The 2012 edition of the Flyers' annual summer development camp concludes this weekend with a pair of scrimmages at the SkateZone in Voorhees. Both scrimmages start at 9 AM.

TEAM A

Forwards
42 AKESON, JASON
52 COUSINS, NICK
64 GRBAVAC, COLE
59 HARPER, SHANE
80 HATCHER, CHASE
55 LEIER, TAYLOR
57 MATHERS, DEREK
40 PITHER, LUKE
49 SORKIN, NICK
76 STEVENS, JOHN
77 WALLIN, TERRENCE

Defensemen
34 GOSTISBEHERE, SHAYNE
51 KONAN, MATT
33 LARSSON, FREDRIC
38 LAURIDSEN, OLIVER
54 LUUKKO, NICK
23 MANNING, BRANDON
78 WILLCOX, REECE
68 WILLIAMS, CHRIS

Goalies
70 HARTZELL, ERIC
35 MARCOUX, ETIENNE
91 MAXWELL, BRANDON


Team B

Forwards
81 CLAPPERTON, CHRISTOPHER
74 ELLIOT, MITCH
50 EMOND, ALEX
73 FYTEN, AUSTIN
46 JOHNSTON, ANDREW
39 LAUGHTON, SCOTT
53 MCGINN, TYE
62 MOUNTAIN, KYLE
58 PARKS, MICHAEL
63 SLATER, IAN

Defensemen
72 BOIVIN, MICHAEL
60 COBURN, GREG
75 HAMONIC, JUSTIN
61 KESSEL, BLAKE
69 PALMQUIST, ZACH
65 SUELLENTROP, COLIN
66 THOMPSON, DAVID
71 VAN RIEMSDYK, TREVOR

Goalies
88 HEETER, CAL
79 STOLARZ, ANTHONY

*************

There have been a couple of injuries at the prospect camp this week, which are reflected in the absence of the affected players from the scrimmage rosters.

Phantoms forward Tyler Brown went down on Thursday. Yesterday, Matt Mangene had a walking boot on his right foot after taking a puck off it. I will follow up on their status after tomorrow's scrimmage at the conclusion of camp.

*************

Once again yesterday, the forwards, defensemen and goalies all worked in their own small group sessions. The forwards worked out on the Flyers rink, followed by the goalies. The defensemen worked on the Phantoms side.

The highlight of the forwards session was a drill in which the forwards came out from the end boards, swung wide around an obstacle and fired off a quick shot from the circle into an unguarded net.

Not too surprisingly, the most impressive players in this drill were players already noted for having good hands. Such as Jason Akeson, Luke Pither, Nick Cousins, first-round draft pick Scott Laughton, Andrew Johnston and camp invitees Nick Sorkin and Christopher Clapperton (who top-shelfed the puck on the backhand into the long side top corner).

The highlight of yesterday's defense session was a breakout drill with the defensemen skating the puck up the ice themselves. Instructor Derian Hatcher played the role of an opposing forechecker who was trying to cut off the defenseman's path as he skated the puck up near the boards, pressuring the defenseman into getting trapped near the blueline and potentially losing the puck.

Even though they weren't under "real" pressure and the pacing of the drill was rather leisurely, there was still self-imposed pressure. For all the reminders throughout the week that this is a skill development camp rather than a tryout camp, the young attendees are still eager to please the instructors. Some of the defensemen appeared a little overanxious to excel enough to impress former NHL All-Star Hatcher, who played 1,045 regular season games at the sport's top level.

Far and away, the most impressive two performers in this exercise were Brandon Manning (you can see why he's played in the NHL) and Shayne Gostisbehere (who showed several times that he can stop on a dime, calmly reverse direction and find some open room while maintaining control of the puck). Both players are outstanding puckhandlers.

This little drill was far from actual game conditions. Even so, you could usually tell even without looking at the names on the jerseys which players were ones who had pro experience, such as Manning, Blake Kessel and Oliver Lauridsen. That's why Gostishbehere stood out so much, because he has the poise of a future pro, as well as the obvious puck skills. Reece Willcox also did well.

It was interesting just how often many of the other young defensemen put themselves and the puck into what would have been a dangerous position if it would have been a game situation. Several players fumbled the puck away when they saw Hatcher drew too near with his big frame and long reach, and at least two fell down before they even got that far. Others ended up in a spot where they'd be cut off and trapped, body checked or poke checked with their momentum going in the wrong direction.

