Flyers hopeful Tyson Foerster already showing NHL ‘swagger’ at rookie camp

After a summer rooming with Joel Farabee and Wade Allison, some of that NHL swagger has rubbed off on Tyson Foerster.

Last year, as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ star player, Foerster’s confidence was clear. Seven points in an eight-game stint with the Flyers took that to the next level.

But as was evident Thursday as the Flyers opened a six-day rookie camp in Voorhees, a whole summer in Philadelphia training with the NHL staff and players has made a big difference in preparing the 21-year-old to make a real push for a roster spot.

Between golf outings and fishing trips, Foerster got to see what it takes day-to-day to keep his body in top form. Foerster added to the mental and physical parts of his game. He observed how to eat, how to rest, and how to work out.

» READ MORE: Five Flyers prospects to watch this week at rookie camp

Just looking at him during rookie camp, Phantoms coach Ian Laperrière could see the difference.

“He’s thicker,” Laperrière said. “He wants to prove to the organization that he’ll do whatever it takes to make the team. And all credit to him, he stayed here all summer, trained like an animal, and it shows.”

In his eight games with the Flyers, Foerster impressed with his shot. That has always been his calling card, but there’s more to his game now than just that.

Over the last season with the Phantoms, Foerster worked on rounding out his game. While he might not be the prettiest skater, the 2020 first-rounder skates hard, and has improved in several areas within his game. Now, he can beat opponents not just from distance but in front of the net as well.

Foerster is a completely different person from the 19-year-old Laperrière met two years ago. Phantoms fans might not like hearing Laperrière say so, but the AHL coach is pretty sure he won’t be seeing Foerster again after camp.

“He’s got his mind set,” Laperrière said. “I feel like you walk around him, he’s confident. He’s got that swagger about him that I love, everybody loves. He’s probably going to get to the next level and be there for a while.”

For most of his young career, Carson Bjarnason has tried to emulate Carter Hart’s on-ice tendencies.

The 18-year-old watched lots of film of the Flyers goalie, as well as of Montreal’s Carey Price. Bjarnason tried to incorporate skills and habits into his own game.

“I really like his post play,” Bjarnason said of Hart. “It’s something he’s definitely tuned up. Even watching him through the years in juniors and stuff, his post play is always something that really stood out to me.”

At the end of June, Bjarnason’s studying of Hart culminated in the two being in the same organization when the Flyers picked the young goaltender with pick No. 51 of the draft.

When Bjarnason arrived for development camp the first week of July, he got to meet Hart in person. They hung out around the facility and attended Phillies games.

» READ MORE: Mark Recchi to become 28th member of Flyers Hall of Fame in January

Bjarnason now gets to work with the same goalie coaching staff that has helped Hart recently find his stride in the NHL. After finishing with a save percentage of .877 and a 3.67 goals-against average in the 2020-2021 season, Hart, 25, improved to a .907 save percentage and 2.94 GAA last season despite the struggling team in front of him.

Ever since development camp, Bjarnason feels that his overall game has improved. Particularly, he believes he’s doing a better job tracking the puck. Over the summer, when he was away from Philadelphia, coaches Kim Dillabaugh and Brady Robinson stayed in touch.

As he heads into the coming season — he is returning to juniors with the WHL Brandon Wheat Kings in Manitoba — he knows what to focus on, namely keeping his feet under him and ready for the next play.

The Flyers rookies will play the New York Rangers rookies on Friday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (5 p.m.) at the PPL Center in Allentown. ... Some of the Flyers veterans scrimmaged on the ice before rookie camp started. Forwards Sean Couturier (back) and Cam Atkinson (neck), who both missed the entire 2022-23 season, participated. The Flyers open training camp next Thursday.