Cam York infuses youthful spirit to a Flyers team searching for a win

TEMPLE, Ariz. — Clearly, the minor hockey league system works, coach John Tortorella said. Cam York is proof of that.

The highly-touted defenseman went into training camp with 33 NHL games under his belt, but that wasn’t enough for the new Flyers coaches. The staff decided York would be better served spending some time in the AHL rather than rushed to play at the NHL level.

After calling York back up and watching his performance in Friday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Tortorella feels justified in his decision.

“It’s such a great league for a guy like this, playing the toughest position, trying to get to the National Hockey League, the amount of minutes he got there and how they coached them,” Tortorella said. “You can see that he’s improved. So I think the minor league system works here.”

York approached his AHL stint with a positive attitude and had fun, but he had been waiting every day for the call-up. His conversation with the coaching staff stayed in the back of his mind the whole time, and he felt like he showed his commitment to playing the way they wanted him to.

Tortorella “always told me to attack and play my game and not sit back as much,” York said. “I’ve done that. I’ve brought my game to the other team instead of sitting back, and [I’m] trying to be a force offensively.”

Lehigh Valley Phantoms coach Ian Laperrière agreed. He wanted York to do everything “a little bit harder, a little bit faster” and said York made “great strides” in the two months he coached him. Thursday, when Laperrière shared the news York was called up, was a great day for both of them. And as much fun as they said they’ve had together this year, they both hope they won’t be seeing each other again — because that will mean York is finally ready to stick at the NHL level.

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Friday was only game one, so Tortorella said he’s “not sure where it all falls,” but it was a good sign. He and his staff were pleased. And so was York.

The difference in the speed of the NHL game vs. the AHL game is significant, so York said it took him a bit to catch up, but his previous NHL experience helped this transition go more smoothly. He said he showed he is reliable on defense, can be a late attacker in the rush, and can help the team maintain possession rather than dumping the puck. He also tried to bring some of the fun and excitement he was having with the Phantoms and infuse it into the Flyers locker room.

Tortorella added that York played well defensively in front of the net and contributed to the offense.

“I thought he played very well for his first game this year,” Tortorella said.

In his first game back after undergoing surgery on his finger, James van Riemsdyk looked rusty, Tortorella said.

But that only lasted for one game. When van Riemsdyk took the ice Friday for his second game back, he immediately became one of the most important parts of the Flyers’ strong performance.

“He made some good offensive plays, was good on the bench,” Tortorella said. “He’s a pro. He’s an NHL pro. I think he’s a steady influence for us, so I thought he played really well.”

While van Riemsdyk was recovering, he watched his team go through a 10-game skid. He was eager to come back and provide two crucial things: offense and experience.

“Having experience and just knowing how to manage different situations in the game, I think is something you gain as you play a longer time and realize how important some of the little details are,” van Riemsdyk said. “Just having that and being able to set an example that way is definitely something I think I can bring to the table.”

Van Riemsdyk was placed on the third line with two less experienced players, Zack MacEwen and Morgan Frost. The three of them all bring different skill sets, and van Riemsdyk said they were able to complement each other nicely.

The Flyers play their first game in Mullett Arena as they face the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday night. The Coyotes beat the Boston Bruins on Friday as fights broke out in the stands. “That’s hockey!” Tortorella said with a smile. ... Carter Hart will start in net for the Flyers.