Can 2015 first-round draft pick Ivan Provorov make the team out of training camp? The defenseman is a definite candidate. (Photo by Kevin Durso/Flyerdelphia)
With development camp wrapping on Sunday, the Flyers front office got a good first look at the progress of the organization's prospects from one season to the next.
It's still early, and an entire training camp has yet to play out, but there are some prospects determined to make it to the Flyers this season.
Here are five prospects that can get into the Flyers lineup at some point during the 2015-16 season.
Scott Laughton – The most veteran player at development camp already has 31 games of NHL experience. That taste should be enough to fuel Laughton to get back. He's got the best chance of anybody at development camp to make the lineup on opening night.
Shayne Gostisbehere – If not for an ACL injury that shortened his 2014-15 season, Gostisbehere would probably also have a chance to make the team out of camp. The Flyers would like to get Gostisbehere more time at the pro level, likely with the AHL's Phantoms, before having him make the leap to the NHL, hopefully for good. He looks completely recovered from the ACL injury, so now it's just a matter of his health staying in a good place and his performance remaining consistent.
Taylor Leier – Danick Martel and Travis Konecny both are that smaller player variety that is thriving in the NHL. Leier is 5'11" and entering his second pro season with the Phantoms. Leier was passed over for several Phantoms forwards last season in spots where a call-up was necessary. This year, he could be the leading candidate.
Ivan Provorov – This will be, without a doubt, the toughest decision for Ron Hextall to make this offseason. Provorov brings a polished game. It showed during development camp and his training camp will be make or break in determining where he plays next season. While it seems more likely the Flyers will take the same route and exercise patience with the 18-year-old – which means another season in the WHL – I don't think there is any defensive prospect the Flyers have had in recent years that warranted this kind of attention or created this much difficulty in making a decision. Even Travis Sanheim, who has all the potential in the world it seems, was easily going to need a couple more seasons in juniors. Maybe that's what the Flyers are thinking all along too, but they don't have much time to decide it.
Robert Hagg – If it's not Gostisbehere, for the purposes of playing time at the pro level, or Provorov, who would have to come straight out of camp, then the first defensive prospect to get the call this season might be Robert Hagg. He's got the most pro experience of any of the top five defensive prospects. He might still need that full season in the minors, but many thought he would get the call in some emergency situations last season. The Flyers opted for others then. Maybe this time, it's Hagg's turn to get a chance.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
