CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton head coach J.D. Forrest summed up forward Felix Robert's game perfectly after Monday's development camp practice at the Lemieux Sports Complex.
"He's a smaller guy, but he plays like he's seven feet tall," Forrest said. "He'll do whatever it takes."
Robert, 22, is entering his second season in the Penguins' organization after he was re-signed to an AHL contract this offseason.
Last season, with the ECHL season beginning roughly two months before the AHL season, Robert made his professional debut in Wheeling, scoring five goals and one assist in 10 games. He was recalled to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the AHL training camp, and earned his spot on Wilkes-Barre's roster for the rest of the season, scoring six goals and seven assists in 27 games. He drew a steady stream of praise from Forrest throughout the year for his work ethic and ability to not be held back because of his size, listed by Wilkes-Barre at 5 foot 9 and 180 pounds.
"He's a little waterbug out there. He doesn't give up."
"He's undersized, but he's pretty fearless. He just doesn't stop working."
"The kid never ceases to amaze here with what he's willing to do to help the team, to get into the lineup, to stay in the lineup, to contribute any way possible."
"Felix on a night in, night out basis just never stops. We use him as an example quite a bit in the way that we want to play and the effort we want to put out there."
When I spoke with Robert after Monday's practice, he said that he was "really happy" with the way his rookie season went. He said that he feels more mature and thought that he adjusted well to the increased speed and strength of the AHL game compared to juniors, and credited Wilkes-Barre's veteran forwards Tim Schaller and Josh Currie with pushing him in the right direction all season."
"I was just grinding every day to achieve the lineup, make my place, and I think I made my place," he said. "I showed them I can play in the AHL. I'm going to keep doing the same to impress them each day."
One adjustment Robert had to make at the AHL level was the transition to wing after playing exclusively center in juniors. I asked him about that transition early in the AHL season, and he thought his grinding, hard-nosed style was better-suited for wing and the physicality along the boards that comes with the position.
"I like to play hard, that's for sure," he said. "I used to play middle, so kind of less on the boards. But I like to play winger here, honestly. I'm going to keep tracking those Ds, putting the puck deep and work my ass off."
Over the course of the season, Robert was shifted between the wing and center position. In speaking about it on Monday, he said that he was comfortable with either position at the pro level, but it sounds like he's grown to prefer playing wing.
"I never played the wing before coming in the AHL, and I loved it," he said. "Honestly, I can transfer my game to more of a speed and rushing and get the pucks in the back of the D, so I kind of love this game. I think the organization likes my position as wing. If they put me on the wing, I'll be ready, if they put me on center, I'll make the step again. I just want to play and be in the lineup, whatever it takes."
That versatility gives Wilkes-Barre some interesting options as far as forward lines go for next season.
Robert's best season offensively in juniors came in his final year with the Sherbrooke Phoenix in 2019-20, when he led the team in scoring with 36 goals and 56 assists in 46 games. His left wing that year was Sam Poulin, who had been selected by the Penguins in the first round the previous summer.
"Good chemistry," Robert said with a smile when recalling that time alongside Poulin. "I love the guy on and off the ice."
Poulin also broke into a big smile when I asked him about getting to play with Robert again.
"It's awesome, to be honest," he said. "We both discussed it, we didn't think that this would happen one day, that we'd see each other at the pro level. It's fun to be around him, I've been with him since my first year in junior."
Through the first three days of development camp, Poulin and Robert have been a frequent pair in the practice drills and small-area games the Penguins have been running, an indication that the two might be reunited on a line if Poulin does end up in Wilkes-Barre to start the season. In the drills, at least, it's felt like old times for the two with the chemistry they have."
"It felt weird at first, we felt like we were in back in junior," Robert laughed. "It's awesome having him here with me. We just keep pushing together and play the best we can so we can can make it to the next level together. That'd be awesome."
Forrest said that Robert had "a little bit different summer than he has in the past," and that they're hoping that will help Robert in Year 2. Robert told me that his main focuses over the offseason were "mobility, flexibility, explosion and endurance."
In addition to that offseason training, Forrest thinks that Robert will benefit this coming season from just the confidence that comes from being a second-year pro.
"After having that last season under his belt, I think he's going to come in with some confidence here, and I'm excited to see how he challenges guys and and pushes," Forrest said. "We'll see what happens here as the season plays out."
If Robert can keep taking those steps in his development, the next thing for him would be to earn an NHL contract with the Penguins. That's not something he has on his mind yet, though.
"(An NHL contract) would be fun, obviously," he said. "But I'm focusing more on the season that's coming. Then if a contract comes, I'll be interested."
