With not much expected at the NHL level right now, hope comes from down on the farm.
The Flyers' prospect pipeline isn't as stacked with promise as it once was a few years ago under Ron Hextall, but then again, if you're Chuck Fletcher, you at least have to be happy that the Phantoms' current leading scorers look like this down in the AHL:
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- |
| Cam York, D | 17 | 3 | 10 | 13 | +1 |
| Tyson Foerster, RW | 17 | 5 | 7 | 12 | +2 |
| Olle Lycksell, RW | 11 | 4 | 8 | 12 | +1 |
| Elliott Desnoyers, LW | 17 | 7 | 2 | 9 | +2 |
| Ronnie Attard, D | 17 | 4 | 5 | 9 | +2 |
Yup, those are Fletcher's first-round draft picks from 2019 and 2020 at the top right there. In fact, four of the five points leaders up in Allentown are Fletcher picks.
Cam York, still just 21 years old, finished last season on the Flyers' blueline but was surprisingly cut during training camp.
But with the team lead in points down with the Phantoms, he seems to have taken the demotion in stride, is making progress, and seeing the results.
“He’s on the right track,” Phantoms coach Ian Laperrière told The Philadelphia Inquirer earlier this week. “Going to keep playing him. He’s going to keep getting rewarded if he plays the right way, and he’s going to be fine.”
MORE: Through give and take, Kevin Hayes keeps on going
It should be noted too that of all the positions in hockey, defense is probably second only to goaltending in the time it takes to develop and adjust to the pro level. Guys like Colorado's Cale Makar are extremely rare exceptions.
Tyson Foerster, 20, is also holding his own up front, and if the Flyers start leaning more toward evaluations of what they have and where they're at as the season progresses, then a call-up for him could be on the way.
Head coach John Tortorella after all did say Thursday morning that the Flyers are very much building right now, and it's going to take a long time to see fully through.
"This isn't a one-year type of thing," Tortorella said. "We got some work to do. It's gonna take some time no matter what people want to hear. It's going to take some time to get this right."
Speaking of first-round forwards, how is this year's No. 5 pick Cutter Gauthier doing at Boston College?
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- |
| Cutter Gauthier, LW/C | 10 | 7 | 4 | 11 | -4 |
Yeah, he's definitely heading toward joining the Flyers later this season.
MORE: It will take time to build the Flyers the 'proper way'
Follow Nick on Twitter: @itssnick
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports