Foerster hungry for full-time role with Flyers

VOORHEES, N.J. -- Tyson Foerster got a taste of life in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers late last season. Now he's ready for a larger meal.

"I think that's everybody's goal that's here, is to make the Flyers, and that's for sure my goal," the 21-year-old forward prospect said when rookie camp opened Thursday. "I think I'm ready."

Ian Laperriere, who coached Foerster last season with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, agrees.

"I'm not expecting him back in the [AHL]," he said. "You never know, but he's got his mind set. I feel like you walk around him, he's confident. He's got that swagger about him that I love, that everybody loves. He's probably going to be at the next level and be there for a while."

Foerster led Lehigh Valley with 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists) in 66 games last season. He got his first NHL opportunity when the Flyers recalled him March 9, and he had seven points (three goals, four assists) in eight games before being returned to the AHL.

What stood out to Laperriere more than the offensive production was how Foerster has become a well-rounded player.

"He was managing the puck like a veteran out there," Laperriere said. "We all know he can shoot the puck, we all know he can make hockey plays. But there's more to that in [the NHL]. A lot of guys can shoot the puck and they can score, but they can't play in this league because there's other things around that. And Tyson improved so much last year in that."

One of those areas is skating, which has been perceived to be an issue since before the Flyers selected him in the first round (No. 23) of the 2020 NHL Draft. Foerster, though, believes he's put those issues to rest.

"I think I proved myself a bit last year, and I don't think my skating's bad at all," he said. "I think I'm a pretty good skater now and I want to show that."

It's not the speed or the stride, but the work Foerster puts into getting into the right spots that stands out to Laperriere.

"He's not a bad skater, but he's not a smooth skater like the other kids you'll see [at rookie camp]," Laperriere said. "He's not gliding out there, but he works. He's a worker. So, I'm not worried about the skating.

“He'll never be [Travis Konecny], he's a heck of a skater, but [Foerster] works so he's going to get to the same point probably at the same time because of his work ethic."

Foerster displayed more of that work ethic during the offseason, most of which was spent living in Philadelphia with Flyers forward Joel Farabee and working out daily with Philadelphia's strength and conditioning coaches.

Laperriere said Foerster (6-foot-2, 194 pounds) looks bigger and stronger since the end of last season.

"He wants to prove to the organization that he'll do whatever it takes to make the team," Laperriere said. "All credit to him, he stayed here all summer, trained like an animal, and it shows."

With the offseason departures of forwards Kevin Hayes (St. Louis Blues) and James van Riemsdyk (Boston Bruins), there will be ample opportunity for Foerster to seize a full-time NHL role.

"He's made so many improvements with his skating," Farabee said. "He's absolutely massive right now. He's a guy that is going to be a huge part of this team for years to follow. ... I think a lot of a lot of people in our organization are very happy with how he's handled things. He's going to be a really good player."