Noah CATES – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Slow starters and potential turnarounds – Good starts worth tracking

Scott Cullen — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:40:55 +0000

Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (39) (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, a look at slow starters, like Matvei Michkov, Sam Reinhart, Evan Bouchard, and Nikolaj Ehlers. Also, players to track including Cutter Gauthier, Emmitt Finnie, Josh Doan and more!

#1 After a strong showing as a rookie, when he produced 63 points (26 G, 37 A) in 80 games, Flyers right winger Matvei Michkov has crashed early in this season. Head coach Rick Tocchet has brought up Michkov’s conditioning as an issue, and he has seen his ice time drop from 16:48 per game to 15:02 per game. Michkov has just two points (1 G, 1 A) with 13 shots on goal in seven games. With reduced ice time and a poor first impression on the new head coach, Michkov might be a prime wait-and-see candidate. He is going to get better, but fantasy managers can wait to see some progress before diving in to get him. While Michkov struggles, there is some upside to be found with Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster, solid secondary scorers. Cates is an excellent two-way player who has five points (3 G, 2 A) and 15 shots on goal in seven games and Foerster is continuing to make progress. He has six points (3 G, 3 A) and 13 shots on goal through seven games.

#2 The Tampa Bay Lightning have staggered out of the gate, managing a 1-4-2 record through seven games, and while goaltending might be a greater concern, left winger Brandon Hagel is having trouble generating offence, with zero goals, one assist, and 18 shots on goal through those seven games. Hagel is coming off a career-high 90 points (35 G, 55 A) last season when he had an on-ice shooting percentage of 11.1 percent, which was also his career high. Regression has come for him early in this season, with an on-ice shooting percentage of 2.1 percent. What is encouraging about Hagel is that he does have 14 shots on goal in his past four games, so it appears that he is still getting chances and ought to break out of this early season slump.

#3 With Aleksander Barkov injured, it has been a difficult start to the season for Florida Panthers right winger Sam Reinhart, who has four points (3 G, 1 A) through nine games, but only one of those four points has come during five-on-five play, so it’s tough to be too optimistic about his production going forward. With the Panthers juggling lines early in the season, Reinhart has had several linemates but is currently skating on a line with Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe. In 39 minutes with Bennett as his centre, Reinhart has a 45.3 percent Corsi, so there are still some things to work out if he is going to get back on track.

#4 Even though he has put 27 shots on goal in eight games, Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard has contributed just two assists through eight games. The shot rate, along with his position as the quarterback on the Oilers’ vaunted power play, history does suggest that Bouchard’s offensive production should pick up, but this is a slow start for a player who ranked third among defencemen in scoring over the previous two seasons, when he had 149 points (32 G, 117 A) in 163 games.

#5 The Calgary Flames are winless in their past seven games and star blueliner Mackenzie Weegar has just two assists and 13 shots on goal in eight games. Even though he has positive shot differentials, the Flames have been outscored 10-4 with Weegar on the ice for five-on-five play. He is playing a career-high 24:50 per game so the opportunities should be there, but it’s worth keeping tabs on Weegar’s shot rate as he is averaging 1.63 shots on goal per game, compared to 2.27 shots per game last season. It’s not just Weegar, either. Nazem Kadri is playing 20:33 per game, which would be 1:12 over his previous career high, set last season, and has zero goals and four assists with 20 shots on goal in eight games. His possession game has been solid and getting Jonathan Huberdeau back recently should help, so Kadri might be a buy-low style option right now.

#6 Thought to be a free agent prize for the Carolina Hurricanes in the summer, Nikolaj Ehlers has stumbled early, recording two assists in seven games. He has 22 shots, so his shot rate is strong, and he is playing more than he did in Winnipeg while controlling 56.9 percent of expected goals at five on five, so it should get better for Ehlers. Like, he probably won’t continue at a 20-point pace, but he is still waiting to break out. Given the strength of the Hurricanes as a team, they should be able to drag Ehlers back into a more typically productive spot.

#7 New Jersey Devils defenceman Dougie Hamilton has just one assist through seven games, and while he does have 18 shots on goal, that would be his lowest per-game shot rate since 2016-2017. This doesn’t mean that he’s cooked for fantasy managers, necessarily, because he is still playing more than 21 minutes per game and quarterbacking the Devils’ top power play unit, but it’s fair to have some concerns about his early results and if he continues to struggle, Luke Hughes could start getting more power play time.

#8 One of the best breakout stories last season, when he scored 26 goals and 63 points, St. Louis Blues left winger Dylan Holloway is playing a couple more minutes per game this season – up over 19 minutes per game – but has just two points (1 G, 1 A) and 14 shots on goal through seven games. He is still a fixture on the top power play unit and most recently has moved to the second line with Brayden Schenn and Jake Neighbours, but Holloway bears watching because that line isn’t a sure thing and if he continues to slump, his ice time could start to slip, too.

#9 When Carolina Hurricanes left winger Andrei Svechnikov finished with 48 points (20 G, 28 A) in 72 games last season, it was his lowest points per game since his rookie season in 2018-2019. That put him in the position to have a bounce-back season in 2025-2026 but that is not off to a great start. He has zero points with 14 shots on goal in seven games and is averaging 14:38 of ice time per game, which would be a career low for him. He has been demoted to the fourth line so he is in Rod Brind’Amour’s doghouse, but with William Carrier and Eric Robinson getting hurt in Colorado on Thursday, there might be a chance for Svechnikov to move back up the depth chart, despite his miserable start to the season.

#10 After setting career highs with 37 goals and 60 points a couple of years ago, Frank Vatrano had 21 goals and 45 points last season but has fallen off a proverbial cliff to start this season. His ice time has dropped from 17:33 per game to 13:08 per game and he has just one assist through seven games. He is currently skating with Mason McTavish and Beckett Sennecke on the Ducks’ second line, but in their 16 minutes of five-on-five play the trio has been crushed, getting out-Corsi’d 30-4 (11.8 CF%).

#11 Following a solid rookie season when he finished fifth in Calder Trophy voting, scoring 20 goals and 44 points, Anaheim Ducks left winger Cutter Gauthier looks like he is ready to take a step forward this season. He has six points (5 G, 1 A) and 31 shots on goal in his first seven games, and that shot rate is very enticing. He is on the top line with Leo Carlsson and Alex Killorn and getting second unit power play time, but Gauthier has a higher offensive ceiling than many of the forwards in Anaheim and his role should ultimately reflect that.

#12 The Ottawa Senators need some answers in goal. Linus Ullmark, who has been excellent across the past four seasons, is struggling early, with a .867 save percentage and -5.36 Goals Saved Above Expected in seven starts. It’s early and considering his track record, he should recover, but the Senators need it. Rookie Leevi Merilainen was awesome in a dozen games last season but had a disastrous first start of this season, allowing seven goals on 26 shots. For a team with playoff expectations, they can’t get by with this kind of play between the pipes.

#13 The Senators aren’t the only team with goaltending concerns, in fact not even the only team in the Atlantic Division. Samuel Montembeault had an impressive 2024-2025 season for the Montreal Canadiens, but has a miserable .842 save percentage, with -6.79 Goals Saved Above Expected, in five starts and with that kind of play could be losing time to Jakub Dobes. In his first four starts, Dobes has a .950 save percentage and 8.33 Goals Saved Above Expected. Small samples, sure, but if Montembeault doesn’t improve quickly, Dobes is going to force his way into more starts.

#14 Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone has landed on long-term injured reserve with a wrist injury and while Stone being on LTIR is not a surprise – he has missed 126 games in the past four seasons – it’s taking a player with 13 points (2 G, 11 A) in six games this season out of the lineup. Brandon Saad has moved to the top line, alongside Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev, and will that help get him back on track? He has one assist in seven games, but it happened in Vegas’ last game when he played a season-high 16:32 in the Golden Knights’ first game this season without Stone.

#15 Okay, there has been enough negativity, or at least concern, this week. Let’s look at an unheralded rookie who is showing up for the Detroit Red Wings. Emmitt Finnie was a seventh-round pick in 2023 and not only has he made the roster to start the season, but he’s producing while skating at left wing on the first line alongside Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat. Finnie had 84 points (37 G, 47 A) in 55 games for Kamloops in the WHL last season before finishing the year in the AHL, where he had five points (1 G, 4 A) in 13 (regular season plus playoff) games. That late-season audition seems to have helped him adjust to the pro game and he does have seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 15 shots on goal in eight games. One area of concern is that the Red Wings are on the wrong side of the possession game, with 45.8 CF% and 47.5 xGF%, when Finnie is on the ice.

#16 A strong complementary piece in New Jersey, Dawson Mercer probably has more value when he is on the wing, skating with their premier centres, but is getting first unit power play time and has recently shifted into a third-line centre role with Cody Glass injured. Mercer has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 13 shots on goal in seven games and is playing a career-high 18:05 per game.

#17 Last season, Vancouver Canucks right winger Conor Garland saw his ice time jump by more than four minutes per game to 18:39 per game and he had the second 50-point season of his career. This season, his ice time is up to 20:36 per game and he’s making a bigger impact with seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 22 shots on goal in eight games. He’s landed on the top line with Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane, which requires dragging them forward to some degree right now, but the Canucks are giving Garland a good opportunity.

#18 Perhaps considered the second asset, behind defenceman Michael Kesselring, in the J.J. Peterka trade to Utah, Josh Doan is making his case that he can be a significant player for the Sabres. He has six points (3 G, 3 A) and 13 shots on goal in his past four games and is getting first unit power play time in addition to his regular second-line role with Ryan McLeod and Alex Tuch. If he sticks in that spot, then Doan’s production can continue.

#19 After missing most of last season with a torn ACL, Anthony Mantha was an inexpensive free agent signing by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer. He has stepped into a top six role and delivered six points (3 G, 3 A) with 16 shots on goal in his first eight games with the Penguins and has joined Evgeni Malkin and Justin Brazeau on a towering second line in Pittsburgh. Mantha is a three-time 20-goal scorer who has the skill to do it again and is getting the right opportunity with the Penguins.

#20 Ryan Donato erupted for career highs with 31 goals and 62 points last season with the Chicago Blackhawks and while he failed to register a point in the first three games this season, he has since picked up the pace, putting up seven points (5 G, 2 A) with 13 shots on goal during a five-game point streak. Donato’s most common linemates have been Ilya Mikheyev and Jason Dickinson, but he has moved around the lineup quite a bit, with seven different Blackhawks forwards combining for points with Donato already this season.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:25:35 +0000

ELMONT, NY - JANUARY 16: Philadelphia Flyers Right Wing Travis Konecny (11) controls the puck during the first period of the National Hockey League game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders on January 16, 2025, at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

The Flyers missed the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season in 2024-2025, managing 76 points (33-39-10). They fired head coach John Tortorella late in the season, replacing him with Brad Shaw on an interim basis. The Flyers ranked 26th with a 47.3 Corsi percentage though they fared better when it came to shot quality, capturing 51.5 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play, ranking 11th. Philadelphia’s power play was largely ineffective, generating 4.63 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play, which ranked 30th. They ranked 13th with 6.88 goals against per 60 minutes of four-on-five play, so penalty killing was at least solid. Goaltending was a huge problem for the Flyers, with the trio of Samuel Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov combining for a save percentage of .879.

What’s Changed?

The Flyers dipped into their past and hired former Flyers winger Rick Tocchet to be their head coach. Tocchet had a .608 points percentage in three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, but he has coached a total of 22 playoff games in his career, so he is an experienced coach without a lot of postseason success. The Flyers made a big trade to acquire Trevor Zegras, a highly skilled forward who had fallen out of favor in Anaheim but has highlight-reel puck skills and he could be a big hit in Philadelphia if he and Tocchet can connect. The Flyers also signed veteran centre Christian Dvorak to add stability down the middle, defenceman Noah Juulsen who played for Tocchet in Vancouver, and goaltender Dan Vladar, who has a chance to earn a big role between the pipes.

What would success look like?

It’s a big ask for the Flyers to get to the playoffs, since it would take a 15-to-20-point improvement, but it’s a worthy objective, especially if the Flyers can sort out their goaltending issues. The moves they made this offseason were for a team that intends to get better now, and after five years of missing the playoffs, it’s understandable that they want to get back to the postseason. On the other hand, if the Flyers don’t make the playoffs, losing enough to secure a high lottery pick would be success, too. They could always use more high-end skill players, so a finish that would help in that regard could be deemed successful, too.

What could go wrong?

The worst-case scenario for the Flyers is that they end up stuck in the middle, not quite good enough to reach the playoffs and not bad enough to secure a valuable draft pick. The Flyers certainly have incentive to push hard for a playoff spot, with a veteran-laden team and a coach who will push them to get there, but if the team falls off the pace, then it’s important that Philadelphia stock up on future assets. That includes moving veterans for picks and, ideally, landing a high first-round pick in the 2026 Draft. Just missing the playoffs and landing a pick in the teens is not where this team should want to be when the season ends.

Top Breakout Candidate

There are a few other promising young players on the Flyers, but Matvei Michkov is the most likely player to become a star. The seventh pick in the 2023 Draft, Michkov finished fourth in Calder Trophy voting after tallying 63 points in 80 games. He had an outstanding finish to the season, putting up 16 points (6 G, 10 A), and 40 shots on goal in his last 12 games, and if he remains committed to generating shots like that, his point production could take off.

FORWARDS

Travis Konecny

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	27	45	72	0.91

The only player who resembled some form of consistency for the Flyers, Konecny is in it for the long-haul as he starts the first year of an eight-year contract. He is the longest tenured Flyer behind Couturier and has maintained a high level of play despite all the chaos and instability from the organization. The simplicity of his game helps matters, as Konecny’s a straight-line player who loves to shoot and is excellent at picking corners even when he’s forced to take quicker shots off the rush. While most forwards begin to plateau when they hit their late 20’s, Konecny has posted career highs in points each of the last three seasons, bringing an elite combination of speed, tenacity and stickhandling to the table. He showed some versatility last season as a playmaker, having to pass to create most of his scoring chances and getting the results with 52 assists. This should be exciting news for Michkov, as the two could form a potentially lethal combination if they get regular minutes together, as they did down the stretch last year. The Flyers didn’t like playing this line too much because it was feast-or-famine with the chances they gave up, but the rate the two were converting at was hard to ignore. The question with him is how long he can keep this up because the Flyers have played him regularly in the 20–21-minute range the last three years. They’ll look to do that again as he remains one of the team’s only reliable forward options on the roster.

Matvei Michkov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	30	46	76	0.94

It’s only a matter of time before Michkov is the Flyers best player. He already made a strong case for that title with the torrid pace he scored at down the stretch. A point-per-game player after the Four Nations break, Michkov gave the coaching staff no choice but to give him all the leeway he needed. If there was an opportunity to create offence, Michkov was going to milk every ounce of his shift length to get it. He spent a lot of his time in the defensive zone playing above the puck, looking for loose plays and turnovers so he could strike the other way. He had the skill to capitalize on them too as he didn’t just lead the Flyers in shots off the rush, he was one of the best players in the entire league. Up there with the likes of Martin Necas, Jack Hughes and Nikita Kucherov. His game is still a work in progress when he’s on the cycle in the offensive zone. He was always looking to make plays and trying to fit pucks through traffic. He trusts his skill level to a dangerous degree because while it led to some beautiful goals, it also led to turnovers and chances the other way. This is something that doesn’t necessarily need to be reined in but controlled to a degree because you still want him to do what got him drafted so high and look for the high-percentage play. He should get better at this with more experience, as he got a lot of it last year, and had an excellent season despite some growing pains. He’s shown game-breaking ability early and it should excite the Flyers about what’s to come.

Sean Couturier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	17	31	48	0.69

The Flyers captain can only hope for more stability with the coaching change. The longtime 1C of the Flyers started last season as the fourth line left wing and even after regaining his usual spot, his ice-time was limited in the middle of the season, being taken off both power play and penalty kill units for almost a month. While the days of Couturier producing like a first line center are likely over, the last two seasons should probably come with an asterisk, as he was returning from a two-year absence the first year and last season was marred by strange deployment to say the least. Couturier also had the worst two seasons of his career in terms of finishing chances and while the volume of chances he created last year also decreased, he’s always been an above-average shooter so there is hope for a bounce-back season. His ability to drive play, however, was very strong as he kept the Flyers defensive game in check whenever he was out there. How much he can drive the offence now is a fair question, but he should get some help if he continues to develop chemistry with the emerging star Matvei Michkov. Barring a major breakout from Trevor Zegras, Couturier is still the team’s best option at center, so he will have plenty of opportunities to put the last two years behind him.

Owen Tippett

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	27	25	52	0.66

It’s not often that a player scores eight fewer goals while shooting at a higher percentage than he did the previous year, but that was the case with Owen Tippett. The speedy forward is in the second year of an eight-year deal he earned after a breakout season and last year was a hard fall from grace after looking like a blossoming star for a couple years. His skillset is easy to notice to the naked eye because he’s very quick, gets a lot of puck touches per game and loves to shoot. His flaws are also easy to notice for the same reason because while the goals and his quick-strike offence will impress some, others might notice how often he misses the net or that he could use his linemates better rather than playing a one-man game all the time. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, as even in a down year Tippett will still get you solid secondary scoring and his ability to enter the zone frequently and get chances is still going to be something that other teams have to prepare for. The way he started and ended the year is concerning, though. He scored only one goal in 11 games in October and finished the season with only two goals in 22 games after February. Goal-scorers are streaky by nature and with Tippett being such a volume shooter, stretches like this get noticed more and why last year left such a sour note in Flyers fans mouths.

