VOORHEES – Let’s get this out of the way: Michael Del Zotto, Shayne Gostisbehere, Radko Gudas, Mark Streit and Nick Schultz are all locks to make the opening day roster.
That leaves Andrew MacDonald, Brandon Manning and the 19-year-old blue-chip prospect Ivan Provorov as the remaining three players competing for the final two open spots.
Or maybe not.
Head coach Dave Hakstol shined a light on what fans could very well be seeing when the final roster is trimmed down: eight defensemen.
“I think there is,” said Hakstol when asked about the possibility.
“If eight defensemen is the right mix for our group, than that’s what we’ll do.”
On the surface, MacDonald, Manning and Provorov have all had their moments; in fact, MacDonald and Provorov have played consistently well the entire way. Manning has been dealing with an undisclosed injury that hasn’t kept him out of practices but could be the reason why he hasn’t played the past two games.
Whatever the case may be with Manning, he’s still done enough to leave an impression on the coaching staff.
“I think you saw the role Mandog solidified last year when he and [Radko Gudas] got into a really good rhythm,” Hakstol said. “They were two guys that were hard to go against … Mandog is a guy that can get up the ice … I thought he did a good job of establishing that two-way role last year.”
As for MacDonald, he’s someone who has quietly played solid hockey throughout the exhibitions. He’s logged heavy minutes, as well, a sign that not only does the coaching staff trust him, but that they value his special teams work.
“He’s had an excellent camp,” Hakstol said. “He’s been with a lot of different players, whether the right or left side, and he’s been a really steady player out there. He’s played a top four role for us each time for us this preseason.”
In regards to Provorov, nothing has really changed with him. It’s been well-documented how the team feels with his play so far, they’ve said he’s been nothing short of “solid” with flashes of brilliance. He seems to be nearing classification as a locked player on this roster.
So is carrying eight defensemen a real possibility?
It sounds like it, but it would leave the Flyers thin at forward especially with Brayden Schenn’s three-game suspension to open the season. To keep eight defensemen, some combination among Jordan Weal, Scott Laughton, Chris VandeVelde, Matt Read and Travis Konecny would need to be removed. That would be a tough decision.
Seeing that, it’s more likely the team opts for seven defensemen and sends either Manning or MacDonald back to Lehigh Valley. Who that is, remains the biggest question. MacDonald offers more in terms of special teams and has had the better camp, but Manning is more likely to be claimed off of waivers.
Hakstol provided some valuable insight on where his head is at in regards to this clouded situation, but keeping eight defensemen just doesn’t seem as viable of an option as sticking with seven.
