Ever since he was drafted, Nicolas Aube-Kubel has been in the shadows of others Philadelphia Flyers prospects. Taken 48th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, Aube-Kubel left the Val-d’Or Foreurs to join the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season. He had shown flashes of brilliance in the QMJHL, but didn’t impress in his rookie campaign, only recording 18 points in 72 games. Things weren’t looking too great for him.
Let’s forget about that now. Aube-Kubel has recorded 42 points through 64 games this season and has given himself new life in the Flyers prospect depth chart. He’s third on the Phantoms in points and assists as well as fourth in goals, and he has recorded five points in his last seven games.
Needless to say, he’s not in the shadows anymore.
He’s a more confident player and better understands where he should be on the ice. In the defensive zone, he is calmer with the puck. While he isn’t exactly scorching the league, he is excelling in many areas that make for a good NHL player.
Aube-Kubel continued his solid and steady play against the Providence Bruins on Saturday. When he was skating with the puck behind his net, Providence was forechecking him, and Aube-Kubel made the smart play to cycle the puck behind his back to relieve pressure. Whereas many young players would try and force a play up the boards on their forehand, Aube-Kubel has separated himself from that crowd with small plays like this.
He continued showing off his defensive awareness by positioning himself between Dustin Tokarski, Providence’s Adam Payeri, and the puck on the weak side to take away any chance of a pass to Payeri. The Bruins couldn’t find a lane to send the puck into, and Tokarski made an easy save.
Many prospects tend to fail in the NHL because of their inability to backcheck and forecheck. With Aube-Kubel, his ability to backcheck and forecheck is prevalent on every shift. In the second period, the Phantoms lost possession in the offensive zone and the Bruins were heading the other way. Aube-Kubel got on his horse and raced into the neutral zone before knocking a Bruin off the puck, and the Phantoms eventually won it back.
In the offensive zone, he even created an opportunity out of nothing when he threw a check to win the puck, and it eventually slid through the crease.
On the topic of offensive zone play, during the first period, the puck slid out to Aube-Kubel at the point, and instead of shooting it into traffic, he absorbed a hit and passed the puck to Phil Varone in the right circle for a shot on goal. It takes a lot of maturity to show restraint like that, and Aube-Kubel is certainly maturing this season.
Oh, and he has speed that can kill. His first shot of the game came in the third period after he received the puck with speed through the neutral zone. He blew by Austin Czarnik and made Jeremy Lauzon switch from skating backwards to forwards just to keep up with him before he wristed a shot that was saved by Jordan Binnington.
While he’s scoring and showing maturation towards his NHL upside, there has also been a minor downside.
One area that Aube-Kubel needs to work on is how to control his body. There have been two incidents in the past month where he has been suspended following illegal hits to the head, including a hit in this game. These hits aren’t typical of Aube-Kubel and should be look at two isolated incidents, but it’s up to him to be a bit tamer than he has been lately.
All in all, Aube-Kubel has learned how to play among the professional ranks and it’s showing this season with the Phantoms. Flyers fans should get used to his name, because Nicolas Aube-Kubel is set to making a case to earn a spot on the Flyers roster next season.
Photo by Casey Liberatore/Sons of Penn
Originally published on SonsOfPenn.com