Trevor Zegras

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	16	37	53	0.72

Zegras spent more of the last two seasons either on injured reserve or in trade rumors than he did on the highlight reels. It was a steep decline from a player some saw as one of the future faces of the league. Some of that is valuing flash over substance with his knack for making ridiculous looking plays. Still, Zegras was someone who, at worst, was a lower-end first line player during his first couple years with the Ducks. He soon became someone they wanted to move on from and the Flyers made a good low-risk gamble to get him. There’s still a lot up in the air about the type of player he is. He’s been yo-yoed back and forth between center and wing, but the Flyers are likely to give him a run in the middle with the hole they have there. The one thing that’s stayed constant is that Zegras is an excellent playmaker. He reads plays from behind the net better than most and he’s excellent at getting the puck off the wall when playing on the cycle. The Flyers have the talent who can complement him well, with Michkov as an emerging star and a few wingers who love to shoot the puck in Tippett and Konecny. His defensive game has also come a long way from where it once was, so maintaining that while seeing if they can reignite what made him special in his rookie season will be a key factor for the Flyers this season. The question is whether that ability is still there or if Zegras is just a highly skilled middle six guy at his peak.

Christian Dvorak

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
80	16	25	41	0.51

Dvorak appears to be a stopgap to get the Flyers through the season, albeit an expensive one at $5.4 million. There was a premium on veteran centers in the market, so it’s understandable. He is now reunited with Rick Tocchet from his Arizona days where he played his best hockey and Dvorak always got the best results when paired with a puck-hog like a Taylor Hall or Conor Garland. The Flyers have a few players who fit that mold, but maybe not in the same role that Dvorak is slotted to play. If Zegras doesn’t work out at center, Dvorak's not a bad option in that spot to shore things up. He can do a lot of the little things like win faceoffs and kill penalties so the more skilled guy doesn’t have to absorb all the defensive minutes. His offensive production will hinge on who he plays with, although he did fairly well for his standards last year with 12 goals in a checking line role alongside Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson. He has great hands and can get to the net but needs someone to help him get the puck there, although the ship has likely sailed on him being a high-impact offensive player. He might be able to sneak on the Flyers second power play unit out of camp.

Tyson Foerster

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	23	20	43	0.52

One of the players sticking around from the Flyers ex-prospect core, Foerster found a niche for himself as an excellent two-way forward. He was a dark horse Calder pick his rookie year and could continue to get Selke votes as he progresses. He’s a big, powerful skater at 215 pounds and has great hands around the net. One of the few Flyers forwards who could create offence when the rush game wasn’t open, Foerster did an excellent job of working the cycle game in the offensive zone, knowing when to go to the front of the net and when to read off his teammates to keep the play going on. Watching him is a great way to learn how good defensive play can start in the offensive zone, as Foerster does an excellent job of staying above the puck at all times, making the right play and covering for pinching defencemen. He was someone the Flyers could count on to settle the play down when they needed to and provide some extra offence in their middle six. It earned him somewhat of an elevated role, playing more than your typical third liner. His playmaking could still improve, but he is set to be a mainstay on the Flyers roster for the time being.

Bobby Brink

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	14	31	45	0.57

This is somewhat of a “prove it” year for Brink with his RFA deal expiring and right now he’s somewhat in the middle of convincing the Flyers that he can be an impact player. A injury-riddled rookie season was followed up with a solid 41 points with Brink showing flashes of being a great playmaker. He’s smaller, but controls the perimeter game well, making great touch passes from the wall into traffic and excelling in the give-and-go game off the rush. He’s willing to go to the net but gets boxed out easily by bigger defencemen. An elite player in college, Brink has yet to show he can do the same in the NHL. The type of game he plays requires high-level linemates or a finisher to get the most out of hm, but you have to earn your way to those roles in the NHL and he’s on his way to at least getting a shot if he can progress. Being a dog on the forecheck, as he has shown he is willing to do, also helps. The two things working against him is the Flyers acquiring a similar player in Zegras, who could make Brink redundant if he moves to the wing (and takes his power play time) and Brink undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum, his second hip surgery in three years. Still, he showed enough in his sophomore season to make you believe.

Noah Cates

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	14	25	39	0.48

Cates emerged as an intriguing player a few years ago, receiving some Calder and Selke love from those who follow advanced stats, and it caught some people off-guard. Mostly because if you don’t watch the Flyers you have probably never heard of him before. While he didn’t follow it up in his sophomore season, he had saw a nice return to form last year and formed an excellent defensive line with Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink. Cates starts virtually every shift in the defensive zone, so adding Brink added a nice wrinkle to this line as someone who could spark the transition game. This isn’t Cates specialty, but he does a good job of complementing it with good positioning and helping start the rush from his own zone. He had the highest successful exit percentage on the Flyers and was their best forward at not turning the puck over on breakouts. It’s made him a go-to option for their penalty kill and he should be a favourite of the new coaching staff for that alone. The offence is gravy with him but having a third liner who can get you close to 40 points is always going to be valuable. Cates’ good hands and knack for deflecting pucks also helps with that, as this line feeds the point for a lot of their offence.

DEFENCE

Travis Sanheim

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	10	30	40	0.49

It took a while for Sanheim to really blossom as a top-tier defenceman. He was always someone who could play the big minutes and hold his own, but the dynamic playmaking ability didn’t start to show until a couple years ago. Having somewhat of a trial by fire introduction to the NHL paved the way for him, as he had to build his game from the defensive zone out, learning when to make safe plays and when to be aggressive. He always had the skillset in him but was never in the right situation to show it. That has changed the last couple of years, as he is one of the most active defenders in the league at leading zone entries and he’s been able to use his high-level passing ability for playmaking rather than moving the play forward. The area where it’s helped the most is when he can patrol the offensive zone to look for a deflection or go cross-ice. You might not expect him to be one of the league leaders in that category, but the stats back that up. As the Flyers forward corps continues to improve, he should see more of a reward for it on the scoresheet. Even without the offence, Sanheim has the raw skills of a top-pair defenceman. He skates laterally incredibly well, can keep up with top forwards and his rush defending has gotten better with age. The new wrinkle in his game could help propel him to the next level, although some of that might depend on if he gets power play time too.

Cam York

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
48	4	17	21	0.27

York’s profile and college stats suggest that he’s an offensive, puck-moving defenceman but if you watched him last year you might think he’s a shutdown defenceman. He didn’t get to play with the puck much and spent most of his shifts chasing forwards around the defensive zone. A product of a rough environment on a struggling Philly team but even when you consider that, York did an admirable job in this role. Defencemen who can skate are how the modern shutdown game is played, and York does a lot of the little things that mesh with it. He has an annoying presence in the defensive zone with how he stays with forwards or gets a stick on a puck to deflect it out of the way. Also not afraid to use his body to defend and kill the cycle even if he’s not the biggest guy. The common problem was that a lot of these positive plays from him went to waste often because the forwards couldn’t get the puck out after that. He still formed a solid pair with Sanheim, but there is more on the bone with York that the Flyers can unlock. It’s uncertain if the offence is still part of the package for him, as they’re likely giving the power play minutes to Drysdale and York has been transitioned to more of a heavy penalty killing duty. Finding your niche is what the NHL is all about and York seems to have done this well.

Jamie Drysdale

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	8	21	29	0.37

In the final year of his contract, this is likely Drysdale’s last chance to prove that he can be a long-term piece for the Flyers. Last year wasn’t exactly encouraging because they fed him top power play minutes only to be rewarded with two goals and seven points with the man advantage. Not exactly what you want to see when you’re known for quarterbacking a power play, especially when you have the reputation as a defensive liability on top of that. There was a grace period with evaluating Drysdale, as he dealt with major injuries for two years, but he was injury free last year and didn’t do much to set himself apart from the rest of the Flyers. There was also a level of diminishing returns when looking at what he provided while others like Sanheim got less power play time and roster hopefuls like Emil Andrae had to wait their turn to play after impressing in their initial NHL stints. There’s still some hope for Drysdale, as this year brings a fresh start (with an old teammate in Zegras) and he has shown he can be an impactful offensive player in the NHL before, albeit all the way back in 2022. He has the raw skills, is an excellent skater and can walk the blue line better than most but translating it to anything outside of overtime was a challenge.

Rasmus Ristolainen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	3	16	19	0.29

One of the few players who has gotten better in a rough period of Flyers hockey, Ristolainen’s made the transition from being overplayed and unreliable to a solid middle-of-the-roster player. This started a few years ago when they had Ristolainen focus more on killing plays in the defensive zone through being less physical, acting more as a disrupter and getting pucks out instead of trying to go coast-to-coast. He adapted well, but he also saw his minutes cut back to 17-18 minutes a game while playing on the third pair. Last year, he got back into the 20–21-minute range and posted similar results which were solid, albeit nothing mind blowing. He also saw a return to being more involved in the play offensively, rating average in scoring chance creation for a defenceman and it led to him being used on the power play again, granted with only three assists to show for it. Much of the credit for his resurgence has been given to former Flyers assistant Brad Shaw, who has a reputation of getting the best results out of defencemen everywhere he’s coached. With him departing to New Jersey’s bench, it will be interesting to see if Ristolainen’s play holds up.

Goal

Samuel Ersson

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
49	19	22	5	3	.900	2.98

The Philadelphia Flyers were dealt a miserable hand in net when starter Carter Hart saw his contract terminated by the team during a highly publicized sexual assault trial and prospect Ivan Fedotov saw his arrival in North America delayed by a detainment by the Russian military. Although Fedotov finally made his way to North America last season, he and fellow tandem partner Samuel Ersson held the distinction of making up the league's worst pairing statistically. Among starters, only Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alexandar Georgiev had worse years than Ersson, and Fedotov couldn't seem to find his footing well enough to stem the bleeding; he fared better than Ersson, but not by much.

The pair might get some help this upcoming season in the form of former Calgary Flames backup Dan Vladar, who left after losing the starting gig in Calgary to wunderkind Dustin Wolf. Vladar's lanky stature and smooth, speedy skating make him great for last-second desperation saves and extra reach on a defensive breakdown, something that both Fedotov and Ersson mightily struggled with last season. But from a numbers standpoint, Vladar is as much a reclamation project as he is a form of reinforcement for the other two Philadelphia could ice next season. The Flyers seem to be struggling to attract free agents to fill their goaltending depth chart, and that could make for a painful few years until they can figure out their long-term plans and develop some new options to offer.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – McMann surprising source of offense for Leafs, Fowler making a difference in St. Louis, Holloway cooking since the Blues’ coaching change, Foegele has found a fit in Los Angeles, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 20:22:17 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO - DECEMBER 15: St. Louis Blues center Dylan Holloway (81) handles the puck during a NHL game between the New York Rangers and the St. Louis Blues, on December 15, 2024, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Bobby McMann is a surprising source of offense for the Maple Leafs, Cam Fowler is making a difference in St. Louis, Dylan Holloway is cooking since the Blues’ coaching change, Warren Foegele has found a fit in Los Angeles, and much more!

Here is this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points:

#1 Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann scored a pair of goals in Thursday’s 2-1 win at the Islanders, continuing what has been a very good run for the 28-year-old who set career highs with 15 goals and 24 points in 56 games last season. In his past nine games, McMann has tallied 10 points (6 G, 4 A) with 22 shots on goal, giving him 12 goals in just 31 games this season. McMann is playing with Max Domi and Nick Robertson, and Domi has assisted on half of McMann’s 12 goals. McMann is generating 10.88 shots on goal per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, which ranks second on the Maple Leafs, behind only Auston Matthews.

#2 After scoring a couple of goals in St. Louis’ 6-2 win over Chicago in the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, St. Louis Blues defenceman Cam Fowler is up to seven points (3 G, 4 A) in nine games since he was acquired from Anaheim. Two of those points have come on the power play and Fowler is averaging 22:38 per game with the Blues while and getting time on the top power play unit.

#3. Staying in St. Louis, the Blues’ offseason signing of left winger Dylan Holloway is paying huge dividends, especially since the Blues fired head coach Drew Bannister and replaced him with Jim Montgomery. In 17 games since the coaching change, Holloway has delivered 18 points (10 G, 8 A) with 49 shots on goal. He skates with Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou at even strength, where he has produced 22 of his 26 points this season.

#4 Another former Oilers winger, Warren Foegele, is heating up in Los Angeles. In his past eight games, the Kings winger has contributed 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 17 shots on goal. Foegele is finding chemistry on a line with Quinton Byfield and Tanner Jeannot, a line that can get physical and win puck battles, which plays into Foegele’s strengths, too.

#5 Buffalo Sabres right winger Jack Quinn got off to a miserable start this season, managing just five points (1 G, 4 A) through the first 24 games, but has finally started to shake out of that slump. In his past eight games, Quinn has nine points (4 G, 5 A) though he has just 13 shots on goal, which is not exactly a recipe for continued offensive production. Quinn had been playing with Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka, but on Thursday night in Colorado he skated with Jiri Kulich and Alex Tuch.

#6 It has been an undeniably disappointing season for the Nashville Predators and one of their prime free agent additions, winger Jonathan Marchessault, struggled early on. The veteran scorer has started to come around, however, putting up 14 points (9 G, 5 A) and 26 shots on goal in his past 10 games after he had just 13 points through his first 28 games. The Preds have shuffled lines and Marchessault is skating with Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos on the top line. All three could be considered finishers, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out long term, but Marchessault is thriving.

#7 Veteran Seattle Kraken left winger Jaden Schwartz has been contributing consistent offense for a while now. In his past 16 games, Schwartz has 13 points (8 G, 5 A) with 40 shots on goal. While he is on a line with Matty Beniers and the recently acquired Kaapo Kakko, Schwartz has had different players assist on each of his last six even-strength goals. Schwartz is getting first unit power play time but has only managed two power play points during that 16-game span.

#8 Following two seasons in Calgary during which his cumulative point total was less than in his last season with Florida, Flames left winger Jonathan Huberdeau is starting to find his way back to being a productive scorer. In his past 14 games, Huberdeau has put up 17 points (9 G, 8 A) with 28 shots on goal while averaging 19:29 of ice time per game. A player who has been known far more for his playmaking ability throughout his career, Huberdeau has already scored 16 goals in 38 games, his highest goal total in three seasons with the Flames. Be aware that this may not continue, as Huberdeau has scored on a career-high 24.6 percent of his shots, which is almost three times his shooting percentage from last season (8.4).

#9 Carolina Hurricanes winger Jack Roslovic has been riding a similarly productive shooting percentage, scoring on 22.4 percent of his shots on goal. He has seven points (4 G, 3 A) in his past six games and while it’s reasonable to suspect that Roslovic is getting higher quality chances in Carolina, where he frequently lines up on the top line with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, it’s still not likely that he can keep finishing at such a rate over a full season.

#10 After missing most of last season with a torn ACL, Chicago Blackhawks left winger Taylor Hall started slowly this season, with just six points (2 G, 4 A) in 20 games, but he has started to round into form. In his past 17 games, Hall has contributed 14 points (6 G, 8 A) and just two of those points have come on the power play. With the 33-year-old winger showing that he can still generate offence, he is an increasingly likely trade candidate as he is in the final year of his contract and the Blackhawks are already 18 points out of the final Wild Card playoff spot in the Western Conference. Hall should have some appeal in a supporting role on a contender, but he also has some control over the process, with a 10-team no-trade list.

#11 The Montreal Canadiens have climbed into the playoff race and part of the reason for their recent success has been improved depth scoring. Jake Evans, for example, has eight points (5 G, 3 A) in his past seven games, though he has just nine shots on goal in that time, so the goal-scoring is not on a sustainable pace. At the same time, he already has 23 points (10 G, 13 A) in 37 games, which is only six points behind his career high. Habs rookie winger Emil Heineman has contributed seven points (3 G, 4 A) in his past seven games, though he only has eight shots on goal in that span, so these scoring surges do not appear to be likely to continue long term.

#12 Hard driving Vegas Golden Knights right winger Keegan Kolesar has moved up the depth chart, producing six points (2 G, 4 A) while averaging 16:15 of ice time per game in his past six games. Kolesar has 116 hits for the season, which is tied with Radko Gudas and Tom Wilson for 15th in the league, so if he is contributing offensively, his value starts to become relevant for fantasy managers, especially those in banger leagues.

#13 Although his reputation is built on excellent defensive play, Philadelphia Flyers centre Noah Cates is adding some offensive production to his game. In his past 11 games, Cates has 10 points (6 G, 4 A) while playing 15:24 per game. Cates is having success alongside second year left winger Tyson Foerster, who has eight points (5 G, 3 A) in his past eight games after he had 10 points in his first 30 games this season.

#14 Oft-injured Anaheim Ducks winger Robby Fabbri has taken on a bigger role recently, contributing six points (4 G, 2 A) with 17 shots on goal in his past six games. Fabbri has been enjoying this productive stretch while skating with young forwards Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier, and while he is getting second-unit power play time in Anaheim, Fabbri has recorded all 10 of his points this season at even strength.

#15 As the New York Rangers have watched their seasons slip away, they are struggling to generate offence, even from players that have been reliable contributors. Artemi Panarin is sitting on 39 points (16 G, 23 A) in 35 games, so it’s not like his game has gone completely off track, but he has just two points (1 G, 1 A) and nine shots on goal in his past five games. The lack of production is much more concerning when it comes to Alexis Lafreniere, who has just one assist in his past 11 games. Lafreniere does have 28 shots on goal over that time, so he is getting opportunities, but an 11-game goalless drought while playing more than 18 minutes per game is a tough stretch.

#16 To make matters worse for the Rangers, starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin has been placed on the injured list due to an upper-body injury. Shesterkin, who signed an eight-year, $92 million contract extension less than a month ago, had a .885 save percentage in his last six starts before he was taken out of the lineup. He has a career-low .906 save percentage this season, but also has 10.94 Goals Saved Above Expected, an indication that the Rangers’ defensive play has been a bigger problem than Shesterkin’s own performance.

