Flyers get more affirmation on ‘future’ defensemen

In a span of about eight hours, two Flyers defensive prospects showed just how bright the future is.

The terms "prospect" and "future" are used loosely here. It's hard to be considered a prospect and part of the future when you're having success at hockey's highest level.

Shayne Gostisbehere scored and assisted on a goal in Tuesday night's 4-3 win for the Flyers over the Canadiens.

A few hours earlier, 2015 first-round pick Ivan Provorov was playing half a world away in Helsinki, Finland, and picked up two assists in Russia's loss to Finland in the gold-medal game at the World Junior championships.

Together, Gostisbehere is leading a whole host of future defensemen, like Provorov, nearing the completion of the journey.

For Provorov and 2014 first-round pick Travis Sanheim, the past week was about showcasing their talents at the World Junior Championships.

Playing in juniors is not always the best way to be showcased. For some fans, most notably Flyers fans of late, having several rising stars in junior hockey can increase some awareness of the junior game. But it is still not as readily available for viewing the way the AHL and WJC is.

Provorov and Sanheim were already shining in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Provorov has played in 30 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings and has seven goals and 21 assists. At the WJC, Provorov ranked second among defensemen with eight assists and third among defensemen with eight points. Sanheim has eight goals and 23 assists in 24 games for the Calgary Hitmen. Sanheim had one assist in five games with Canada at WJC and received limited playing time.

This doesn't even include Sam Morin and Robert Hagg, both working to improve and ready their game for the NHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL. Morin and Hagg both are more defensive blue liners. So despite lower point totals, they are still improving. Morin has 11 points in 36 games. Hagg has four in 28 games.

And then there is Gostisbehere, who not only solidified his place on the Flyers roster in recent weeks, but has been so productive, he's already reached the top of the points standings for rookie defensemen.

Gostisbehere's two-point night, already his third in 22 games, gave him 16 for the season, tied for first with Colton Parayko, who has played in 40 games for the St. Louis Blues.

The next highest rookie defensemen on that list are Boston defenseman Colin Miller, who has 12 points in 28 games, and Carolina defenseman Brett Pesce, who has 11 points in 33 games.

None come close to Gostisbehere's production.

is having a pretty good start to his career. #NHLonNBC pic.twitter.com/Yo7YogDgzD

— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) January 6, 2016

For one day, Flyers fans also got to see how two young players — Gostisbehere is 22, Provorov turns 19 next Wednesday — handle themselves in situations beyond their control.

Gostisbehere did not have the best road trip, when collectively, the Flyers went 0-3-0 in California. He knows it. His teammates know it. His coach knows it. The fans know it. But what is telling is how one goal could take away the pressure and weight and bring him right back to what has come to feel like normal.

Rookies will have learning curves and obstacles to overcome. It might have been a three-game drought for Gostisbehere, but he sure snapped out of it quickly enough to show he has the poise of a future leader.

Hours earlier, in Finland, Provorov had experienced the highs and lows of playing in one of hockey's top tournaments. With 6.9 seconds left in the third period, Provorov's quick shot on net was deflected in, giving Provorov an assist on the game-tying goal. Russia had breathed new life into the gold-medal game and Provorov was right at the center of attention.

Moments later, he was on the ice when Kasperi Kapanen scored the golden goal for Finland. Provorov's emotions overflowed as Finland celebrated gold.

To see a 19-year-old kid, one that some thought was ready for the jump to the NHL this season even, react like that after a hard loss just further proves the point.

Provorov took the loss personally, and though the game-winning play involved many factors other than Provorov's incidental collision with his goalie and going down to try to prevent a scoring chance, it wasn't any easier to accept the result.

That kind of passion certainly resonates in Philadelphia.

Tuesday night's game against Montreal was the Flyers 38th of the 2015-16 season. They will reach the halfway point on Jan. 13 when they host the Boston Bruins. There will still be 41 games to go after that, a lot of games to determine whether the Flyers can make a playoff run or not.

Regardless of that, Tuesday proved that the Flyers will already be winners this season, regardless of whether they are in the playoffs or not.

Sure, every team strives to make the playoffs, to get the chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. But for the teams that don't make it, they are afforded another chance to add future talent to the organization. The Flyers may or may not get that chance this season, and it really doesn't matter, at least not on the blue line.

The Flyers got all the affirmation they needed on Tuesday, in two games played six hours apart and 4,189 miles away from each other.

Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.