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Gostisbehere named Flyers' top defenseman

Shayne Gostisbehere, the dynamic rookie who spent the first five weeks of the season in the minors, was named the Flyers' top defenseman Thursday, and Claude Giroux was selected as the team's MVP for the fourth time in the last six seasons.

Shayne Gostisbehere, the dynamic rookie who spent the first five weeks of the season in the minors, was named the Flyers' top defenseman Thursday, and Claude Giroux was selected as the team's MVP for the fourth time in the last six seasons.

The media voted on the awards.

Gostisbehere, 22, who is the youngest player to ever win the Barry Ashbee Trophy, is the second first-year player to earn the award. Norm Barnes won it in 1979-80.

Giroux, the winner of the Bobby Clarke Trophy, entered Thursday with a team-high 66 points. He has more points (366) than any NHL player over the last five seasons.

Gostisbehere began the night with 16 goals - a club record for a rookie defenseman - and 43 points in 61 games.

The team was languishing with a 5-8-3 record when he was promoted from the AHL's Phantoms on Nov. 14. They were 34-19-10 with Gostisbehere in the lineup before Thursday.

Other winners: Yanick Dupre Class Guy Memorial Award - Wayne Simmonds; the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy (most improved), which was voted upon by the players - Brayden Schenn; and the Gene Hart Memorial Award, selected by the fan club to the player who shows the most heart - Gostisbehere.

Laughton in lineup

The Flyers' third line has struggled recently, which is one of the reasons Scott Laughton replaced Nick Cousins as the unit's center Thursday.

Rookie coach Dave Hakstol juggled three of his four lines. Jake Voracek, promoted from the second line, went to the top unit at right wing. The second line had Sean Couturier centering Brayden Schenn (demoted from the top line) and Sam Gagner (promoted from the third line). Laughton centered Michael Raffl (demoted from the second line) and Matt Read.

Laughton had been a healthy scratch for seven games.

Entering Thursday, the players on the usual third line - Read, Cousins, and Gagner - had gone goal-less in 13 games, eight games, and eight games, respectively.

Goalie shuffle

Michal Neuvirth has recovered from a knee injury and was able to back up Steve Mason, who made his 11th straight start.

Neuvirth had missed the previous 10 games.

Anthony Stolarz, who was with the Flyers for nine games but did not make his NHL debut, was sent back to the Phantoms.

Homecoming

Toronto defenseman T.J. Brennan, the pride of Moorestown, had close to 40 friends and relatives at Thursday's game, the third time he had played at the Wells Fargo Center.

Brennan, 27, named to the AHL all-star team Thursday, played in his sixth game with the Maple Leafs, who were trying to damage the Flyers' playoff hopes. "If we do that," Brennan said with a smile before the game, "I think I might be losing a couple friends."