Flyers development camp veteran Cam York is ready to make a push for a regular NHL spot

Cam York feels like it was just yesterday that he was the nervous draft prospect walking into his first NHL development camp. But now, at 21 with 33 NHL games under his belt, York is the veteran of the group.

“It’s kind of weird,” he said. “So whatever I can do to help them out or give them a pointer here and there. ... It’s a good group of kids. Talented.”

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Last season, York was up and down throughout the season. While general manager Chuck Fletcher wanted to give him more time to develop in the AHL, he was forced to make the trip to Philadelphia often with all the injuries the team suffered. As a result, he played in 30 games last season, to go with the three he played in his debut season. Despite his 33 games of NHL experience, York was told to attend development camp.

“It wasn’t an option,” he said with a grin. “Just doing what I’m told.”

York had three goals and seven assists with the Flyers last season. He did so while playing all around the lineup. He spent time partnering Ivan Provorov on the first pair, Justin Braun on the first and second pairs, Travis Sanheim on the second pair, and Keith Yandle on the third pair. He faced both top-line forwards and bottom-six lines, and interim coach Mike Yeo said his staff felt comfortable with him out there in any of those situations.

However, at the end of the season, York suffered a hairline fracture in his foot. He sat out the final nine games and has not been able to skate as much this summer. Until development camp, he had skated only two or three times. He was expecting to experience more of a setback once he hit the ice, and he was pleased with how he has felt so far.

It seems like this camp is moving at a slower pace than the others he has attended because the coaches are taking time to go into depth about every detail. York said it feels like they’re creating good habits, and he’s excited for the rest of camp.

Player development coach Kjell Samuelsson, a former Flyers defenseman, said that of all the players in camp, he felt York is most NHL-ready. He has watched York work hard through the summer, and he said he can see that York has gotten bigger and stronger.

“It’s above my pay grade to decide if he’s going to play in the NHL or not, but in my mind, he’s ready to play in the NHL,” Samuelsson said.

For the first time since he drafted Ronnie Attard in 2019, Fletcher selected a defenseman at least 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds by picking the 6-4, 207-pound Hunter McDonald in the sixth round (No. 165). Now, he needs them both to do their part and bulk up.

Attard, who played in 15 games after making his NHL debut last season, has already spent time under the tutelage of Flyers coaches. He walked away from the season armed with advice and returned for camp with results.

“He’s done what we asked him to do,” Samuelsson said. “He’s gotten stronger. He’s working out in, I think it’s Plymouth [Mich.], with a big group there.”

Now, it’s up to Attard to earn a spot on either the NHL or AHL roster. Whichever team he lands on, he’ll still have to adjust to the pace despite his 15 games in the show, Samuelsson said.

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“But I think he’s capable of doing it,” Samuelsson said. “And yeah, there’s going to be some bumps in the road, but you have to work with him. But I think he’s a very good prospect.”

The Flyers coaches have had less time to evaluate McDonald — they’ve had him for a total of two days of camp and no games. From what Samuelsson can tell, McDonald is big, raw, and driven. But like Attard, he has to get stronger.

McDonald is headed this fall to Northeastern University in Boston, where he’ll play college hockey and “see what happens,” he said after the draft. Samuelsson said that might be the best move for him because the long breaks between games give players more time to hit the weight room.

“I think that’s perfect,” Samuelsson said. “Just got to be patient. Patient, patient.”

Third-round right wing Devin Kaplan was sporting a battle scar on his nose Tuesday. He said he took a puck to the face on Day 1 but glued it back together. He thinks it’s no big deal, but his mother is another story. “My mom is going to be [upset],” he laughed. ... York said he’s glad to get other National Team Development Program guys on the team so that they can share stories — and tease the Canadians together. ... ESPN reported that viewership of the NHL draft was up 70% from the 2021 draft, including a 50% increase in the 18-49 age demographic and a 50% bump among females.