Philadelphia Flyers Remain Or Remove: Mikhail Vorobyev

The Philadelphia Flyers 2015 Fourth Round Pick was relatively underwhelming during his short stints in the NHL but is still young enough to fully find his game.

Mikhail Vorobyev earned a spot on the Philadelphia Flyers 2018-19 roster with strong Training Camp and preseason performances. He came out of the gates strong, netting two points (1 Goal, 1 Assist) in his first two games of the season, then completely fell off of a cliff in the scoring department. Vorobyev saw his ice-time drop significantly following his fifth NHL game and was eventually sent down to the AHL to spend time with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Following Dave Hakstol’s departure and Scott Gordon’s promotion as Head Coach of the Flyers, Vorobyev was called back up to the team in late January. He played in eight games, saw less than ten minutes of Time on Ice in each contest, and was subsequently sent down yet again. To be fair, Vorobyev didn’t look at all like the player I saw during preseason play and in the early part of the year. The confidence disappeared, the point production was non-existent, and he was hardly noticeable when taking shifts. It was disappointing to see a player with his talents look completely lost in the NHL because we all saw how good he could potentially be when he played with some self-assurance.

Vorobyev didn’t end up having a bad season with Lehigh Valley, but it wasn’t a complete improvement on his 2017-18 rookie campaign. While his point-per-game total was higher, playing in 16 fewer games than he did the year before, the Russian center finished the season with 26 points (7 Goals, 19 Assists) in 42 contests played. He more than doubled his Penalties in Minutes, going from a mere 14 in his first year to 36 in his second. Again, he didn’t look bad by any means; I just expected Vorobyev to take a more significant step against AHL talent in his sophomore season.

The 22-year-old forward has time to find his niche as an NHL player and dominate the AHL, though. If he doesn’t make the Flyers out of camp, he’ll be somewhat of a leader in the Phantoms locker room with all of the youth that’s on the way. What I’m hoping is that the leadership role will help unlock the previously mentioned confidence as he leads by example. Some guys thrive on being depended on and hopefully, Vorobyev is one of them.

Fletcher should one hundred and ten percent keep Vorobyev in the organization unless he’s involved in a trade package for a bonafide Top-6 forward or Top-4 defenseman. Lehigh Valley needs experience on their team, and the 6’2 centerman can bring just that, while also possessing the skill to push for a spot with the Flyers.

Verdict: Remain.