Future Flyers Report: Pascal Laberge returns from concussion

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Before this week begins, it's time for our weekly check-in on the Flyers’ prospects playing in the AHL, overseas and at the junior and college levels.

In this edition, we feature a promising prospect returning from a head injury, provide the latest update on the Flyers’ 2016 first-round pick and more.

Pascal Laberge, RW, 6-0/174, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
Remember this hit? Of course you do. After sitting out over a month and missing 16 games, Laberge returned to the Tigres’ lineup last Friday from a concussion, and it wasn’t a bad showing for a player who dealt with a serious head injury. Laberge returned to Victoriaville’s lineup as the team’s third-line right-winger Friday, and picked up an assist on the Tigres’ first goal in a 5-4 win over Rouyn-Noranda. He was pointless in Victoriaville's 7-6 overtime loss to Acadie-Bathurst on Sunday night. With head injuries being so prevalent in today’s game, it’s a positive to see Laberge back on the ice and producing.

Sam Morin, D, 6-7/227, Lehigh Valley (AHL)
It’s been a while since we've checked in on Morin, whose development continues at the AHL level. The monster blueliner has had steady growth so far in his second full professional season, and on Saturday, Morin cashed in on his first goal of the year in the Phantoms’ 3-1 loss to Hartford. Morin became the 18th different goal scorer this season for Lehigh Valley, a testament to the club's depth. The most intriguing development with Morin is Phantoms coach Scott Gordon has paired him with first-year pro Travis Sanheim, another of the Flyers’ top defensive prospects. Morin has played in all 18 of the Phantoms’ games, picking up four points and 29 penalty minutes. If his showing in training camp was a sign, Morin isn’t that far from joining the orange and black. If injuries hit the Flyers’ blue line, we could see Morin up at some point this season.

German Rubtsov, C, 6-0/190, HC Vityaz (KHL)
Speculation that Rubtsov would stay in North America after the CIBC Canada/Russia Series proved to be just that — at least for now. Rubtsov returned to Russia last week, and instead of going back to the Russian Knights of the MHL, the Flyers’ 2016 first-round found himself back in the KHL with HC Vityaz. The centerman was held pointless in three games, averaging 7:10 time on ice and was 3 for 16 in the faceoff circle. He has yet to record a point in 10 games in the KHL this season.

Oskar Lindblom, LW/RW, 6-1/192, Brynäs IF (SHL)
The Swedish winger is back to torching the SHL after a bit of a slump. Last week, Lindblom had a goal and three assists in three games. He had a two-assist game in Brynäs IF’s 4-3 overtime win over Orebro on Tuesday, a goal in its 2-1 loss to Malmo and an assist in its 4-2 win over Rogle on Saturday. Lindblom leads Brynäs with 21 points — seven goals and 14 assists — in 22 games.

Quick hits
Robert Hagg returned to the Phantoms’ lineup Wednesday after missing six games with an upper-body injury. Hagg took a puck to the face on Nov. 5 and then suffered from headaches. Hagg was pointless in three games with three shots and an even rating.

Alex Lyon pitched his first professional shutout Wednesday in Lehigh Valley’s 1-0 win over Binghamton, and then gave up three goals in a 4-3 win over the Senators Friday. On Saturday, Lyon yielded three more goals in the Phantoms’ 3-1 loss to Hartford.

• Phantoms winger Taylor Leier picked up two more assists last week to get his point streak up to five games before it was snapped in Saturday’s loss to the Wolf Pack.

• Bowling Green defenseman Mark Friedman picked up an assist in the Falcons’ 3-0 win over Alaska-Anchorage Saturday night. He has seven points in his last five games.

• An up-and-down week for Harvard goalie Merrick Madsen, who allowed five goals on 31 shots in No. 9 Crimson’s 5-3 to No. 7 Boston University but was strong in Harvard’s 5-2 win over Bentley — 32 saves on 34 shots.

• Brynäs IF goalie Felix Sandstrom played just one game last week, allowing three goals on 23 shots.

• Djurgårdens IF defenseman David Bernhardt picked up two assists last week, his first two-point week of his SHL career.

• How good is Everett’s Carter Hart? The goalie pitched two shutouts last week, a 37-save shutout Wednesday against Seattle and a 26-save shutout against Prince George.

• It was another big week for Rouyn-Noranda blueliner Philippe Myers, who had a two-assist game Saturday against Victoriaville, and added another Sunday against Rimouski.

• After going four straight games without a point, Kitchener’s Connor Bunnaman broke out last week for the Rangers with two goals and three assists in three games.

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