What a week of Flyers training camp it was for the Orange and Black. The cup contenders finally started to hit the ice in hopes of having an extended playoff run. Gone are the days of the inconsistent Flyers, enter an Alain Vigneault camp that is oozing with confidence and great communication, “I think the pairings look good,” Assistant Coach Mike Yeo said after Friday’s practice, “They are all working well together. You’ve got Provy and NIsky. Both those guys have obviously taken very good of themselves during the break. They’re leading the way right now with the intensity and purpose that they are doing every drill with.”
Yeo continues, “I think Sanny has looked outstanding all camp and that was the best Phil Myers has looked today. With Hagger and Brauner, those guys just go out and they compete and work and defend. They look very sharp right now. Then you’ve got Ghost. Friedman’s a guy that I didn’t know a lot about last year. He got some opportunities and he really impressed us. Obviously the new contract is a sign of that. His skating ability, his hockey sense, and his competitiveness shows us he’s a guys that could play. We really like the depth. We really like the way all the guys are working together right now. The more that this goes along, obviously the more of that is going to as well. We’re purposely going to add more 5-on-5 drills, more 5-on-5 scrimmages as we are moving along here to help prepare the group. They’ll also develop that chemistry and cohesiveness within the pairings and linemates as well.”
Every defensive player knows exactly where they stand with the coaching staff, and that is what makes them better. Moreover, Yeo even made a point to go up to Shayne Gostisbehere after practice, to this point he is the Flyers seventh defenseman, to let him know the Flyers see all the hard work he is putting in,”I made a point of going to see him after practice and making sure he knows that we are recognizing the work that he is putting in,” Yeo said. It has become apparent after the first week of camp the pairings will look like:
Ivan Provorov, Matt Niskanen
Travis Sanheim, Philippe Myers
Robert Hagg, Justin Braun
Ghost, Friedman
Ghost is on the outside looking in apparently at the moment. He has looked good throughout camp, however, and has been skating very well coming off his second surgery this year, as he indicated to the media this past week. Ghost might be in a tough spot at the moment due to the logjam of defensemen, but the coaching staff still has faith and trust in him as both Vigneault and Yeo have spoken very highly of him this past week.
Friedman has had a great camp thus far. He’s not that flashy, high-octane defenseman, but he comes in and does his job. Friedman can score, and produce offensively, as well. Fresh off signing a two-year contract extension last week at camp, Friedman really opened Yeo’s eyes, and continues to shine for Vigneault. Make no mistake about it Friedman will be on that plane to Toronto, as he plays a mistake free game. “It’s huge,” Friedman said yesterday, “I’ve been here for three months now. It’s just nice to see the guys and get back on the ice. Seeing the boys, all of them have smiles on their face from ear to ear. Everyone’s super excited to get back on the ice.
What more can be said of Yegor Zamula, a work-horse, and a young man that can just flat-out skate. He has had great camp, as well, even though there may have been question marks of how he would perform coming back from a back injury that sidelined for the rest of the season as a member of the Calgary Hitmen, “There’s a lot to like about him,” Assistant Coach Mike Yeo said Friday, “If you like really big defenseman who are smart, can skate and can move the puck, then you are probably going to enjoy watching him play. First of all, he’s a great kid. He’s got great energy every time he comes to the rink. I’m a big stickler in details. If a defenseman is going back to retrieve a puck in practice, even though you have no pressure, you have to do things in practice the way you would expect to do them in a game. You have to have the little details, like the shoulder check.”
Yeo continues, “You have to have the right habits in the neutral zone, even though you might be doing a drill 5-on-0, so when you get into the game, you don’t have time to think, you can react and do things properly. His habits are outstanding. His practice habits are outstanding and that shows me that’s he’s a very coachable kid. With that, he’s got natural ability. His skating for a big man, he makes it look easy. Probably more than anything, what has really impressed me is his poise with the puck. Under pressure, the subtle plays that he makes, how he doesn’t panic. Obviously we know the importance if you can play this game with the puck on stick, if you can have an exit out of your zone with control, allowing you to develop speed through the neutral zone, you have a better chance of gaining the offensive zone with control. He’s the type of player that’s going to help you get to that game.”
Now onto the offense side of the puck. Joel Farabee had a fantastic week of camp. It’s just very impressive to see this 20-year-old rookie act so maturely, and well composed. Everyone knows he’s a workaholic, as he spends his Summer’s at the Flyers Skate Zone, but what’s so impressive is that he didn’t miss a beat following the pause.
