With American Thanksgiving now behind us and the holiday season coming up, PHR continues its look at what teams are thankful for in 2022-23. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Who are the Flyers thankful for?
Carter Hart, Kevin Hayes, and Travis Konecny
There’s plenty to take issue with as the Flyers stand right now, seventh in the Metropolitan Division, 27th in the entire league and after a strong first month of the season too. Not many expected Philadelphia to compete for the Stanley Cup, but a myriad of injuries and poor play that persists wasn’t exactly what the team had in mind when they began this season or when they hired veteran bench boss John Tortorella to shake things up. All of that said, one thing the organization has to be thankful for, likely for different reasons as to each, is the play of their top players.
Carter Hart’s emergence is not necessarily a surprise to many, even if it is a bit later than he or the Flyers were hoping, however he finally seems to be the bona fide number one netminder the team had expected. His base numbers don’t necessarily strike the eye as elite, a .913 save-percentage and 2.82 goals-against average coming into Monday, but contextually, considering the play of the team in front of him, they seem better than at first glance. Also consider Hart’s numbers from the previous two seasons, a combined .895 save-percentage and 3.34 goals-against in 72 games over the two seasons, it stands to reason the Flyers can feel confident in the young goaltender as a building block going forward.
The Flyers’ signing of Kevin Hayes to a seven-year, $50MM contract during the 2019 offseason raised a few eyebrows at the time, and continued to draw criticism as the veteran never seemed to fully meet expectation. With three more seasons after this one with a cap hit just over $7.14MM, it seemed as though the Flyers would be saddled with Hayes, an otherwise fine player, and his large cap hit. However, this season has been a turnaround for Hayes, who is on his way to a career year, with 29 points in 31 games to date. There’s been controversy recently, Hayes listed as a healthy scratch against the New York Rangers, his former team, this weekend, but in the bigger picture, it seems at this point the Flyers might at least go from having the cap hit be a liability to something more along the lines of an asset, or perhaps even be able to deal Hayes and his hit altogether.
Finally, the 25-year-old Konecny is having a career-year of his own with 26 points in 26 games thus far. Always a reliable source of offense, the goals haven’t been there for Philadelphia this season like they have been in the past, but that’s been a non-issue for Konecny, who’s been able to drive offense nonetheless. Signed through 2024-25 at a relative bargain of $5.5MM AAV and just entering his prime, the Flyers may choose to utilize the forward as part of their long-term plans. But, given his control at a cost-effective price, the organization may just have a fantastic trade-chip on their hands either at the trade deadline or this offseason, should they choose to go that route.
What are the Flyers thankful for?
The Farm
As tough as things look right now for the Flyers, their group of young players and prospects appears to have them set up for a bright future. On the roster, Morgan Frost, Owen Tippett, and Noah Cates all appear headed in the right direction, while the recently-recalled Cam York is off to a strong start in the NHL with a pair of points in five games. After getting into 30 games with the Flyers last season, recording 10 points, York was sent back to the AHL to start this season, but his 13 points in 20 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms were enough to show he’d earned a recall.
In addition to York, players like Tyson Foerster, Olle Lycksell, Elliot Desnoyers, and Ronnie Attard have been developing nicely and contributing as key members of that team. Of course, there’s still plenty more for that group to work on to be ready for the NHL game, but it does appear to be a wave of talent that, when ready, will be able to lift the Flyers rather quickly. Currently injured, but expected to joint hat wave of talent is forward Bobby Brink who, after dominating in three years at the University of Denver, turned pro and joined the Flyers at the tail end of last year, adding four assists in 10 games in the NHL.
Perhaps the most exciting name in the farm right now is forward Cutter Gauthier, who the team drafted fifth overall in 2022. The forward, who brings size and elite offensive ability, already has 16 points, including 10 goals, through 13 games as a freshman with Boston College. Also of note, given their place in the standings this year, the Flyers will find themselves with another high pick in an incredibly strong NHL draft, giving them another name to add to this mix, as well as a strong lottery ticket in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes.
What would the Flyers be even more thankful for?
The long-term health of Sean Couturier
The last we heard of Couturier, the center had undergone back surgery and was expected to miss three to four months from that point. That was on October 29th, which puts a February return as a likely possibility if all goes well. The issue there is, when it comes to injuries and recovery, all has not gone well for Couturier in recent years, costing him 53 games last season, and likely at least 50 at minimum this year.
Whether Couturier can return to regular, healthy action and contribute as he had in the past is still a question to be answered, but with the perennial Selke candidate signed for $7.75MM through 2029-30, much of the Flyers’ long-term future hangs on what they will get out of Couturier. If he can return to the player he was beforehand, it will give the organization another big building block to try and turn things around quickly, one they can combine with players like Hart and Konecny, as well as the young players discussed above. If Couturier can’t become that player again, they may be bound by another rather large contract for a very long time. Still, if Couturier isn’t able to come back at all, at the very least, they can keep his contract in LTIR going forward.
Much of this sentiment can ring true for defenseman Ryan Ellis, who the Flyers have signed at $6.25MM through 2026-27, though it would seem Couturier’s future is a lot more crucial. For instance, compare Couturier to Ellis, who is a solid top-four defenseman when healthy and has only played four games with the team, while Couturier represents arguably the face of the franchise after Claude Giroux’s trade, while playing on a much larger contract. That said, the long-term health and success of both players is incredibly important.
What should be on the Flyers holiday wishlist?
A rebuild, or at the least, a clear direction
Much has been made about the direction the Flyers are going in, whether that’s trying to compete now, taking a small step back to make some changes and wait for health, the possibility of going into a full rebuild, or something in between these. Many have wondered if the Flyers and their fans would even have the willingness to go through a full rebuild, something the organization has rarely, if ever, pursued in their long and storied past.
With the team making several, what felt almost contradictory, moves in recent months, the direction of the team grew more unclear, while the team remains towards the bottom of the standings. In previous years, the team has acquired and signed a number of star players to big contracts , such as Hayes, Ellis, James van Riemsdyk, and Rasmus Ristolainen. Then, last season, out of a playoff race, they dealt a franchise icon and pending UFA in Giroux, among others.
This offseason, the team appeared ready to make the moves to be competitive again, acquiring and extending Tony DeAngelo, but when the opportunity to sign hometown superstar Johnny Gaudreau presented itself in free agency, the team didn’t necessarily jump at the opportunity. On top of their somewhat confusing offseason dealings, the team also hired Tortorella, hoping he could change the team’s identity, getting more out of a cohesive group they believed they hadn’t had, perhaps sneaking into the playoffs, which doesn’t appear to be happening.
Whether a rebuild is the right move for the Flyers is something to be left up to the experts who actually run NHL teams. However, a clear “this is what we’re doing” direction, whether that’s a rebuild, a “retool” that goes a bit quicker using some of the pieces they have now, or simply doing all they can to turn the ship around now and be competitive as soon as possible, would seem to be a fair request from the fans and other stakeholders around the organization.
