Samuel Morin, Tyson Foerster, Zayde Wisdom, Egor Zamula among Flyers prospects with Phantoms

With several intriguing prospects on their roster, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers’ top affiliate, will start the delayed AHL season Saturday in Hershey, the first of four consecutive road games.

The lineup will include left winger Samuel Morin, a converted defenseman who was the Flyers’ first-round selection (No. 11 overall) in the 2013 draft. Morin’s career has been slowed by numerous injuries, including two knee surgeries.

In a 2-0 exhibition win Thursday over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Morin had six hits.

“I love forechecking those D-men,” Morin said after the game. “It’s pretty fun.”

Interestingly, Morin was also used as a defenseman on some of the penalty kills.

“I just wanted to get him as many minutes as I could,” Phantoms coach Scott Gordon said.

The Phantoms’ home opener is Feb. 20, and their prospects will include forwards Morin, Tanner Laczynski, Linus Sandin, Maksim Sushko, Tyson Foerster, Zayde Wisdom, David Kase, Pascal Laberge, and Matt Strome; defensemen Egor Zamula (one of the organization’s top prospects), Mason Millman, Wyatte Wylie, and Linus Hogberg; and goalie Felix Sandstrom, who blanked Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Thursday.

Highly regarded wingers Wade Allison (2016 draft) and Isaac Ratcliffe (2017 draft), a pair of second-round selections, are rehabbing from injuries but are expected to play for the Phantoms next month.

» READ MORE: Morgan Frost, Cam York top list of Flyers’ top 12 prospects | Sam Carchidi

Foerster (first round), 19, and Wisdom (fourth round) are right wingers who were chosen in the 2020 draft, and they are permitted to play in the AHL until the Ontario Hockey League starts. Wisdom, 18, will become the youngest player to ever play for the Phantoms.

“I thought Foerster made some really nice plays under pressure and did a really good job protecting the puck,” Gordon said after Thursday’s exhibition victory. “‘Wiz’ [Wisdom] is a big body. Really strong. They’ve got a big future and it’s starting early here. It’s a great jump-start for their careers as far as having the opportunity to learn the professional game before they’re pros.”

Foerster, a summertime sheep farmer who owns perhaps the organization’s hardest shot, is expected to play right wing on a line with center David Kase and left winger Garrett Wilson. Foerster is also ticketed for time on Lehigh Valley’s second power-play unit.

Morin played left wing Thursday on a fourth line with center Chris Mueller and right winger Max Willman.

Laczynski, another quality prospect, will probably start the season centering Sushko and Sandin.

The Flyers’ taxi squad currently is composed of Carsen Twarynski, Nate Prosser, Andy Andreoff, and goalie Alex Lyon, and some of them could spend time with the Phantoms this season.

» READ MORE: Zayde Wisdom uses his rough upbringing as motivation as he works toward the NHL

Flyers coach Alain Vigneault on the NHL’s new COVID-19 safety measures, including glass panels being removed from behind the bench for better airflow, and virtual-only team meetings: “We’re just doing what the NHL is telling us so we can all stay safe and play hockey.” … The Flyers play in Washington on Sunday at noon.