Yegor “Big Z” Zamula returns to the lineup tonight for the Flyers vs Panthers.
This marks the 6’3″ defensman’s first NHL game since getting sent back to Lehigh Valley in early December. Z’s call-up is the first of four available to the Flyers post trade deadline. Tyson Foerster is currently on Emergency Loan and does not yet impact that call-up limit.
Zamula has played in 11 NHL games in the 2022-23 season, with the vast majority of those to start the year. Back in October, Zamula surprisingly made the opening night roster after Cam York’s lackluster preseason saw him heading to the Phantoms to work on his assertiveness.
Zamula would then play in seven games before Coach John Tortorella decided he needed time in the press-box. Interestingly, that seventh game was also against the Florida Panthers. In that contest Zamula only had eight shifts and 6:41 TOI. Clearly Torts had seen enough. Over the following three weeks Zamula would only get back into two more games.
Time to Work in Lehigh
It was time for the young defensemen to work on his game in the AHL, and work he’s put in. For the Phantoms, he’s been logging big minutes and playing in all situations.
“I play like 27, 28 minutes every night”, said Zamula on how things have been going in Lehigh Valley.
During his 42 games this season he’s contributed 16pts (1g,15a).
New Flyers interim GM, Daniel Briere along with Coach Tortorella decided it was time to get a progress report on what translates to the NHL for the impending RFA.
“We feel he’s ready to be looked at. I just want him to play and we’ll see where we go” said Torts after yesterday’s practice.
The progress report is as much to see if Zamula is better adapted to the NHL speed than earlier the year, but arguably more important to see how he compares to other left-handed Flyers defensemen.
The undrafted Zamula was signed by Ron Hextall in September 2018 with his contract kicking in after 2 more years of junior hockey. His new deal will be his first after his entry-level deal expires this June.
What kind of deal does that look like? Has Zamula made enough progress to see him as a component in the Flyers rebuild? Or does he need significantly need more AHL time?
Those are the questions Briere, Torts and the staff will have to find the answers to. Here’s hoping Zamula makes it easy for them to see he’s part of the future.
Tom Sloan is a writing contributor at HW Hockey
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