#17 Injuries continue to plague the Minnesota Wild, who have been able to battle through them for the most part this season. Scoring leader Kirill Kaprizov is out with a lower-body injury and that leaves a big hole in the lineup, considering he has 50 points (23 G, 27 A) in 34 games. With Kaprizov out, Matt Boldy has moved up to the top line, though he is mired in a slump, with just one assist in the past seven games.

#18 Toronto Maple Leafs superstar centre Auston Matthews remains out of the lineup with an upper-body injury, which was aggravated against Buffalo on December 20th. The Maple Leafs have a record of 10-5 in 15 games without Matthews and while there have been contributions from the likes of McMann, Domi, and Robertson, Toronto’s offense has really been carried by the big guns. Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares are all scoring at better than a point-per-game pace since Matthews started missing time in early November.

#19 With Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek both out of the Vancouver Canucks’ lineup, Tyler Myers is quarterbacking the first power play unit. Myers only has nine points this season but scored a goal and had seasons highs in shots on goal (five) and time on ice (25:37) in Wednesday’s win over Seattle. As a short-term solution, Myers might have some appeal for fantasy managers, which is certainly more than he would have if Vancouver was not missing its top two defencemen.

#20 The Florida Panthers still look like worthy contenders in their quest for back-to-back championships, but a couple of their top wingers have hit a rough patch. Matthew Tkachuk has zero points and nine shots on goal during a four-game homestand, but that comes on the heels of him scoring 20 points (8 G, 12 A) in the previous 13 games, so this may just be regression coming home to roost. In the case of Carter Verhaeghe, though, the slump is a little more pronounced. Verhaeghe has gone six games without a point, recording 10 shots on goal. This follows a stretch of 13 games in which Verhaeghe produced 14 points (5 G, 9 A), but he has also been moved down the lineup to skate with Anton Lundell and Jesper Boqvist on Florida’s third line, which does not seem to be igniting his offensive production.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Team Preview

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:00:56 +0000

_{MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 09: Owen Tippett (74) of the Philadelphia Flyers looks on during the third period of the NHL game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens on April 9, 2024, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)}

The Flyers were surprisingly competitive for the first two-thirds of the season, compiling a 29-19-7 record through 55 games. They faded down the stretch, going 9-14-4, leaving them with 87 points (38-33-11), four points behind the Washington Capitals for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. While expectations may not have been high entering the season, the Flyers deserve credit for playing a competitive game. They ranked 14th with a Corsi of 51.3% and ninth with an expected goals percentage of 52.3%. Those five-on-five numbers look solid, so what happened? The Flyers had the worst power play in the league, scoring 4.35 goals per 60 minutes. On the other hand, Philadelphia ranked fourth in penalty killing with 5.99 goals against per 60 minutes. That neutralized the special teams battle somewhat, so the determining factor was that the Flyers had a .884 save percentage, which ranked last in the league. With Carter Hart removed from the team due to legal issues, goaltender Samuel Ersson was pressed into the starter’s role, and he ended up playing in 51 games, which was a big jump in his workload. Head coach John Tortorella was still in the middle of controversy from time to time, notably when he made captain Sean Couturier a healthy scratch for several games.

WHAT’S CHANGED? The most exciting addition for the Flyers is 2023 first-round pick Matvei Michkov, who had 19 goals and 41 points in 47 KHL games last season. He is a dynamic offensive talent that the Flyers desperately need. Michkov effectively takes the place of veteran right winger Cam Atkinson, who signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent. Otherwise, there were not a lot of big moves. They kept defenceman Erik Johnson, who was added at the trade deadline last season. Russian goaltender Ivan Fedotov appeared in three games late last season but will figure to have the backup job behind Ersson.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Considering the Flyers did not make any big splash moves in the offseason, there might be some indication that they think internal improvement can be enough to get them over the hump. Just coming up with a league-average power play would make a huge difference, but it looks like the Flyers are aiming for the playoffs, and if they are going to get there, they will need a lot of young players to continue to develop. Beyond Michkov, that includes Morgan Frost, Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink, and Joel Farabee up front, and defencemen Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, and Egor Zamula. If those players develop properly then the season is a success. If they also find their way to the playoffs, even better.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? It seems that there is always the risk of Tortorella pushing the wrong button and having his team go south on him. The Couturier situation last season sure didn’t seem to help a team that was sinking out of playoff contention, and it would surprise exactly no one if something like that happened again this season, and it doesn’t have to be Couturier. If the main point of the season is to see progress from their young players, then the sign that the season is going wrong is if Tortorella is making young players healthy scratches to make a point rather than to help the player.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: The Flyers have a bunch of young forwards who could be candidates for breakout seasons, but defenceman Cam York is an interesting option, too. He had 30 points last season, with only six on the power play, and it appears that York has a chance to play on the Flyers’ top power play unit this season. They have to be better than they were on the power play last season and if York is the one quarterbacking the power play, he should see continued growth in his point totals.

FORWARD

Owen Tippett

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	32	27	59	0.72

Even though he’s already broken out with back-to-back 20+ goal seasons, it still feels like Owen Tippett has only scratched the surface of what he can do. Stuck in prospect purgatory with the Panthers, the trade to Philly was perfect for him because they had nothing to lose and a lot of roster spots to fill. Thus, they could feed him prime offensive minutes and his career has taken off since then. He is one of the best in the league at creating off the rush, both in terms of scoring chances and goals, and his speed can be a nightmare to deal with at times. His all-around offensive game has also started to turn the corner, improving as a playmaker and using his linemates more instead of always trying to be a one-man show. There is still a lot he can improve at; he still hasn’t quite figured out how to be a power play guy and his playing style is almost too north-south with how dependent it is off the rush. He is also an inconsistent play-driver despite how great he is at generating offence, although the Flyers volatile lineup played a role in that. The Flyers are banking on him breaking into that next level, making him part of their core going forward after signing him to a long-term extension.

Sean Couturier

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	13	33	46	0.59

The Flyers will often go as far as Sean Couturier takes them, which includes the nearly two full seasons he missed. Just getting him back on the ice was a feel-good story for the Flyers and it went beyond that as his play in the first half of the season was excellent. He returned to being the workhorse, tough minute centermen that he was for most of his career and being the catalyst of the team. Always in the right spot in the defensive zone and a menace on the forecheck, it’s easy for his teammates to feed off him and it makes life so much easier for the rest of the team. It’s a reason why he was named captain in the middle of the season, a no-brainer decision. Once the All-Star Break hit, things got sour. The Flyers couldn’t keep the puck out of their own net when Couturier’s lines were on the ice and his offensive production stagnated with two goals in his last 40 games. This culminated with him being a controversial healthy scratch for a game in mid-March. Couturier proved that there is still a good player in him after all the injuries, but his second half showed that there might be limitations on what to expect from him going forward. Perhaps he isn’t the 19-20 minute a night, all-situations player he was in his prime anymore.

Travis Konecny

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	32	42	74	0.96

Watching Travis Konecny and looking at the high volume of chances he creates, it might come as a surprise that his 33 goals and 68 points last year was a career high. Part of that is him missing 10-20 games a year to injury at various points and the other is the Flyers general inability to score on the power play. At even strength, he is breaking into the league’s elite and is in some pretty good company over the last two seasons in terms of goal-scoring, outscoring names such as Nikita Kucherov and Matthew Tkachuk at five-on-five. The Flyers shift to focus more on rush offence has served him well, as this has been his bread and butter for most of his career. His speed and ability to weave through traffic in the neutral zone is something a lot of players don’t have, and his playmaking has come a long way from his earlier days in the league. He was also a menace on the Flyers aggressive penalty kill, scoring more goals shorthanded than he did on the power play. An easy player to plug anywhere in the lineup because of the skill he brings combined with the high motor he plays with. He can also score while shouldering the burden of playing heavy matchups, producing with Scott Laughton centering his line early in the year before moving to Sean Couturier’s wing. Now a centerpiece for the Flyers next stage of their rebuild, signing a seven-year contract extension over the summer. 35 goals and 70 points is a safe bet but he can blow past those numbers if the power play comes to life.

Joel Farabee

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	18	24	42	0.51

Like most of the Flyers, Farabee started the season red hot and had a rough finish. He was flirting with a point-per-game pace around January, he scored only nine points in his last 32 which included a goal-scoring slump that lasted an entire month. When looking at the overall stats, he still had a pretty good year, setting career highs in most categories and he was on the positive side of things when it came to driving play despite no real consistent linemates. Slumps are expected with a player like Farabee who scores so many of his goals by capitalizing on great passes and poaching for breakaway opportunities. He’s improved when it comes to creating his opportunities and is a good passer, but he excels more as the finisher of his line rather than someone who drives the bus. Always the second one on pucks and the high forward on the forecheck, Farabee’s game is better when he’s paired with a good forecheck or elite passer, something the Flyers had in spurts but not consistently. Farabee’s strengths with generating controlled entries at a high rate give him some play-driving ability but even those usually come from him jumping on a turnover or a loose puck rather than creating from 200 feet. Still, a very useful player to have in the middle six.

Tyson Foerster

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	21	24	45	0.58

One of the hidden gems of the Flyers new wave of forward prospects. Foerster is a big body and made a name for himself as a dark horse Calder candidate. Finishing third in rookie scoring will do that, but what caught some folks’ attention was his defensive impact. The Flyers were excellent at preventing scoring chances while he was on the ice and while it’s debatable how much of a winger can influence that, he does a lot of things that helped the cause. His forechecking prowess being the main one. He was often the first player into the zone when the Flyers had to play dump-and-chase and it’s difficult to get the puck away from him when he gets it below the goal-line. He also caught teams off-guard with how good he can be off the rush. He’s got a great shot with a heavy release and showed off some slick puck-handling moves when getting a one-on-one matchup with defenders. He also wasn’t a one-trick pony when it came to goal-scoring, scoring in a variety of ways by getting to the net, following the play off the rush and getting himself open for one-timers. This earned him a spot on the top line for most of the year, although he did get lost in the shuffle late in the season when the Flyers were struggling. He could return back to his home with Konecny and Couturier at the start of the year, depending on where rookie Matvei Michkov slots. He figures to start in the top six and can build on his 20-goal season.

Noah Cates

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	9	18	27	0.35

Receiving votes for both the Calder and the Selke in his rookie season, most of the hype fell off this year for the young center. Not that there was anything wrong with his play, he is still one of the Flyers most reliable defensive forwards and took the brunt of tough draws in the second half of the year. He just missed a good chunk of the season and didn’t get the same minutes or linemates he did his rookie year. Couturier’s return was a big reason for that, as that’s where most of his tough, defensive minutes went. Cates also got a lot of minutes with Konecny the year before and going from that to Garnet Hathaway and Ryan Poehling is a bit of a downgrade in terms of scoring upside. Offence has also never been a major part of Cates game in the NHL, although he is very good at getting to the net and is one of the few Flyers forwards who creates most of his offence on the forecheck, which is part of the reason why he is such a strong play-driver even if he doesn’t have the high-end skillset. He was used on the Flyers second power play unit for his net front ability but was removed from the rotation after returning from injury and will have to fight for those minutes this year. Although will be more of a regular fixture on their penalty kill.

Morgan Frost

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	16	38	54	0.69

Every team has a “he will be special if he ever puts it together” guy. That is Morgan Frost on the Flyers. It’s been seven years since he was drafted, and he’s had only two full seasons on the team due to injuries and spending time in the AHL. What they’ve gotten out of him so far has been okay with a pair of 40+ point seasons while showing flashes of greatness in both. There’s obvious talent when watching him play. He is arguably the team’s best player at zone entries and one of the few potential weapons they have on the power play because of that. The Flyers have a few players who are strong on entries, but it’s heavily skewed on the wings with Frost being the one center who excels there. He is very shifty and deceptive with his skating in the neutral zone, which allows the likes of Tippett and Konecny to open themselves up for more shooting opportunities. Frost is also a very good passer, although sometimes he’s a little too patient when he has the puck and scoring opportunities go to waste when he waits too long for the perfect play. Still an effective player when it comes to setting the table for his linemates. This is somewhat of a “make or break” year for him even if he’s proven himself to be a solid NHL player. The Flyers just have to decide if he is part of their future or not.

Bobby Brink

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
68	14	18	32	0.47

One of the Flyers high-upside prospects, Brink had somewhat of a rocky first season in the NHL. He showed some of the offensive talent that he was drafted for, ranking among the Flyers best players in terms of setting up shots and scoring chances at even strength. He was also the subject of some fairly blunt comments from his coach about his play when he was a healthy scratch for a game in his home state and also spent some time in the AHL before returning. Brink’s offence is hard to replace, but the rest of his game is still a work in progress. Like a lot of rookies, when the game was easy and plays were open, he could capitalize. When games got tougher and he had to hold onto pucks longer, he struggled a little. The Flyers rush-focused attack made it a little easier for him to get his feet wet and show his game-breaking skillset but struggled when the game slowed down. Similarly, he showed the ability to create his own chances individually and set up teammates. It was a different story when it came to getting himself open for shots and being a passing option on breakouts. It will take some time for him to get used to the NHL pace but showed enough promise last year to be hopeful about his future.

Scott Laughton

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	15	24	39	0.51

Scott Laughton has been with the Flyers through a multitude of general managers and coaches. The former first round pick has carved out a nice career for himself as a middle-of-the-roster player where you know what you’re getting from him every night. Last year was a strange one for him, though. He was a permanent fixture in the lineup but didn’t have the same set of wingers for more than five games and had a very concerning season when it came to driving play, giving up a lot on the defensive end. On the other hand, he remained one of the Flyers top penalty killers and was a cornerstone of their “power kill” approach where they’re always looking to poach shorthanded. Laughton didn’t just become a terrible defensive player at even strength overnight, so his drop-off there could just be a fluke rather than a sign of things to come. The only concern that it might be is that Laughton’s never showed much high-end ability or be the guy who can drive a line on his own. He’s average to above average in just about every skill but has a tremendous motor and work ethic to make up for it and that is what makes him such a coveted player among the Flyers coaching staff. With the rest of the roster not changing much, it will be interesting to see if he rebounds at five-on-five next year.

DEFENCE

Travis Sanheim

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	10	30	40	0.49

This was Sanheim’s first season as “The Guy” on the Flyers blue line. He’s always logged a lot of minutes, but this was the first time he was undisputed in the number one role with Ivan Provorov now in Columbus. He took the ball and ran with it some aspects, having a career season in terms of boxcar stats and looking more active with the puck than he has ever been. Some of that was from necessity, as the Flyers needed someone who could handle the burden on breakouts and also control the play at the blue line. This has never been Sanheim’s forte, who is normally more of a support guy, but he had to take on more of a burden here this year. Results were mixed. Sanheim could handle the increase in puck touches and ice time. He’s a smooth-skating defenceman with great acceleration, so the puck-moving role suits him well. He even saw some major improvements with his own work on breakouts, always being more of a “glass and out” guy before last year when he started to make more plays out of the zone. The Flyers shift to more of a team that attacks in transition also plays to his strengths, as he can be very effective as the support guy joining the rush or even leading it. Sanheim could handle the extra minutes and responsibility, the burden of being the only proven veteran top four guy on the Flyers blue line is what eventually caught up to him by the end of the year. Cam York and Jamie Drysdale were given most of the power play time by the end of the season. That will keep a cap on his offensive upside.

Cam York

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	10	31	41	0.50

The Flyers wanted their young defenceman to sink or swim in what was essentially his first full season in the NHL. It made sense because they had high hopes for York and needed someone who could play alongside Sanheim on the top pair. York showed he had the endurance to do so and while they got off to a rough start, they eventually became a decent, stabilizing top-pair for the Flyers. York had his share of highlight reel plays, always looking to pinch down from that left wall to look for a seam pass or jump up in the play to start a give-and-go. He’s an effortless skater and a great complement for Sanheim on the as someone who can wheel the puck out of trouble. The offence hasn’t quite come around to where he’s a high-end player, but it’s enough to make him a threat whenever he is up in the play. His best asset on the top pair is how good he is at turning pucks over and killing other team’s rushes. It negates some of the defensive burden his pair has to take on and makes it easier for him to play his own game. He was given a very demanding, high-minute role and gave the Flyers passable results while showing signs that there is another level to his game. A role on the first power play is his to lose, and there is competition, but should be able to reach 40 points as his next step.

Rasmus Ristolainen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
70	2	10	12	0.17

Brad Shaw is known as one of the league’s better assistant coaches and the work he did with Ristolainen might have been his biggest accomplishment. For his entire career, Ristolainen was a player with all the tools but no toolbox. A big, powerful skating defenceman who could put up points on the power play, deliver big hits but be a liability at five-on-five. He would chase hits, play too aggressively, make careless mistakes in coverage and turned the puck over countless times. Since Tortorella’s staff arrived in Philly, Ristolainen’s game has been cleaned up. He has a more defined role in the defensive zone, and they’ve modeled his game to be someone who takes hits to make plays in the defensive zone. Sometimes that means simply clearing the puck out, but the Flyers breakouts have a lot of support for him to make a quick play without having to think much. The other big thing was reducing his minutes from the low 20’s to the 17–18-minute range, which is where he is more properly slotted. It helped Ristolainen’s game, but it has also created a hole in the Flyers top-four that they have yet to fill.

