Over the long offseason break, Chuck Fletcher was very active in signing some high-end prospects to entry-level contracts.
With free agency starting last Friday, October 9th, it has been a very slow start with only one Flyers signing. The signing being left-handed defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who recently played for the Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks.
While the Flyers are still on the look out for players in free agency, they may not need to sign too many depth players, with the many young prospects in the system already inked up and ready for the next level.
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Check Fletcher was asked: Are those young prospects a reason to not pursue a free agent forward? “I haven’t closed the door on anything. Maybe I like our forward group more than you or more than some people. I think we’re really deep on the wing. I think we’re as deep as any team on the wing. Anybody you bring in has to be an upgrade on what you have and has to be a fit in the roster. I said last week and even before that, I think our forward group right now is more talented and deeper than it was at any point last year. I think we have pretty good depth on defense now and we have good depth in goal. We have a good team. We can always make it better. We’ll continue to find ways to make it better, but again we have a pretty strong group of forwards in my opinion.”
2020 NHL Draft
Already, the Flyers have signed some of their 2020 NHL Draftees, first-rounder Tyson Foerster and fourth-rounder Zayde Wisdom.
These may come with some shock to Flyers fans, but it seems Fletcher has faith in these young players. Fletcher was asked if the ECHL is a possible destination for some of the entry-level contract players, who are not currently on loan, until the AHL starts up.
He replied “I guess I take all these start dates with a grain of salt. We’ve seen leagues start and then stop. We’ll have to work through that. I’m sure we’ll get some guidance from the NHL at some point as to what we can do from a development standpoint. I’m not sure that the reported start dates for various leagues that they’re set in stone, let’s put it that way. There’s still a lot of things that could happen and we’re going to have to stay pretty nimble on how we respond.”
Most likely, both Foerster and Wisdom will head back to their respective OHL clubs for the 2020-21 season.
Below is a list of players that Flyers Fans could very well see with the team this upcoming season:
Players on the Phantoms and Royals
Morgan Frost, C/W
Frost is one of the Flyers most intriguing prospects in the system. He had a very good first pro season, most of it being with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL, scoring 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points in 41 games played. He came second on the team in points scored and even competed at the AHL All-Star Game. Frost played 20 games in the NHL with the Flyers scoring two goals and five assists for seven total points. During his time with the team, he seemed to work very well with Claude Giroux. While Flyers fans wish they saw more of Frost, he was held back from a true spot on the team due to the roster being stacked with high-end players. With the Flyers moving on this offseason from some of their UFAs, such as Derek Grant and Tyler Pitlick, it may be very likely that Frost fills in one of those missing roles on the center and wing position this upcoming season. Frost is a crafty forward with elite vision and strong play in all three zones.
David Kaše, LW
The Flyers saw a little bit of Kaše in the 2019-20 season. Although he played only six games with the big club, he showed he can provide a solid depth role for the team when needed. He continues to develop really well with the Phantoms, although the only thing holding him back is he has dealt with a series of injuries. He is currently on a loan to HC Karlovy Vary in the Czech Extraliga, until NHL training camps start. So far, Kaše has notched three assists in four games played.
Matthew Strome, LW
Strome was drafted by the Flyers #106 overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. He spent this season in the ECHL with the Reading Royals and scored nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points in 25 games played. Toward the end of the year, Strome was able to play 19 games with the Phantoms scoring two goals and two assists for four total points. Spending most of last season in the ECHL, he most likely will spend a full season in Lehigh Valley before coming to the NHL. But there may be a chance where we see Strome play a few games in the NHL games in the 2020-21 season. He plays a strong power-forward game, which the Flyers could definitely use.
Issac Ratcliffe, LW
The 21-year old winger played his pro first season with the Phantoms, scoring six goals and adding nine assists for 15 total points in 53 games. Ratcliffe is a big bodied winger, standing at 6-foot-4, 201-pounds, who loves to throw the body around. He needs to work on his overall offensive skills before reaching the next level, but with a strong start in the AHL this upcoming season, he could have a shot at playing with the Flyers in the near future.
German Rubtsov, C
Rubtsov had a hard year and did not live up to the expectations people were hoping for. He played four games with the Flyers in the beginning of the season and scored no points. He then played the rest of the season with the Phantoms scoring two goals and 11 assists for 13 total points in 42 games played. Currently on a loan to HK Sochi of the KHL, he has notched one goal and one assist for two points in nine games played. As of now he most likely will report to the AHL once it begins in 2021.
Players Coming From College/CHL
Wade Allison, RW
After his final season with Western Michigan University, Allison put pen to paper with the Flyers on March 27th, 2020. Allison had a solid college season, putting up 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points in 26 games played, While posting close to point-per-game average. Throughout his college career he has dealt with a number of injuries, including missing time this year. Although aside from Allison’s injuries, he has the potential to be a solid middle-six forward for the Flyers. He is an outstanding power forward, who throws the body and battles hard along the boards and in front of the net.
Wyatte Wylie, RHD
Wylie was the Flyers fifth round pick in 2018. He has recently played for the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, scoring a career total of 31 goals and 121 assists for 152 points in 272 games played. With the Flyers stacked on defenseman, Wylie might spend a full season in the AHL with the Phantoms before playing with the Flyers. But Flyers fans who have seen Wyatte play would be very happy to have him called up for a few games in the big club.
Tanner Laczynski, RW
Laczynski was drafted by the Flyers in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft. He has played all four years at Ohio State University, scoring a career total of 48 goals and 95 assists for 143 points in 138 games. Laczynski has the potential to provide a solid bottoms-six, goal-scoring role for the Flyers in the future. He will first report to Lehigh Valley with the Phantoms.
Goalies
Kirill Ustimenko
Ustimenko split this past season playing between the Phantoms and Royals. He played 31 games with the Royals posting a 2.40 GAA and a .919 save percentage. Because of his stellar play with Reading, he played five games with the Phantoms towards the end of the year, posting a 3.84 GAA and a .889 save percentage. He is expected to play full time in the AHL, but with a good performance, could back up or play with the Flyers this season. Until the North American season starts, he is currently on a loan to HK Gomel of the Belarus league.
Graduated Prospects
Joel Farabee, LW
Connor Bunnaman, C/W
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, RW
Special Mention
Samuel Ersson, G
Ersson has been on fire with Brynäs IF of the SHL, posting a 1.98 GAA and a .940 save percentage in five games played. The 2018 fifth round pick continues to develop very well in Sweden. He has the potential to be a starting goalie in the NHL. Having him behind Carter Hart would be a dynamic goalie duo.
From this list above, the Flyers are very lucky to have so much depth in their system. It will be interesting to see who plays with the team this season.
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Play Frost let him grow while in the nhl !