Flyers send Alex Bump to Lehigh Valley to make room for new signing Michael Bunting
Bump, who had four goals and nine points in 17 games last year, had not recorded a point in three contests to start this season. The 22-year-old should benefit from an elevated role in the AHL.
Although the Flyers had plenty of cap space to bring in Michael Bunting, adding the forward to the roster meant a spot needed to open up.
Not wanting a young player to watch from the press box, forward Alex Bump was loaned to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. Still on his entry-level contract, he did not need to clear waivers.
» READ MORE: Flyers add some scoring depth by signing veteran sparkplug Michael Bunting
The 22-year-old left wing played in the Flyers’ first three games of the season and did not register a point while averaging a little over 12 minutes. A known goal scorer, Bump started the season on the third line with Noah Cates and Matvei Michkov, moved up to the second line with Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett in Game 2, but was dropped to the fourth line with Noel Acciari and Sean Couturier in Saturday’s loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Although he skated on the second power-play unit in all three games, when Denver Barkey returned to the lineup Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Bump was a healthy scratch. According to coach Rick Tocchet, it’s not merely a numbers game for the forward.
“I think for him [it’s] confidence. The first couple of games, I had him up and tried to get him up in the lineup, and I think when he thinks so much, that’s when he gets in trouble. So, we’ve got to build his game back. He’s a young guy. That’s really what it comes down [to] with him,” Tocchet said Tuesday after the Flyers’ practice at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa.
“Get him in the lineup, in the right situation where he can thrive, but he also has to be able to do the things we’re asking to be in the right spots. Like all young guys, you want them to be creative, but they also have to be, if you’re F3, you can’t just dive in, you have to be that F3. You can’t just play the game yourself — I’m not saying he’s doing that; I’m just saying in general, and I’m not blaming young guys because veterans are doing the same thing — [but] we need to be counted on to be in certain spots at certain times.”
Bump made his NHL debut last season on March 7, scoring his first career goal against the Penguins in Pittsburgh. The Minnesota native notched five goals and nine points in 17 regular-season games and two goals in six playoff contests.
Through the first three games this season, the offensive-minded Bump ranked third in hits per 60 (11.53) and first in takeaways per 60 (3.29). According to Natural Stat Trick, Bump was not on the ice for a five-on-five goal for or against, had the second-best Corsi For percentage (34.62%) among forwards, and was tied with Christian Dvorak for the highest individual expected goals (0.6) thanks to his six individual shot attempts, including three from high-danger areas.
