Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that’s what Cam York has done here tonight.
Covid has derailed the Philadelphia Flyers’ already disappointing season, but there have been a few players that were given an opportunity to make a name for themselves when the main roster members were on the sidelines and there’s no better example than 21-year-old defenseman Cam York.
A few weeks back, we looked at some of the positives and negatives of recalling York, with the big negative being the logjam on the left side rather than his play itself. With Provorov and Sanheim on the sidelines it opened the door for York to have a few games to put his talents on display, an objective in which he knocked out of the park, but when they return, it’ll be much harder to squeeze him into the lineup.
Provorov and Sanheim will obviously take priority over York, at least for now, so eyes turn to the third pair as a possible solution, which is a bit more difficult pill to swallow.
Keith Yandle is eight games away from passing Doug Jarvis for the NHL’s longest ironman record, but even when that feat is accomplished, there’s a good chance he won’t exit the lineup, much to the chagrin of the fans, because Phil Kessel is hot on his tail and would pass Yandle before season’s end.
These streaks may seem dumb to the fans, but it’s a part of the “old boys club” of hockey that we just have to accept is going to happen. So rather than get angry Yandle is still in the lineup, it may be best to turn your attention to working around him instead.
So what next?
Well, considering Kevin Connauton and Nick Seeler aren’t playing great at all, there is a possibility they can move Yandle to the right side and keep York on the left on the third pair. It certainly doesn’t set York up for success given how bad Yandle has been, but it may be the only way to see him in the lineup on a nightly basis. It keeps both players in the lineup and, from an offensive defenseman perspective, York sitting under Yandle’s learning tree can’t hurt.
Until Ellis gets back, and who knows if that’ll happen this season, one of the three of Yandle, Seeler or Connauton has to be in the lineup anyway. Given none are natural RHD, Yandle makes as much sense as the other two.
It doesn’t provide York the security that playing with Braun might, but it seems to be the only viable solution for both players at the moment. If York eventually cools off from his original high, they can always send him back down to the Phantoms, if he continues to rise, they can give him more and more responsibility and potentially talk about a promotion on the lineup.
York’s play moving forward will decide his fate.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: nbcsports.com
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