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Flyers, Enough is Enough, Chalk the Season up as a loss, and bring up the Kids Already!
After tonight’s loss to the New York Islanders (who were playing their backup goaltender Semyon Varlamov mind you), the Philadelphia Flyers find themselves ranked seventh in the Metropolitan Division. Winning just 21 games out of 52 played thus far. But sadly, the worst may still be to come. Unlike the last 10-15 games of their schedule, the team is no longer slated to play a bunch of fellow non-playoff-bound teams. Quite the opposite, actually. In the coming weeks, the Flyers will be forced to play the Edmonton Oilers, the red-hot Seattle Kraken, the New Jersey Devils, the New York Rangers, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Carolina Hurricanes. These teams are all loaded with the kind of superstar talent that the Flyers roster currently lacks.
Now, I don’t know about you, but if this team is destined to replicate the kind of season they gave us last year, then why not just bring up the kids from Lehigh now and get them some more NHL experience?
Think about it. Do you really want to tune in as the Flyers continue to dress players like their 35-year-old defenseman Justin Braun, who has gone scoreless in the 34 games he’s played in so far this season? Or would you rather see a 23-year-old defenseman in Ronnie Attard who just came back from representing the Phantoms this year at the AHL All-Star Game? I rather see the teams future get the chance to gain more experience at the highest level. I mean at least Attard, who was Philadelphia’s 2019 3rd-round pick plays aggressively and chooses to stand people up at the blue line instead of just letting them skate past him.
Or how about replacing the failed waiver wire acquisition of Kieffer Bellows in the lineup who has only managed to score one goal in the 15 games played so far with the Flyers? I know I would much rather see the team’s 2020 1st round pick Tyson Foerster. Besides, the move would make sense because Bellows is a left wing who is currently being forced to play his offside, and Foerster is a natural right winger. Tyson also recently returned from representing the Phantoms at the AHL All-Star game. After accruing a team-leading 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points in 44 games played before the break. If called up, the 21-year-old would bring more size and skill, seeing that he stands at 6’2 and 194 pounds and has possessed an NHL caliber shot since he was 16 years old.
While we’re at it, teams have already begun to trade players before the March 3rd trade deadline, so why not follow suit and get rid of pending unrestricted free agent winger James van Riemsdyk and the overpaid defenseman Ivan Provorov sooner rather than later? Both moves would free up cap space and provide prospects like Elliot Desnoyers and the 2022 NCAA leading scorer/National Champion Bobby Brink a chance to prove themselves at the NHL level. Both have been equally impressive playing in Lehigh Valley this season and could provide the pop that this team needs offensively.
Regarding replacing Provorov, Cam York would be up to the task on the first line, and Egor Zamula could be called up from the Phantoms to fill the vacant roster spot, giving him a chance to develop into a more permanent fixture.
Then finally, to complete the roster moves, they should recall the undefeated goaltender Samuel Ersson and get Felix Sandstrom an Uber back to Allentown. Sam, who went 5-0-0 with a team-best 2.37 goals-against-average and a .918 save percentage when called up to play for the Flyers in Carter Harts absence this season, left most fans stunned when they heard the news that management decided to send him back to the minors recently.
While these moves will by no way fix all the teams’ problems, they might be able to re-spark some deflated fans’ attention and allow these talented young prospects to develop their skills further at the highest level. This would enable the prospects mentioned above to gain valuable experience while simultaneously permitting the team to lose graciously in the pursuit of another game-changing prospect to pair with their top-five selection from last year’s draft Cutter Gauthier. Only then would Philadelphia be able to take a step forward in their quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup.
The Flyers Should trade their Impending UFA James van Riemsdyk to this Metropolitan Team
Let’s face it with the All-Star Break now upon us; the Flyers once again find themselves nothing more than a five-hundred team. They are winning just enough games to be out of the running for the chance to draft a game-changer like Connor Bedard or Adam Fantilli and not enough to make the playoffs.
So, what should they do? Well, the first of many things should be to trade away assets like winger James van Riemsdyk (JVR), an impending unrestricted free agent at the season’s end. Philadelphia would be wise to try and get something for him before he walks for nothing after just 31 more games. Now, while JVR may have never turned out to be the player the Flyers thought he would be when they selected him second overall back in 2007, he has proven to be productive over the years. For instance, he has scored 20 or more goals seven times in his career. He scored twenty-five or more goals four times in his career. Thirty or more twice and 35 or more once. On top of that, van Riemsdyk is a 33-year-old veteran with great size (6’3) and strength (208 pounds) that can offer great depth and experience to any playoff-contending team in need of his services.
