The Flyers system features a "Big Five" group of prospects on the blue line. One of those players is having a tremendous rookie season in the NHL. Two others have been a part of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL all season. Two others were continuing to build their resumes in junior hockey.
With junior hockey seasons starting to come to a close, new opportunities can open for those players. For 2014 first-round pick Travis Sanheim, the time has come.
Sanheim will join the Phantoms on an amatuer try-out, now that the Calgary Hitmen have been eliminated from the WHL Playoffs.
The 6'4", 198-pound defenseman had an incredible season in the WHL, scoring 15 goals and adding 53 assists for 68 points in 52 games. In five playoff games, Sanheim scored one goal and added five assists for six points.
Sanheim will join Sam Morin and Robert Hagg on the blue line in Lehigh Valley. Morin has shown solid growth in becoming a stay-at-home defenseman while Hagg has experienced some struggles this season.
This is a birthday present of sorts for Sanheim. He turned 20 on Tuesday and will have a chance to play full-time in the AHL next season, so this could be an audition for the defenseman.
Sanheim's teammate in Calgary, Radel Fazleev, is also expected to join the Phantoms, but could arrive later due to immigration paperwork. Fazleev, the Flyers sixth-round pick in 2014, scored 19 goals and added 52 assists for 71 points this season in 59 games, but was held scoreless in five playoff games. The Russian-born center turned 20 in January.
The Phantoms are next in action on Friday night in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, so with a week of practice ahead, there is a chance that Sanheim could crack the lineup this weekend.
The Phantoms recently added Oskar Lindblom and Reece Willcox to their lineup. Lindblom is also on an amatuer try-out. Willcox signed an entry-level deal as his college career came to an end and was assigned to the AHL.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
