A guest coach, Allison goes 12 for 12, more on Flyers development camp

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With some help from up I-95, the Flyers were back at it Monday morning for Day 2 of development camp.

Princeton women's hockey head coach Cara Morey joined the club's development staff on the ice at Virtua Center Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey. Morey is serving as a guest coach in camp and working with the Flyers' prospects.

We'll get into that and more with five observations from Day 2.

'Coaches are coaches'

With the Tigers' 2020-21 season canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, Morey made sure she remained connected to the game. Through some Princeton alumni, Morey was introduced to Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr.

"Brent's been really helpful getting me involved," Morey said Monday.

Last season, Flahr, who is a Princeton graduate, had Morey join a couple of the Flyers' meetings on analytics. The Flyers then invited her to development camp to be a guest coach.

Morey is entering her fifth season guiding the Tigers. In three years of competition under her watch, Princeton has won an Ivy League title, its first-ever ECAC tournament championship and set a single-season program record for wins.

Monday was Morey's first day on the ice with the Flyers and she'll work with the prospects on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well, to wrap up camp.

"We're used to coaching with mixed staffs," Morey said. "I am anyway because at Hockey Canada, at Princeton, there's always men and women. Once you get a marker and a board or you put your skates on, coaches are coaches. So the interactions have been awesome. We talk about different strategies in the women's game versus the men, but everything is fundamentally the same.

"We've been talking a lot of technique, strategy, right down to the fine details of how to plant their feet, where their hands should be, so it has been awesome."

Wade's world

Wade Allison may have the best shot in the Flyers' entire prospect pool.

That is if you still consider him a prospect.

Particularly after his impressive 14-game audition with the Flyers at the end of last season, Allison is looking more and more like a part of the big club. He'll have to win a job in training camp, but he definitely has an inside track.

The 23-year-old put on a shooting clinic in one drill Monday, going a perfect 12 for 12. And he was picking spots with power behind it.

Tyson Foerster, the Flyers' 2020 first-round pick who is regarded for his shot, was one of the prospects passing to Allison during the drill.

"I think his shot's unbelievable," Foerster said. "It's so quick and it's so hard. And every time he shoots it, it always goes 'ting,' so it's pretty cool."

Allison possesses NHL-caliber release and strength on his shot. The power forward put up four goals and seven points in his stint with the Flyers last season. He has a lot of Scott Hartnell to him.

"He is definitely a one-speed type of a player," Morey said. "He's got a lot of energy, super friendly, charismatic, engaging. Looks like he's a lot of fun to play with."

The path to main camp

Tanner Laczynski is a smart, 200-foot type of center. He also has solid offensive ability. The 24-year-old has looked pretty good, especially considering he's just coming off a four-month recovery from right hip surgery in late April to repair a torn labrum.

Laczynski got back on the ice earlier this month. For the second straight day, he didn't participate in the full-camp group session; the Flyers are not getting overzealous with his recovery timetable.

"It's been kind of slowly building, starting at two days a week on the ice and then three and four last week," Laczynski said. "So just kind of slowly building my way. Still got three weeks until main camp, still got some time and just building off of every day."

The goal is for Laczynski to be a full participant in training camp.

"Should be cleared here pretty soon," he said. "That's the plan, to be fully cleared and fully good to go for camp. That's what I'm shooting for."

Laczynski, who was a four-year guy at Ohio State, made his NHL debut with the Flyers last season and played five games. The Flyers will have a lot of competition for bottom-six spots in training camp. AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley's roster should be highly intriguing in 2021-22.

Health matters

Matthew Strome did not participate on the ice for Day 2. He was banged up during Sunday's session and had to exit practice covering his face. He was seen Monday upstairs with cuts on his face but doing OK.

After experiencing visa issues and missing Sunday's practice, Swedish winger Linus Sandin wasn't on the ice with the forwards Monday but was able to jump into the joint session to finish the day.

"That Friday was a long day and I'm very happy to be here now," Sandin said. "I'm glad to join all the guys and be here in Philly.

"I was shaking off rust. It has been a couple of long days and I did the medicals this morning, so it was shaking off the rust a little bit."

Along with Laczynski, Allison and Elliot Desnoyers also didn't participate in the full-camp group work.

Maksim Sushko is on the camp roster but hasn't been on the ice.

Familiar Ghost

There was a familiar sight at Skate Zone as Shayne Gostisbehere was training on the ice opposite of the prospects.

But in a Coyotes practice jersey. Still weird to see that, right?

Gostisbehere, who was traded to Arizona in July, was getting in work with former teammates Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee. The group was being helped by Danny Briere.

It's cool to see the Flyers and Gostisbehere still sharing the mutual respect for each other following the trade. Gostisbehere got married in August and called Philly home for six full seasons.

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