With the start of the NHL season right around the corner, it is safe to say that both players and fans alike are eager to return to some sort of normalcy. Key words here being ‘some sort’. With the late start to the season, teams will play a 56-game regular season instead of the usual 82. General Managers will still have to fill a 23-man roster that fits under the league’s $81.5 million salary cap; But, for the first time (because of the threat of the COVID-19 virus), GM’s will have the luxury of having an additional four to six players which are being called their “Taxi squad”.
This grouping (who will mostly likely be made up of NHL-ready prospects) will resemble the squad most teams gather for a playoff run, which is commonly referred to as a team’s “Black Aces”. These players will travel with the big club wherever they go and be able to practice with the team, so as to not miss a beat if they ever get called upon.
This opportunity to have some extra bodies around is going to be nice given the COVID-19 situation the Flyers (and the rest of the world) are being forced to deal with on a daily basis. Although it leaves one to wonder just where might the Flyers’ prospect- center Morgan Frost- fit in? Given the uncertainty of Nolan Patrick’s health at the end of last season, questions still remain as to just when this former-#2-overall pick will be ready to return to the starting lineup full time. Based on this, you would think that Frost might have stayed in Philadelphia over the summer (like Sam Morin did) in order to work on his game with the coaching staff, and to better his changes of making the club for the upcoming season. But this was not the case.
Think about it: Morgan Frost (the Flyers’ other 2017 1st round pick) is indeed offensively gifted. His back-to-back years of scoring OVER 100 points while playing for the Soo Greyhounds of Sault Ste. Marie’s Ontario Hockey League (OHL) should be more than enough to prove any of his doubters wrong, but a lackluster start last season with the Flyers (that saw Morgan score just 2 goals and 5 assists in 20 games played) caused his time with the big club to end rather abruptly. This happened even after he was gifted with every opportunity to succeed- starting the season with both the Flyers’ captain Claude Giroux and the ever-talented Travis Konecny lined up on either side of him. Once Frost was sent back down to the club’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to regain his confidence. The Flyers’ head coach Alain Vigneault (AV) began to put his faith into the services of the Flyers’ 2016 4th round pick- center Connor Bunnaman instead. Now, Bunnaman may not have had much better luck getting on the stat sheet, but he did prove to be much more versatile during his time in Philadelphia last season. The Flyers no doubt made the move to send down Morgan so that he could see the most playing time that he could handle in order to help him continue to develop; but even after Frost showed that he had regained his confidence in Lehigh, Philadelphia choose to acquire not one but two centers at the trade deadline. That’s right: Instead of choosing the cheaper option by just bringing Frost back up to the Flyers for a playoff push after he posted a number of goals and assists for the Phantoms in his short time there, the team decided to go out and get center Derek Grant from Anaheim and center Nate Thompson from Montreal. Both of whom were instantly inserted into the lineup.
This had some fans questioning just how much faith the team’s general manager Chuck Fletcher and Vigneault had in Frost at the time. Both of whom were cited as saying (after he was sent back down to the Phantoms) something to the effects that Morgan showed sparks of a lot of talent and ability while up with the Flyers but needed to improve upon his consistency- this was also confirmed by Morgan.
Furthermore, after the season resumed play and the Flyers made the playoffs, Morgan got the chance to join the Flyers in the bubble up in Toronto as a Black Ace where some Flyers players seemed to struggle within the Philadelphia offense: Case-in-point: Derek Grant, who AV decided to keep in the lineup but unfortunately stayed goalless throughout the entire post-season, when AV could have replaced him with someone like Frost who was sure to have been chomping at the bit for another chance to prove himself. This action (or lack thereof) by the Flyers’ brass only enhanced this notion of just how little the Flyers’ organization may trust Frost right now.
Yes, Frost is still just 21 years old and possesses all the offensive skill one would need (and more) to make an NHL club, but the question is just how badly does he want it? Has he been putting in the work? This shortened camp will tell. If he has not, Philadelphia does have other options at center if Patrick cannot go in for game one. Of course, Sean Couturier’s and Kevin Hayes’ spots are already set as the team’s # 1 and # 2 centers on the roster after they both had amazing years respectively last season. But the team could choose to lean on the side of former center (and still one of the league’s quick draws) Claude Giroux. They could also choose to go with another former center-turned-winger Scott Laughton, who proved more than capable at times in the ‘19- ‘20 season to step back into his former role manning the middle of the ice- especially after having career numbers offensively last season. To make one of the previously mentioned options a possibility, let us not forget Vigneault’s go-to-guy last season, Connor Bunnaman, who could fill in centering the 4th line to make this work. Or for that matter, the newly signed 23-year-old Flyers’ center Tanner Laczynski who is bigger and more adapted to playing a more physical game than that of Morgan, given that he is coming from the collegiate ranks playing the last four seasons for the Ohio State Buckeyes (where he averaged over a point-per-game for two of the four seasons while he was in Columbus).
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Patrick has been cleared to participate in contact drills which is a good sign, and he may even prove to be ready for games soon enough. This hurts Morgan’s chances immensely, though all hope is not lost for Frost yet: He could be called upon to try his hand at wing during camp or Nolan could have an unexpected setback in his return to play (hopefully not). Regardless, that is why (even given Frost’s immense talents) a roster spot will not be just handed over to him at the end of training camp! Morgan is going to have to continue to stay hungry and out-work everyone that is on that ice each and every day to prove to Fletcher and Vigneault that he indeed has what it takes to make this roster, and is willing to put in the work necessary day-in and day-out during games and practices to continue to deserve that spot for the duration of the season!
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What a stupid article – because Frost didn’t stay in Philly he isn’t working hard to make the team? How many other players didn’t stay on Philly? Can you really blame anyone for staying home during the pandemic? Do you have any idea what his training regimen was like? Also, Bunaman is not a versatile player, he is solely a 4th liner forechecker. A versatile player is someone like Laughton who can play bottom 6 center or middle 6 wing
Thanks for the read anyway there TOUGH GUY! Even if your to scared to leave your real name or email address. If you could comprehend what you read I never said he wasn’t working hard. How could I know if he has been or not? I simply presented it as a question. and I quote “but the question is just how badly does he want it? Has he been putting in the work?”. It doesn’t mean that he hasn’t, in fact I hope he has for himself as well as the team. This article was meant to imply the impactful nature of his position right now with the team. Where he left off with the team last year wasn’t a high point and he needed to improve drastically if he wants to make the team this year given Patrick’s near return.