Jamie Drysdale

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
72	7	27	34	0.47

The young defenceman is still a work in progress, if only because he’s only played one full season with the other three being interrupted by major injuries. The young man has already had two shoulder surgeries and suffered another injury there shortly after getting traded to the Flyers in January. He is an exciting player to watch when he is on. A dynamic skating defenceman who loves to rush the puck up the ice and walk the tight rope along the blue line to create his chances. It hasn’t resulted in anything tangible just yet, but it’s hard to make a judgment on him right now with so much of his career spent rehabbing injuries. However, that also means he doesn’t have a lot of game reps. He has an unorthodox style of defending the rush where he prefers to attack the puck carrier from an angle rather than squaring up and it’s been somewhat of a detriment to his overall game. He’s not strong enough on his stick to disrupt rushes against NHL forwards and sometimes it takes real game reps to figure out what works at this level. With spots 3-6 being an open competition for the Flyers, Drysdale should get a chance to prove he can stick provided he stays healthy, which has been his problem more than anything else.

GOAL

Samuel Ersson

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
44	18	22	4	2	0.901	2.92

Ivan Fedotov

Fewer teams have been dealt worse hands in net than the Philadelphia Flyers. That’s why there’s a well-above-average level of hope being placed upon the shoulders of newcomer Ivan Fedotov; in the wake of former starter Carter Hart’s departure from the team, the Flyers have suffered from a gaping void of consistency in net for a team that desperately needs even league-average numbers.

Fedotov looked technically elite during his tenure in Russia, but a delayed arrival in North America - complete with a stint in detainment by the Russian government for alleged military evasion - left his North American debut looking a little lackluster this past spring. He’ll aim to regain his structure and positioning behind a Flyers lineup that has been scrambling to finally hit their stride again. It’s not exactly a pressure-free environment for the newcomer, and things might be even more strained for fellow tandem partner Samuel Ersson. Ersson’s surprise promotion to team starter last season went about as poorly as it could have; the Swedish netminder struggled to recover from bad bounces and seemed to lag on reads during cross-ice movement by his opponents, leaving exploitable holes and a fairly abysmal stat line to end the year. The good news is that things can only go up for him - but if they don’t, the Flyers might need to seek additional help outside the organization to shore up their crease moving forward.

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Looking at teams with something to play for as season comes to close

Ryan Dadoun — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:30:02 +0000

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat (93) (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Barring any postponements, the final day of the 2023-24 regular season with be Thursday. There are just 26 total games remaining before the playoffs get underway, so naturally there aren’t many teams to highlight for the final week. With that in mind, instead of picking out the teams with the most favorable schedules, I’m going to focus on the teams who have something left to play for this week. So, let’s dive into what the final days of the campaign will look like.

Please note that this week’s article is heavily skewed toward the Eastern Conference because there are still two playoff spots open while there isn’t much left to be decided in the West.

New York Islanders – MON VS NJD, WED VS PIT

The Islanders haven’t punched their playoff ticket, but they’re very likely to advance to the postseason. They have a 30-27-16 record, which is good for third in the Metropolitan Division.

They’ll play in New Jersey on Monday and host the Penguins on Wednesday. The Islanders can guarantee their playoff spot by picking up two points over those two contests. However, New York has a three-point advantage over the next closest non-playoff adversary, so there are scenarios where the Islanders can make the playoffs even if they go 0-2-0.

The Islanders’ task will be made more difficult if Noah Dobson remains out of the lineup. The defenseman has 10 goals and 70 points in 79 outings, but he missed Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Rangers due to an upper-body injury. Robert Bortuzzo dressed Saturday as a result of Dobson’s absence, but he’s not a replacement for the star blueliner -- Bortuzzo has no points through 25 appearances between St. Louis and the Islanders this season.

On the bright side for the Islanders, Brock Nelson is ending the campaign on a positive note. He scored twice Saturday to extend his point streak to three games. That gives the 32-year-old forward 32 markers and 65 points across 80 outings in 2023-24. He’ll almost certainly finish behind his 2022-23 mark of 75 points, but this is still the second-best campaign of his career in terms of total points.

If goal, Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin will likely split the final two contests. Assuming the Islanders make the playoffs, it will be interesting to see who starts in Game 1. It’ll probably be Sorokin, but Varlamov has earned consideration thanks to his 2.66 GAA and .916 save percentage in 27 games, which tops Sorokin’s 2.99 GAA and .909 save percentage. The Islanders have also used Varlamov quite a bit recently, deploying him in seven of their past 11 games.

Washington Capitals – MON VS BOS, TUE @ PHI (BTB)

The Capitals made things tough for themselves by going 0-4-2 from March 28-April 7, but Washington might still be able to salvage the situation after winning its last three contests. The Capitals have 87 points (38-31-11), which puts them in the second wild-card seed. Detroit and Philadelphia are tied with Washington in points, but the Capitals have the edge in the tiebreaker over the Red Wings and a game in hand compared to Philadelphia. Additionally, Pittsburgh is one point shy of those three squads. All that is to say, Washington’s hold on its playoff spot is by the narrowest of margins.

The Capitals will host the Bruins on Monday and play in Philadelphia on Tuesday to conclude the season. Washington will make the playoffs if it wins both games. If the Capitals lose against the Bruins, then Tuesday’s season finale becomes a must-win and even then, it’s possible for the Capitals to miss the playoffs in the scenario where they lose Monday but beat the Flyers.

Alexander Ovechkin has been a major driver of the Capitals’ playoff push, scoring 22 goals and 35 points over his past 34 outings. However, he has slowed a little recently, providing a goal and an assist across Washington’s past four appearances, so his hot run might be over. The 38-year-old star has had a season of extreme highs and lows, but he’s done well overall, contributing 30 goals and 64 points in 77 outings.

Interestingly, it was Sonny Milano who served as Washington’s hero Saturday, providing two goals en route to a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay. He has just 15 markers and 23 points in 47 appearances this season, but the 27-year-old also had a hat trick versus Carolina on March 22 and a four-game goal-scoring streak from March 1-9, so he can on occasion be a major factor and perhaps that will hold true during Washington’s final stretch. Still, his limited playing time puts a damper on his potential. Milano logged just 10:08 of ice time Saturday and has averaged 12:34 this season.

A safer bet for production over Washington’s last two games would be offensive defenseman John Carlson. This has been a strong season for him with nine goals and 51 points across 80 contests, and looked solid recently, supplying four goals and 13 points over his past 15 appearances.

Detroit Red Wings – MON VS MTL, TUE @ MTL

The Red Wings suffered critical losses to Washington and Pittsburgh, but Detroit still has an opportunity to make the playoffs after earning a 5-4 overtime victory over Toronto on Saturday. Detroit is at 87 points (39-32-9), which puts the Red Wings in a tie with Washington for the second wild-card spot, though the Capitals control the tiebreaker, so Detroit would need to finish one point ahead of them to make the postseason. The Red Wings are narrowly ahead of Philadelphia, which has 87 points but has played in one more game than Detroit, and the Penguins, who have 86 points in 80 contests (37-31-12).

The Red Wings will finish the campaign with a home-and-away back-to-back against Montreal on Monday and Tuesday. The upside is the Canadiens are wrapping up a difficult season in which they’ve gone 30-36-14, so Detroit has a good chance of winning both contests. The downside is the Red Wings’ fate itself isn’t entirely in their hands -- Detroit can still miss the playoffs even if it wins both contests. Additionally, because Washington and Philadelphia will play each other and both teams would control the tiebreaker over Detroit, the Red Wings need to claim at least three out of four points over their final two games to have a mathematical chance of reaching the postseason.

Lucas Raymond is doing everything in his power to thrust the Red Wings into the postseason. The 22-year-old has contributed four goals and eight points over his active four-game scoring streak. His linemate Dylan Larkin has been right there with him, providing five goals and 10 points over his last seven outings. Look for that duo to continue to shine when Detroit faces Montreal.

Detroit’s bigger question is in goal. James Reimer started Saturday for the first time since March 28. The Red Wings got the win, but it was a mixed bag for the netminder, who stopped 32 of 36 shots. Meanwhile, Alex Lyon allowed six goals on 27 shots in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Penguins on Thursday and has been inconsistent recently while posting a 2-2-2 record, 2.83 GAA and .915 save percentage over his last six outings.

Ville Husso (lower body) suffered a setback while on an AHL conditioning stint, so he probably won’t be an option for the remainder of the campaign. That leaves Reimer and Lyon to split the final two starts. On the plus side, Montreal ranks 27th offensively with 2.80 goals per game, so the back-to-back set will be a favorable series for the Red Wings goaltenders.

Philadelphia Flyers – TUE VS WAS

The Flyers were primed to make the playoffs before their 0-5-2 run from March 24-April 9. Philadelphia has rebounded by winning its last two games, though, leaving them with a 38-32-11 record. Philadelphia’s 87 points are tied with Washington and Detroit for the second wild-card seed, but the Flyers have played one more contest than either of them. The Flyers have also played one more game than Pittsburgh, which is trailing the main group by a point with a 37-31-12 record.

The Flyers’ final tilt is against Washington on Tuesday. They need to win against the Capitals to have a chance to make the playoffs, but even with a victory in that contest, Philadelphia will still miss the postseason if Detroit gets at least three points over its final two games or Pittsburgh wins its last two contests. Additionally, if Washington wins against Boston on Monday and then pushes the Flyers to overtime, then the Capitals would still finish ahead in the standings even if Philadelphia wins the outing.

Samuel Ersson is perhaps the biggest X-Factor going into Philadelphia’s final contest. He had a terrible stretch from March 14-April 9, posting a 2-5-2 record, 4.51 GAA and .829 save percentage in 10 outings, but he’s rebounded by stopping 44 of 45 shots over the Flyers’ last two outings. The Capitals aren’t a great team offensively, ranking 28th with 2.65 goals per game, so it’s plausible that Ersson will be able to extend his hot streak.

The Flyers will also be looking for Travis Konecny to continue his recent success. The 27-year-old has two goals and an assist over his past two outings and has set career highs this season with 33 goals and 68 points across 75 appearances. Noah Cates has done well too, collecting three goals and five points over his last six contests. He still has just 18 points in 58 appearances, which is down from 38 points in 2022-23, but at least the 25-year-old seems to be dialed in when it matters most.

Pittsburgh Penguins – MON VS NSH, WED @ NYI

The Penguins seemed destined to miss the playoffs when they dealt Jake Guentzel to Carolina on March 7, but Pittsburgh forced itself back into the postseason conversation with a 7-0-2 stretch from March 26-April 11. However, the Penguins suffered a setback Saturday with a 6-4 loss to the Bruins.

Pittsburgh is now 37-31-12, putting the Penguins one point behind Washington, Detroit and Philadelphia in the battle for the second wild-card position. The Penguins will host Nashville on Monday and finish the campaign with a road contest against the Islanders on Wednesday. With Philadelphia and Washington set to play Tuesday, the Penguins need at least three of four points over their final two contests to have a mathematical shot, and even then, they’d need help from the tiebreaker system. Realistically, Pittsburgh will likely need to win both of its last two games to get into the postseason.

Sidney Crosby is sure to do his best to push the Penguins the rest of the way. He’s been a huge factor in their surge, supplying eight goals and 21 points over his past 11 outings. Crosby is up to 41 goals and 90 points in 80 appearances, which is extremely impressive production for a player who is 36 years old. Evgeni Malkin, who is 37, hasn’t been quite as effective this campaign with 25 goals and 64 points through 80 games, but he’s also gotten hot down the stretch with seven goals and 12 points over his past nine outings, so look for him to also show up on the scoresheet over the Penguins’ last two games.

The question is who will start in net. The Penguins have used Alex Nedeljkovic in each of their last 12 games, but he’s posted a 4.21 GAA and an .854 save percentage over his past four outings. To be fair, Tristan Jarry didn’t look good when he stepped into Saturday’s 6-4 loss to Boston in relief of Nedeljkovic -- Jarry stopped 12 of 14 shots in 26:27 of ice time -- but it might be that Nedeljkovic is running on fumes at this point, so maybe Jarry is still the better option, at least for Pittsburgh’s next contest Monday.

Dallas Stars – WED VS STL

The Stars have secured home-ice advantage through the Western Conference Championship, but Dallas can still go one further by claiming the Presidents’ Trophy. Dallas has 11 points (51-21-9), putting the Stars one point behind the Rangers (54-23-4). Carolina and Boston are tied at 109 points over 80 contests, so either team has an outside chance of winning the Presidents’ Trophy by winning each of its last two games.

Dallas’ final contest will be a home match versus St. Louis on Wednesday. Note that the Rangers control the tiebreaker over Dallas in the Presidents’ Trophy battle, so Dallas only has a chance to claim the title if it earns a victory over the Blues.

Even though the Stars still have something to play for, it wouldn’t be shocking if they rest some players Wednesday. For example, backup Scott Wedgewood might get the nod, both to keep him fresh in case he’s needed during the playoffs and to give Jake Oettinger a breather after starting in four straight and seven of Dallas’ past eight. The Blues rank 24th offensively with 2.86 goals per game, so Wednesday’s tilt would be a favorable matchup for Wedgewood.

Tyler Seguin, who didn’t play April 6 because of workload management related to his lower-body injury, might also get the game off. It wouldn’t be shocking if others were rested too, but I don’t think Ryan Suter and Joe Pavelski will be among those who get the game off. It might seem logical to give the two 39-years-olds a breather before the playoffs, but Suter and Pavelski have active iron man streaks of 452 and 313 games, respectively. Perhaps they’ll get less ice time than usual, though. We also might see Dallas give significant minutes in its finale to Logan Stankoven, who has six goals and 14 points in 23 contests, so don’t be surprised if the 21-year-old rookie has a productive game.

New York Rangers – MON @ OTT

With a 54-23-4 record, the Rangers will secure the Presidents’ Trophy with a victory against Ottawa on Monday. If New York loses the contest, the Rangers will still claim the title if Dallas loses its season finale, Boston is held to three of four points over its last two outings and Carolina is limited to two of four points over its final two games. The reason why the Bruins would need to do better than Carolina, even though both squads have 109 points through 80 contests, is because Boston is in a worse position when it comes to the tiebreaker.

Like Dallas, New York might rest players despite its final game having some relevance. Jonathan Quick will probably get the nod against the Senators. Quick has done well this campaign with an 18-6-2 record, but he has struggled recently, allowing 12 goals on 92 shots over his past three starts. Meanwhile, Ottawa has won eight of its last 12 contests, so while the Senators won’t be making the playoffs, they might still give Quick some trouble.

Outside of starting Quick, some of the Rangers’ top players, such as Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox might be scratched. Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin have participated in 165 and 163 consecutive games, respectively, so both of them will probably be in the lineup. Panarin is also two goals away from hitting 50 for the first time in his career, so keep an eye out for that. Chris Kreider will also likely be in the lineup. He needs just one more goal to reach 40 and this would be his first 82-game campaign if he dresses.

Arizona Coyotes – WED VS EDM

I’m throwing the Coyotes in here even though they long since have been mathematically eliminated. Arizona did have a 23-19-3 record through Jan. 22, but a horrific 0-12-2 run from Jan. 24-Feb. 29 effectively ended any hope the Coyotes had of making the playoffs. Still, there is a grim reason to note them: When Arizona hosts Edmonton on Wednesday, it could very well be the franchise’s last game before moving to Salt Lake City (the move isn’t official as of the time of writing but seems all but certain).

To some extent, the Coyotes’ probable move felt inevitable. Since the then Phoenix Coyotes declared bankruptcy in May 2009, it’s been one saga after another with the team and never since that date, have they looked truly secure in their home in Arizona. The fact that the Coyotes have been playing in a college arena since 2022 has made the situation look particularly untenable unless a long-term solution was secured. Even still, this is a sad ending for the dedicated fanbase in Arizona. It might not be the end -- even now there’s talk that the NHL might put an expansion team in Arizona after the Coyotes move if Alex Meruelo, who will sell the Coyotes, can secure a new arena deal -- but it is the end of a chapter.

With that in mind, Wednesday’s otherwise meaningless game has taken on a new meaning. Barring one more twist in this saga that prevents the anticipated move from happening, the contest will stand as a chance for the players to say goodbye to a fanbase that has been with them through all the turmoil. I would expect the Coyotes to play with a lot of heart under the circumstances. In particular, I’m interested to see how Clayton Keller, who was drafted by Arizona in 2016 and now serves as the squad’s top forward, does. He has been held off the scoresheet for his past three games, but Keller has still contributed 33 goals and 73 points in 76 outings overall, and I think the odds are high he will make his presence felt in the finale.

Another player to watch will be Josh Doan. He’s the son of Shane Doan, who was the captain of the franchise from 2003-17 and remains the franchise’s career leader in games (1,540), goals (402), assists (570) and points (972), among other categories. The younger Doan has given Coyotes fans a taste of the future recently, scoring four goals and eight points over nine games. Given his deep family connection to this franchise, this might be an especially emotional goodbye for him. It is also worth noting the grim symmetry here. Like Josh, Shane Doan saw his franchise move, in his case from Winnipeg to Phoenix, after appearing in just one season.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 20:36:32 +0000

REVIEW: Philadelphia was a disaster in 2021-22, posting a 25-46-11 record, and not much was expected of them in 2022-23 either. Despite that, the Flyers got off to a strong start, going 5-2-0 through Oct. 27 and 7-3-2 through Nov. 8. Carter Hart was a big part of that initial success, posting a 6-0-2 record, 1.97 GAA and .946 save percentage through his first eight starts. The good times didn’t last though. Philadelphia ranked 23rd in expected goals against (182.51) in 2022-23, and Hart could only elevate the Flyers for so long. By the end of the season, the goaltender had a 2.94 GAA and .907 save percentage in 55 contests. The Flyers also didn’t have much going for it offensively, in no small part because Sean Couturier (back) and Cam Atkinson (neck) missed the entire campaign. Not that the Flyers would have been an elite offensive force even with them, but those key injuries contributed to Philadelphia ranking 29th in goals per game (2.68). The Flyers did have additional stretches where they were more than the sum of their parts, such as a 9-3-0 run from Dec. 29-Jan. 21 and a 5-0-1 stretch from March 17-30, but it was a mostly miserable season resulting in a 31-38-13 record.

