Meeting The Flyers Taxi Squad: What Do All Six Players Bring To The Table?

What does each member of the Flyers taxi squad add to the group?

What’s up Flyers Fans? The puck drops tonight and Game Number One of 56 begins for the orange and black in the first meeting of eight against the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. The Broad Street Bullies will play a meaningful hockey game that will count towards the standings since September 5th 2020.

That was four months ago when the New York Islanders defeated Philadelphia in Game 7 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Finals in the bubble in Toronto. It’s been 132 days, four months and 10 days since the last Flyers goal in a double overtime thriller from Ivan Provorov. I think I can speak for almost every Flyer fan we’ve missed hockey so much.

We’ve missed the voice of NBCSNP; Jim Jackson, we’ve missed DJ Reed Streets warmup mixes that the players skate to. But most importantly we’ve missed Kevin Hayes yelling “Coots, There It Is” to Sean Couturier before very single game.

Of course we will miss a lot of things with the pandemic still going on such as not seeing all the black and orange bleeding through the seats with a packed Wells Fargo crow of Flyers fans. We will miss Bill Clement who announced his retirement just a little before the season began.

Plus the pre, post and intermissions shows will look a little different with the absence of Colby Cohen and Katie Emmer after they were taken off the network after lay off’s hit pretty hard amid of COVID-19. But finally we will miss Gritty messing with the fans.

One thing I hope that the Flyers, fans, management and the entire NHL completely swing and miss this year is the newly added only for this year: NHL Taxi Squad’s. For those who aren’t exactly familiar with this rule, For starters: It’s only for this year.

• You must have a minimum of four skaters but no more than the maximum allowed which is six.
• Waivers are required for those who require them. (2-Way Contracts are fine).
• Recalls for the NHL must occur before 5PM of a game-day. (Which is very similar to the ECHL’s added skater rule).
• One goalie must be added unless there are 3 goalies on the active roster at the time of the game.
• On the last day of training camp for that NHL Club is the first day that a player can be added to the Taxi Squad list.
• Members can practice with their respected NHL Club, join in on team activities and travel with the team (However this is not required).
•  Members can’t practice or join in any AHL activities at any time with their respected AHL Club.
• If any or all six players are deemed what the NHL is calling “unfit” to play they can request that the player or players not count towards one of the six skaters.
• If a player is on a two way contract such as Nate Prosser he will receive Minor League Salary.

At first glance looking at this Taxi Squad roster three words came to mind: Depth, Experience and Chemistry. Let’s take a deep dive into the four forwards and one defenseman on the Flyers Taxi Squad to start the season.

First up: Andy Andreoff

When I first saw that Andy was added I immediately thought “Oh this is a no brainer” for head coach Alain Vigneault and his staff. A 6’1, 203 center with size and fantastic face-off skill plus familiarity with Vigneault’s system this would’ve been my first choice if I personally had a say.

With a perfect cap hit at $750,000, 14 games with Philly last season in the shortened season even though with just 1A during that time and a minus 3, Andreoff really was grooming himself for a call-up at some point when playing with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the 29 year old earned it. While serving as one of the three co-captains last season with the baby Flyers, he earned himself 1st line minutes while playing along side the likes of Morgan Frost, Issac Ratcliffe, Nicolas Aubé–Kubel, Joel Farabee, David Kaše, Connor Bunnaman and Matthew Strome in all assets of the ice.

From the PK, PP and four on four time, he quickly established a name for himself with Chuck Fletcher watching in the press box of the PPL Center. Andreoff would be one of the numerous players shuffled in and out of  Vigneault’s lineup up until the season’s end in March. In the end the center/left wing depth forward would record 11G/7A for a total of 18 points in the AHL.

I mentioned depth as one of my three words and this definitely crosses one off the list. He has such good size knows how to use it when necessary. A physical forward who provides such a good two-way game and provides great energy as a bottom six forward.

On Deck: Carsen Twarynski 

How could we not forget when Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher surprised the 23 year old with a visit from Carsen’s parents who traveled from Alberta, Canada all the way to Prague, Czech Republic to watch their kid play his first game in the show? Well there would be 14 more where he would get to develop his game and get used to the Flyers style of play.

