With Derick Brassard back and a Kevin Hayes return on the horizon, the Flyers needed to make a decision with Morgan Frost. They could have him playing 10+ minutes a night in the NHL or allow him to play top-six minutes down in the AHL. That decision came on Monday morning as Frost was sent back down to the Phantoms.
While the team still has complete confidence in Frost and likes where his development is at, there is still a disconnect between letting him play those kinds of minutes with the Flyers instead. If the team has that belief in him, why not keep him up in the NHL and give him even better opportunities to continue to grow his game?
Confidence is the keyword here and something the Flyers have continuously stressed in regards to Frost. It’s tough to do that in the NHL itself when things aren’t going your way, but it can also be tough to do so with the back and forth that he has been dealing with. As Mike Yeo mentioned after practice, he has a full belief in Frost and would put him out about just about any opponent that he could.
If that’s the case, why keep sending him back and forth between the Flyers and the Phantoms? According to Yeo, it has a lot to do with the fact that the depth of the team has taken a hit throughout this season. There hasn’t been enough time to put him in a role with players that could help compliment him.
"“In a perfect situation, in a normal world, obviously you’re calling Morgan up and he’s playing probably on a third line. He’s playing with two guys, say like Reemer and Brass. Those are guys that are offensive and they can hopefully get him to his game. We haven’t had that luxery. We just didn’t, we didn’t have enough NHL players, or guys that could compliment him sort of in that type of role.” Yeo said after Monday’s practice."
Yeo also stressed that there is a difference in regards to playing against the top forwards and defensemen as opposed to the third line. Seems like a bit of contradiction to the faith they have in him, no? Whatever the case may be with Frost, the team has to figure out what their true feelings are with him.
Ivan Provorov had the ability to come into this league as an 18-year-old but his situation is a lot different from that of Frost. The two play a much different style of game and there is also a clear physical difference between the two. Provorov had the advantage of physical maturity when he came into the league.
It’s that physical maturity that could help take Frost to the next level.
"“He doesn’t have to go out there and try to hit anyone. But he’s gotta be able to protect himself and be able to protect the puck. I think once he figures that out, he’ll take a huge step and be able to perform every night.” Provorov said about Frost."
Nate Thompson at practice, Kevin Hayes and Wade Allison on track for a return to play
For the first time since the end of November, Nate Thompson took part in a Flyers practice. He was welcomed to loud applause and it was clear to see how much the team enjoyed having him back on the ice with them. He even ended up doing a bit more than Yeo anticipated.
"“I was a little surprised at how much he was able to particpate in practice to be honest with you. I knew he’d be not involved in any contact drills but I thought basically he might come out and just take part in the first couple of flow drills, shooting drills. He stayed out a lot longer than that.”"
Thompson last played on November 26th and has only begun skating recently. There is a chance that he could return to play this season, though. The next step would be to sit down with Thompson and figure out what the two sides decide to do from here. There is still a fair amount of time before his no-contact jersey changes, though.
In regards to players who are a lot closer to game action, Kevin Hayes has a chance to return to the lineup on Saturday. He has been practicing with the team more and more and has looked better in his movements on the ice.
Wade Allison, who has recently been cleared for contact, could also be cleared to play soon. It’s not clear whether that will be in the NHL or the AHL to start. He hasn’t played a lot of hockey this season, one NHL game at the end of January and seven in the AHL before that. So the team has to be careful with his return and get him the reps that he needs.
He was allowed, almost a little quicker than the team wanted to, to return to the Flyers. Yeo didn’t want to say that’s why he got hurt, but also that it may not have been a coincidence either. A team that has had plenty of its players return from injury only to leave once again needs to get one right here.