In previous years, the Flyers have been rumored to have tried to move on from James, but his albatross of a contract hindered that. That’s why, now more than ever, it is imperative that they find a way to facilitate a deal because with van Riemsdyk in the last year of his five-year $35 million contract. His $7,000,000 cap hit should not be that hard of a sell to contending teams considering the Flyers can afford to retain 50% of his salary.
But it doesn’t make a trade imminent the Flyers General Manager Chuck Fletcher will still have to channel his best-used car salesman and peddle James to the right contending team. For JVR’s stats, this season (8 goals and 13 assists for 21 points) are a far cry from even his totals from last year when he led the Flyers in goals with 24.
The question then becomes, what playoff contender needs James the most? Now there are teams like Calgary, Dallas, and Washington who could use him, but the best fit in my mind would be the Carolina Hurricanes, and here’s why.
Despite losing players to free agency and normal roster turnover, over the years, the Hurricanes have found a way to remain a perennial playoff team, with this year being no different. Once again, Carolina currently finds themselves atop the Metropolitan Division, but lucky for the Flyers the Canes just found out some bad news. Fellow veteran left winger Max Pacioretty who was traded to Carolina by the Las Vegas Golden Knights, has just sustained the second tear of his right Achilles tendon. An injury that will likely put an end to his season, if not his career. Pacioretty, like van Riemsdyk, carries an expiring contract with a $7 million cap hit and was brought to Raleigh to try and add some much-needed veteran experience and guidance to a very youthful Hurricanes roster.
This gives the Flyers the perfect opportunity to unload the burden of JVR and his contract onto a very vulnerable Don Waddell, the Carolina Hurricanes General Manager. Who is probably still swallowing down a fist full of Tums or other antacids right now while contemplating what he will do after hearing the news of Pacioretty’s latest injury.
What’s that now? You don’t trust Fletcher to be able to get this type of deal done? Neither do I, so let’s break down what he should be asking for in return, shall we? The Hurricanes have been known to overpay for a rental at the deadline if they think that player can legitimately help their organization raise a Stanley Cup banner. Now, of course, the Flyers will be looking to acquire future assets, but in my mind, why ask for all draft picks? Even if you hit on one of them, that player could take up to three to five years to develop.
So, here are three enticing but obtainable assets that the Flyers might be able to pry away from the Hurricanes in a trade for van Riemsdyk.
The first is a 22-year-old German sharp shooting forward named Dominik Bokk. Bokk is a 6’2 181 pounder that was originally taken in the first round by the St. Louis Blues back in 2018. After being drafted, Bokk struggled to adjust to the North American-style game. Since then, Dominik has shown a resurgence in his development since taking his talents back to Germany to play in the DEL (Germany’s top professional league). This season Bokk is averaging over a point per game, with him already scoring 24 goals and 25 assists for 49 points in just 42 games played, which, if he can keep it up, projects him to reach totals of 30 goals and 32 assists for 62 points. Scoring isn’t the only part of his game that should be appealing to the Flyers, though. Bokk can get back and play defense as well, this being made evident by him being projected to finish this season with a +30 average.
If I were Fletcher, a second prospect I would be eager to ask about would be a Finnish forward named Ville Koivunen, a player whose mindset is always set to attack. Ville was drafted by the Hurricanes back in 2021 with their second-round pick. Since then, Koivunen has returned to his native country to play in the Liiga (Finland’s top professional league) and has managed to put up ten goals and eight assists for 18 points this season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaF96csgv5E
Last but most certainly not least, I would try an obtain 21-year-old Swedish forward Noel Gunler. He is a 6’2 176, pound forward who possesses the kind of lightning-quick release you can only see and appreciate while watching it in super slow motion on the arena’s big screen after he’s already done celebrating the goal. Gunler was selected by the Canes back in the second round of the 2020 draft and can be found currently playing for their American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. Where this season, he has been able to score eight goals and ten assists for 18 points. Where at the same time, he is projected to finish the season with 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points. The only thing is Noel still has yet to be taught the art of defense. There’s no question he can score on demand, but his -12 average this season shows that he allows his opponents to do so as well.
So, at the end of the day, the Flyers must regain future assets for JVR before his contract expires. Philadelphia does not wish to resign him, and letting him walk for nothing at the end of the season would be foolish. Therefore, with the Flyers looking as though they will not be making the playoffs again this year, they should take the opportunity to cash in on the Hurricanes’ misfortunes by gaining proven prospects that are projecting to be only a year or two away. Trading van Riemsdyk for one or more of these prospects listed above would also allow for some of the Flyers’ more NHL-ready prospects like Tyson Foerster, Elliot Desnoyers, and Bobby Brink to gain some much-needed experience playing at the highest level, which is a win-win any way you look at it.