Unfortunately for the 6’2 almost 200 pounder winger he would like Andreoff, be shuffled in and out of the Alain’s lineup and make the 1 hour and 10 minute trip to the PPL Center quite more often then he would’ve hoped for. Of course, injuries played a factor with at one point the Flyers injury list was so bad with Scott Laughton (groin) and Tyler Pitlick (concussion) and others sidelined gave Twarynski another crack with the big bad boys of Philadelphia.

He was looked at as the guy who may thrust himself in the lineup in and out of the forward group even in the bubble. I hate to use this word again but unfortunately it looks like this is the plan for him this season too.

With 31 games in the AHL with Scott Gordon’s LV Phantoms he truly missed the opportunity to grow. However with the amount of times that he was recalled and sidelined with a couple injuries, he might have missed the chance to really spout. Just 12 points amassed in 31 games (7G, 5A).

He lacks, in my opinion, that “IT” factor in the natural scoring ability. He fits in just like a perfect glove on this Taxi Squad because he’s such a solid role player and knows what he’s got to do on the ice when his number is called plus the almost 200 pound frame is great on the forecheck and when delivering hits but is not ideally suited to play more than a bottom-six winger role at the highest level.

Now of course the quick re-call of Joel Farabee playing five games and having four points on the scoresheet (3G, 1A) including a dazzle of a first professional goal just proved he didn’t belong in the AHL. Then the recall of Morgan Frost who had a tremendous first pro year, lost a roster spot and a chance in the everyday lineup for Twarynski.

But hope is on the horizon for the playmaker who’s an RFA still with a good cap hit for the Flyers at $775,833, making him the perfect slide in the lineup if need be on a game-day. The only question is does he stay with the orange and black long term? We shall see.

In The Hole: Samuel Morin

I’m all for second chances and now at a new position, left wing to be exact, the 25 year old gets to show what he’s made of. Now with Morgan Frost earning the last roster spot and Morin clearing waivers, you’d have to think that AV and crew made a very tough decision on who gets that last spot but chemistry is what Morin brings to the 2021 Flyers squad.

This guy has a lot to prove and even saying himself his career is on the line. It’s too bad that we actually didn’t get a look at Morin playing against other players and teams for training camp because I believe he would’ve made the team. After suffering a pair of torn ACLs in a span of 19 months he’s right, you’ve got to try anything.

With a cap hit of $700,000 it’ll be interesting to see if he’s the first guy who leaves the Flyers Taxi Squad to be swapped for another defensemen. Mind you the Flyers only have one defensemen on their Taxi Squad to start the season and don’t be surprised if that changes. I can’t imagine that AV will be placing Morin in an actual game at LW without getting real reps at his new position.

Maybe Morin is staying on until the AHL campaign beings and he get’s swapped for a veteran guy like Cal O’Reilly or maybe someone else just because thinking out loud how young that this Lehigh Vally Phantoms team is. But maybe not, time will tell.

Clean Up: Connor Bunnaman 

The Guelph, Ontario, native was playing the UNO reverse card with Carsen Twarynski last season for a wing spot. And at times as a linemate with Andreoff on that fourth line. The 23 year old brings all three depth, experience and chemistry to this Taxi Squad. With what looks like Morgan Frost as the 13th forward for Philly to begin the season looks like we could see all Bunnaman, Twarynski, Andreoff along with Frost providing incredible line combo’s for the 56 games to come.

21 games skated in the NHL last season with 29 in the AHL this guy knows the system in and out. With a cap hit of $736,666, Bunnaman is the perfect role of the Taxi Squad and is someone like Andreoff.

I didn’t see him going down to the LV Phantoms for his sophomore year with Philadelphia. Of course that could still happen, however I personally believe it’s not likely. He could easily slide in as a possible third-line two-way forward with great PK time for AV. For the Lehigh Valley Phantoms their special teams really took a dip when he wasn’t on the ice or when with the Flyers.

My belief is that the 22 year old looked more competent playing with the Flyers than he did for the Phantoms. More than anything else, it would seem that when the Phantoms faltered he would as well. Although he was injured, he returned to the lineup with such power and thunder and was up to speed much faster than anticipated. He gives the Flyers fans such a bright future.

Bunnaman did better than his numbers would suggest. His neutral zone will take a step forward. My final take on Guelph, Ontario native is that he’s also going to be reliable offensive weapon going forward.