The Philadelphia Flyers aren’t doing so hot at the NHL level, but at least some of their prospects are playing well.
Philippe Myers, the undrafted free agent, had himself a game on Sunday afternoon for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the QMJHL. The Huskies ran away with the game 9-3 over the Val-d’Or Foreurs, with Myers playing a part in nearly half of his team’s goals.
Sam Morin takes down another opponent in a fight after chippy 4-1 win
Myers helped get the scoring started just under four minutes into the game as he trailed on a two-on-two rush. He got the puck from his forward and skated down before sliding it in front where Gabriel Fontaine pounded it home.
You can see Myers call for and ready himself for the puck as he entered the zone, and then used his patience and vision for the great assist.
Next up for Myers came a goal of his own late in the second period with his team already up 5-1. Myers weaved his way through the neutral zone, around multiple opponents, and sniped a shot from the high slot.
Myers is a big boy standing at 6’5″, but he can skate and stickhandle with the best of ’em.
Myers then added two more assists in the third period. The first came on the power play as his cannon of a slapshot rebounded directly to a forward who shot it home.
Then he showed off his passing in the defensive zone. He found a forward skating up ice who got through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone before passing it across for the one-time goal.
That would do it for both the Huskies and Myers, as the Huskies won 9-3 and Myers finished with one goal and three assists in the game.
Myers looks like a dad celebrating with his sons.
With those four points in Sunday’s game Myers is now over a point-per-game player this season. He has nine goals and 23 assists for 32 points in 31 games. He is also a +20 this season.
Myers survived a scare after being concussed at the World Junior Championships back in December. He missed over a month before returning on February 15th with two assists. Since returning from injury he has one goal and 13 assists for 14 points in 12 games.
Myers impressed last season with 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) and a +52 rating in 63 games en route to the QMJHL Championship. He also had a strong training camp with the Flyers and they may have been considering keeping him up since he was one of the last cuts in camp. Instead Myers got sent back to the QMJHL where, despite injuries, he is having an even better season.
Bob McKenzie said back in January that he could see Myers going straight from the QMJHL this season to the NHL next season, and I can’t help but agree with him. Myers is a big-bodied defenseman that can skate, stickhandle and score.
There will be a lot of competition in camp among the young defensemen with Myers, Travis Sanheim, Sam Morin, and Robert Hagg all looking like they could be NHL ready. Hopefully at least two of them can make the team out of camp and inject some more youth into the Flyers’ defense corps.
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Sons of Penn Radio (January 23rd)
On this week of SOP Radio, we celebrate a thrilling overtime victory, discuss Dave Hakstol’s coaching decisions, and forecast potential trade opportunities and prospect development.
