The Philadelphia Flyers are coming into the new season with many players to be excited about. With the new acquisitions of Ryan Ellis, Cam Atkinson, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nate Thompson, Derick Brassard, Keith Yandle, and Martin Jones, the Flyers’ young guns and prospects will have multiple leaders to lean on throughout the season.
While the Flyers acquired lots of new talent, the younger players on the team could also make a difference in the new season.
Joel Farabee – Left Wing
It’s no doubt Farabee will be an impact player for the Flyers down the road. Recently signing a six-year, $30 million deal, which will kick in during the start of the 2022-23 season, Farabee was the Flyers’ light in the dark last year after posting 20 goals and 18 assists in 55 games played, leading all Flyers in goals scored. The 21-year-old forward proved he is one of the best young players in the system who is capable of playing a top-six role. He played most of his time with Couturier on the top line.
Now, with the elite acquisition of Cam Atkinson, Farabee will have a natural goal-scorer by his side on the bench. If paired together, Farabee, Couturier, and Atkinson could mold well and be one of the NHL’s most dominant lines. He will look for another strong campaign for the 2021-22 season.
Carter Hart – Goalie
The 23-year-old netminder clearly had one of the worst seasons from a starting goaltender in the 2020-21 season. Playing in 27 games for the Flyers, Hart posted a 3.67 GAA and a .877 save percentage. While he had his own struggles, the defense was a major hole for the Flyers, which did not help his performance at all. While it was a very disappointing season for the Flyers’ future franchise goaltender, the 2016 second-rounder is still young with lots of potential.
With the defense improving since acquiring Ellis, Ristolainen, and Yandle, Hart will hopefully have a little more confidence in net this upcoming season. He will also learn from veteran netminder and former San Jose Shark Martin Jones, as the Flyers signed Jones as a UFA this past offseason. Hart recently inked a three-year deal with the Flyers worth an average annual value (AAV) of $3.97 million.
Morgan Frost – Center
Frost is highly regarded as the best prospect in the Flyers’ system. The former Soo Greyhound star has only appeared in 22 NHL games over the span of two years, pitching a stat line of two goals and five assists. Last season when Couturier went out with an injury, Frost stepped in for two games. Unfortunately, Frost was injured in a play behind the net and missed the remainder of the season.
The timing of the injury was unfortunate for Frost, as it would have been a perfect time to showcase his skill for the Flyers. Despite this, he worked hard during the offseason and could land a role with the team as a bottom-six center this upcoming season. Frost is a crafty forward with elite vision and strong play in all three zones. Expect him and Brassard to take turns as the third-line center.
Wade Allison – Right Wing
The former Western Michigan University Bronco made a very strong impact in the few games he played for the Flyers last season. Allison played the last four years with Western Michigan before coming to the Flyers organization. The 2016 second-round pick got his first glimpse of the pro game in 10 games with the Phantoms after recovering from an injury earlier in the year. In those 10 games, Allison scored four goals and five assists. He was later called up to the Flyers for the last 10 games of the season, scoring four goals and three assists.
Allison brings a lot of grit and goal-scoring to the Flyers’ lineup. He’s a workhorse who battles hard in the corners and crashes the net quickly on every shift. He could serve as a potential middle-six forward for the Flyers this upcoming season and could potentially be a dark horse candidate for the Calder trophy.
Cam York – Defense
The Flyers’ best defensive prospect saw a glimpse of NHL action towards the end of last season. After two years at the University of Michigan, he suited up for eight games with the Phantoms, posting two goals and three assists. After a strong start in the AHL, York was called up for three games with the Flyers. While he did not post any points, he showcased smooth-skating and appreciable puck-moving skills.
Expect York to start the season in the AHL with the Phantoms before suiting up for games with the Flyers. He just started his pro career and needs some more time to get his footing in the pro game. Once comfortable, he could be rotating roles with Yandle or Justin Braun on the bottom pairing.
The Flyers have many players in the system to be excited about. Players not mentioned above but could see a few games this season are Egor Zamula, Tanner Laczynski, Jackson Cates, and Felix Sandström. The Flyers are going into the 2021-22 campaign with lots of veteran and youth depth.
