With the start of the next AHL season in question, the Flyers have loaned Maksim Sushko back to the KHL.
The Philadelphia Flyers announced on Friday afternoon that Maksim Sushko would be loaned back to the KHL. He will be joining Dinamo Minsk. This is likely a temporary move on there is word the AHL season may not start until December or even January.
The move will allow Sushko is get playing time while the league figures out when it will be able to restart. Sushko was appearing in his rookie season for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
He was having a solid debut season in the AHL. In 53 games with the Phantoms, he collected 11 goals and 21 points. Sushko was fourth on the team in goals and seventh in points. He was second behind only Morgan Frost in goals and points among the team’s rookie skaters.
Sushko was one of few bright spots on an otherwise disappointing Phantoms roster. The team underperformed this season as they were set to once again miss the playoffs.
Drafted in the fourth round in 2017, Sushko was coming off his first season in the OHL. For the Owen Sound Attack, he had posted 17 goals and 32 points. That was actually his first season playing in North America.
He adapted well to the NA ice, almost doubling his goal output the following season. Sushko grabbed 31 goals and 60 points for the Attack. He was almost named a Top Three Player on the Belarus squad at the World Junior Championship during the 2017-18 season.
Sushko regressed a little in his junior season, despite appearing in more games. He posted 18 goals and 51 points. He did post a career-high 33 assists. Once again appearing for Belarus at the World Junior Championship Division I Group A , he earned a silver medal, the second of his international career.
There is upside to his game, but he was primary seen as a bottom-six forward with the Phantoms. He did see regular penalty killing time as well. Back in January, Flyers assistant GM Brett Flahr provided updates of various prospects.
He spoke well of what they had seen from Sushko at that point in the season.
"“Max is another highly competitive young player, and he’s started to figure out what will work for him in the pro game. There are still things he has to improve, and he’s aware of them, but he’s been coming along from one month to the next. He’s strong on the cycle and competes for pucks. He’s another guy that we’ll see where he’s at the end of the season and then in camp after the season.”"
For now, the Flyers will have to wait to complete the current NHL season before they can see Sushko again. He will head to the KHL to get reps in until the next AHL season begins. That is almost certainly his destination for at least another year or two.
If he continues to trend upward, he should have a bright future with the organization.