to add something, however, as relates to Bobby Brink. I'm inclined to toss out the player's 2022-23 season as one in which off-season hip surgery, which cost the player the first half of the regular season and put him behind the eight ball in getting caught up in the latter half-season. Brink's skating, which isn't his biggest strength anyway, and consistency needed to time to round into form. He looked better down the stretch and should be back to full strength this coming season. Hip and shoulder labrum tears can set a player back for awhile even after he returns to the lineup.
This year, I think Brink is sort of laying in the weeds as camp approaches. I think he has an uphill climb to open the season in the NHL with the Flyers. However, he's also one of the players who is capable talent wise of having a stellar camp and making the big club.
5) Charlie also wrote a
top 20 Flyers prospects list in tandem with Alexander Appleyard. The list is justifiable and soundly reasoned.
However, I want to add something else here. Charlie points out, accurately, that there are scouts who say Matvei Michkov lacks elite skating ability. I think clarification is in order with this.
Michkov's straight-line speed doesn't pop. He doesn't show a burst that blows past defenders and gains separation. He's kind of like Claude Giroux in that regard, as Giroux has never been a pure speedster. However, Michkov's edgework is already very strong and he's naturally elusive. Those are equally important skating traits as straight-ahead speed.
Also, Michov is still filling out his frame and only began weight training a year ago. He has plenty of room to add muscle and explosiveness, and he was noticeably heavier on pucks during the KHL preseason. He's trending the right way.
6) Michkov and HC Sochi are in action today on the road against Severstal Cherepovets. With the seven-hour time difference, the game will start at noon eastern US time. Onhockey has KHL streams.
7) Flyers goalie prospect Alexei Kolosov made his third start of the 2023-24 KHL regular season in a 2-1 overtime road loss for Dinamo Minsk to Ak Bars Kazan on Tuesday. In a losing cause, Kolosov stopped 19 of 21 shots. For the young season to date, he is 1-1-1 with a 2.34 goals against average, .914 save percentage and one shutout (26 saves in his first start).
8) Today in Flyers History: On Sept. 13, 1978, legendary goaltender Jacques Plante was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. At the time, Plante was the Flyers goaltending coach (the first one in franchise history0.
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