Before this week begins, it's time for our weekly check-in on the Flyers’ prospects playing in the AHL, overseas and at the junior and college levels.
In this week’s report, we check in on the health of two of the orange and black’s top prospects, and highlight a pair of Big Ten prospects squaring off. Let’s dig in.
German Rubtsov, C, 6-0/190, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
Rubtsov escaped a scare last Thursday, when he slid hard into the boards after being brought down on a breakaway by a Rouyn-Noranda defensemen Zachary Lauzon and Bruno-Carl Denis, injuring his left knee. After the game, Rubtsov was on crutches, awaiting further examination. According to Le Quotidien’s Dave Ainsley, there is no fracture and he is considered day to day. He did not play in Chicoutimi’s 4-3 win over Rimouski last Friday. The Saguenéens will have six days off between the Rimouski game and their next game, Thursday against Val-d’Or, so it’s plausible for Rubtsov to not miss any more time.
Before the injury, Rubtsov’s QMJHL career continued its torrid pace. Last Tuesday, Rubtsov deposited a juicy rebound into an empty net during Chicoutimi’s 3-2 win over Drummondville. It was his third goal and ninth point in his sixth game since coming over from Russia, and he’s been held pointless in just two games playing in the Q.
Philippe Myers, D, 6-5/209, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
Myers, who has not played since the world juniors because of a concussion, was spotted in the Wells Fargo Center press box last Thursday night during the Flyers’ 3-1 win over the Canadiens. When asked about Myers’ health last Friday at Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey, general manager Ron Hextall said “he’s doing good” and believes “he’s getting close.” According to Hextall, Myers has been skating with the Huskies. Rouyn-Noranda has two games this week, so it’s possible Myers could return Thursday or Friday night.
Cooper Marody, C, 6-0/178, Michigan (NCAA)
It’s been a trying sophomore season for Marody, having been ruled academically ineligible for the first semester. But, the 20-year-old finally cracked through in the goal column last weekend, registering a hat trick in under 10 minutes of Michigan’s 5-4 win over No. 11 Ohio State on Friday night. It was the Wolverines’ first hat trick since Hobey Baker Award runner-up Kyle Connor potted four markers against Penn State last season’s Big Ten Tournament, and Michigan’s first natural hat trick since J.T. Compher’s on March 7, 2015, also against PSU. It was also Marody’s first career multi-goal game and first career hat trick.
Marody compiled his hat trick in nine minutes and 17 seconds in the second period that sent Michigan into the second intermission up, 5-1, on the Buckeyes. His first goal at 6:47 displayed tremendous shiftiness and stick work before ripping off a wrister past OSU goalie Christian Frey. The second goal, at 10:51 on a power play, Marody pounced on a rebound, poking it past Frey to put Michigan up, 4-1. He completed the trick at 16:04 again on a power play, beating Frey from the right with a wrister after setting up Michigan’s umbrella.
NHL
"I think adversity just makes you stronger," Marody told mgoblue.com. "It's important to learn from any adversity you have and try to move forward. So, it's good that the team got a good win tonight, and we're hoping we can continue it, and I think we can."
On Saturday night, Marody followed his hat trick up with another goal, another impressive individual effort and wrister, and two assists in Michigan’s 6-5 loss to Ohio State.
Tanner Laczynski, C, 6-1/191, Ohio State (NCAA)
After coming down to earth following the world juniors, Laczynski snapped a four-game goal drought and a three-game pointless skid Friday night in OSU’s 5-4 loss to Michigan. With the Buckeyes trailing, 3-0, in the second period and Ohio State on a power play, Laczynski banked a shot off Michigan goalie Hayden Lavigne into the net for his seventh goal of the season. Lavigne lost track of the puck, believing the puck was in the corner behind him and Laczynski took the opportunity to throw it at net. He moved up to the third line for Saturday’s contest with the Wolverines, and picked up a secondary assist.
Oskar Lindblom, LW, 6-1/192, Brynäs IF (SHL)
It’s been awhile since we’ve highlighted Lindblom, the 20-year-old Swedish sensation tearing apart the SHL, but here we go. Lindblom again turned in another monster week for Brynäs IF, ripping off three more goals and pushing his point total to a team-leading 37. On Tuesday, Lindblom netted his 14th goal of the season in a 6-2 Brynäs loss to Skellefteå, punching in a rebound, and on Thursday, he led a comeback charge in a 5-4 shootout win over Lulea with two goals and the shootout winner. He opened the scoring for Brynäs with a tap-in goal off his own pass, and then scored the game-tying goal in the third with a wicked wrist shot. He’s now at 16 goals and 37 points, fourth in the SHL, in 41 games.
Lindblom is still without an entry-level contract, but it is only a matter of time before Hextall inks the winger to one — most likely after the SHL season comes to an end. As was the case last year, Lindblom could sign another amateur tryout contract and finish out the AHL season with the Phantoms, but with the depth in Lehigh Valley, the team may hold off on that option. But, it’s a safe bet that Lindblom will push hard for a spot on the Flyers next season, and it’s realistic in saying that he has a legitimate shot. Early bet here is he makes it.
Quick hits
• Flyers team president Paul Holmgren told the Courier-Post’s Dave Isaac last Friday at the PSWA dinner the Phantoms have “six or seven guys I promise you’ll see in a year or two.”
• Phantoms defensive partners Sam Morin and Travis Sanheim scooped up an assist each in Lehigh Valley’s 4-3 win over Albany Friday night. They were pointless and a combined minus-5 in the Phantoms’ 7-1 blowout loss Saturday against Wilkes/Barre Scranton.
• Anthony Stolarz had a disastrous outing Saturday against the Penguins, yielding seven goals on 32 shots. His goals-against average is now up to 2.75 with a .911 save percentage.
• Western Michigan’s Wade Allison catapulted himself atop the Broncos’ scoring list with a goal and three assists last weekend. Allison recorded three helpers in No. 9 WMU’s 4-2 win over Arizona State on Friday, and then followed it up with a goal on Saturday against ASU. Allison leads the Broncos with 23 points in 26 games, and is currently on a four-game point streak, collecting five points along the way. He also has 14 points in his last 13 games.
• Pascal Laberge had a three-goal week for Victoriaville, scoring once in the Tigres’ 6-2 win over Drummondville Thursday and twice in their 7-2 win over Sherbrooke Saturday.
• Saint John’s Samuel Dove-McFalls added a four-point week for the Sea Dogs. On Friday in a 7-4 win over Halifax, Dove-McFalls registered a goal and an assist, and then followed that up with a goal Saturday in a 7-0 rout of Cape Breton. Dove-McFalls is riding a four-game point streak, picking up three goals and two assists during that span.
• A rough week for Everett goalie Carter Hart, who allowed nine goals in four games — three losses and was pulled twice. He did, however, rebound with his seventh shutout on the season on Saturday night, turning away 21 shots in a 1-0 win over Vancouver.
• With two more assists, Carsen Twarynski now has five points — all assists — in nine games with the Rockets since Calgary traded him to Kelowna.