PHILADELPHIA – A promising young hockey player only gets one shot at his NHL debut, so Ty Murchison was determined to make his a good one.
Recently called up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers defense prospect was scheduled to make his debut against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Flyers coach Rick Tocchet had heard good things about the California native and wanted to get a look at a player Phantoms coach John Snowden had given positive reviews.
The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Murchison said goaltender Dan Vladar has been helpful with the initial transition.
“He’s been great,” Murchison said. “Kind of letting me know to take it all in. Everyone remembers their first. A bunch of guys have been giving me bits and pieces of stuff. They’ve all been great.”
After the optional Tuesday morning skate at XMA, the 22-year-old Murchison said he was trying to keep his nerves steady, even though he had about 20 well-wishers of his own plus thousands of interested fans watching in the stands.
“I have a big entourage coming,” he acknowledged with a smile. “From all over the place. California, Arizona, Prince Edward Island (Canada). It will be a good night.”
Murchison, selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, said he found out he was going to make his debut after Monday’s practice at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, N.J.
“Coach Tocchet brought me in and it was a quick conversation,” said Murchison. “Obviously it was great news. I was really excited.”
Murchison, a fifth-round draft pick in 2021, was scheduled to partner with Noah Juulsen on the third defense pairing.
“He’s been extremely talkative,” Murchison said of Juulsen. “It makes it super easy. We’ve only skated together twice but he’s a great player, easy to play with. The communication is huge. Makes it a lot easier for me.”
On Monday, Tocchet said Murchison likes to play a physical game, one that can certainly be useful to a Flyers lineup which sometimes gets away from that element.
“I think just playing hard every night (is key),” Murchison said. “With pace, physical brand, just trying to do that consistently. The season’s been going well so far with the group down there. The older guys have made it real easy.”
Tocchet was a rookie himself back in the ‘80s and can appreciate what a new player goes through for his first NHL game.
“They’re flying his parents in,” Tocchet said. “It’s a huge moment. In people’s lives it’s a huge moment. I think that’s big for him. He’s really worked hard. I just want him to enjoy it, go play and have fun.”
Current Florida coach Paul Maurice once said this situation is actually more the parents’ game than the player’s.
“I kind of agree with that,” Tocchet said. “Listen, it’s a nice moment for him (Murchison). I think it’s important to talk, particularly when he has the puck. Whatever the situation, talk it through, it helps. It helps young guys when they hear stuff, especially someone playing his first game.”
>Grundstrom back in; York skates
Carl Grundstrom, who made his Flyers debut the other night, was slated to play game two vs. the Sharks.
Meanwhile, Cam York, who missed the Colorado game on Sunday, took part in the morning skate, a possible sign he’s on the mend.
“I think they (the training staff) are giving him a little more time to see where he’s at,” Tocchet said. “A little more pace in his practice. As of now, it’s day-to-day so we’ll see how it goes.”
>Konecny inconsistent
Travis Konecny has had his nights this season but there are still games when he looks a bit off. However, his 23 points and plus-8 are both second on the team.
“He had a terrible first period (vs. Colorado), he’ll tell you,” Tocchet said. “But then he started to play. To me, he knows, it’s turnovers. A lot of guys, when a team puts pressure, we got into what I call ‘awareness mode.’
“I want you to skate and then be aware. When we get it, we try to make a play and we stop skating. That’s when you get turnovers. He (Konecny) is getting better at it but that’s the one thing he has to work on, his turnovers.”
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