What’s Changed? James van Riemsdyk left as a free agent and Tony DeAngelo was bought out but given van Riemsdyk’s former $7 million annual cap hit compared to his 29 points last year and DeAngelo’s horrendous defense, those moves feel like addition through subtraction. What’s more painful in the short-term is the loss of Ivan Provorov, who was traded to Columbus as part of a three-team deal that primarily brought picks and prospects to Philadelphia.

What would success look like? This isn’t a team built to compete yet. In an ideal scenario where Couturier and Atkinson return next season while young forwards Owen Tippett, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee and Noah Cates make strides in their development then the Flyers’ offense will be…less bad.

What could go wrong? Yeah, even under optimal circumstances, there’s not a lot of hope for this team in 2023-24, and unfortunately things could end up far from the ideal. Most notably, Couturier hasn’t played since Dec. 18, 2021, so who knows if he’ll be available this year or what he’ll be like if he does play. Meanwhile, Hart is coming off an up-and-down campaign, and he’s had a hit-or-miss career. The Flyers have a poor track record with goaltenders, and as much as they want Hart to be the long-term solution in Philadelphia, they might have to go back to the drawing board.

Top Breakout Candidate: The fans in Philadelphia need someone to latch onto and give them hope for the future. Perhaps Tyson Foerster will fill that role. Taken with the 23rd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, he’s coming off a superb campaign in which he had 48 points in 66 AHL contests along with three goals and seven points in eight games with the Flyers. Foerster will enter training camp in the mix for a middle-six spot, and it’s worth keeping an eye out how he does in that battle.

Forwards

Sean Couturier

Signing an eight-year contract extension before the start of the 2021 season, Sean Couturier hasn’t played a game for the Flyers since December of that year. He started the year on injured reserve after recovering from back surgery and a herniated disc pushed his timeline back even further. He began skating in October, but another setback led to his second back surgery that ultimately ended his season. Perhaps no news is good news as far as his availability goes for this upcoming season. It’s become less about what the Flyers will get out of Couturier when he comes back, but hoping they can get him back playing regularly again. It’s hard to believe he’s only 30-years-old because he was on the same 2011 team that Mike Richards and Chris Pronger were a part of. Playing an important defensive role on the Flyers since his rookie season, the wear-and-tear of the NHL has done a number on Couturier’s body and the hope is that a season of recovery will help him more in the second half of his career. The Couturier they get post-multiple surgeries might not be the same workhorse they’ve relied on for years, but this is something the Flyers should address in their rebuild.

Travis Konecny

John Tortorella is known for going to the extreme with how much he plays his top guys and Travis Konecny ended up being in that group. Playing more minutes per game than he ever had before, Konecny had every opportunity to show that he can be one of the best wingers in the league and while that’s a high bar to clear, he still had his best NHL season to date. Often the Flyers’ best option for offense, Konecny showed that his two previous seasons were a fluke and that he can produce if given the opportunity. He eclipsed his previous season’s goal total before New Year’s and finished at a rate closer to his career average. Enjoying time on both special teams’ units, he was a menace in front of the net and as a shorthanded threat on the Flyers new aggressive penalty kill. His speed is always going to make him a factor and even more on a Flyers team that spent a lot of time in their own zone. It opened the door for him to create more offense off counterattacks and it caught some teams off-guard, as he did have the green light to poach for more offense if he wanted to. Aside from missing 20 games with an injury, this is the season Philadelphia was hoping to get out of Konecny.

Owen Tippett

While Konecny was the Flyer’s best player, Tippett was their most exciting. Noticeable whenever he was on the ice, he finally got a consistent role in the top-six and had that breakout season. It was long awaited, as he could never really find a role with Florida and his ceiling looked like a guy who could provide some pop-gun offense off the rush once every few games. He’s still a shoot-first player, but he also had excellent chemistry with Philly’s more skilled players. Showing some major progress as far as his off puck play and looking for an extra play instead of just aimlessly firing blanks at the net. Benefitted from some of the same situations as Konecny where he scored off counterattacks after surviving defensive zone shifts, which is why the two were placed on different lines after connecting on some goals early. Tippett was one of the better players in the league in terms of turning zone entries into scoring chances. Still not a great finisher on his own despite scoring 27 goals, but makes up for it in volume, leading the Flyers in shots per 60 minutes. One of the few players on the team who shattered his expectations this year.

Morgan Frost

The Flyers had a few young players who were in the “prove it” bucket and Morgan Frost had maybe the highest ceiling of the bunch. A dynamic player in junior and an excellent playmaker, injuries and lack of ice time for him to make his mark so far. His game is more about precision than speed and it can be tough to work that in sometimes, especially on a rebuilding team. He is good at entering the zone through traffic but prefers setting up a cycle or dropping the puck off rather than attacking the net directly. The Flyers struggled to find any spot for him early in the year, playing him lower in the lineup and Frost obviously struggled to produce. Once December rolled around, Frost got more minutes and it became easier to play his game, forming some great chemistry with Owen Tippett. He finished the season on a strong note, but the Flyers are still left wondering what they have in him. He is a good, skilled player but there is always the question of “can we do better?” which is always a gamble with prospects. Right now, Frost proved that he is an NHLer, but more of a complementary piece.

Scott Laughton

Considered the heart and soul of the Flyers, Laughton had a career season in some ways, eclipsing the 40-point mark for the first time and playing the top line center role on some nights. A solid role player for most of his career, he had the trust of the Flyers coaching staff more than almost anybody. Not only was he the only player on the team to wear a letter, he was also used in all situations. He reaped the benefits, getting the opportunity to play with some better players and collecting more points in the process, most notably on special teams. He plays with a high motor, and it made him a great fit on the Flyers aggressive penalty kill, where he tallied seven shorthanded points. Lost minutes as the season went on as the Flyers were auditioning younger players and this season should follow a similar timeline. Depending on Couturier’s health, Laughton is more suited for a third line role, but he is still one of their more reliable options, especially at center, and could continue to play a big role on this rebuilding Flyers squad.

Cam Atkinson

Another player who was expected to miss time and ended up sidelined for the entire season, Atkinson will be an important piece for raising the tide in the Flyers lineup. A consistent scorer almost every year, he plays with a lot of energy and can fill a lot of different roles in the lineup. He’s a shoot-first player that can work with a finesse player like Morgan Frost and can play the tougher minutes with Cates or Couturier if he needs to. The Flyers also have a void of experience in their lineup with veteran James van Riemsdyk departing in free agency. Atkinson taking over his minutes should soften the blow. He was projected to play opening night until a nagging neck issue that eventually led to surgery in December ended his season. You never have to worry about effort with him, it’s just a matter of how effective he can be after not playing a game for a full year.

Joel Farabee

It’s a little surprising that Farabee didn’t miss a single game last season considering he was less than six months removed from disc replacement surgery. The aftereffects of it were noticeable on the ice rather than in his results. He ended the year with a career high in points, but it was also the first time in his career he played a full 82 games. Farabee was also one of Philly’s players they expected to take a step forward, but his play plateaued more than anything. He got consistent minutes in the top-six, although rarely with the same linemates and had bursts of production mixed with prolonged dry spells. The issue is that there’s not really one area of the game he is great at. He’s tenacious on the puck and creates most of his goals through steals and turnovers where he just needs to make a move or two to score. Outside of that, he had a lot of quiet shifts. He only shoots the puck at an average rate and is just an okay playmaker, so scoring is his one upside at the moment. This is where a full off-season where he’s not recovering from surgery might do him good. As one of the Flyers signed long-term, they are hoping he has another level to his game.

Noah Cates

Some fans might have said “who” when they saw Noah Cates on Selke ballots. The rookie surprised even some Flyers fans with how quick he ascended in the lineup, going from a fringe player to centering Travis Konecny’s line by the middle of the year. Known more for his defensive game in college, this is what kept him in the coach’s good graces through the first half of the season. He wasn’t scoring a lot of points or generating much offense, but he wasn’t making a lot of mistakes either. This was also while playing some tough minutes at a new position, as he was primarily a winger in college. He turned a corner in the second half of the year, scoring 24 of his 38 points after January, book-ended by a strong month of March where he had eight points in 13 games. Playing in the top-six will help that, but the promotion was well-earned. The Flyers were in dire straits for a defensive center in the absence of Sean Couturier and Cates gave them some hope that he might be one in the future. He had elite defensive results in terms of preventing scoring chances and shots. It might be tough for him to repeat that next season, but Cates should have the inside track for the 2C job in Philly next year.

Wade Allison

It’s hard to believe that Allison was drafted all the way back in 2016 because last year was technically his first full pro season. Injuries were an issue in college, and he played only 53 games over two seasons both in the AHL and NHL before making the Flyers out of camp this year. He still looked very raw to put it lightly. He was easy to notice during their games because he’s a big winger that plays a straight-line game, usually crashing the net, blocking a shot or laying a hit into somebody. There was a lot to like about him, but not much in the way of results. Allison struggled to produce consistently, and it was tough for him to make his mark otherwise, as he’s not a great passer or someone that can keep a cycle going. He’s mostly there to make the final shot or go to the net. It made his game one-dimensional but the saving grace for him is that he was creating chances, averaging more relative to his ice-time than any other Flyers forward. The downside is that he’s an older prospect and the Flyers will be looking to upgrade if this is as good as it gets with him. His size and tenacious approach to the game makes him an intriguing player to watch going forward, though.

Defense

Rasmus Ristolainen

Along with John Tortorella, his longtime defensive coach Brad Shaw arrived in Philadelphia this year and one of his tasks was rebuilding the game of Rasmus Ristolainen. An analytics punching bag for his entire career, Ristolainen typically had some of the worst on-ice stats in the league in terms of giving up goals and scoring chances against. Fixing this was one of their top priorities, as he is going to be a Flyer for a long time and has the physical tools to be a good defenseman, or at least not one of the worst in the league statistically. The solution was simplifying Ristolainen’s game, having him be less physical and using his reach more than his body to disrupt plays instead of hunting for hits. He still has limitations, especially with the puck, but it is less of a fire drill in the defensive zone when he is on the ice now compared to years past. He was also properly slotted in the lineup for the first time in his career, only playing 19-20 minutes a game instead of regularly leading the team in ice-time. In terms of building for the future, getting Ristolainen’s game pointed in the right direction is a good first step.

Travis Sanheim

A strange trend over the past couple of years has been Travis Sanheim not being on the ice for many even strength goals against despite the Flyers struggles. In the past two seasons, he has been either first or second in on-ice goals against per 60 despite posting some ugly possession numbers during those years. With Provorov traded to Columbus, he is the lone remaining member of the Flyers old defense corps and is in the first year of a long contract extension. The Flyers’ more talented defensemen have always been on the left side, so Sanheim’s had the burden of covering up for some flawed defense partners over the years. He has the most complete skillset to mesh with everyone, so he’s their best option for the job on the second pair. It makes it tough for him to play the puck-moving game he was drafted for, but he adapts well and can eat minutes while keeping things in check at five-on-five. Will show flashes of skill and can be a dynamic threat on offense when he gets to jump into the play. Flyers de facto No. 1 defenseman heading into next year.

Cam York

The 2019 first round pick had to wait his turn, spending the first half of the season in Lehigh Valley before getting the call-up. Wanting to see what he could do; he was immediately put on the Flyers top pair with Ivan Provorov in a sink or swim situation. Playing on his offside, some aspects of the game were tough for him. York didn’t get to show much of his puck-moving skill in the defensive zone because of this, as Provorov handled most of the workload there while York stayed in coverage or provided support on breakouts. From the red line in, things were a little easier. He got to play similar to how he did in college, always looking to jump in or activate from the point and there was some trial and error. Not creating much offense in volume but showing some of the flash that made him a first-round pick. He has excellent edgework and is a great passer who can thread the needle through coverage. The Flyers tried to optimize this skillset while protecting him in the defensive zone and it worked to a point. This year, the training wheels will be coming off with Provorov gone and the Flyers having in their top-four. York showed he can be a useful player in controlled situations, now it’s about thriving in all situations.

Sean Walker

One of two players coming back to the Flyers in the Ivan Provorov deal, Sean Walker is hoping a change of scenery can help extend his NHL career. Part of the Kings previous prospect core, he proved that he belonged in the NHL, but became redundant with the rest of LA’s defense corps. Losing an entire season to a knee injury did him no favors, but the Kings had a lot of players of a similar ilk; a mobile defenseman who fits into that 5/6 mold rather than a true top-four. His skating will be a welcome addition to the Flyers blue line, as he can get up into the play and give the team’s rush offense a different look. The downside is he isn’t that dynamic when joining the rush, making safe plays and doing more to maintain possession rather than breaking the game open. There’s a place for that in the lineup, especially on a Flyers team looking for NHL depth. Sometimes all you need from your third pair is a guy who can make a breakout pass consistently and Walker can certainly fill that role.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Veterans, Jenner, Hertl, Skinner and Fowler Finding their Pace + More

Scott Cullen — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 15:52:32 +0000

Each week I dive into the numbers and offer some insights that should help when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, more veterans that are picking up the pace after slow starts, including Boone Jenner, Tomas Hertl, Jeff Skinner, Cam Fowler and more.

COLUMBUS, OH - OCTOBER 20: Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) during the first period in a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Nashville Predators on October 20, 2022, at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes/Icon Sportswire)

#1 Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner was an intriguing value play coming into the season because of the possibility that he could end up playing on a line with Johnny Gaudreau. He managed one goal and four points in the first 10 games of the season but has picked up the pace since then. In his past nine games, Jenner has seven goals, 10 points, 35 shots on goal, 14 hits, and 12 blocked shots. That is ticking a lot of boxes for fantasy managers.

#2 After scoring a goal in the first game of the season, San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl did not light the lamp again until the 14^th game of the season. After a slow start, Hertl is re-establishing his place as a quality point producer and has four goals and 12 assists in the past 12 games. He is centering San Jose’s top line, with Timo Meier and Kevin Labanc on the wings, and the trio is controlling 57.7% of expected goals and 70.0% of actual goals during five-on-five play.

#3 Following a bounce-back season in 2021-2022, when he scored 33 goals, Buffalo Sabres left winger Jeff Skinner opened this season with no goals and two assists through the first six games. Since then, Skinner has nine goals and 19 points with 47 shots on goal in 14 games. Skinner typically does most of his scoring at even strength (28 goals at evens, five on the power play last season) but has notched a power play goal in back-to-back games.

#4 St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas is known primarily for his playmaking ability, but he has added a new wrinkle to his offensive repertoire. In the past eight games, Thomas has two goals and 10 points, with 18 shots on goal. That shot rate of 2.25 shots per game is higher than usual for Thomas and has elevated his shots per game rate for this season to 1.68 shots on goal per game, the highest rate of his career. If Thomas is going to be a more willing shooter, that could unlock additional goal-scoring production.

#5 Phillip Danault continues to be a strong addition to the Los Angeles Kings. The two-way center has contributed four goals and 13 points in his past 16 games and his line, with Trevor Moore and Viktor Arvidsson has been excellent. They have controlled 62.0% of expected goals and 65.1% of goals during five-on-five play.

#6 Third year Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens appears to be coming into his own, with five goals and 15 points in 20 games. In the past four games, Cozens has four points (1 G, 3 A) but has also put 19 shots on goal. That elevated shot rate would bode well for his future point production. Cozens has rolled through a variety of linemates this season but has had some interesting results with rookies Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka on his wings. That line has controlled 70.9% of expected goals during five-on-five play in the small sample of 41 minutes together.

#7 Veteran Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler managed just one assist through 15 games this season, but suddenly pucks are going in and Fowler has tallied eight points (2 G, 6 A) during a five-game point streak. Fowler is averaging 25 minutes of ice time per game this season, the highest average time on ice in his career. It says something unfortunate about the Anaheim power play that Fowler is tied for the team lead with three power play points.

#8 It appears that Detroit Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek is finding his form. In the past eight games, Hronek has put up 10 points (5 G, 5 A) with 26 shots on goal. While Hronek is not going to continue scoring on 11.3% of his shots, his improving shot rate is encouraging. Hronek is averaging 2.26 shots on goal per game, clearly better than any of his previous NHL seasons. Hronek’s six power play points leads Detroit defensemen.

#9 Tampa Bay Lightning left winger Alex Killorn started the season with three points (1 G, 2 A) in eight games and whispers started about whether the 33-year-old could still fill a complementary offensive role with Tampa Bay. Consider the past 11 games his response. Killorn has 12 points (5 G,7 A) though he has just 19 shots on goal. That’s where the concern lies with Killorn. He is averaging 1.53 shots on goal per game this season and that is, rather comfortably, the lowest per-game shot rate of his career.

#10 With forwards Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny out of the Flyers lineup, Noah Cates, Morgan Frost, and Zack MacEwen are getting top-six forward time and Cates and Frost are on Philadelphia’s top power play unit. Cates has six points (2 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal in the past nine games. Frost scored a goal in Philadelphia’s last game, but that gives him two points (1 G, 1 A) in his past 16 games. MacEwen has three assists in the past five games and has played more than 17 minutes in each of the past three games. Taking this into account, Philadelphia’s eight-game winless streak is not so mysterious.

