Flyers’ Morgan Frost Has Proven Value to Organization

Breaking into the NHL as a young player under Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella is a tough business.

But even well-established players, like Cam Atkinson, aren’t safe.

Oh, and if you thought Frank J. Selke Trophy winners and captains were safe, Flyers captain Sean Couturier would like a word.

24-year-old center Morgan Frost has come a long way since being compared by Tortorella to a toilet seat, and since being benched on Jan. 4, Frost has been on an absolute tear.

“I had some things I wanted to kind of get off my chest,” Frost had said of the benching. “Good back and forth.”

For a player who couldn’t get a contract done until Sept. 6, Frost has done more than enough to earn the praise he hasn’t been getting.

Since Frost returned to the Flyers’ lineup on Jan. 6, no Flyers player has scored more points than his 26. Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny each have 23, and Joel Farabee clocks in at 19.

The difference is that Frost has done this while averaging 15:47 of ice time across that span, whereas Tippett, Konecny, and Farabee each average no fewer than 17:46.

The Flyers‘ young center is doing more with less opportunity, and with Couturier out of the lineup against Toronto on Tuesday night, Frost scored and assisted in the crucial 4-3 win. That’s proof enough that the Aurora, Ontario, native isn’t putting up empty points out there.

“I think my linemates have been making some good space for me. I’m trying to shoot the puck a little bit more; I think that’s always been a thing with me,” Frost assessed after his two-point night against Toronto.

“I don’t have a very hard shot, but you’re never going to score if you don’t put it on net. When you’re playing with guys like Tipp and TK, sometimes it’ll be easy to ‘I just want to pass to them the whole game’ and find them.”

Indeed, Frost is not known for his goal-scoring prowess, but the Flyers will happily accept his team-leading 19 assists since returning from his benching on Jan. 6.

MORGAN FROST BETWEEN THE LEGS OH MY 😱🤯 pic.twitter.com/ZR0lHWNuzm

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 17, 2024

Since he signed a two-year contract with the Flyers in the summer, Frost will be eligible to negotiate and sign a contract extension starting on July 1. Since Jan. 6, Frost has been averaging 0.84 points-per-game, which would put him on pace for roughly 68 points over a full 82-game season.

If one thing is for certain, since being benched by Tortorella in early January, Frost has found another gear, and it’s been of significant benefit to the Flyers. They might not be where they are in the playoff picture without him.

In short, Frost has proved his long-term worth to the Flyers, and soon turning 25, Frost’s best days in hockey are still very much ahead of him. 60 and 70-point centers don’t exactly grow on trees, and especially not ones that put up excellent defensive results at the same time.

Expect the Flyers to make an earnest effort to keep Frost in the Orange and Black for a while.

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