For all intents and purposes, the training camp portion of the Philadelphia Flyers' 2023-24 season is complete.
Over the span of 17 days, the camp roster was reduced from 57 to 25 players. Most of the opening night roster is set, although a couple of personnel decisions remain. In camp, the team underwent head coach John Tortorella's infamous skating test on Day One, a whirlwind of six scrimmages over a three-day period, extensive film study, several skating-intensive practices and a six-game slate of exhibition games (3-2-1).
"They've pushed along pretty well with a high volume of skating. Lots of meetings. We've done more meetings this year during camp than we did last year. It's the most I've done, coaches wanted to do a little bit more early on and we have," Tortorella said, in summarizing this year's camp.
On Saturday, the Flyers held an hour-long practice at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees. In the early portion, forwards and defensemen worked in separate groups. There was also a 3-on-3 battle drill segment on the Phantoms' rink. Later, on the Flyers' rink, the team took line-rush reps and did special teams work.
Saturday's line combinations were as follows:
Joel Farabee/ Tyson Foerster - Sean Couturier - Bobby Brink/Foerster
Scott Laughton - Noah Cates - Travis Konecny
Owen TIppett - Morgan Frost - Cam Atkinson
Nic Deslauriers - Ryan Poehling - Garnet Hathaway
Cam York - Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler - Rasmus Ristolainen
Marc Staal - Sean Walker
Egor Zamula - Emil Andrae
Samuel Ersson
Felix Sandström
PP1: Brlnk, Atkinson, Couturier, Konecny, York
PP2: Farabee, Tippett, Frost, Cates, Sanheim
Per Tortorella, Carter Hart was under the weather. He'll be on when practices resume on Tuesday. In the meantime, after defenseman Ristolainen was held out of Thursday's preseason finale against the New York Islanders, he returned to practice on Sunday.
After practice, prior to the Flyers learning that power winger Wade Allison had cleared waivers, Tortorella was characteristically blunt when asked about the reasoning behind Allison not making the opening night roster after spending last season in the NHL.
"[Other] players played better," Tortorella said.
"Kids," the head coach added, referring to Brink and Foerster.
Tortorella confirmed that he'd spoken to Allison on Friday after the decision was made to place the almost 26-year-old winger on waivers for purposes of assignment to the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Tortorella was asked about what he said to the player but opted to keep the conversation private.
Allison, understandably, was disappointed by the news that he will not be starting the regular season with the Flyers. His friends on the team, including roommate Farabee, have reportedly offered him words of encouragement. At 2 p.m. eastern time on Saturday afternoon, Allison cleared waivers (there was only one player claimed leaguewide as clubs sort out their own opening-night roster numbers decisions). The Flyers assigned him to the Phantoms.
Last season, rugged winger Zack MacEwen did not make the Flyers' opening night roster. Despite the disappointment, he reported to the Phantoms in a positive, focused frame of mind. After just two games with Lehigh Valley (in which he received regular power play duy and extended overall ice time in collecting three points), MacEwen was back in the NHL.
The powerfully built and hard-shooting Allison, by all accounts is a more naturally skilled player than MacEwen. As "Big Mac" did last year, Allison can similarly put himself at the head of the line for a return to Philadelphia when the opportunity arises.
Saturday's practice marked the unofficial end of training camp, at least the on-ice portion. The team members are now going on a two-day players-only bonding trip. Meanwhile, the Flyers' coaching staff will get together and Tortorella will also meet with general manager Danny Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones as final decisions are made on the opening night roster.
"I think sometimes when you want the team to bond, we [coaches] get in the way. So we'll do our own thing and they'll do theirs," Tortorella said.
"The team bonding thing I think kind of takes on a little bit of a life of its own, I think it gets a little overrated. I'm just glad those guys are going to get away and they're going to play a little golf and just get away from us. I think some of the best team bonding, after a long camp, is to get away from the coaches. And, quite honestly, for the coaches to get away from the players."
NHL opening-night rosters must be submitted to the league office on Monday. Rosters will be announced to the public shortly after the filing deadline of 5 p.m. eastern time.
There are 13 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders (Hart, Ersson and Sandström) officially still on the roster. Will the team go into the season with seven defensemen or eight? Defenseman Zamula is subject to waivers. Andrae, a first-year pro in North America, is waiver-exempt.
Sandström will require waivers beforehand if the Flyers organization opts to send him to the Phantoms. Tortorella has already stated that Ersson will enter the season as the number two goalie on the depth chart. Barring injury, it's tough to find sufficient practice time for three goaltenders, much less playing time.
Until Phantoms' rookie JR Avon is medically cleared to play after he completes rehab on a pre-camp knee injury (posterior cruciate ligament tear), Flyers can place him on season-opening injured reserve (SOIR). He played junior hockey last season, so it would not entail a salary cap hit in addition to not taking up an active roster spot. When Avon is cleared, he'll be removed from SOIR and will report to Lehigh Valley.