#11 One of the reasons that the Arizona Coyotes have not collapsed as expected is that second year goaltender Karel Vejmelka has been outstanding. The 26-year-old netminder is on a good run recently. In his past eight appearances, he has won five of seven decisions and has a tidy .939 save percentage. Vejmelka showed some promise as a rookie last season, but there was little reason to believe that he would suddenly be a game-changing force.

#12 As injuries continue to plague the Caroina Hurricanes goaltenders, Pyotr Kochetkov has picked up more playing time. The 23-year-old signed a four-year contract extension, so he is looking like Carolina’s goaltender of the future and has a .908 save percentage in a handful of starts for the Hurricanes. It also looks like Kochetkov will get more action to prove that he is NHL ready. Playing behind a strong Hurricanes team brings fantasy value for any goaltender so Kochetkov has some appeal as long as he is in the NHL.

#13 As the Toronto Maple Leafs try to figure out how to overcome injuries to defensemen Jake Muzzin T.J. Brodie, and Morgan Rielly, GM Kyle Dubas acquired Conor Timmins from the Arizona Coyotes. Timmins has had his own difficulty staying healthy and the 24-year-old blueliner has played in just 41 NHL games but has a track record of positive shot differentials in that relatively small NHL sample. Timmins has seven assists in 41 NHL games, but has been able to contribute offensively in both the OHL and AHL. Of course, Timmins really has the golden ticket when it comes to the Maple Leafs – he played three seasons for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.

#14 Last season, Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov played a career-low 16:55 per game. This season, the punishing 6-foot-5 blueliner has played a career-high 20:44 per game. That increase in ice time has resulted in greater production. Zadorov is averaging 2.16 shots on goal per game, easily the top mark for his career. He is registering three hits per game, the fourth time in his career he has reached that threshold. Zadorov has also recorded 1.26 blocked shots per game, the third highest rate of his career. All of this is to say that Zadorov is finding himself in unusual territory – he is relevant for fantasy managers in deep leagues.

#15 November’s five-on-five individual expected goals per 60 minutes leaders (minimum 50 minutes): Brady Tkachuk (1.79), Pat Maroon (1.60), Timo Meier (1.52), Tage Thompson (1.45), and Kyle Connor (1.45).

The next five: Sheldon Dries (1.42), William Carrier (1.40), Zach Hyman (1.40), Sonny Milano (1.39), and Nikita Kucherov (1.38).

That Top 10 includes several forwards that tend to ply their trade on the fourth line, as well as Milano, who was widely available in the off season after the Anaheim Ducks cut him loose.

#16 Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson could be a sleeper candidate for the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal-scorer. Thompson has 13 goals in 20 games, which puts him three behind the three-way tie at the top between Connor McDavid, Jason Robertson, and Bo Horvat, but Thompson has turned into an elite shot generator. In the past 14 games, Thompson has scored a dozen goals on 80 shots, an average of 5.71 shots per game.

#17 The skaters with the highest rate of five-on-five expected goals for per 60 minutes in November (minimum 50 minutes): Matthew Tkachuk (4.44), Brady Tkachuk (4.40), Jimmy Vesey (4.10), Nikita Kucherov (3.96), and Erik Brannstrom (3.96).

The next five: Jack Quinn (3.91), Claude Giroux (3.74), Tim Stutzle (3.70), Chad Ruhwedel (3.68), and Chris Kreider (3.67).

Looking for potential value from that group, Quinn might be most intriguing. The Sabres rookie is widely available in fantasy leagues and has seven points (2 G, 5 A) in his past seven games.

#18 There are five lines that have played at least 50 minutes together at five-on-five this season that have scored at least six goals per 60 minutes. The highest scoring trio is Edmonton’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid, and Zach Hyman (7.35 GF/60), which is not a big surprise, thanks to No. 97. The line with the second highest scoring rate is Detroit’s Dominik Kubalik, Dylan Larkin, and David Perron (6.70), which is a little more unexpected. Vancouver’s line of Andrei Kuzmenko, Elias Pettersson, and Ilya Mikheyev (6.58) ranks third. The Islanders line of Josh Bailey, Mathew Barzal, and Oliver Wahlstrom (6.18) ranks fourth. Dallas’ dominant top line of Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, and Roope Hintz (6.00) rounds out the top five.

#19 The lowest-scoring line, goalless in nearly 65 minutes together, was San Jose’s Tomas Hertl between Timo Meier, and Alexander Barabanov. Remember the stats from point No. 2, about how dominant Hertl and Meier have been with Kevin Labanc and that’s an indicator of how much a change of one player can affect the outcome for a line.

#20 There are three lines that have played at least 50 minutes together that have controlled more than 69% of expected goals during five-on-five play. All three lines play for the New Jersey Devils. Jesper Boqvist, Dawson Mercer, and Yegor Sharangovich (73.9 xGF%) rank first. Erik Haula, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt (70.8 xGF%) rank second. Tomas Tatar, Nico Hischier, and Fabian Zetterlund (69.3 xGF%) rank third. Dominant play like that up and down the lineup should make it no surprise that the Devils just had a 13-game winning streak.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Top 20 Prospects

Contributors – Brock Otten, Ethan Hetu, Zack Szweras, — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 20:35:33 +0000

1 - Cutter Gauthier LW

Cutter Gauthier, the fifth-overall pick at the 2022 NHL draft, was a bit of a divisive prospect in his draft cycle. His first-round merits weren’t up for debate — pretty much everyone agreed on his chops as a top-half-of-the-first-round talent — but it was his status among the draft’s very best prospects that garnered the most debate. Sources within the game, such as Bob McKenzie of TSN’s rankings based on polls of NHL scouts, ranked him as a prospect deserving of top-five consideration, and the Flyers seemed to agree, while rankings from the media held his game in less of a high regard, ranking him more around the back of the top-ten or the early teens. The split in opinion on Gauthier can be largely explained by his on-ice profile. The merits of Gauthier’s game, the best aspects of his profile, read off like a coach’s wishlist for things he or she wants in a skater. Gauthier is fearless, always looking to create chances in any way he can, even in the dirty areas of the ice. He has a high work ethic, finding ways to remain active and close to the play on every shift. He’s physical, and he regularly engages in and wins board battles. Perhaps most importantly for his pro projection, Gauthier is a disciplined prospect, always working within the structure and system his coach provides for him. Some players want to excel in the game on their own terms, while Gauthier instead looks like a player keenly interested in maximizing his effectiveness within his coach’s vision rather than his own. That’s not to say he’s without high-end tools, his shot, for example, is among the very best in his class, but that is to say that his overall profile emphasizes the high likelihood of him being an impactful NHL-er rather than him having a chance at becoming a game-breaking star. - EH

2 - Cam York D

It was a pretty solid first full pro season for York, as he split time between Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley before a foot fracture ended his season early. In Philadelphia, he was quarterbacking the top powerplay unit, a role that he is definitely being groomed for. York is a terrific distributor because of his vision and mobility. He remains composed at all times working the point because he has confidence in his ability to elude checks and consistently makes quick decisions under pressure. His composure translates to the defensive end too, where he is a breakout machine. Again, he rarely panics in the face of pressure and can either carry out or make a successful exit pass to clear the defensive zone. The highest scoring defender in the history of the U.S. NTDP, York’s offensive potential at the NHL level remains sky high. Defensively, his progression will be tied to his ability to add strength to help him win puck battles and positional battles more consistently. His positioning and reads are sound, but he was overwhelmed at times as a rookie playing on a struggling team. Even with the acquisition of Anthony DeAngelo, York figures to play the entire upcoming season with Philadelphia. DeAngelo will definitely cut into his powerplay time, but York should still play a consistent role, likely paired with a veteran such as Justin Braun, on the third pairing. Eventually, he should slide into a top four role and take over top powerplay responsibilities as one of the Flyers’ key young cornerstones. - BO

3 - Bobby Brink RW

Bobby Brink was the most productive scorer in the NCAA last season, and his success at the University of Denver is what led him to sign his NHL contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. An early second-round pick at the 2019 draft, Brink’s offensive talent was never in doubt. Brink’s puck skills, his stickhandling, passing, and control of the flow of play with the puck on his stick is extremely good. He has this shiftiness to him that makes him a difficult task to handle for opposing defenders, and it’s impossible to guess what Brink will do next with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. There are few players in college hockey who create offense the way Brink does, and by the end of his brilliant junior campaign he looked like he’d mastered the art of creating offense against college defenses. The issue with Brink, and the reason he didn’t go in the first round in 2019, largely lies in the way he creates offense and his most talked-about tool: his skating. To address the first point, Brink creates offense from the outside, and rarely is one to use the more difficult areas of the ice to create his chances. For many players, they can survive doing so because of their ability to separate from defenders. Brink’s skating, while more developed than it was in his draft year, is still far from being sufficient enough to give him a separation gear, and he’ll struggle to play the same style of offense against NHL defenses. If Brink can improve his skating significantly, then he can be a similar player as an NHLer to who he was in college, but massive improvements in his skating are unlikely, what’s more likely is Brink either makes the necessary stylistic and habitual adjustments to survive as a scorer in the NHL or wholly fails to live up to the hype he generated as a college star. - EH

4 - Tyson Foerster C

The last two seasons have not been kind to Foerster, the Flyers’ 23rd overall selection in 2020. Two years ago, with the OHL on a pandemic related hiatus, Foerster suffered a leg fracture that limited his playing time with Lehigh Valley in the AHL. Last year, the injury bug bit again as a shoulder injury kept him out for the majority of the season until the Flyers returned Foerster back to the OHL to help Barrie with their playoff run. In reality, he should have been returned to the OHL at the very beginning of the season to help his development. On a positive note, he looked fully healthy at the summer World Juniors playing for Canada, where he had a strong tournament. Drafted with the potential of playing center, Foerster appears locked in as a winger now. It is there that he can take advantage of his outstanding shot, especially from a stand still. He also plays a competitive game without the puck, working hard to win battles, forecheck, and force turnovers defensively. The weak spot of his game, Foerster’s explosiveness and top speed, have improved since being drafted, however it will need to continue to improve over the next few years for him to become a top six forward for the Flyers. He projects as a middle six goal scorer who can be a weapon on the powerplay. This coming season, Foerster will likely spend the full season in Lehigh Valley, hoping to finally have a healthy campaign at the AHL level. - BO

5 - Egor Zamula D

Now fully healthy following back surgery in 2020, the former free agent signing out of Calgary (WHL) is coming off of a strong year in the AHL with Lehigh Valley, where Zamula was one of the team’s best defenders. He even earned a small cup of coffee with the Flyers; a reward for his strong play in the AHL. He is a strong and mobile two-way defender with the upside to be a difference maker at both ends. An excellent athlete, he is terrific at defending pace and closing off lanes in transition. He is aggressive with his gaps, and he uses his long reach to be disruptive. He can also have a positive impact on the transition game offensively as his long strides allow him to chew up space quickly and lead the attack through the neutral zone. He is not the most naturally skilled player with the puck, but he protects it well and sees the ice well enough to make quick decisions. The key for him is to continue to add strength and bulk to his wiry frame so that he can apply physical pressure more consistently and effectively at the NHL level. This coming season, he is likely ticketed for another AHL year, although he should also be one of the top injury call-ups for the Flyers. In a year or two, he should be ready for a third pairing role with the opportunity to work higher in the lineup down the road. - BO

6 - Ronnie Attard D

A third-round pick at the 2019 draft, Ronne Attard enjoyed an extremely successful career at Western Michigan University, and by the time he was a senior he had grown into being an all-situations top-of-the-lineup force for first-year coach Pat Ferschweiler. Attard’s time in college led him to make an immediate jump to the NHL with the Flyers, and Attard’s 15-game stretch as an NHL newbie was uneven. There were moments of promise, and Attard was even given looks on both of the Flyers’ special teams units. There were also moments where Attard looked like he badly needed additional development time in the AHL, times when the extremely talented and deceptive playmakers of the NHL were able to expose Attard’s inexperience to create offense. At times, Attard looked like he could weather the storm in the NHL, but those moments were too infrequent for him to comfortably project as an NHL defenseman immediately next season. If Attard can get some time as a top defenseman at AHL Lehigh Valley, he’ll learn to grow more comfortable with the professional game in a lower pressure setting. Attard is a big defenseman who moves well and can theoretically provide value at both ends of the ice. He showed enough as a college defenseman to reasonably have AHL number-one defenseman upside, and if he can stick as an NHLer and develop a bit more he could possibly anchor a bottom-pairing as a two-way defenseman who contributes on the secondary units of both special teams’ groups. - EH

7 - Noah Cates LW

Noah Cates’ four-year progression at the University of Minnesota-Duluth might look a bit puzzling to onlookers, as he never truly became a game-breaking offensive player after his point-per-game sophomore season. But in the absence of high-end offensive development, Cates has polished his game and become a true two-way force. The 23-year-old forward was a fifth-round pick at the 2017 draft and has an inside track to remain with the Flyers’ NHL club next season after scoring five goals and nine points in his first 16 NHL games. Cates, a six-foot-one left wing, is the kind of two-way player that NHL coaches will have a difficult time leaving out of their lineup. Despite his inexperience, Cates got time on the Flyers’ penalty kill and figures to have a future in that role in the NHL. Cates is a smart player, and he often puts himself in the right place at the right time. Some might attribute players who do that often as them simply being lucky, but Cates’ offensive game is largely based on opportunism. Cates creates his own luck, always reading the play and finding ways to be in the exact places his teammates want a linemate to be in. His raw tools won’t overwhelm, and his upside as an offensive generator in the NHL is limited, but if he finds ways to remain reasonably productive at the NHL level despite not having a ton of plainly visible offensive talent, that shouldn’t surprise anybody. As a potential penalty killer who gives his team sporadic bursts of scoring, Cates can forge a solid NHL career. He doesn’t have the most upside of any Flyers prospect, but he’s a decent bet to make an NHL impact and be someone coaches always find a way to fit in their lineup. - EH

8 - Wade Allison RW

Is there a player in professional hockey with worse luck than Wade Allison the last few seasons? He was penciled into the Flyers’ lineup this past season before suffering an ankle injury. Then upon returning he suffered an MCL sprain. Just when you thought he was healthy, boom…he acquired a serious arm laceration from a skate. When healthy, Allison is a middle six NHL forward. He has proven that at the NHL level already. His combination of size, skill, and power skating is impressive, and he can be a load to handle for even NHL defenders as he drives the net. Allison has looked particularly impressive on the powerplay at the NHL level, playing as the bumper or net front presence. That said, have all these injuries stunted his development? The coming season is a huge one for him. The Flyers, once again, have some openings in their middle six that he could grab hold of. Additionally, one of his top competitors for those spots, Bobby Brink, has been lost to injury. Allison needs to come to camp healthy and stay healthy. If he does, he should be a full time NHL player this season and a likely productive one. As the Flyers continue their rebuild, there is definitely a spot for a power scorer like Allison, so long as his body can hold up. - BO

9 - Elliot Desnoyers LW

Desnoyers was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers for his simple, off-puck, defensive brand of hockey. He was a high energy, depth player for Moncton in his draft year. However, after his draft season, Desnoyers completely transformed into a whole different player following a deal to Halifax. Captain of the Mooseheads, Elliot is now a confident puck mover that excels in transition and dictates the pace of the play. His skating is excellent, and he can blow past defenders with ease. Desnoyers also played for Team Canada in the most recent 2022 World Juniors and despite not playing a lot of minutes, he was an important piece for them as they won the gold medal. The only thing holding back Desnoyers is his size and the lack of an elite shot, but given his versatility, it is easy to see him eventually finding a role at the NHL level. That could be as more of a fourth line forechecker and penalty killer, or it could be as a high-energy, playmaking middle six forward. Desnoyers will start his pro journey this season in the AHL, and it seems likely that he will start lower in the lineup to build up confidence in his offensive game while playing against men. After a few years, look for him to be knocking on the door of the Flyers. - EB

10 - Emil Andrae D

The 54^th overall selection in the 2020 NHL draft by the Phillidelphia Flyers, Andrae is an undersized defenceman who exudes confidence on both sides of the ice. He plays with a ton of tenacity, never takes a shift off, and is committed to winning puck battles. Andrae has good four-way mobility, generating speed with strong crossovers and detailed footwork. He is quite gifted in the offensive zone, has a strong ability to scan the ice for open passing/shooting lanes to exploit. While undersized, he has a stocky frame, which allows him to be physical and results in him rarely losing his balance in battles. Since being drafted, Andrae has split the past few seasons between the SHL and Sweden’s second league Allsvenskan. Last season, his HV71 squad competed in the Allsvenskan, where Andrae elevated his game finishing with 33 points in 41 games. He also helped lead HV71 to the Allsvenskan championship with 11 points in 10 playoff games, helping them win promotion back to the SHL. Andrae has also had a ton of success internationally, being named Captain of both the January and August Swedish World Junior teams. At the recent tournament, he led his team in points with 8 in 7 games on his way to helping Sweden capture gold. Andrae also finished 2^nd in points out of all defencemen and was named to the Media All-Star team. He is poised for another strong season for HV71 and will look to dominate the SHL as he did the Allsvenskan last season. - ZS

11 - Samu Tuomaala

A strong skating sniper, Tuomaala’s development wasn’t handled in the best way this past season. The Flyers tried to start the 18/19-year-old at the AHL level but that failed, so they loaned him back to Finland where he also played sparingly. He will try to prove that he is worthy of a larger role in Liiga this season, starting the year with Jukurit from the very beginning.

12 - Jay O'Brien

Everyone’s favourite controversial first round pick, O’Brien’s development path has been a unique one. However, he’s finally found a home at Boston University and has been trending back upwards. The Flyers will be looking for O’Brien to become one of the NCAA’s best offensive players this season.

