Terry Murray high on Phantoms Gostisbehere, Manning
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms didn't make the playoffs this season, but coach Terry Murray gave positive reviews on several of his players - especially defensemen Brandon Manning and Shayne Gostisbehere.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms didn't make the playoffs this season, but coach Terry Murray gave positive reviews on several of his players - especially defensemen Brandon Manning and Shayne Gostisbehere.
Gostisbehere, 22, missed most of the season because of knee surgery.
"But in the big picture, when you look back 10 years from now, you might say Gostisbehere's injury was a real positive in the sense he became a player who really paid attention to the off-ice part of it and became a bigger, stronger player," Murray said Tuesday, one day after he and general manager Ron Hextall had individual exit interviews with the Phantoms, the Flyers' AHL farm team. "I think he's put on almost 20 pounds of good, solid weight and that's going to help him be ready at training camp."
Gostisbehere, who started the season at 170 pounds, practiced with the Phantoms for the last month of the season "on three-quarters of one leg, I guess, and he looked great," Murray said. "He was practicing and was above the level of most of the players on the ice. He's got a nice game of skating, skill and speed that NHL teams need today. He's going to open some eyes at training camp."
That said, Murray thinks Gostisbehere probably needs another season in the AHL "to make up for the time he missed. He needs to get a little more knowledge and to improve his play without the puck."
Murray believes Manning, who recently signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Flyers, can make an impact with the NHL team in 2015-16.
"The emotional part of his game has taken a giant step - and that was critical for that to happen so he could give himself a chance to become a good pro," Murray said. He pointed out that before this season, Manning had a tendency to get down on himself after making a mistake but that now he bounces right back.
"He plays in all situations," Murray said. "He's the quarterback out there, and he can really shoot the puck. I think he's ready to take the next step."
Murray said winger Petr Straka - who was impressive in a three-game stint in which he had two assists with the Flyers - needs to improve his work ethic.
"He's got skill and NHL ability; he's pretty good inside and on shootouts, but . . . he gets a little casual, a little laid back," Murray said. "He gets off his game because that attitude to dig into the hard areas is not there on a consistent basis."
Murray, a former Flyers coach who is not interested in the current opening but wants to be considered for a job as an assistant, called centers Scott Laughton and Nick Cousins "character kids who pushed their game to another level." He thinks they have a chance to earn spots with the Flyers in training camp.
Murray had center Danick Martel, a phenom in juniors, for only five games, "but he made an impression and he's only going to get better. He's fast, he's got a knack around the net and a real good attitude. He goes to the hard areas."
Martell's small stature (5-foot-8, 162) doesn't bother Murray.
"There's a lot of players his size in the NHL who are having a big impact on their teams," Murray said. "And that's the kind of attitude this kid has. Nothing bothers him playing against big guys."
Murray thinks defenseman Robert Hagg and speedy winger Taylor Leier need more seasoning in the AHL, and he said goalie Anthony Stolarz has made strides but has a "long ways to go" before playing in the NHL.
@BroadStBull