Quick Hits: May 1, 2019
1) On Wednesday morning, the Flyers announced the signing of 20-year-old goaltending prospect Kirill Ustimenko to an entry-level contract. Drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft (80th overall), Ustimenko has been a dominant workhorse of a goaltender in the Russian junior league (MHL) with Dynamo St. Petersburg.
Over three full seasons with the junior club, Ustimenko posted a 83-28-12, 1.79 GAA and .930 save percentage, along with 26 shutouts. In 2018-19, he set a league record with a dozen shutouts while compiling a 30-12-3 record , 1.78 GAA and .927 save percentage. Nevertheless, he was bypassed for Team Russia at the World Junior Championships in favor of netminders with pro hockey experience at the Russian minor league (VHL) level.
The more playing time vs. higher level of competition issue has been a conundrum in Ustimenko's development process thus far. He was probably ready to be tested at the VHL level this season but continued to be brought along on a rather conservative timeline by his parent organization.
Come next season, Ustimenko will play both his first professional season and first North American season. With Alex Lyon and incoming rookie Felix Sandström (who is far more experienced than Ustimenko against higher-grade competition) signed for the Phantoms next season, the first season of Ustimenko's ELC will likely be spent in the ECHL with the Reading Royals.
Ustimenko's signing is not a surprise. Several months ago, Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said that the organization had interest in bringing Ustimenko over to North America as soon as next season.
Swedish goaltending prospect Samuel Ersson, who was the Allsvenskan (top Swedish minor league) Rookie of the Year this season and a standout at the World Junior Championships, will remain in Europe at least one more season. However, his stock rose with a bullet this past season after the Flyers selected him in the fifth round (143rd overall) of the 2018 Draft.
2) OHL Finals: Fresh off comebacks from three games to zero and three games to one comebacks in the previous two rounds of the playoffs, the underdog Guelph Storm will open the Ontario Hockey League Final on the road on Thursday against the powerhouse Ottawa 67's. Game time is 7 p.m. EDT. Flyers prospect Isaac Ratcliffe has posted nine goals and 21 points through 18 playoff games heading into the Finals. For more,
click here.
3) Over on the Flyers' official website, there are season-in-review compilations posted on
Barry Ashbee Trophy winner Radko Gudas as well as
Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy winner Travis Sanheim. The postings include assorted video highlights of the two players during the 2018-19 season.
4) Gudas will be entering the final season of his contract in 2019-20. He is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 20, 2020. With Gudas coming off arguably the best all-around season of his NHL career, that gives Chuck Fletcher a decision to make, if not this summer then over the next year: sign Gudas (who will turn 29 on June 5) to a contract extension, see how next season plays out and then see if there's common ground for an extension before he hits UFA status, or trade him by next season's deadline. Gudas' current contract carries a $3.35 million cap hit.
5) Condolences go out to the family and friends of Bill Fleischman, who passed away at the age of 80. Bill was a longtime Flyers beat writer for the Philadelphia Daily News in the 1970s and the co-author of Bernie Parent's (first) autobiography, "Bernie!", among a myriad of distinguished work over the years.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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