Flyers demote Morgan Frost to Phantoms, activate Michael Raffl

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Center Morgan Frost, goal-less in his last 16 games, was sent back to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Sunday.

Frost, 20, was demoted to make room for Michael Raffl, who was activated after missing 10 games because of a broken finger. Raffl was in the lineup Sunday in Anaheim and will center Andy Andreoff and Nic Aube-Kubel.

The Flyers had several other players they could have demoted, including Andreoff, who cleared waivers Sunday.

General manager Chuck Fletcher conferred with coach Alain Vigneault and decided Frost needed more seasoning in the AHL. He scored goals in each of his first two games, then had a total of four assists over his next 16 contests.

“In talking to Chuck about his play and his development, we just thought for now the best thing for him to do is go Lehigh Valley and get a little bit more ice time,” Vigneault said before Sunday’s game. “We feel we’ve got a real good prospect, but he needs to play and I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to give him the minutes.”

Vigneault said he sees “tons of potential” in Frost, who had seven points and a minus-4 rating over 18 games. He was minus-3 in the Flyers’ 6-1 loss Saturday in San Jose. “ … I saw a lot there and I’m really confident that in the near future he’ll be able to help the Flyers.”

Scott Laughton is expected to come off the injured list for Tuesday’s game in Los Angeles, and Andreoff will probably be sent to the Phantoms at that point.

Misha Vorobyev and Aube-Kubel, two other young players who began the season with the Phantoms, remain with the Flyers.

Those forwards play a “different role” than Frost, Vigneault said. With Frost, “I felt I have to play him in the top three lines. If I couldn’t do that, then he’d be better off getting more ice team, whereas with Misha or (Aube-Kubel), I feel I can play those guys on the fourth line. The minutes aren’t the same and I can use them to kill penalties.”

Frost declined a chance to comment.

“I think he’ll take it the right way; he’s a really good kid,” Raffl said of Frost. “I think his head is in the right spot, which is really important.”

Robert Hagg replaced Phil Myers on defense. ... The Flyers’ other lines for Sunday: Sean Couturier centered Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek; Kevin Hayes centered James van Riemsdyk and Travis Konecny; and Vorobyev centered Joel Farabee and Tyler Pitlick. … Raffl said faceoffs would present the biggest challenge to his healed right pinky. … Brian Elliott got the start vs. the Ducks.