In what would be his sophmore season if it weren’t for the pandemic. Farabee came into camp lighting it up. He was fast, pushing the play up the ice during the scrimmage on Saturday, and his line with Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny became a thing of beauty this past weekend. This line was responsible for two of the three goals scored for the black team in the scrimmage on Saturday, in a 3-2 victory over the orange team. Farabee has been one of the best Flyers on the ice each and every practice, “There’s no doubt he’s got some jump,” Vigneault said following the scrimmage on Saturday, “He made some good plays on the ice with the puck. He is always in good position when he doesn’t have it. He’s come ready for this camp here and he’s working extremely hard. For our first scrimmage today, I was happy with what I saw from him.”
Farabee has excelled throughout his entire career in 5-on-5 scrimmages, and that line was broken up today to give JVR a look on the second line. Again do not make a big deal of this move, as injuries might occur. The objective right now is to see what works and what doesn’t in the event an injury arises, as well as, who’s ready and who needs more work. Yesterday’s practice was very intense, difficult, and grueling. It was filled with a lot of conditioning, and high tempo.
Other offensive standouts, Claude Giroux really looked determined in many of the practices this week. Giroux looks determined, and is using his blazing speed to his advantage. Simply put, Giroux looks re-energized for this cup run. He was rifling shots on Tuesday, and Wednesday,”Top shelf where momma hides the cookies”:
Sean Couturier looks like he always does, great. He was one of the last Flyers off the ice at each practice, and he continues to work with skills coach Angelo Ricci at times. The Giroux, Coots, Voracek line didn’t miss a beat, except in Saturday’s scrimmage, where Voracek was held out for an inconclusive Covid test. Of course, with a new linemate in Scott Laughton and others filling that void on the right side, the line appeared to be out of sync, as expected. Voracek has put together a solid camp.
Do not worry about the lack of time Morgan Frost is currently receiving within the top 12 of the lineup throughout camp. It was virtually impossible for Frost to win a spot outright for the playoff run, as this camp is more of a conditioning and learning the system type camp for the youth to keep them fresh in case an injury arises. Next year’s training camp, Frost will be given every chance to make this team, and compete for a spot in the top 9.
The fourth line pairing of Michael Raffl, Derek Grant, and NAK have been nothing short of good. This could be one of the best fourth lines in recent memory if they stay intact for Toronto. It’s great with all the depth up and down this Flyers roster that Nate Thompson could be intermixed, as was evident this past Sunday. Thompson brings Veteran leadership, and a physical presence for the ENERGY that the fourth line is supposed to provide.
Twarynski and Bunnaman are vying to make the trip to Toronto. For the most part, they have done well when given the opportunity. What I like about Twarynski is his physical element that he brings to his game, and Bunnman plays the same type of style, grinding and fighting for the puck.
“It’s been a dream of mine from a kid,” Twarynski said, “Everyone’s dream as a kid was to compete for the Stanley Cup and play in the playoffs. I’m here and try to make my stamp. Make sure I’m on that plane to Toronto. If they need an extra guy or need me to go in the lineup to help that team win, I am going to do everything in my will to do so. It’s been a lifetime goal of mine and everyone else that’s here. I’m going to do everything that I can to make that happen. If I’m fortunate enough to get in that situation, I’m going to do everything to help this team win.”
While Bunnaman says, “Just be ready. I’ve said it before, going out skating here, just show them I’m ready to go and in shape. I can keep up with these guys. I played with them during the season. Just be ready when my name’s called hopefully. When someone gets injured or something like that and my name gets called, just got to be ready and put my best effort forward.” Below the bash brothers struck first in Saturday’s scrimmage:
Lastly, the Goaltenders played well this week, most notably Carter Hart and Brian Elliott. Elliott has been very sharp, and he looks very reminiscent of that Elliott he formerly was with the St. Louis Blues. Hart has been sharp, as well, but had a not so good showing on Friday, where Giroux just really tore him apart. It’s ok Flyers fans those type of days will happen, and it only helps Hart for the playoffs. Hart had a rebound day on Saturday in the scrimmage, and that’s what you want to see in your franchise Goaltender. Hart appears to be ready to go conditioning wise to sustain an extended playoff run.
Both Alex Lyon and Kirill Ustimenko played well this played well this past week. They both fared well in the scrimmage, where both Goaltenders didn’t allow a goal. Lyon is ready to go, and he won’t kill you with flashy saves, whereas Ustimenko moves laterally post to post so well, as he makes killer save after killer save. Rarely is out of position, but if he is he is so strong on his skates that Ustimenko can recover to make the save. I personally believe Ustimenko is one of the better skating Goaltenders within the Flyers system.
All in all it was great week of conditioning, high uptempo and intense during the latter parts of the week for the Flyers. This upcoming week is nothing different, and a scrimmage is on tap for tomorrow, as well as, special teams work, per Vigneault. Here is the schedule for the remainder of training camp:
