As the end of training camp looms this weekend, are the Philadelphia Flyers forward lines starting to come together?
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For a young team like the Philadelphia Flyers, training camp is a place for players to stand out. With roster spots open, it is a time for players to harness the opportunity in front of them.
Prospects Jett Luchanko, Nikita Grebenkin, and Alex Bump all entered camp with hype and that opportunity in front of them. Bump, in particular, was marked as a favorite by Asst GM Brent Flahr to make the opening night lineup.
After two hard weeks of camp, only one of them has really stood out and capitalized on the opportunity.
Grebenkin, who was acquired in a package for Scott Laughton last season, has pulled away with one of the last roster spots. He has continued his success that began last season with the Phantoms, scoring three goals and adding four assists in 11 games.
Rodrigo Abols, who is far from a prospect, is another player who has pulled away with a roster spot. His spot has made it even harder for Luchanko or Bump to also make the team in addition to Grebenkin.
As things stand now, here is an early look at what to expect up front on opening night.
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First Line : Owen Tippett – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett, Sean Couturier, and Travis Konecny started the season together last season. It was a line that carried the Flyers through much of the first two months of the season.
The trio’s success last season was mainly due to their continued pressure in the offensive zone. The line led all Flyers line combinations in 5v5 zone attack time and Corsi for.
After being broken up in mid-November, the line never really regained that same power late in the season. That power and success were carried by another line that should be together on opening night this season as well.
While the three haven’t played much together so far this preseason and training camp, it is hard to see Owen Tippett on the 4th line. Tippett has been on a line with many of the players fighting for a bottom six role in training camp.
If the line can regain its success from early last season, it will be a great lead-by-example line early in the season for the Flyers.
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Second Line : Christian Dvorak – Trevor Zegras – Matvei Michkov
Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov have been the most talked-about duo so far in training camp. Fans have been begging online for the two to start the season together.
New head coach Rick Tocchet is certainly intrigued by the two playing together as well. He told reporters before camp, “You have to explore it, right?” when talking about the two playing together.
With two offensively gifted players together, free agent signee Christian Dvorak has been somewhat of a safety valve for them. It is a role that Tocchet trusts Dvorak in, as he was Tocchet’s shutdown center when the two were together in Arizona.
Tocchet has praised Dvorak’s defensive capabilities multiple times. But, he also believes Dvorak has potential offensive growth in the right situation.
The three have developed good chemistry so far in training camp. It has led to early success in the preseason.
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Third Line : Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink were the Flyers overall best line last season. And, it was a line that may not have even happened.
John Tortorella joked that, after their first month of success, the line wasn’t even really supposed to be together. It was a line that Torts said was put together by mistake.
That mistake by Torts has given the Flyers one of the more dominant third lines in the NHL. Early in the season, the line will come in very handy as Rick Tocchet tries to find the right mix in the top six.
The three carried the Flyers for pretty much all of the second half of the season last year. That success is something Tocchet hopes continues this season.
In their first game action together last night in Boston, the three didn’t miss a beat. The line combined to open the scoring with a hard-nosed forechecking goal that became second nature to them last season.
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Fourth Line : Nikita Grebenkin – Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway
Last but not least is the Flyers fourth line. It is a line that could be named “the gritter” line.
Entering camp, two of the three – Nikita Grebenkin & Rodrigo Abols – did not have a roster spot. Abols, in particular, was a big long shot for a roster spot. Not to mention, a spot in the opening night lineup.
However, Abols and Grebenkin have been two of the best Flyers players in camp. Both of them are earning a roster spot with their play.
Garnet Hathaway joins the pair to complete the line. He is a player who has shown in his first two seasons in Philadelphia that he is perfect for this role on the fourth line.
The three – all above 6’2″ – will be a heavy, hard-bruising line for Rick Tocchet to take advantage of some of the smaller bottom six lines in the NHL.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
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