Flyers’ Cam York ready to get back to work against Rangers after an unexpected night off

When Cam York got off the bus in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, he found out he wouldn’t be playing against the Devils.

Coach John Tortorella made it clear to reporters before the game that York hadn’t done anything bad to warrant being scratched. Rather, he explained he’s been worried about how much he’s playing some of the younger players who haven’t experienced an entire NHL season before.

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Wednesday, Tortorella clarified that he does think York’s game has slipped recently, but he attributes a lot of that to the heavy minutes York’s been carrying.

“It’s an ever-flowing process with him,” Tortorella said. “I just felt he needed a night off, because I don’t want it to mount up on him. And he’s an important guy that we’re trying to develop the proper way.”

While York didn’t receive an explanation for the night off, he agreed his game has slipped coinciding with the team’s performance. However, physically, he said he feels fine, especially given all the rest Tortorella has provided them with on off days.

York felt like last year, his first full pro season, came with the bigger adjustment. That’s when he learned what it takes off the ice to keep up. This NHL season, the most important lesson York’s learned is that he needs to constantly communicate with the training staff about his aches and pains.

Even without knowing Tortorella’s assessment, York was already determined to pick up his game. When Tortorella and his staff assigned York to the AHL to start of the season, they made it clear they wanted him to be more aggressive on the ice. York established that with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and has now stuck in the Flyers lineup since being called up in December.

However, Tortorella doesn’t feel like that mindset has stuck. He said York’s skills are there, but he wants to see York take more chances with his legs and “not just bang it off the wall.”

“I’ve tried to maintain [that mindset], certainly,” York said. “I just feel like it’s tough sometimes when it just feels like you’re playing a lot of defense. And I feel like I hadn’t really had as many opportunities to be aggressive.”

The Flyers have given up 40 goals in 10 games in February for an average of four goals per game, the fourth-worst mark in the league this month. For the season, York has the best plus-minus rating among on the team (plus-six) while playing the fourth-most minutes per game among defensemen (19:12).

General manager Chuck Fletcher said Tuesday that generally, it takes about 200 NHL games for defensemen to really settle in. While that patience and long-term mindset hasn’t been communicated to York, he said he’s just focused on using each day to improve his all-around game. He returns to the lineup Wednesday when the Flyers will again dress seven defensemen against the New York Rangers.

As the Flyers close in on their final 20 games of Tortorella’s first season in charge, the focus is turning to the future. They’re not making the playoffs, so Tortorella will instead be evaluating who’s part of the long-term future.

And Morgan Frost and Wade Allison are two players who will be in the spotlight. Both of the young players have shown improvement, Tortorella said.

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“I think a number of players have improved,” Tortorella said. “But as an organization, you’re always trying to improve your team and develop your players, great. But we have to make some calls on are we headed in the right direction with this guy, even though they’ve improved?”

Allison, who has eight goals and five assists in 42 games, impresses when he’s focused on playing “north-south” like Tortorella has told him to. He’s shown he can do it. But sometimes he gets away from that, and Tortorella said he just wants him to “understand who he is” and establish his footing in the NHL before trying to do anything else.

Tortorella has said a lot of things about Frost, especially his up-and-down play. Recently, he mentioned after the 7-0 loss to New Jersey that Frost tried to make a skilled play while he was exhausted. Frost is aware of what his mistake was and said it’s one of the situations you learn from. He knows the areas he has to work on as he finishes out the rest of his one-year deal.

“I think in terms of competing defensively, some games I do pretty well on the D-side, some games maybe not,” Frost said. “I think that will take time, and I think mostly just with confidence.”

Entering the final 21 games of his current contract, Frost said he still feels like he has a lot to prove if he wants to be a part of the Flyers organization. Frost has posted career-highs with 11 goals and 18 assists in 60 games this season.

Carter Hart will start in goal for the Flyers as they host the Rangers at 7:30 p.m. ... The Flyers will play seven defensemen and 11 forwards. Kieffer Bellows and Olle Lycksell will be the healthy scratches. ... Elliot Desnoyers, who was recalled from the Phantoms on Monday, was getting some work in on the power play. However, Tortorella said he will soon be sent back to the Phantoms to help them with their playoff push.