Philadelphia Flyers GM says top line winger slot ‘up for grabs’
By Cory Buck
The Philadelphia Flyers will enter another year with a disappointing playoff loss hanging on their shoulders. After losing a tough seven-game series against the New York Rangers, they watched that Rangers team climb all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, wondering what might have been the whole time. This year, GM Ron Hextall is ready to infuse greater competition in the roster from top to bottom. At the top? A coveted winger spot next to Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek.
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“It’s going to be up for grabs,” Hextall said per Adam Kimelman at NHL.com. “Craig [Berube, coach] makes the decisions there. … There’s a spot open there and I’m sure a lot of guys will be hungry for it.”
Any hockey player who likes to score goals and assists would enjoy playing on that top line. Giroux is one of the top playmakers in the NHL and Voracek tallied a career-high 62 points last season.
The article notes that candidates for the spot include youngsters Brayden Schenn and Michael Raffl, who each spent some time on that top line this past year in filling the spot for Scott Hartnell.
The answer at the top line will likely lie in training camp, where plenty of players will get their chance with the top duo. In the meantime, don’t be surprised if Hextall and Berube continue to instill competition at various spots on the team’s roster in order to move the Flyers forward.