Isaac Ratcliffe, Mason Millman, and others stand out on day three of the 2021 Philadelphia Flyers Development Camp in Vorhees, NJ.
The Philadelphia Flyers have officially passed the halfway point of the 2021 Development Camp. Thus far, we’ve witnessed progress from Wade Allison, Tyson Foerster, Morgan Frost, Cam York, Egor Zamula, Samu Tuomaala, and Tanner Laczynski. As the camp continues, who else will step up and make an impression?
I purposely haven’t touted about the goaltenders at the 2021 Flyers Development Camp. Kirill Ustimenko and Samuel Ersson split sessions during the first few days. While they’re improving, it’s tough to say that they’ve made tremendous strides during the development camp. Of course, they haven’t remained stagnant with their ability. It’s that we couldn’t see Chuck Fletcher committing to either of them, especially in 2021-2022.
Ersson is receiving the bulk of the load recently since he signed that entry-level contract in June. Yesterday, he worked between the pipes in a drill involving high traffic at the crease. It looks as if Ersson will present himself as the next homegrown candidate to make an NHL debut for Philadelphia before 2024. Ustimenko is contending for the same attention, but his contract expires at the end of 2021-2022.
New players gained traction on day three of the 2021 Flyers Development Camp. Let’s talk about that:
Flyers Still Retain Depth
A season ago, the Philadelphia Flyers began behind the rest of the league. Injuries plagued the usable depth available in the system. Players like Bobby Brink and Jay O’Brien aren’t on the camp roster. Still, at least thirteen players generated buzz ahead of development camp.
At the top of the list, Wade Allison solidified his spot within the Flyers’ bottom-six. Jackson Cates, Morgan Frost, and Tanner Laczynski ought to receive some added pressure from Gerald Mayhew. From the Minnesota Wild, Mayhew signed with Philadelphia as a minor league player. Mayhew played about as well as Laczynski in 2020-2021. A new talent initiative for the 4C role in the Flyers lineup remains a valid option.
Per Charlie O’Connor, Laczynski didn’t participate in the first session of day three. Philadelphia remains cautious with Laczynski following his surgery.
Caution is not a sign of distress, however. The Flyers are intelligent in keeping Laczynski and Allison fresh. A season ago, Allison played through nagging injuries.
There aren’t any signs of injuries amongst prospects, acting like unlimited ammunition when necessary to the NHL roster.
The Flyers Begin Workouts
Per Jordan Hall, a handful of Philadelphia Flyers players were working out during the 2021 Development Camp. In a sense, this is a development camp of sorts when the Flyers roster gets together to work out. Chemistry hasn’t settled quite yet. Skating with Shayne Gostisbehere, Samuel Morin continues to tune his game with a former teammate. The same is true about Ryan Ellis, who worked out yesterday with Morin.
Again, Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee are putting the work in before training camp. Konecny took a step back a season ago from a pure production standpoint. He did improve his two-hundred-foot game, which is what Alain Vigneault specifically wanted. Watching him work with Farabee is a beautiful sight because Konecny is actively installing a new approach to increase his offensive production while he matures into a complete forward.
We’ve already had a player traded to the Arizona Coyotes stick around in Vorhees, NJ. Yesterday, Ellis joined the fold as an acquired player via trade from the Nashville Predators. Besides Cara Morey, Ellis is the newest face to appear at camp.
These four players are ahead of the curve in a favorable scenario with Philadelphia brass. The “first men in, last men out” mantra instills faith amongst Farabee, Konecny, Morin, and Ellis.
Day Three Standouts
Samuel Ersson
In this video, courtesy of Jordan Hall, we would like to see better rebound control from Samuel Ersson. Aside from that, his positioning was correct, and his recovery against rebound shots was favorable. Stuffing three consecutive shots at the crease is not an easy feat. Ersson seems to be trending in the right direction, but it’s hard to estimate longevity with goaltender prospects. Here’s Ersson in action:
Isaac Ratcliffe
For a couple of seasons, Isaac Ratcliffe has been the sizable left-winger expected to break through. Unfortunately, a sort of freak injury resulting in a collapsed lung left him on the sideline. Now, the 6’6″ forward must show off his full potential. Ratcliffe moves with force, quicker than most would suspect due to his size. Here, he bends around the boards to the slot before ripping a nice wrist shot:
Mason Millman
At the least, Mason Millman proved to be a smooth skater. Additionally, his decision-making in a four-on-four scenario with Cam York was impressive. Both defensemen sprung Morgan Frost and Linus Sandin on a scoring play within the drill. Aside from Egor Zamula and York, Millman created a little chatter for himself. Here’s Millman moving the puck with York in a four-on-four scenario:
Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire
