Shayne Gostisbehere is getting ready for his first training camp with the Philadelphia Flyers, and after getting a brief taste for the pros last season, he couldn’t be more excited for the coming fall.
The 2012 third-round pick of the Flyers was a star defenseman at Union College and helped the Dutchmen win the national championship this past season.
Now that he’s a pro, the kid who grew up watching tapes of Bobby Orr and making him his idol, wants to do the same kind of thing for Philly when they’re ready for him as Tim Panaccio of CSNPhilly.com shared.
“The Flyers have a plan for me,” Gostisbehere said. “I’m all ears. I’m a sponge. I want to learn every day. I just want to give myself a chance to be on this team, not for a couple games, but for long term. If it’s a year in the AHL or two years in the AHL, then that’s what it’s got to be.”
At Union, Gostisbehere was an offensive dynamo on the blue line able to move the puck with ease through all zones. He had nine goals and 34 points in 42 games with Union last season. His adoration for Bobby Orr was very apparent as he led Union to its first title as opposing teams had trouble containing him.
While he may be a bit undersized at the moment for the NHL, his speed and shiftiness already has Flyers fans itchy to see what he can do at the highest level. Patience may well be rewarded if he can get the chance to grow his game in the AHL.