Laperriere talks Kolosov, Bonk serving to Michkov and extra from Flyers rookie camp

Laperriere talks Kolosov, Bonk helping Michkov and more from Flyers rookie camp initially appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

VOORHEES, N.J. — The Flyers on Monday held their second-to-last day of 2024 rookie coaching camp.

Issues will wrap up Tuesday earlier than John Tortorella’s rope comes out Thursday to start most important camp.

Whereas one signed goalie prospect has been right here for rookie camp, one other has not. Carson Bjarnason performed 4 of the six durations within the rookie video games over the weekend. Alexei Kolosov, additionally below contract with the Flyers, did not report to camp.

For Bjarnason, Kolosov’s absence hasn’t modified his mindset.

“I’ve by no means met him however I heard he is a terrific man and nice goalie,” the 19-year-old said Saturday. “I have not thought an excessive amount of about it, it is simply type of go on the market, play my sport and play the way in which I can.”

How does AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley head coach Ian Laperriere view the Kolosov state of affairs? We’ll get into that and extra with our newest three observations from rookie camp.

‘I used to be as stunned as all people’

Laperriere noticed Kolosov be a part of his membership final season at first of April. The Flyers felt the 22-year-old Belarusian spending a month-plus with the Phantoms could be an efficient method to facilitate his full-time transition to North America in 2024-25.

Kolosov, a 2021 third-round decide and one of many Flyers’ prime goaltending prospects, had performed 53 video games, together with the playoffs, on mortgage with Dinamo Minsk within the KHL, Russia’s prime professional league. There was a spot of about three weeks from when his KHL season ended to when he arrived in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Kolosov performed a few video games for Lehigh Valley, which bowed out of the playoffs on Might 11.

5 days later, Belarushockey.com reported that Kolosov would probably need to return to the KHL in 2024-25 due to issues adapting to North America. On the time, the Flyers believed that he had been homesick, in accordance with a supply, however have been hopeful he’d be OK subsequent season. Tony Androckitis of InsideAHLHockey.com reported in July that Kolosov felt “remoted.”

“I used to be as stunned as all people behind [the Flyers’] doorways after I learn what I learn,” Laperriere mentioned Monday. “To be sincere, like, perhaps I am the worst coach on the planet, however I make folks round me comfy. I am a pleasant man, you guys have identified me for 15 years. It was bizarre to learn the stuff. I do not suppose it is coming from the child. Stuff will get translated, who mentioned what. … I actually do not know what to consider with what’s on the market as a result of the child by no means instructed us that.

“It is irritating as a result of he seemed actually good in follow. He did not skate for 3 weeks or a month, so he had some catching as much as do and we have been in a playoff race and Cal Petersen performed unbelievable down the stretch. It was a troublesome spot for him, however guys requested him to exit each evening for dinner, he mentioned no.”

As a French Canadian, Laperriere needed to study English in 1994 arising via the Blues’ group with the Peoria Rivermen.

“I get it, he does not communicate English, in order that’s acquired to be powerful,” Laperriere mentioned. “I do know my English is just not nice now, however I did not communicate English after I moved to Peoria (Illinois) after I was 20. So it is a part of professional hockey while you go from one nation to the opposite, you have to study the language.”

To make up for Kolosov’s absence in most important camp, the Flyers signed Eetu Makiniemi, a 25-year-old with NHL and AHL expertise, to an expert tryout supply two and a half weeks in the past. Kolosov, who changed agents last month, signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Flyers in July 2023. He would bolster the Phantoms’ goaltending image.

“I want him luck, hopefully we’ll see him quickly as a result of he’s a proficient child,” Laperriere mentioned. “However I am going to play the blokes that I’ve.”

‘He is doing that with everybody’

An enormous storyline to Matvei Michkov’s arrival in July was the language barrier. As rookie camp has continued, the 19-year-old Russian has typically been smiling and chatting with different prospects. He seems comfy.

“He is doing that with everybody,” Laperriere mentioned. “He is within the health club, he goes round, says good morning, high-fives all people. For me, he needs to be right here. That is one other instance, his English has improved in two weeks I have been round him. Once you need one thing, it goes shortly. That is a child who needs to study the language as a result of he needs to be part of the answer right here.”

Hunter McDonald, an American defenseman, has loved attending to know Michkov this summer time.

“It has been nice, we took him out for his first burrito, engaged on his English,” he mentioned. “He has been good, we acquired to hang around with him in the home, play some video video games, simply exterior that rink, get to know him just a little bit. Anytime we’re speaking, we’d not perceive, we do not carry out the translator simply to type of hold engaged on it and drive the English.”

And Michkov has had assist from translators, even Canadian defenseman Oliver Bonk, whose dad Radek Bonk is from Czechia.

“It has been nice, he is a terrific child,” Bonk mentioned. “I communicate a little bit of Czech, so I am little bit of a translator within the health club for him proper now, his health club buddy. He is a terrific child, it is enjoyable being on the market with him.”

Bumper Bonk in Philly?

The Flyers’ second first-round decide in 2023 was given a preferred nickname of “Bumper Bonk” final season. It was fueled by the 19-year-old’s success in the bumper spot of London’s power play.

Bonk led all OHL defensemen with 15 man benefit targets and completed with 67 factors over 60 regular-season video games for the Knights.

So the Flyers put Bonk within the bumper spot for Friday evening’s rookie sport.

“I’ve by no means seen that, I’ve by no means seen a D within the bumper spot on the ability play,” Laperriere mentioned. “I used to be anxious to see that and he seemed fairly good. You possibly can inform he is comfy, his puck retrieval is wonderful in that place.”

Can he play the bumper position on the subsequent degree?

“That is going to be for Torts or if I get him subsequent yr, which I would not be stunned if I by no means see him,” Laperriere mentioned. “But when I do, I am going to work with him, for certain.”

Bonk can be within the Flyers’ most important camp and is anticipated to ultimately head again to London for his ultimate yr of junior hockey. The Flyers love that he is coachable. He credit a whole lot of that to his father, who performed 14 years within the NHL.

“My dad was nice, he all the time pushed me,” Bonk mentioned. “I am used to being pushed, when the coaches are yelling right here and so they need to get you going, they need to push you, I am prepared for it. It does not actually intimidate me or something like that.”

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