***********

Fourth-round pick Fredric Larsson got to live out a personal dream yesterday. A huge aficionado of the Rocky movies, the big Swede got the chance to run the Art Museum steps and see the Rocky statue at the Art Museum.

There is video of Larsson at the Art Museum on the Flyers' official site.

***********

I had the opportunity yesterday to spend a few minutes interviewing Reece Willcox for his profile article on the Flyers' official site.

Although he is reserved and soft-spoken, it doesn't take too long to see why Willcox received a scholarship to attend Cornell and won a scholar-athlete award in the BCHL last season. He's a bright and composed young man who seems mature beyond his 18 years.

A Western Conference NHL scout told me of Willcox after the draft that if he had played major junior hockey, the defenseman probably would have been a second-round pick. Willcox was drafted by Portland but wasn't ready as a 16-year-old and then shifted his focus toward playing collegiate hockey.

The scout gave basically the same scouting report on the right-handed shooting Willcox that Paul Holmgren and Chris Pryor did when talking to the media after the draft: big frame, good skating, good poise, two-way potential (strong defensively, good puck-mover and his raw offensive game is still a work in progress). He could stand to be a little more aggressive in the physical department but he isn't afraid of getting hit.

It is not too often when a player's junior coach comes out and virtually guarantees that a certain player of his -- unless he's a first-round selection -- will be a future NHL player. Thus, it was notable when Merritt Centennials head coach Luke Pierce recently told Inside Hockey, "I fully expect him to be an NHL player at some point."

I tend to be very conservative when projecting a player's upside. Very few max out the potential that gets touted by the team that drafts them. But what I can say of Willcox is that he has most of the raw elements of a future pro who has a solid chance of doing well in the AHL and even the possibility of working his way up to become an NHL player.

Gostisbehere has a little more flair and similar upside to become a pro. His current skill development level is perhaps a little ahead of Willcox's, but he also has a year of college hockey under his belt and is a year older. Gostisbehere is also quite undersized, while Willcox has an NHL frame. Between the two of them, I think there is an above-average chance that both will make it to the AHL and at least one will someday play for the Flyers.

I am a big proponent of drafting collegiate defensemen in the later rounds of the Draft because there is a longer time frame to evaluate their development before having to make a decision about signing them. The Flyers will have up to three more seasons to track Gostisbehere and up to four seasons on Willcox. Conversely, with a major junior player such as 2011 draftee Colin Suellentrop, the decision has to be made within two years.

The next-to-last profile article in my Development Camp series on the Flyers' official site will look at Phantoms rookie defenseman Matt Konan. Signed as an undrafted free agent earlier this year, Konan had a strong overage season in the WHL last season. Every once in awhile, overage signees such as Jim Vandermeer or Andy Delmore go on to play in the NHL and find a niche for awhile.

***********

Funny moment at camp yesterday: Both defensemen Nick Luukko and goalie instructor Neil Little brought their dogs along to the SkateZone. The bigger dog (Luukko's) had the run of the place, and wound up making a mess on the carpet.

Derian Hatcher and Ian Laperriere had a little fun teasing Luukko.

"There's only two suspects here, and all signs point to him," said a grinning Hatcher, tilting his head toward Luukko's dog as it came trotting past down the hallway.

Laperriere then instructed an embarrassed Luukko to go clean up the mess. He quipped, "You've gotta pick that up, Nick, 'cause I'm not cleaning up after your dog. Well, not unless your dad is here, in which case, step aside and I'll be GLAD to do it!"

Luukko took it all in stride and cleaned up. Minutes later, Comcast-Spectacor president Peter Luukko came walking through the hallway -- just a little too late to take Lappy up in his conditional offer to volunteer.

***********

There is nothing all that unusual about Flyers' veterans (or even players who spent the previous season with other teams) using the workout facilities in Voorhees. However, you still don't expect to see well-established NHL players on site too often before mid-July.

Both Scott Hartnell and Danny Briere have been to the SkateZone several times this week. Think the Flyers' vets are champing at the bit to get back on the ice and get next season rolling? Hell, it's not even July 15 yet. Hopefully, there won't be a delay to the start of the season due to a work stoppage.



***********

KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Flyers Buzz. For more information click here.