Offseason Spotlight: Egor Zamula

Twenty-four-year-old defenseman Egor Zamula achieved his first full season in the National Hockey League for the Flyers in 2023-24. He dressed in 66 games, scored five goals, recorded 21 points, and compiled a traditional plus-three rating while averaging 16:03 of ice time.

Periodically seeing time on the power play in addition to being a semi-regular on the third defense pairing at 5-on-5, Zamula's nine power play points (two power play goals, seven assists) trailed only Morgan Frost (11) for the team lead. Overall leading scorer Travis Konency also produced nine power play points.

Prior to last season, the young Russian blueliner split portions of the 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 campaigns between the NHL with the Flyers (26 games in total) and the American Hockey League with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (127 games, five goals,49 points). Unselected in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Zamula was signed as a free agent on September 18, 2018, after impressing as a training camp tryout player.

In addition to making major strides on the ice over the last couple seasons, Zamula has acclimated very well to life in North American pro hockey. The former Calgary Hitmen (Western Hockey League) player now speaks fluent English and no longer needs an interpreter in interviews. A popular player among teammates, Zamula has allowed his naturally energetic, humorous and fun-loving personality to shine.

"One of the biggest positives with 'Z' is that he wants to learn," Flyers assistant coach Brad Shaw said on March 17. "He's coachable and he is diligent in his approach."

Both Shaw and head coach John Tortorella have praised Zamula's athleticism and ability to get shots on net from the point. His shot is not overpowering but it's generally accurate. The primary obstacles that Zamula needs to overcome to become a full-time member of the starting lineup are related to some of his reaction times and decision making.

"The American League is a hell of a good league [but] you have an extra split second to read a play and react. It's just a little bit quicker up in the NHL. We want to see Z play just a little bit faster with consistency. He has made some progress and that's why he's played a little bit more [since the early months of 2023-24]," Tortorella said Zamula logged between 18 to 22 minutes of ice time in a four-game stretch during early March,

On Exit Day, Zamula said he saw incremental improvements in his game as last season progressed.

"I would say the first 10 games, you're playing with a lot of energy and emotion, Next 20 games, up and down because it's a hard league and a lot of good players," Zamula said.

"After that, you understand a lot of players who you play against and you understand how you need to play — sometimes you need to play fast, sometimes you need to make a play. I feel like after Game 30, 35, I started growing and felt more comfortable. I feel like I started playing faster."

During the offseason, the Flyers signed Zamula to a two-year contract with a $1.7 million average annual value (AAV). Entering training camp, he'll face a battle to maintain a top-six role in the lineup. The likes of Adam Ginning, Ronnie Attard and Emil Andrae will provide competition for roster and lineup spots before the final cuts are made. Neither Zamula nor the right-handed shooting Attard are exempt from waivers.

Assuming everyone stays healthy, the Flyers top four defensemen entering the season appear likely to consist of Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale and Nick Seeler. Veteran Erik Johnson is penciled in for the No. 7 role that Marc Staal played for much of last season. With a healthy Rasmus Ristolainen targeted to play the right side of a regular starting pair, that sets up a scenario where either Zamula or one of the Phantoms defensemen vying for a full-time NHL promotion will compete for the remaining spot.

As a player who has personally experienced the adjustment to the NHL style and life off the ice that Matvei Michkov faces as a rookie this season, Zamula has other things he can contribute to the Flyers in the immediate future. Zamula's personality and Michkov's are fairly similar, and the fact that Zamula has become comfortably bilingual is a bonus in helping the rookie to assimilate.