13 - Ivan Fedotov

Unfortunately, a black cloud is hanging over Fedotov because of his arrest and detainment in Russia after signing with Philadelphia. The promising netminder could have been Philadelphia’s backup this year but his career now hangs in jeopardy. On talent alone, he probably deserves to be higher in these rankings, but the circumstances dictate him being lower.

14 - Alexei Kolosov

A highly athletic Belarussian netminder, Kolosov will need to continue to refine his technical skills while playing in the KHL. He is a longer-term project but one with great potential.

15 - Ethan Samson

One of the WHL’s breakout stars last year, Samson emerged as a two-way threat on a rebuilding Prince George team. The big defender was drafted as more of a physical shutdown type, but his confidence and abilities with the puck have improved tenfold.

16 - Owen McLaughlin

McLaughlin showed significant growth playing in the USHL last season. He helped Sioux City capture a Clark Cup and was a consistent offensive force. The talented and intelligent playmaker will have to continue to upgrade his skating to be an impactful freshman with UND this season.

17 - Zayde Wisdom

After a breakout season at the pro level during the height of the pandemic, Wisdom really raised some eyebrows. However, a shoulder injury and the rehab of it definitely negatively impacted his development as he returned to the OHL last year with mixed results. Wisdom is a hard worker with skill, but hopefully he focused on getting back his speed and quickness this offseason.

18 - Devin Kaplan

An intelligent power winger, Kaplan is the prototypical third line player for today’s NHL. He just needs to focus on improving his quickness while attending Boston University.

19 - Isaac Ratcliffe

The upcoming season will be a huge one for the big winger (no pun intended). He has struggled to adapt to the pace of play in his first three pro seasons. If he does not become a consistent offensive force at the AHL level this season, he may not be qualified by the Flyers next offseason.

20 - Alex Bump

Very much a project pick that Philadelphia will have to be patient with. Bump is a power winger with a scorer’s touch. He needs to improve his quickness and overall skating ability (a trend in Philadelphia’s system). He will likely play with Omaha (USHL) this year before going to Vermont the following season. He could be one of the better players in the USHL this year.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – NHL Player Profiles

Scott Cullen – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 20:59:20 +0000

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 13: Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart (79) in warm up before a game between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers on January 13, 2022, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Sean Couturier

What the Flyers get out of Sean Couturier will be their x-factor. Their workhorse center was limited to only 29 games after a back injury and subsequent surgery ended his season. He was having a tough year even before that, scoring only 7 points at five-on-five despite playing in a top-line role with Giroux and Konecny. In a normal year, he gives the Flyers a chance to win every game with how effective he is at driving the bus against top matchups, bringing the rest of the team along with him. Last year was a normal year for him in the play-driving department, but he didn’t have the scoring to back it up. The concern for Philly now is what is Couturier’s “new normal.” Is a guy who has played through a lot of injuries and last year was his most serious to date. Some players heal from back surgery, but it can also derail careers. Couturier plays a less physically demanding game than most shutdown center, so it’s possible that he can get back to his old self. Entering the first year of an eight-year contract, the Flyers future rests on his shoulders.

Kevin Hayes

It’s hard to think of a player who had a tougher season than Kevin Hayes. Between the tragic passing of his brother in the off-season and undergoing two abdominal surgeries the previous year, he was a guy everyone was rooting for. Unfortunately, he spent more time on the IR than on the ice yet again, this time with an infection in his groin that had to be drained. With the Flyers in rebuild mode, they’re hoping he can be a good leader for some of the new talent coming in and that he can return his 2019-20 form. While never a star, Hayes was a good goal-scorer and played an important role in bolstering the Flyers transition game. He was excellent at using his big body to create space for guys like Farabee and Konecny and getting them the puck with some space. With three core muscle procedures, it’s uncertain if he can play that type of workload again, but he remains the Flyers best option at 2C for the time being.

Joel Farabee

Two seasons were all the Flyers needed to see to make Joel Farabee part of their core, signing him to a six-year deal before the start of last season. To say it was rocky would be an understatement. He started the year off with a bang, scoring in his first three games and followed it up with a stretch of having only one goal through American Thanksgiving (about 14 games) before going on another three-game streak where he found the back of the net. The rest of the year followed a similar patter, scoring in bunches and going dormant for a stretch of 10+ games. It’s not that different than most goal-scorers, but the concern with Farabee is that there’s no shot volume or chance creation to back it up. He’s the type who will score a lot of tap-in goals or create off turnovers, so he’s more prone to streaks like this than others. He made improvements as a passer, but the Flyers will be hoping for more consistency out of him next year. Unfortunately, he will be recovering from neck surgery to start the year and won’t be available until November at the earliest.

James van Riesmdyk

Once the master of making skilled plays in front of the net, van Riemsdyk still has something to offer as a scoring winger. The way that he creates offense might be a little one-dimensional as a rebound hound, but JVR’s always brought a strong game away from the puck. One of the better forecheckers in the league while he was in his prime and someone who can help kill the clock while playing with a lead. Surprisingly led the Flyers in goals last year with a meager 24 tallies, nine of them coming on the power play, and was one of the few players who gave them some form of consistency. He plays the type of game where he’s easy to slide onto any line and give you decent results, which makes him an intriguing trade option while he’s in the final year of his contract. The Flyers are in a position to pump up his value if this is the route they want to go, as he was one of the few guys who produced on a terrible power play last year and will always score a healthy amount of goals because he creates so many chances from close range. Pairing him with a great passer or a strong territorial line could fetch Philadelphia a decent return come March.

Travis Konecny

Figuring out Travis Konecny’s ceiling will be an important part of the Flyers next chapter. Not even three years ago, he looked like a player who could regularly score 20+ goals and be one of the better right-wingers in the league. The past two seasons he has scored 27 total goals in 129 games, stuck in a major shooting percentage rut last year. There were parts of Konecny’s game that stayed consistent, as he still has the wheels to gain the zone and create off the rush like he used to. The shot volume is there, but the chance creation isn’t as high quality as it used to be. Part of it might be not having Claude Giroux by his side, as the two had great chemistry with stretch plays to get Konecny rush chances with speed. He had to alter his game a bit the past year, moving to a line with Sean Couturier or Scott Laughton and acting as more of a playmaker. Konecny had trouble getting space to shoot on his own, but his passing still gives him some high-end skill. He made the most out of a revolving door of linemates last year, leading the Flyers in assists and showing that he isn’t just a guy who can score off the rush. His play has been inconsistent the past two years, but he started to look like a guy who can drive his own line without an elite talent to supplement him. He should be the Flyers top offensive option behind Couturier next year.

Scott Laughton

A solid middle-six forward who won’t move the needle but keep the dial at a neutral pace when he’s out there. Laughton will have flashes of high-end skill and will go on a scoring tear from time-to-time, but for the most part he’s just a steadying presence who will work hard and stick to his assignments. The Flyers depend on him more than his statline suggests, as he has spent a lot of time alongside Kevin Hayes and James van Riemsdyk the past couple of years with some special teams’ time on top of that. He had to pick up a lot of slack with Couturier out last year, used all over the lineup and he eventually found some chemistry with Travis Konency. The two connected on some great deflection plays and injected some life into the Flyers offense for a brief spell. Like for most of his career, it was just a brief spell for Laughton and a head injury in early March all but ended his season. With new forwards coming into the fold, Laughton will likely slide into more of a pure third line role, but he is the type coaches will move up if the one of the top lines needs a spark.

Owen Tippett

It might not feel like it, but Owen Tippett is entering his third NHL season, albeit the first one where he actually has an opening night lineup spot penciled in. He showed in Florida that he isn’t afraid to shoot the puck and can command the offensive zone when he’s out there. The ability to score at the NHL level, however, is another story. He is currently stuck on 18 career goals in 115 games. He showed some improvement last year getting to the 10-goal mark but still leaving some goals on the table relative to how much offense he creates in volume. It’s nothing out of the ordinary for a prospect who scored from distance at lower levels, but him taking the next step would go along way for the Flyers rebuild. If he doesn’t, he’s still a solid winger and having a guy in your lineup who can create chances is still a plus. Injuries should keep him in the Flyers lineup come training camp, but he is more of a sleeper pick for being an impact player next year.

Cam Atkinson

One of John Tortella’s trusty horses from the Blue Jackets, Cam Atkinson was an early fan-favorite for the Flyers last year. He got off to a roaring start with six goals in his first seven games, which summed up how most of the season went for him as it was a tale of peaks and valleys. He scored only twice in November but responded well after that. He was the most reliable player on the Flyers for offense and all-around play during the doldrums of the season, tallying 28 points in 32 games from December through February. He ended the season on a tough note with only 5 goals in his last 21 games and recorded only 3 assists in his last 12. On the whole, it was a solid bounce-back year for the former Jackets sniper, although the process of getting there was a little rocky. He’s a shoot-first player and that’s not going to change but carrying so much of a workload for the Flyers seemed to wear on him as the season went on. You can usually count on his line to be on the right side of the goal and scoring chance battle and that fell off dramatically as the season went on. Inconsistent linemates from trades and injuries along with becoming a “go-to” guy at 33 years of age will do that. He should be a fixture in the Flyers lineup and is one of their more proven goal-scorers along with van Riemsdyk.

Morgan Frost

There were reasons to be excited about Morgan Frost’s potential heading into 2021. He showed flashes of becoming a future top-six player in his brief stint with the Flyers two years ago, showing a great knack for the details of the game as well as being a great playmaker. Shoulder surgery prematurely ended his 2021 season, and he didn’t make the Flyers out of training camp to start last year. Called up in late November, the former first round pick had an okay start centering a line with Cam Atkinson and Joel Farabee, getting on the scoresheet and looking like the guy they saw back in late 2019. As the season went on and the Flyers struggles continued, Frost became more of just another guy than a difference maker. Not doing anything bad but struggling to standout. Part of that is being relegated to a more of a grind line role and the other is just him struggling to translate his high-end skill to the pace of the game. They go hand-in-hand when you’re a player like Frost whose best skill is his passing and vision. It’s tough to setup any plays when the puck is always in the corner or you’re chasing the game. He’s an interesting puzzle piece for John Tortorella. There’s a lot of raw skill with Frost and encouraging him to lead the play a little more and use the tools that got him drafted could go a long way to him sticking around at the NHL level.

DEFENSE

Tony DeAngelo

Given yet another chance to turn his career around, DeAngelo’s one-year deal with the Hurricanes appeared to do just that. He quarterbacked a power play that was top-third in the league for most of the year and earned a promotion to the team’s top defense pair with Jaccob Slavin after a couple months. It was a good setup for him with Slavin handling most of the work along the boards and DeAngelo just needing to read the play and jump in when he needed to. It allowed him to play to his strengths and spend more time in the offensive zone, an area where he’s very proficient. That said, it also showed his limitations. He’s a smaller defenseman who doesn’t handle forecheck pressure well and his passive nature in the defensive zone left him open to some blown assignments and misreads. The hope is that his talents on offense would outweigh the bad and that he could keep his emotions in check, which he did up until the playoffs when the games got tougher. The Flyers will have a more difficult time utilizing DeAngelo in the same role unless Provorov has a rebound season. There is a lot he can do for a power play that will be restructured this year, but they aren’t as well-equipped to play him top-pair minutes and his five-on-five impact will take a hit. DeAngelo was able to coast for most of the year in Carolina and he won’t have that luxury with the Flyers.

Ivan Provorov

There are tough minutes and then there is playing top-pairing minutes on a struggling team. Provorov fell into that class, playing his usual 24-25 minutes a night and going through the motions once the Flyers fell into a rut. At the age of 25, he has a career’s worth of miles on his tires and his level of play usually follows the rest of the team. When the Flyers are good, Provorov’s an effective, mobile top-pair defenseman who does a little of everything for you. When the team is struggling, he has a hard time helping the team dictate the play. It might speak to his own limitations as a player that even if he has the conditioning to play heavy minutes, he doesn’t have the skillset to carry the defense on his back. Provorov still does a lot of things well and skates better than most forwards, but his game is a little more reactionary now. He’s more effective at angling off forwards into a corner than going for the poke-check at the line. He can make safe plays out of the zone to mitigate damage but gets knocked off the puck more often now when retrieving dump-ins. The mistakes added up more than they used to, and the Flyers plans to supplement him were foiled with Ryan Ellis’ injury problems. He will be the most interesting player to watch under the new coaching staff, as John Tortorella and Brad Shaw have a great track record with defensemen and will find a way to take some of the burden in the d-zone off Provorov.

Travis Sanheim

One of the few players on the Flyers who objectively had a good year and the only Flyer defenseman to post a positive on-ice goal differential. Sanheim’s accomplishments last year might not seem like a big deal, but it was a big development for the Flyers in what was as tumultuous year. Having a player who didn’t let the team’s struggles drag down his own game is a big deal for a rebuilding team and potentially gives them a building block. Sanheim has more of a “jack of all trade” skillset by the eye but had more moments where he could drag the Flyers back into a game with a great rush or a pass to setup a scoring chance. The downside for the Flyers is that they already signed him to a two-year deal that will take him to UFA status after this season, giving them huge decision to make. You’d figure Sanheim would figure into their long-term plans. He showed last year that he can drive play and bounce-back in a tough environment, but with three defensemen already making over $5 mil., things start to get dicey. As good as Sanheim is, he doesn’t produce a lot of points and that could work in the Flyers favor as far as a new contract goes. Seeing if he can repeat his success from last year will likely be the deciding factor on if he’s part of the Flyers long-term plans.

Rasmus Ristolainen

Ristolainen’s first season as a Flyer was similar to his many years as a Sabre. Poor underlying numbers mixed with a wide range of opinions on his play from observers. Casted in more of a pure defensive role, Ristolainen acted as a safety valve for Travis Sanheim, not used on the power play and staying high in the zone instead of pinching for offense. It’s a little different from his peak years, as Buffalo got a lot of mileage out of him on the power play, an area of the game he thrived in. With the Flyers, he almost never touched the puck and if he did, it was gone within a second. His job was to throw hits and protect the front of the net. Whether or not he did that depends on who you ask but the Flyers saw enough to want to keep him around for five more years, re-signing him around the trade deadline despite interest from other teams. Shutdown defensemen come in all forms and players who throw their weight around like Ristolainen are still highly regarded in hockey circles. It gets magnified when they’re casted in a pure defensive role and you see a lot of good mixed with bad. Some might see Ristolainen putting himself out of position to throw a big hit or chasing a mistake, others might laud him for his willingness to play physical. Tortorella’s been one to value players like him (see Dan Girardi and David Savard) so he should continue to get heavy defensive usage in Philly next year.

GOALTENDING

Carter Hart

There might be no goaltender in the NHL being asked to do more with less than Philadelphia’s Carter Hart. The Flyers, who have struggled for years to establish a consistent baseline in net, responded to a lackluster third year in the league for Hart by adding a struggling reclamation project in Martin Jones in 2021-22 – then thanked Hart for a moderate statistical bounce-back by walking Jones in free agency and failing to replace him with just a month and change left before opening night.

The woes aren’t entirely the team’s fault, as there was little way to predict that Russian-born prospect goaltender Ivan Fedotov would be detained by the Russian military and hospitalized after being sent to a remote detention center. Still, it’s hard once again to piece together what the Flyers are hoping for as they enter the 2022-23 campaign offering Hart no backup outside of prospect Felix Sandstrom. Hart’s game is based on a foundation that sees the Canadian netminder operate from a central reset position, hinging out to challenge shots as they approach but returning to a consistent and established ‘home base’ once the action has died down. That makes it hard to feel overly confident that he can regain his form, which relies on accuracy and precision to go with predictive tracking over reactionary movements, when being asked to provide high-volume reps behind a team that still hasn’t managed to right the ship. If he can’t start off the year with his technique in top form, he’ll be trying to fix his game from a tougher position if he doesn’t have reinforcements. The good news, though, is that the vote of confidence the team is clearly giving him with their current goaltending depth offerings could be the catalyst he needs to shake off the goalie ‘twistys’ he seemed to suffer during his last few years. It’s too early to write off what Philadelphia is trying to do – even if it’s also too early to applaud it, per se.

Projected starts: 60-65

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 15

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 14:30:50 +0000

Philadelphia Flyers

Chuck Fletcher was hired as the new GM of the Philadelphia Flyers on December 3, 2018 after spending nearly nine years as GM of the Minnesota Wild. The Flyers had a low-key great season in the abbreviated 2019-20, and much of that is due to the roster built by Fletcher’s predecessor, Ron Hextall, but I think it is reasonable to look at the players – particularly younger players – who have entered the system in the Fletcher era to get an idea of the impact he and his staff have made. Not that signing cornerstones like Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny to extensions wasn’t important, but as you all know, we are here to talk about prospects.

First off, considering that Hextall left him with one of the deepest organizations in the league, Fletcher did not have to go treasure hunting in the free agent market. To this point, the Fletcher-Flyers have not signed a single undrafted free agent out of the NCAA or CHL ranks. In fact, the only young, free talent the franchise has folded in was Linus Sandin, older brother to Toronto blueline wunderkind Rasmus Sandin. Sandin did not make this list, but if we had gone to 20 (we will after the draft), he would have made it. There isn’t much we can learn about how Fletcher will finish building the Flyers based on the Sandin signing. This was a player who had just finished his third year of SHL hockey. He has solid offensive tools and has solid bottom six potential, but there isn’t anything there that raises the eyebrows.

