It looks like we now know another player who will join the Flyers for the playoffs as Connor Bunnaman has headed to Voorhees.
After Morgan Frost was told to stay ready during the layoff, Connor Bunnaman has now been told the same. The Flyers will look to bring him along for the playoffs.
Even if he doesn’t get into a game, he will have a chance to experience what the NHL playoffs are like. He was able to make his debut this season and score his first goal in the league.
But this will be a whole different experience for him. The 22-year-old surprised a lot of people when he made the Flyers out of training camp. He only played four games before being sent back to the AHL, but those four games were still important for his development.
It gave him a taste of what it takes to make it and succeed at the next level. He did get back to that level eventually, but not before having to deal with a little adversity along the way.
An ankle sprain in November cost him 13 games with the Phantoms. He even struggled when he came back from the injury. Soon enough, he found his form again and was given another chance to join the Flyers in January. That came after posting points in four straight games.
That’s when he grabbed his first NHL goal and found a role for himself in the league. The Flyers know what he is capable of and how he can fit into the team. And the team’s assistant GM, Brent Flahr, believes his style of play would be an advantage.
He’s a gritty type player that is willing to go to the dirty areas to make a play happens.
"“As you know, playoff hockey is heavy, it’s hard to get space out there, and you need to be able to get to the net. With his size and his willingness to get to the blue paint, his game should eventually translate well to playoff hockey.”"
That’s a big compliment to a player that only has 21 games under his belt. And it is likely that he won’t end up in a game unless the Flyers run into injury troubles. But he will be able to practice and learn from everyone what it takes to succeed in the postseason.
And if he gets the chance to play, he will surely be ready to show that he has what it takes to stick around.