Carsen Twarynski, Andy Andreoff among Flyers going down to the wire to win roster spots
Rookie winger Carsen Twarynski is among several players trying to secure roster spots with the Flyers. Some could have their fate decided Monday in Boston.
For the second straight training camp, hard-nosed left winger Carsen Twarynski is close to landing a job with the Flyers.
He has momentum on his side heading into Monday’s exhibition game in Boston (NBC Sports Philadelphia+).
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Twarynski was singled out by coach Alain Vigneault as the “best player on the ice” after the Flyers’ 4-1 preseason win Saturday over the visiting New York Rangers.
“One game doesn’t make or break it here,” said Twarynski, 21, after practice Sunday in Voorhees.
He paused.
“I guess it kind of does in a way if you don’t play good,” added Twarynski, who was sent to the AHL’s Phantoms late in camp last year. “I had a good game (Saturday) -- I thought the whole team played well --- and I just have to keep playing better and harder. There’s no need to step off the gas.”
Twarynski, playing on a line with Scott Laughton and Chris Stewart, was strong on the forecheck and had a goal, seven shots, and three hits in 11:44 of action Saturday.
He will be back with those same linemates Monday.
“We played hard and simple,” he said of his line’s performance against a Rangers team that didn’t play many of its regulars. “We were hard on the forecheck, finished our checks, and had some good sticks.”
Several players are in contention for a third- and a fourth-line winger spot, including Twarynski, Chris Stewart, Nic Aube-Kubel, Joel Farabee, Keith Gabriel, Connor Bunnaman, and Andy Andreoff. One of the spots may be filled if Tyler Pitlick, who is coming off wrist surgery, is ready for the opener, though that seem doubtful because he hasn’t been cleared for contact.
Andreoff, 28, signed a two-year, one-way contract as an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He had 13 goals in 159 career games with the Los Angeles Kings, and he had a productive AHL season last year with Syracuse (26 goals, 29 assists).
“Every game right now is pretty big for me to try to show them what I’ve got and make the team,” Andreoff said. “ … I’ve been doing decent so far, but I think I’ve got more to show.”
Monday’s lineup
Here is the Flyers’ lineup Monday:
· Sean Couturier centering James van Riemsdyk and Travis Konecny.
· Kevin Hayes centering Connor Bunnaman and Oskar Lindblom.
· Scott Laughton centering Carsen Twarynski and Chris Stewart.
· German Rubtsov centering Andy Andreoff and Nic Aube-Kubel.
· Defense: Shayne Gostisbehere and Justin Braun; Travis Sanheim and Phil Myers; Samuel Morin and Mark Friedman.
· Goalie: Brian Elliott scheduled to play the entire game.