VOORHEES, N.J. -- Believe it or not, the Flyers actually have a defenseman quietly working his way up the ranks.
High-profile prospects like Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim, Sam Morin, Robert Hagg and Shayne Gostisbehere are currently stealing the spotlight and grabbing headlines, but Mark Friedman has begun to emerge from the shadows.
The 19-year-old, who just completed a successful freshman campaign at Bowling Green State University, arrived at the Flyers' prospect and development camp at the Skate Zone last week eager to continue his development with the organization.
"I want to soak up everything," he said. "I want to be a sponge and I want to get to know all the guys. There are some new faces here and so far it's been a lot of fun."
After spending two years with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL, Friedman was selected by the Flyers in the third round (86th overall) of the 2014 NHL draft. He collected 18 goals and 57 assists to go along with a plus-44 rating in 115 games for Waterloo but slipped at the draft after a bout with mononucleosis cost him nine games and crucial development time in the middle of of the 2013-14 season.
That's not the only adversity Friedman has been forced to overcome in his hockey career, either. He committed to Bowling Green when he was just 15 years old and planned on playing for the Falcons in 2013, but a snafu involving paperwork caused his enrollment to be delayed.
Rejoining the Black Hawks for a second season, Friedman says, turned out to be the best course of action, however. It helped him mature as a player and a person while also preparing him for the jump from junior to college.
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"It was a great experience," Friedman said. "First year at Bowling Green was probably the best year of my life. Hopefully next year is just as good and we get as far as we did last year."
Friedman, who is majoring in sports management, was handed a pivotal role on Bowling Green's blue line right away last season and proved to be up to the task. He was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team and was chosen as the Falcons' co-Rookie of the Year after the team finished with a 23-11-5 record.
In 39 total games, Friedman tallied two goals and tied for a team-high in assists with 17. He also blocked a team-best 64 shots and was a calming influence on a Bowling Green defense which ranked second in the country on the penalty kill.
"I'm just playing my game, working as hard as I can every day," he said. "Trying to be the best I can be. There's no pressure on me. I look forward to new challenges."
Back with the Flyers for the summer, Friedman finds himself buried in a crowded group of defensive prospects. But he sees that as a positive.
"There's a lot of depth," he said. "You look at guys like Sam Morin, Robert Hagg, Shayne Gostisbehere, they're pretty good players. I'm trying to learn from them and I'll try to get to know them, look at them as role models for me and see where I can get better in my game."
Friedman also said the professionalism his peers show on and off the ice has created a supportive and encouraging environment in the locker room.
But is there a sense of competition?
"I'd say so to an extent," Friedman said. "We're not really looking at the negatives, we're looking at the positives. You wanna work on the things you're not as good at. So I'll try to look at them and better myself, look at myself and try to compare where I'm at to them."
Friedman admitted he still has a lot to learn. He was more of an offensively-inclined defender in junior but has made significant strides in polishing his defensive game at the collegiate level.
And though he may be a few years away from competing for minutes on the Phantoms, and possibly the Flyers, Friedman is starting to garner some attention.
"He’s a good skater, very smooth out there," Hagg said. "And he’s right-handed too, that’s something good for him. … He’s a great player.
"[The] media is putting us up as a top five, but I don’t know about that. There are a lot of great players in here, and Mark is one of them. So, give him one more year to put on some weight, he’s going to be dangerous.”
Friedman, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound Toronto native, is expected to be a key fixture as a sophomore on Chris Bergeron's club at Bowling Green next season. He could see top-pair minutes and will likely continue to play on special teams.
But, for now, Friedman is doing everything he can to elevate his game. He plans to continue his training regimen throughout the summer and won't hesitate to pick the brains of his fellow blueliners.
The advice helps put things in perspective.
"I'm not a perfect hockey player to say the least," Friedman said. "I've got a lot to work on in my all-around game. Specifically my defensive side of the game. Knowing when to recognize to step up in your own end or on an odd-man rush. I just gotta get better all-around on the defensive side of the game."