Other than Sandin, the only other “prospect” to enter the system outside of the draft has been Nathan Noel, who was acquired from Chicago in exchange for AHL veteran TJ Brennan. Brennan is an AHL All Star, but didn’t have a role in Philadelphia, whereas he might have in an injury-riddled Chicago blueline. Noel was a former fourth round pick who has not yet shown that he belongs in the AHL after three professional seasons. This was clearly the type of trade made to appease a veteran to give him a chance. Noel was merely a contract that had to be acquired in the exchange to keep Chicago roster compliant. Noel finished the year in the ECHL and, with his ELC now expired, is not expected to be re-signed by the Flyers.

So, we are left with the draft. With only one draft class so far, that isn’t a lot to go by. And Fletcher has not been opposed to trading away picks for current help, although to his credit, even with the Flyers surging, hasn’t surrendered anything weightier than a third rounder…so far.

What we can say about the Flyers 2019 draft class is that so far, there haven’t been too many players who have pushed their way to the front of the depth chart. First rounder Cam York is the top prospect in the system, which is to be expected of a top half of the first-round guy, and three others find placement in the top 15 here. The other three were OK at best. If there are any notable trends from the seven players selected by the Flyers, it is that Fletcher has followed Hextall (so far, at least) down the collegiate path, as four of their seven selections were taking that developmental route, including their top three picks.

It may also be worth pointing out the case of Wyatt Kalynuk, drafted by the Flyers in the seventh round in 2017. After three outstanding seasons at Wisconsin, he decided to turn pro. Rumor has it that the Flyers tried to sign him, but he demurred, and signed as a free agent with Chicago instead. There is likely more to the story, but there is surely some downside in turning over the faces of the franchise when trying to recruit talent. The men who scouted him and had relationships with him may have no longer been his conduits to the organization, making it easy for him to lose any sense of loyalty he once may have felt. I don’t know if that was the case, but it is certainly worth thinking about.

EAST MEADOW, NY - SEPTEMBER 12: Philadelphia Flyers forward Morgan Frost (68) plays the puck in a pre-season rookie matchup vs the New York Islanders on September 12, 2018, at the Northwell Health Ice Center. (Photo by John McCreary/Icon Sportswire)

Cam York, D (14^th overall, 2019. Pre-season: 2)

York’s first season of NCAA hockey had its ups and downs. On the one hand, he was the top scoring freshman defender in the Big 10 and tied for the team lead from the blueline as well, while making the American WJC squad as an 18-year-old. Both very impressive markers.

On the other hand, as an offensive defenseman, his numbers were moderate at best, barely cresting the point every-other-game mark, and his role on Team USA was as the seventh defenseman, getting only a handful of minutes per game and the occasional power play shift. Compared to fellow USNTDP grad Henry Thrun, York provided less offense as a freshman, even though he had more of a role on the power play.

Back to the positive, York was able to show more competence away from the puck than may have been expected originally. Even if he needed to keep both hands on the stick with greater consistency, he defended well against opposing rushes, and showed an understanding of how to position himself when facing down an odd-man rush. He played a regular PK shift as well, illustrating the faith placed in him by the Michigan coaching staff.

Of course, the Flyers did not draft York looking for as a two-way defender, but as a dynamic bringing of offense. Those flashes were still apparent. He was an upper echelon skater at the collegiate level and still showed the ability to carry the puck up the ice with pace, wiggling through multiple layers of the defense to enter the offensive zone. He also doesn’t play a static role once the zone is gained, regularly jumping up from the blueline to give the defense something else to think about in deep. York started off solid, but there is more in him to give and we expect we will see more next season. - RW

Morgan Frost, C/LW (27^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 3)

Frost is constantly developing and undoubtedly fits into every team he is part of but due to the competition level between the forwards in the Flyers organization, he has struggled to earn a more permanent role with the NHL club.

With Joel Farabee making quicker adjustments to the professional game, he was the first choice to lead the Flyers as the rookie forward this season with Frost right behind him. Frost, despite being a smaller, more compact forward, plays an aggressive forechecking game and has a good defensive game enabling him to deliver as a good two-way player. With his development continuing, it will be good to see him start the season with Lehigh Valley in the AHL especially after the long break in order for him to get his confidence up and his footing back with the faster game since his rookie season was cut short.

He has great potential in the Philadelphia system playing a power forward style, capable of getting to the net on his own and supplying strong passes to enable breakouts and scoring opportunities. Frost is a pretty consistent player that offers a good effort every time he is on the ice, however he sometimes struggles to find open ice and gets closed out too easily from getting to the net so he will have to battle harder to get to the net next season.

After finishing second in points with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Frost has time on his side and a good track record with Philadelphia so far leading to a bright future ahead. - SC

VOORHEES, NJ - JUNE 24: Yegor Zamula of the Philadelphia Flyers (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Egor Zamula, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 20, 2018. Pre-season: UR)

Zamula has grown leaps and bounds since coming to North America in his draft year. While it didn’t help him get drafted, he was able to sign an ELC with the Flyers after attending development camp. Since returning from that camp the most noticeable improvements in his game have been his puck handling and confidence with the puck. He is showing a willingness to carry the puck in from the blueline where he is a threat both to pass or shoot. He has fakes and can shift his weight but also with his wingspan he is able to protect the puck and change the passing angle to get by defenders.

He has always had good speed and had the size and a strong foundation but once he started to put some of his pucks skills to effective use he showed a dynamic quality, such as in the 2020 WJC, where he played top pairing minutes and had five points in seven games. He is a solid defender, using his size to keep defenders wide, block lanes and jump on loose puck, and he can finish his checks with the opponent pinned or off balance. He has good range and can close his gap at the blueline or jump a play as they cross the blueline to force an offside.

Zamula can physically punish his opponents by stepping up in the neutral zone or making hard physical plays along the wall. He makes his defensive partner better by setting up plays with crisp tape to tape passes. His first pass consistently starts the rush, but he is comfortable carrying the puck through the neutral zone should that be the best read. He has a cannon of a shot from the point and uses it appropriately to the situation. - VG

Tanner Laczynski, C (169^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 10)

A lasting gift from the Hextall regime, Laczynski finished his four-year career at THE Ohio State having finished 5^th, 1^st, 2^nd, and 1^st in team scoring. All told, he finished 23^rd all-time in OSU scoring, behind only currently Islanders’ farm hand Mason Jobst among 21^st century players. He was already 19 when the Flyers used a sixth round pick on him, and he made such a splash in his first season with the Buckeyes that he was a member of the Gold Medal winning Team USA at the 2017 WJC.

he has not matched his incredible 47 point campaign as a sophomore, Laczynski’s college play was defined by his excellent playmaking abilities and his knack for always being in the right place at the right place for maximum impact, on both sides of the puck. In fact, as his college career progressed, his defensive game only grew, and he was a regular on the OSU PK as a senior.

In addition to his playmaking, Laczynski is also an ace stickhandler, which helps him overcome his lack of high-end skating ability. Not that he is a bad skater, in fact his skating has improved quite a bit since landing on campus, but it is still not a strength of his game and he isn’t a player you want to see racing to beat out an icing call. In addition to improving his stride in college, he also completed his physical maturity, packing on close to 30 pounds over the four seasons in Columbus, making himself harder to play against.

Between his brains and his puck skills, Laczynski could find himself playing in a middle six NHL role in the near future. - RW

Wade Allison, RW (52^nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 12)

Like Laczynski, Allison was a four-year collegian. Whereas Laczynski is an intellectual player, succeeding through his mind more than his physical gifts, Allison is just the opposite. When he has been physically right at Western Michigan, he was devastating, as was saw most clearly in his 30 points in 22 games sophomore campaign. A torn ACL ended that season too early and he struggled to find his rhythm when he returned as a junior.

His senior season was again hampered by an injury, this time a balky shoulder, which kept him off the ice for much of December. By the end of the season, peak Allison was back, as he finished his season – and his collegiate career – with six points in his last five games, after a 13 points in a 6-game stretch in late January/early-February. Allison has lost maybe a third of a step since his pre-draft days, but he still skates well, with a great start up getting him quickly to his top speed. His motor is always at full throttle and when he gets the jump, he can still blow past defenders.

His style of game is mostly that of a power forward, but he has touch as well, with soft hands helping him create from in tight. His lower body strength also makes him hard to dislodge from the net front, especially on the power play. His missed time has certainly set him back, without which he could have turned pro at least one year ago but continued return to full strength could make him a valuable weapon up and down the lineup in the coming seasons. - RW

Bobby Brink, RW (34^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 5)

Stylistically, there is a lot to compare Brink with Tanner Laczynski above. Both forwards rack up points like nobody’s business yet lack the foot speed we often look for in the so-called “modern game.” Brink, too, seems to have gained a step since moving from the USHL to college, but is still only around average or so. The two main differences between the players are that Brink is quite small, while Laczynski has an average frame, and that the OSU grad is a playmaker while the Denver freshman is a triggerman.

Brink makes up for his middling skating speed through solid agility and a preternatural knack for showing up in the right place at exactly the right time to catch the defense flat-footed. He won’t be the one to generate the zone entry, but he is the one you look for to finish off the play. More than half of his freshman offense was compiled on the power play and Brink still needs to prove he can produce at a high level at even strength to strengthen his claim on a top six spot in the future. - RW

German Rubtsov, C (22^nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

After a shaky second season in the American Hockey League, Rubtsov remains a skilled skater and a prospect with a lot to offer for Lehigh Valley. It will be a test of time to see if he has what it takes to offer the Philadelphia Flyers anything at the next level.

Rubtsov plays a well-positioned defensive game and continues to be a good passer and playmaker both at even strength and power play situations. He will have to continue to work on the physical aspects of his game some more and work on moving the puck a little quicker at times but overall, there is nothing of grave concern heading into next season skills-wise.

Being a first rounder there is extra pressure to perform now for Rubtsov who will need to find an extra gear heading into next season in order to maintain his Flyer system status and earn another call up as a bottom six for now. - SC

Isaac Ratcliffe, LW (35^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 4)

For a big body, Ratcliffe skates well although he does not have the most finesse and isn’t the prettiest to watch but he gets the job done and protects the puck well. He was a very strong major junior captain with the Guelph Storm of the OHL but the move to the pros in the AHL has not been nearly as kind to him. He will need to clean up his play in the neutral zone and lessen the number of turnovers he gives up in order to even be considered for a call up to the Flyers.

Ratcliffe uses his size well, however this past season has been more a testament of frustration and overcompensation which has led to many unnecessary penalties and too many minutes spent in the box. He will need to be more disciplined next season in order to show more of the skill that got him drafted, and not just the size that got him noticed if he wants to crack a bottom six role in the Philadelphia lineup. - SC

Ronnie Attard, D (72^nd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 9)

A classic late-bloomer, Attard exploded offensively in his third year of draft eligibility, winning the USHL Player of the Year award on the back of a 30-goal season, one of the best marks ever for a defenseman in the league. While his first collegiate campaign was good enough to be named to the NCHC All-Rookie team, there were also signs that his incredible age 19 season with Tri-City was a fluke.

On the positive side, he has great size and his feet work quite well. Attard likes to jump off the blueline and pinch deep. He has a very hard shot (you saw those goal totals, right?) and can beat good NCAA goalies from the point – even with a backhand. He can pass the puck around nicely, as well. Where he struggled most last year was in his own end. The game seemed to come at him too fast at times, catching him flatfooted and/or out-of-position.

The tools are all strong and make him worth gambling on and tracking. But without improving his reads and instincts, bust potential is still there. - RW

Mark Friedman, D (86^th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 11)

At the end of his prospect eligibility age-wise, Friedman has finished with a better season under his belt despite having to cut his time with Lehigh short at the break. He continues to play a thought-provoking methodical game, allowing for strong passes and well put-together plays when it comes to breakouts and regroups.

However, Friedman still needs to find ways to be a more present offensive defenseman and contribute with shot opportunities from the point. He needs to carry the puck and rush it in order to not only start the plays behind his own net but also to learn to quarterback from the hash marks and higher when exiting the zone.

Friedman needs to give next season all he has in order to get what seems likely to be his last chance at a call up with the Philadelphia Flyers and a bottom four role and a chance at cracking the power play rotation. - SC

Jay O’Brien, C (19^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 16)

O’Brien’s game is defined by his skating. He is very smooth with a great top speed and incredible edge work. He is not just quick skater, but he plays the game with an up-tempo style, engaging in 50/50 battles for the puck all over the ice.

He is a shoot first player although his style of play has expanded with a bit more of a playmaking side this year in Victoria. His puck handling is very good as he can weave in and out of traffic with the puck and looks very comfortable playing with the puck on his forehand and backhand. He has a full array of shot types (back hand, in tight, distance wrist shot, and one timer) that are effective, each with good accuracy with decent velocity.

His offense is not lacking although other than his skating there isn’t any skill that really stands out in a dynamic sense. O’Brien is going to a school in Boston University where he will be able to challenge for a top six spot right away but will need a few years of college to round out his overall game after his aborted year in Providence. - VG

Jack St. Ivany, D (112^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

At 6-3”, St. Ivany is a towering defenseman. Drafted in the fourth round by the Flyers, he has shown improvement over the past few years. He played near his hometown in Los Angeles before a two year stint in the USHL. As a freshman, the defender was a quick contributor for Yale while taking time out to help the US win a silver medal at the World Junior Championship.

There is not a lot of weight on his frame as he has room to fill out. He is an offensive defenseman who can move quite well and is balanced for his size. He was Yale’s highest-scoring defender this season. His laser-focused passes make him an asset on breakouts. He is capable of joining the rush, but at times this puts him out of defensive position, and he can then struggle on the backcheck. He played on both the penalty kill and power play as well. St. Ivany has an active defensive stick and causes turnovers.

As a sophomore there was still room to improve, and his speed will be a primary factor in what level St. Ivany ends up next. - JS

Ivan Fedotov, G (188^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Under the leadership of Ron Hextall, the Philadelphia Flyers drafted six netminders in five years. We are all familiar with budding superstar Carter Hart, but the other five have mostly failed to live up to expectations (thus far). Of that latter group though, Fedotov is the one closest to looking like he might still have impact potential at the highest level.

He may be a late bloomer, but at 6-8”, at least a couple of inches taller than he was when he was drafted, he has certainly bloomed. Last year Fedotov finally earned a full time KHL role, after spending the bulk of the previous three seasons in the VHL (Russia’s second highest league), and he put up top ten numbers leaguewide.

He moves pretty well for his size, and competes for every puck, an area when his size works to his obvious advantage. His ability to get down on a shot is remarkable at his size and he didn’t show any particular weak spot as a KHL rookie. He recently signed a two-year extension with Traktor Chelyabinsk, so Flyers fans will have to continue waiting to see if Fedotov can one day back up Hart in Philadelphia. - RW

Mason Millman, D (103^rdoverall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

One player who really improved over the course of this past OHL season was Millman. It seemed like with each passing month, his game and confidence reached a new level. By season’s end, he had established himself as one of the better offensive defenders in the OHL.

He impacts the game from an offensive standpoint because of how well he skates and how well he distributes. A breakout machine, he has that explosiveness to really turn around possession. Heading into next season, the expectations on him will be even higher as he looks to become a more well-rounded defender, and one of the best overall blueliners in the Ontario Hockey League.

At this point, a projection is difficult because Millman’s game is still growing and improving. At worst, he looks like a potential mobile third pairing defender who can see time on the powerplay. And at best, he could be an all situations second pairing defender. This is a prospect trending upwards. - BO

Noah Cates, LW (137^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 18)

After an NCAA championship and WJC Silver Medal as a freshman, and a near point-per-game performance as a sophomore, Cates will enter his junior season with Minnesota-Duluth as the team captain. A skinny player when drafted, he has filled out very nicely over two seasons on campus and is now very tough to play against physically, a trait that pairs well with his high hockey IQ.

Cates is reliable in all three zones, and has an impactful presence, even if his offensive skills are closer to average than to elite. With world class point man Scott Perunovich having turned pro with St. Louis, there is some question as to how much Cates will be able to produce going forward, especially on the power play, but his NHL future is more tied to his two-way play anyway.

If he can maintain some semblance of his offensive rates on a team that is expected to be weaker next year, Cates will be a lot closer to confirming his future as a fourth line energy winger to can chip in 8-12 goals per year as well. - RW

Noah CATES – McKeen's Hockey

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DEFENCE

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Detroit Red Wings – MON VS MTL, TUE @ MTL

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Pittsburgh Penguins – MON VS NSH, WED @ NYI

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Forwards

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Philadelphia Flyers

Cam York, D (14th overall, 2019. Pre-season: 2)

Morgan Frost, C/LW (27th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 3)

Egor Zamula, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Sep. 20, 2018. Pre-season: UR)

Tanner Laczynski, C (169th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 10)

Wade Allison, RW (52nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 12)

Bobby Brink, RW (34th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 5)

German Rubtsov, C (22nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

Isaac Ratcliffe, LW (35th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 4)

Ronnie Attard, D (72nd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 9)

Mark Friedman, D (86th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 11)

Jay O’Brien, C (19th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 16)

Jack St. Ivany, D (112th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

Ivan Fedotov, G (188th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Mason Millman, D (103rd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Noah Cates, LW (137th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 18)

Cam York, D (14^th overall, 2019. Pre-season: 2)

Morgan Frost, C/LW (27^th overall, 2017. Pre-season: 3)

Tanner Laczynski, C (169^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 10)

Wade Allison, RW (52^nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 12)

Bobby Brink, RW (34^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 5)

German Rubtsov, C (22^nd overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

Isaac Ratcliffe, LW (35^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 4)

Ronnie Attard, D (72^nd overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 9)

Mark Friedman, D (86^th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 11)

Jay O’Brien, C (19^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 16)

Jack St. Ivany, D (112^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

Ivan Fedotov, G (188^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Mason Millman, D (103^rdoverall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Noah Cates, LW (137^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 18)