Future Flyers Report: German Rubtsov ‘biggest Surprise' With Phantoms

If there's anything we learned last week, it's this: It's still important to keep tabs on the Flyers' farm system because the NHL product isn't what we believed it to be (see weekly observations).

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.

• German Rubtsov sometimes slips through the cracks when we talk about Flyers prospects. The 2016 first-round pick didn't blow the lids off of his junior experience and combine that with the team drafting Nolan Patrick and Morgan Frost in 2017, Rubtsov took a bit of a backseat.

Rubtsov, though, has been a pleasant surprise for the Phantoms as he begins his North American professional career. He has four goals and six points in his first nine games, including a two-point effort last Wednesday against Hartford. Lehigh Valley head coach Scott Gordon recently sung high praise of Rubtsov told the Courier-Post's Dave Isaac:

He's been probably the biggest surprise. I had only seen him in development camp and training camp. … I didn't see the things that I'm seeing right now, which is his skill level, his shot, his passing, his vision, his strength. The one thing that I had concerns about coming into the season is his skating as far as his pace of play and in a very short amount of time, he's elevated that.

• Another Phantom of note is Philippe Myers, who soon may find his way up with the Flyers. Myers had a three-point game in Lehigh Valley's 5-2 win Saturday night.

Gordon also spoke of Myers to Isaac:

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I know that he might've tailed off during training camp, but I think with Phil, when I watch him play so far this year, what's probably gonna change dramatically is once he starts to simplify his game by not having to feel like he has to do everything himself as far as with the puck and starts using the guys that are on the ice, I just think he's gonna go to the forefront. It will be so dramatic how dominating he is.

• We missed our first Jay O'Brien vs. Joel Farabee matchup this past weekend as O'Brien remains out with an upper-body injury he suffered Oct. 19. No. 6 Providence didn't need O'Brien, though, as the Friars shut out Boston University, 6-0, Friday.

Farabee has one goal in four games this season. O'Brien is pointless in four.

• Wyatt Kalynuk is quickly becoming a staple of this report, and for good reason. The Wisconsin defenseman continued to produce last week, extending his point streak to five games.

Kalynuk had a two-assist game Friday night against Michigan Tech and then tallied a power-play goal Saturday. He has four goals this season and leads Wisconsin with nine points.

Quick hits
• Frost saw his point streak reach six games with points in all three games last week - two points Thursday, three on Friday and one on Sunday. Frost is second in the OHL with 30 points.

• Isaac Ratcliffe's goal streak reached three games with a goal Friday and Sunday. He has six points on his current three-game point streak and 11 goals and 19 points in 14 games.

• Matthew Strome's six-game point streak ended Sunday. Strome compiled four goals and 12 points during the streak. He has 19 points in 15 games this season.

• Alex Lyon made his second start of the season Sunday evening for the Phantoms, allowing three goals on 34 shots. He has a respectable .924 save percentage in two games.

• A strong outing from Carter Hart on Saturday night in the Phantoms' win over Binghamton. Hart allowed just two goals on 31 shots in his fifth pro start.

• Wyatte Wylie picked up a goal and two assists in four games last week. The Everett defenseman has 10 assists and 13 points in 15 games.

• Ohio State's Tanner Laczynski saw his nine-game point streak end Friday.

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