What Does The Future Hold For The Once Promising Morgan Frost?

The player with the most to lose by not producing at a key moment in their young career, is Morgan Frost. Frost was a highly touted, offensive dynamo in the Ontario Hockey League when the Flyers drafted him with the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Frost put up 20 goals, 42 assists, for 62 points in 67 games in his draft year and exploded the following two seasons with 112 and 109 points respectively.

Frost teased Flyers fans in his first NHL game, but the highlights have been too few since.

(Flyers YouTube - Frost first game + goal)

At 5'11», 170lbs, the 23-year-old Frost has yet to make his mark In the NHL and this is likely his last chance to make a positive impression with the Philadelphia Flyers. Frost opened up the season with two goals in the first game, but has only tallied one assist since, in his next nine games played.

When Morgan Frost signed a one year, $800 000 contract on July 15, 2022, it seemed like he was being given one last chance with the Flyers to produce. The new contract was a pay reduction from his previous three-year deal worth $863 333, which extended from 2019-20 through 2021-22. In fact, Frost has taken a pay decrease with each subsequent contract he has signed, which is not a good sign. Frost is a Restricted Free Agent at the end of the 2022-23 season, but his fate may be determined in the next two months.

If Frost cannot improve upon his offensive numbers and produce, he may not be a good fit in the Flyers lineup long term.

The player that may expel Morgan Frost from the Flyers lineup; Bobby Brink. Brink is set to return to action in late November or early December and he will rehab in the AHL, but I don't believe he will remain there long. Given the small sample size we saw of Brink last year, he looks capable of being a power play QB off of the half wall on the second unit, as he has excellent vision, soft hands, and a tremendous hockey IQ. Brink looked comfortable with the speed of the game and was able to slow things down in the offensive zone. Brink has relentless energy on the ice and regardless of his diminutive size, he battles hard and wins puck battles; something that will endear him to John Tortorella.

Flyers #PromisingProspect Bobby Brink 💥 pic.twitter.com/Wlz8Kjw0mx� Skyler Walker (@walkerflyers) November 8, 2022

Brink is two years Frost's junior, at 21 years of age and he is in the second year of his three-year entry level contract and if he can produce offensively, Frost may be caught in a numbers game.

Kevin Hayes, Scott Laughton, Travis Konecny, Joel Farabee, Owen Tippett, Cam Atkinson, James Van Riemsdyk, Zack MacEwen, and Nicolas Deslauriers look like permanent fixtures in the Flyers lineup and an argument could be made for Wade Allison as well. That leaves two roster spots open this year, once the Flyers are healthy again. It is difficult to see Frost being effective in a bottom six roll on this team, particularly over players like Noah Cates and Lukas Sedlak. Kieffer Bellows, who plays with grit and has a heavy shot, will also receive a good look from the Flyers for their bottom six and he could take a roster spot away from Frost.

Morgan Frost's future is in his own hands and the opportunity to solidify a roster spot and prove he can produce at the NHL level may not present itself in Philadelphia again. Frost must elevate his game and take advantage of this moment.