Photo Credit: Philadelphia Inquirer
How does a high profile prospect like Morgan Frost not know what position the organization views him as? Is he a Center or Wing?
“I’m not exactly sure, but I think so, for right now,” Morgan Frost said yesterday at exit interviews. “I think it definitely helps me that I can be versatile in that sense and play both. I’m open to whatever will help me play here.”
This is wrong on so many levels and it starts from the top. The front office takes blame here, and it trickles all the way down to the developmental staff that the front office has hired. It really shows the incompetence of the organization as a whole, and it appears there is a lack of communication somewhere. Frost has been a high value prospect since he was drafted, however, he has been playing for the Flyers and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms since the 2019-20 season, and you mean to tell me they do no know how he is still viewed?
How does this happen? No wonder he’s confused at times throughout the course of the game. No wonder he’s afraid to make a mistake, “It’s definitely not easy when you can have that in the back of your mind if you’re playing a couple bad games you’re going to go back down,” Frost said yesterday. “That was really nice and I think from then on, I started to elevate my game and feel a lot better about it.”
These are growing pains of a prospect, but a prospect like Frost should know if he’s a Center, Wing, or a Goaltender (Joke) by now. If the Flyers want a better culture or for once have an identity next season, then the front office and developmental staff have to be better. This includes the developmental staff at Lehigh, it’s the whole nine yards.
Flyers’ General Manager Chuck Fletcher and Assistant General Manager Brent Flahr will take the most responsibility for this major flaw, but it’s not just them. They have line staff in place to include many coaches, trainers, and developmental coaches to ensure each and every prospect grows or could grow within the organization.
My question is, how many more prospects are hindered or have been hindered by this lack of communication in the past? Well, there is no way to exactly find out or pinpoint how many, but maybe this is a reason why Linus Högberg’s game appeared to stall with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. After his call-up to the Flyers he looked like he belonged. The same could be noted with Isaac Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe appeared to play better with the Flyers, as opposed to the Phantoms when he was recalled.
The entire Flyers organization from the front office down has to get their act together. Building a team identity/culture is vital to the overall success of a team, without it you have seasons like the past two. At this point in Frost’s professional career he should know exactly what position he is viewed as moving forward through proper communication, or how he is viewed by the organization. Or this could be an utter failure on the Flyers behalf, it’s their choice if they choose to remain status quo with the lack of communication.
