The Flyers rookies are contributing when called upon. It seems as if every time a new player is called up from the Adirondack Phantoms, they fit right in like they’ve been playing with the orange and black all season.
They have a total of 22 points and are among the league leaders in rookie points. They have a combined ten goals and 12 assists. Some of the rookies have only been up for a couple of games and then sent back down, but these rookies seem to make the best of their time in the NHL.
It all starts with Sean Couturier. He leads the Flyers rookie with five goals, three assists, and eight points in 14 games this season. Couturier also has a short-handed goal and looks solid defensively. He’s broken out in the offensive department in the last few games. The 18-year-old is a solid all around player, who has been a bonus on the penalty kill for Peter Laviolette’s Flyers. His ice time depends on how many penalties the orange and black take per game.
Matt Read, who has been out with an injury, could be back Wednesday night against the Lightning. He has three goals, four assists and seven points in 11 games played. He can play the point on the power play and has looked good there in the limited time he’s seen. Laviolette can put Read on the point on the power play because he is responsible defensively. Read is also used on the penalty kill and seems to score in spurts.
Zac Rinaldo, who has seen action with both the Phantoms and Flyers this season, has one goal and two assists in ten games played. He is an energy guy that sees little time on the ice, but when he does he’s usually hitting someone or fighting. He has 49 penalty in minutes this year. He does what he can to help the team win and occasionally gets a little overly energetic and takes the bad boarding or charging call against him.
Erik Gustafsson, who was called up after Chris Pronger’s eye injury, has played well since being with the orange and black. He only has one assist but is a plus six in just five games played. The young defenseman looks solid and he has seen considerable ice time especially since Matt Walker was sent down to the Phantoms after Gustafsson’s arrival.
Harry Zolnierczyk, also known as Harry Z, has a goal and an assist in three games played. He was called up earlier in the season and scored his first NHL goal and then was sent back down to the AHL soon afterward. Harry Z was called back up after the orange and black started having minor injuries to some players. He looks like he has some good closing speed and can beat an opposing player to the net for a scoring chance.
Eric Wellwood, younger brother of the Winnipeg Jets Kyle Wellwood, has only played in one game this season. He had an assist and then was sent back down the day after that same game. Wellwood saw a decent amount of ice time, but it was in a game where the Flyers had a five to nothing lead after the first period.
The only rookie who hasn’t gotten on the scoreboard yet is Brayden Schenn, the highly touted rookie acquired in the Mike Richards’ trade. Brayden just happens to be the younger brother of Toronto’s Luke Schenn. He played in four games and was a minus five in four games played before breaking his foot. James van Riemsdyk got demoted to the third line so Schenn could play with Danny Briere. He was playing on the power play and the penalty kill before he got hurt blocking a shot.
The rookies are looking good no matter the situation that Laviolette throws them into. They could be playing the power play, penalty kill, or the role of energy guy. Let’s just hope the keep contributing for a long time to come.
