Let’s take a trip to Russia, Philadelphia Flyers Fans.
The Philadelphia Flyers have an interesting prospect in 20-year-old Mikhail Vorobyov. The 6’2, 207 pound, center already has NHL size with high-end play making skills that he showcased at the World Juniors, where he finishing tied for fourth in tournament scoring with 10 points, all assists, in seven games, on route to a bronze medal.
Vorobyov, who currently plays for Salavat Yulaev Ufa of the KHL Russia’s top professional league, has 3 goals, and 8 assists in 44 games played this season.
Vorobyov’s Salavat Yulaev team was knocked out in the first round of the KHL playoffs, losing in five games. Vorobyov was unable to find the score sheet in five postseason games.
Tony Androckitis noted in a tweet, “Reports out of Russia that Mikhail Vorobyov’s agent is in talks with Flyers. Assume it’s about signing an ELC, or an ATO with Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Philadelphia Flyers
Vorobyov is under contract until April 30th with his KHL team. The Russian could choose to sign an Entry Level Contract with Flyers following that date. The Flyers 2015 fourth rounder could then add more depth to an already strong Lehigh Valley Phantoms team in May on their road to a potential Calder Cup. The team is currently fourth overall in the AHL standings.
Scouting report
"Flyers scout, Todd Hearty, speaking to McKeen’s, likened Vorobyov’s game and upside to that of Minnesota Wild 2015 first-round pick Joel Eriksson Ek. Hearty also said that he feels the skating concerns for Vorobyov are greatly overblown.“He needs half a step, which is just strength,” Hearty told McKeen’s. “He’s a two-way center with size. He’s big and he’s skilled. I look at him, and I don’t see a huge, huge difference between him and Ek.”“We had Vorobyov really high,” Hearty said. ”We had quite a distance with no picks from 24 to 70 … we had to take a goalie in the third … and Vorobyov just kept falling for whatever reason. – Bill Meltzer HockeyBuzz"
Vorobyov is your typical Russian Center with good play making skills and good shutdown ability. The Flyers looked to have found a good player in the fourth round that could have gone higher if not for the Russian factor.
This potential signing could add another intriguing prospect to the long list within the Flyers organization. Don’t be surprised if Vorobyov is in the Orange and Black sooner rather than later.
The Hockey News rated Vorobyov as the Flyers’ 10th best prospect in its Future Watch edition. The magazine also praised the center’s strength and vision, claiming the Russian might be a dark horse contender for the Flyer’s best prospect of the year (THN FW 49).