Date Published: 12-9-2022
Photo Credit: Zack Hill
Cam York is one of the Flyers top prospects for good reason, and he is typically as decisive as they come, “I still believe in myself,” Cam York said last training camp. “I think I can make a team still, but it’s a long year. It’s 82 games and the schedule is really tight. There’s going to be a lot of guys coming in and out of the lineup. If you block a shot wrong, you’re out eight games. That’s eight games that people need to fill. I didn’t look at it like ‘Dang, there goes my spot.’ I’m still confident. I still believe in myself.”
Check out our Flyers Nitty Gritty Store
Yesterday York was recalled from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, while some think he will be an extra Defenseman on this road trip. On the surface I see their point, however, the Flyers would have recalled a Defenseman like Linus Högberg or Ronnie Attard to sit in the press box, rather than the Flyers most highly touted prospect in their system. To pave the way for this recall, Egor Zamula was sent back to Lehigh for playing time.
York remained in the area since early June in preparation of the 2022-23 season. He was trying to get to know the trainers, dieticians, and just have fun before the season began. Unfortunately, he was sent back to Lehigh following Training Camp, but he regained confidence, and killed it while netting three goals and 10 assists in 20 games played.
One thing that remained constant during his brief stint with the Phantoms is his attitude. He had a great attitude on and off the ice, and for that matter York appears to be NHL ready. If there is a silver lining to this year’s season it is the improved play of York. He really has showcased himself, and York has made the most of this unforseen opportunity in the AHL. The reason I say unforseen is mamy pundits (To include myself) had him pegged to make the Flyers outright out of Camp.
“Obviously, it was a crazy year at times,” York said at Training Camp. “I think we’re all confident in my abilities and we all know what I can do. Just continuing to progress, have a big summer and do a lot of good things in June. Continue to progress and hopefully become a full time NHL player, a shutdown defenseman and a guy that’s playing a lot of minutes and on the power play. I have high expectations. I always have and I’m going to continue to feel that way.”
York was confident, skating well, and appeared to be a confident blueliner under Phantoms Head Coach Ian Laperrière and his coaching staff. Maybe they gave York some tips to just remain calm, and let the game come to him. Some of his problems in the past was he tried to do too much, and with him overthinking that he was prone to some mistakes. This is typical for a young blue liner, he is still trying to figure out the game at the professional level. It’s a lot different in more difficult for a defensemen to learn the game as opposed to a forward.
With a brand new attitude, York hopes to impress John Tortorella when he gets the chance. It’s just hard for me to fathom the Flyers would have called up one of the most highly touted prospects in the system to just bench them or sit them in the Press box. The orange and black are trying to build a new foundation, and it starts with York. This does not mean he plays tonight against the Las Vegas Golden Knights, but after going through practice tomorrow he could very well play Sunday against the Arizona Coyotes.
