Every preseason/training camp seems to have that one player who is squarely on the bubble for making the opening night roster.
This year that Flyer looks like Jett Luchanko.
The 18-year-old center has impressed coaches with his mature game.
Coach John Tortorella, who returns to the bench Tuesday night in Boston after watching the first five preseason games from upstairs, said after the Tuesday morning skate at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, N.J. that Luchanko has impressed him so far.
“He’s had a good camp,” Tortorella said. “The guys who continue to play and get their games are because they deserve it. What he’s getting is what he deserves. Where it all falls, I don’t know.”
Luchanko was slated to play in the Tuesday night game as the Flyers want to see as much of the youngster as they can. The preseason schedule winds up on Thursday night with a home game against New Jersey.
The Devils are expected to dress a lot of second-unit players because their top competitors are playing a Global Series game against Buffalo on Friday in Prague, Czech Republic.
So far, Luchanko has shown a good two-way game and while his offensive numbers haven’t been all that great, he’s helping to generate chances with his all-around play. He did have that two-point game in a 6-2 win at Washington in the preseason opener.
Tortorella was asked if Luchanko has to produce tangible offense in order to start the season with the Flyers.
“It’s not just a stack of numbers which keep him in mind,” Tortorella said. “There are so many other things that he’s brought to us. His speed, his awareness away from the puck. He’s very mature in that aspect, as far as a 200-foot game.
“He kills penalties, he’s done some really good things. There are really some good plays that he’s made. We’ll continue to evaluate and see where we go. I haven’t gone into what that (opening night Oct. 11) roster is going to be.”
>Richard impressive
Another promising player, Anthony Richard, has caught Tortorella’s eye. Richard had a goal in Monday night’s 4-3 overtime loss at Long Island.
“Richard’s had a good camp, too,” Tortorella said. “He can skate, he’s put up numbers down in the American League, brings offense. I remember I talked to him early on in camp and said that I don’t care about turnovers, I want him to take a chance and try to bring some offense.
“This is a team that needs offense. I think he’s done a pretty good job of that in camp. He’s turned the puck over a few times but we want him to play with some risk.”
The 27-year-old Richard has played in short stretches for Montreal, Nashville and Boston, totaling only 24 NHL games. But his plus-minus is even for those two dozen games, so he doesn’t appear to be a defensive liability.
If Richard does make the roster, he certainly helps improve the team’s overall speed. In preseason he’s been one of the team’s fiercest forecheckers.
“If we’re going to be a good team and one that’s playing after the regular season, we’re going to have to be fast,” Tortorella said.
>McDonald needs some work
Hunter McDonald, a physical defenseman, has shown a penchant for hitting and clearing out the crease. Could he possibly be a factor this season as a callup?
“There’s some work to do,” Tortorella said. “He’s still pretty raw. He still has to understand a little bit more of the NHL game. He plays with an edge. A lot of different things have come at him the way he plays. He has to be ready for that. So it’s a process with him. At that position, especially coming out of college and all.
“We need to be patient. I think he has a bright, bright future. That position, I just don’t want to force-feed him.”
