Two top Flyers prospects will debut for Phantoms

DETROIT - Defenseman Travis Sanheim and forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel, the Flyers' first two selections in the 2014 draft, will make their pro debuts Friday for the Phantoms in their AHL game at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Both joined the Phantoms this week after their junior seasons ended. Lehigh Valley has six games remaining.

Phantoms coach Scott Gordon told reporters that playing the final two weeks of the season in the AHL would "give them the feeling of what expectations are, what the pace of the play is like."

"It's very valuable," agreed Flyers general manager Ron Hextall before his team faced Detroit on Wednesday. "Young kids come up and they don't realize how good the American Hockey League really is. They play junior and they come to camp and get sent down and they don't understand the level of play" in the AHL. So it's very valuable in terms of understanding it."

Sanheim was drafted in the first round (17th overall) and Aube-Kubel in the second round (48th) in 2014. Both are expected to be with the Phantoms next season.

During practice Wednesday in Allentown, Sanheim was quarterbacking Lehigh Valley's second power-play unit, which included Aube-Kubel, Cole Bardreau, Danick Martel, and Oskar Lindblom.

Forward Radel Fazleev, who has a broken bone in his hand, and forward Travis Konecny (upper-body injury) would have joined the Phantoms, but they suffered season-ending injuries, Hextall said.

The Phantoms, riddled by injuries, have failed to make the playoffs for the seventh straight season.

Defenseman Andrew MacDonald, who had his head slammed into the boards Sunday in a 6-2 loss in Pittsburgh, took part in the morning skate and said he was ready to go.

"We wanted to see how it felt after another skate this morning, and it felt fine," he said.

MacDonald was paired with his regular defensive partner, Shayne Gostisbehere. Earlier in the week, the Flyers announced he would miss Wednesday's game, but he began feeling better and made a rapid recovery.

The two days off between games did wonders for him, MacDonald said. He also said it gave the team a much-needed break heading into a stretch in which the Flyers finish the season with four games in five nights.

"I think it let everyone rest up a little bit, mentally and physically," MacDonald said. "We had a good couple days to clear our minds from the Pittsburgh game and kind of reset."

Entering Wednesday, the Flyers were 15-6-3 with MacDonald in the lineup, and 24-20-10 without him.

Flyers playoff tickets for potential first-round games are available at PhiladelphiaFlyers.com or by calling 215-218-PUCK.