Minor League Report: Vorobyov, Lindblom Joining Phantoms?

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Phantoms playoff push is alive and well with a successful weekend, winning two of three games. They could also receive some help down the stretch from two budding Flyers prospects.

Mikhail Vorobyov is reportedly in talks with Flyers management, potentially about joining the Phantoms on an professional tryout to finish the season. Vorobyov scored three goals and had 11 points in 44 games with Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL. He also led all players at World Juniors with 10 assists in seven games.

Vorobyov was the Flyers fourth-round pick in 2015, but started to turn heads with his performance at World Juniors this season. He is under contract in the KHL through this season, which recently came to an end. His contract expires on April 30 and Vorobyov has shown interest in bringing his game to North America, similar to Flyers 2016 first-round pick German Rubtsov.

Similarly, Swedish standout Oskar Lindblom, who was a 2014 fifth-round pick by the Flyers, has been generating a ton of buzz. It's easy to see why.

Lindblom has 21 goals and 23 assists for 44 points in 50 games with Brynas IF in the SHL. Lindblom joined the Phantoms for their final eight games last season and posted two goals and five assists for seven points. The expectation is that Lindblom could join the Phantoms again late this season, pending the success of Brynas IF in the SHL Playoffs.

Lindblom is still unsigned by the Flyers, as is Vorobyov, but that could all be changing in the coming offseason. The common belief is that Lindblom could be in the NHL next season and Vorobyov's interest to play in North America could have him joining the AHL full-time soon enough.

The Phantoms remain locked in the thick of a playoff race. Despite Sunday's loss in Providence, which knocked Lehigh Valley back into third place in the Atlantic Division, they have a crucial meeting with the division-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday night before playing two games on home ice this weekend.

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