Future Flyers Report: Biggest surprise, disappointment and more

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The holiday break is upon us, which means no more hockey until post-Christmas.

What better time than now for a special edition of our Future Flyers Report?

In this Christmas Eve rendition of our Future Flyers Report, we provide the biggest surprise and disappointment. Let’s get started.

Biggest surprise: Tanner Laczynski
There may not be a more pleasant surprise in the Flyers’ system this season than Laczynski, a freshman at Ohio State and sixth-round pick from last June’s NHL draft.

Laczynski leads the Buckeyes with 16 assists and 22 points in 15 games at the break, and Thursday, he made the cut for Team USA for the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships.

Take the centerman’s story into account, and what he has accomplished so far at OSU is impressive. Laczynski was eligible for the 2015 draft but went undrafted. When the Flyers drafted him, he had just returned to his Shorewood, Illinois, home from coaching kids. Throughout the pre-draft process, he had little contact with the orange and black.

And now, the 19-year-old cracked Team USA’s roster and established himself as No. 9 Ohio State’s top scorer. He began his trek to the U.S. national team at the World Junior evaluation camp in August, and over the last couple of weeks, he continued the momentum.

Some highlights from the freshman’s first semester: He has points in all but four games, had a five-game point streak in which he tallied 10 points and eight multi-point games.

Biggest disappointment: Matej Tomek
To little fault of his own, Tomek, a sophomore, has yet to play in a meaningful hockey game at the North Dakota. Because of that, he qualifies as the biggest disappointment.

That is not to say Tomek, one of three goalies drafted by the Flyers in 2015, has taken steps back in his development; it’s more to say we simply don’t know what he is yet. Tomek missed the first half of his freshman season last year, and by the time he returned, UND’s crease had already settled in. Before this season began, the 6-foot-3 goalie hoped to work his way into North Dakota’s goaltending mix, but that has yet to happen.

Looking at it on the surface, the lack of playing time does not bode well for Tomek’s trajectory, and with goalies, it is a longer process than forwards and even defensemen. In the same token, Tomek attends a top college program, recruited to UND by Dave Hakstol.

With junior Cam Johnson carrying the workload for North Dakota in the first semester — starting all 18 games — Tomek has been forced to sit. He is also behind senior Matt Hrynkiw on the depth chart. After leading North Dakota to a national championship last season, Johnson decided to return for his junior campaign instead of signing as an undrafted free agent in the NHL, like Yale’s Alex Lyon did with the Flyers.

We may not see Tomek suit up in a meaningful game until next season, barring injuries to Johnson or Hrynkiw the rest of the 2016-17 campaign. Hrynkiw graduates after this season and Johnson may opt to forgo his senior season for the professional ranks. That would open the door for Tomek and fellow sophomore Ryan Anderson to compete for either the backup job to Johnson or for the No. 1 job should Johnson decide to leave.

It is not all bad news on the Tomek front, however. He cracked Team Slovakia’s roster for the world juniors as the backup netminder to Rangers prospect Adam Huska. Tomek making Team Slovakia does show not all is lost with the goalie, but it remains disappointing for him not to have cracked the lineup for a regular-season game yet.

Forwards

German Rubtsov: The Flyers’ 2016 first-round pick has battled for playing time for HC Vityaz in the KHL, but has yet to solidify himself in any significant role. He has yet to register a point and has spent time in the VHL and MHL. There has been speculation he could come over to North America after the season if he can get out of his KHL contract. Chicoutimi of the QJMHL owns his CHL rights. Rubtsov will play for Russia at the WJCs.

Pascal Laberge: A bit of a rough season for one of the Flyers’ three second-round picks from June. Laberge was a victim of a headshot, suffering a concussion that forced him to miss 16 games. He then played two games before having to sit out three more because of concussion symptoms. In 14 games this season, Laberge has four goals and five assists.

Wade Allison: Another second-round pick from June, Allison enjoyed a successful first semester at Western Michigan, playing for former Flyers assistant coach Andy Murray. Allison is second on WMU with nine goals and 14 points in 16 games.

Defensemen

Travis Sanheim: In his first professional season, Sanheim is starting to heat up for the Phantoms. He has four goals in his last five games and 13 points in 28 games.

Philippe Myers: An exciting prospect who impressed at Flyers training camp, Myers is enjoying another excellent season for Rouyn-Noranda. He has eight goals and 18 points in 19 games for the Huskies. He should play meaningful minutes for Canada at the WJCs.

Sam Morin: The 2013 first-round pick is developing nicely with the Phantoms. He has two goals and five points this season, with 38 penalty minutes. He’s paired with Sanheim and figures to get a serious look to crack the Flyers’ roster next season.

Mark Friedman: A junior defenseman at Bowling Green, Friedman has five goals and 10 assists in 21 games this season. He has a goal and an assist in his last two games.

Goalies

Carter Hart: The Everett goaltender continues to dominate the WHL. He has won the CHL Goaltender of the Week twice and leads the WHL in goals-against average (1.85) and shutouts (4), second in save percentage (.928) and fourth in wins (16). Hart is expected to start for Canada, with fellow WHL goalie Connor Ingram backing up, at the world juniors.

Alex Lyon: After a rude awakening in his first two professional starts, Lyon has settled in quite well in his first season with the Phantoms. Lyon leads the AHL with 13 wins and has a 2.63 goals-against average and .913 save percentage. When Anthony Stolarz returns from the Flyers, Lehigh Valley’s goaltending situation will be one to pay attention to.

Felix Sandstrom: Another 2015 goalie draft pick by the Flyers, Sandstrom posted a 2.00 goals-against average with a .919 save percentage and a 9-2-2 record for Brynäs IF. Sandstrom will be Sweden’s starting netminder for the world juniors.

Quick hits
• Now healthy, David Kase will play for Team Czech Republic at the world juniors.

Cooper Marody is expected to make his 2016-17 debut when Michigan resumes play Thursday. Marody was ruled academically ineligible for the first semester.

• Saint John’s Samuel Dove-McFalls has six goals and 24 points in 31 games.

Mikhail Vorobyov of Salavat Yulaev has three goals and seven assists in 36 games in the KHL. Vorobyov will play for Russia at the WJCs.

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