It’s no secret that Morgan Frost is one of, if not, the most polarizing figures in the Philadelphia Flyers organization. Drafted seven years ago in 2017, 27th overall. Him being picked came pretty soon after Ron Hextall sent Brayden Schenn to the Blues for that pick, along with St Louis’ 1st round pick in 2018, which turned into Joel Farabee, and Jori Lehtera. At first, it seemed like a great move by Ron, but after seven years, the trade doesn’t look as good and Frost is part of that reason why.
Of course, Frost can’t control the hype surrounding him, but with him being the second center picked in 2017’s first round by the Flyers, he was seen as the number two center behind second overall pick Nolan Patrick. We all know how Patrick’s career went, and Frost’s junior career was on the rise. With Patrick not living up to the hype, some of that fell on Frost, which it shouldn’t have. But now, his biggest test is John Tortorella, and it doesn’t seem like he’s winning it. Now, with Frost in Torts’ doghouse just a couple games into this season, is it time to cut ties?
Why Frost Shouldn’t Be Traded
Frost isn’t done growing from a game standpoint. He’s only 24 years old. He’s still young enough that it almost feels too soon to say he’s at his peak, but he’s also old enough that with his expectations, he should’ve been in the lineup more regularly. That is partly his fault, and partly not.
Frost has shown flashes of what we saw in those few years in Sault Ste Marie and his play for Team Canada at couple WJC tournaments. When Travis Konecny was out last season, Morgan Frost was arguably the Flyers’ best player. I know that doesn’t mean a whole lot since the bar was so low, but it’s not easy being the best player on any NHL team for a good amount of time without having the skill necessary to carve out at least a decent NHL career.
Another big thing to consider is what a return for Frost could be. Like I said, he has shown flashes of that potential that he has, but it’s not as consistent. If Danny Briere views Frost highly, he may not get the type of return anyone was expecting. Frost isn’t a guy you can just get rid of for future considerations. He’s still got the ability to be a good NHL player.
Why Trade Frost?
Probably the biggest reason is his relationship with Torts. I’m not going to comment on any personal relationship between the two, but the hockey relationship does not look good. Frost is being scratched by Torts, again, and it seems like Torts is on his last nerve with Frost. Frost has already been benched during a game and is now just scratched. Though, the question of how long does Torts stay in Philly is an important question. Most coaches on bad teams aren’t able to keep their job for too long, especially a guy like Torts who is usually brought in to help the team win.
Where does Frost fit in long term? This question was more easily answered before the season with more question marks about Sean Couturier’s health. With Couturier seemingly picking up where he left off, and the emergence of Noah Cates, Frost doesn’t seem to have a spot in the lineup, at least at center. His only real shot would be to grab the first line center position, but with his recent play and his professional relationship with Torts, it’d take a lot to be put there, and even more to stay there. Frost’s best chance at staying with the Flyers might just be switching to the left-wing. Couturier and Cates both look like they can handle the 2C spot, especially Cates, and Morgan Frost isn’t the type of guy you want centering that third line, especially with more defensive centers like Cates and Coots.
Additionally, how much more does Frost really have? We can see the talent that’s there, but can he do it consistently?
What’s the Best Direction To Go?
It feels like a trade would be the best. Danny Briere can still probably get a good haul for Frost from a team that thinks a fresh start can be what he needs to up his play, especially a team with no expectations and more room, like the Sharks. Trading away Frost would open up a spot for the Flyers to keep Brink and Foerster in the lineup together consistently.
I’m not going to go into what a good return for Frost would be, but with Frost’s upside shining through every so often, a second round pick may be a possible return, which would be helpful for the Flyers who just have a compensatory pick in the second.
Now, it seemed like there was no interest in Frost when he was unsigned, which could be an indicator of his value not being where Danny thinks it is, or they weren’t advertising him at all. It feels like the main reason for the Flyers not trading Frost is that fact, but if Frost keeps getting benched he’s gonna need to be let go, what’s happening now doesn’t help anyone. He is not a 13th forward and could find a better home elsewhere in the league all while getting the Flyers something in return.
By Noah Caplan (@Phlyers24)
Photo creds: NHL Trade Rumors
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