Prospect Watch: Kai Uchacz
A player eligible for the upcoming 2023 NHL Entry Draft that most scouts and fans alike have been sleeping on this season is 19-year-old center Kai Uchacz of the Western Hockey Leagues (WHL’s) Red Deer Rebels.
Now, listen, I get it. The WHL this season is chalked so full of talent you may have been too preoccupied with watching amazing players like Connor Bedard breaking records for the Regina Pats. Zach Benson, who has been freezing defenseman in place, up in Winnipeg while playing for the Ice. Andrew Cristall who has been busy making highlight reel plays every night for the Kelowna Rockets. Riley Heidt, who leaves Prince George Cougars fans roaring most nights after a big win. Or perhaps you’ve been tuning into Moosejaw Warrior games to catch a glimpse of the very enticing Brayden Yager. Nevertheless, whichever team or player you’ve seemed to have grown a devotion to this season, I assure you by the time you’re done reading this article about Uchacz, there’s a chance that you might have gained an admiration for him as well.
For example, you may be surprised to know that up to very recently, Kai led the entire league in goals this season. That is until Bedard returned from playing in the World Juniors to regain the lead. But even with Connor coming back, Uchacz has been able to keep pace with him trailing Bedard currently by just one goal (Bedard 39, Uchacz 38)! This feat is something that no other player in the league has even come close to achieving, and yes, that includes the other players listed above who will most likely all go in the first round of the draft this summer.
So, by now, hopefully, I have caught your attention enough so that you’re contemplating to yourself, who is this Kai Uchacz, and how is it that I haven’t heard of him if he can keep up with a generational talent such as Connor Bedard? As I stated earlier, he is 19 years old, which means he is a bit of a late bloomer. Last season for the Rebels, Kai put up just 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in his first year of draft eligibility. A decent season, but by no means one that should have gotten him drafted. So, what’s changed this year? If I had to take a guess, it would be that Kai has figured out how to utilize his size better. Uchacz now stands at 6’1 and 192 pounds giving him not only the size and physicality it takes to get into the dirty areas to win puck battles or jockey for position in front of the net, but his attributes make it easier for him to guard the puck when he skates through the oppositions’ defense on his way to the net as well. However, while his newfound size and strength have proved beneficial, it’s not all Uchacz has to hang his hat on. Kai also possesses a great hockey sense and an innate ability to play off the puck. What do I mean by this? Uchacz commonly finds ways to wander away from the masses and await a nice saucer pass from a teammate for an uncontested shot on goal. To go along with that, when a teammate is breaking into the offensive zone and is able to rip a nice shot on net, Kai always wands up instinctively in the exact position for the puck to rebound right onto the blade of his stick for an easy put-back.
Uchacz is currently scoring at a 1.40 points-per-game pace this season, totaling 38 goals and 25 assists for 63 points in just 45 games played. If he keeps up this pace, he is projected to finish the season with 57 goals and 38 assists for 95 points. What a difference a year makes, right? That’s why it would seem that being forced to take another year to continue to grow and refine his skills may not have been such a bad idea after all. While his age will see to it that he may not get the acclaim some others listed in this article will get from being selected in the first round this summer, his play this season should at least afford him the opportunity of an NHL team taking a chance on him during the latter part of day two down in Nashville.
The Flyers: Too Good to be Bad, Too Bad to be Good
Over the last ten games, the Philadelphia Flyers have given their fans something to finally get excited about by delivering a record of 8-2-0 during that time. But sadly, their recent stretch of wins didn’t manage to see them move out of the Metropolitan Divisions cellar seeing that even with the recent win streak, they still find themselves in 7th place with only 19 wins in 45 games played, which leaves them with a total of 45 points on the season.
So, to dive further into why the Flyers latest run didn’t advance them in the standings, let’s put the Flyers’ last ten games under a microscope. Ten games ago, the Flyers played the San Jose Sharks and beat them 4-3 in OT. A team who currently finds themselves seated in the 7th position in the Pacific Division, only achieving 13 wins and 35 points on the season to date. Meaning if the season ended today, they would be drafting 5th overall. Then the Flyers traveled to LA, where they took on the Kings on December 31st, where they were able to pull out a win by the score of 4-2. This win was quite impressive, seeing that the Kings presently find themselves among the playoff hopefuls ranked third in the Pacific Division. Now on a roll out in Cali., Philly then journeyed to Anaheim to take on the Ducks on January 2nd. Where once again, they were able to cash in on the success of their young goaltender Samuel Ersson earning themselves a 4-1 victory against a team who, if the season ended today, would be drafting 3rd overall. This is because the Ducks are, and have been for most of the season, ranked dead last in the Pacific Division. Moving on to Jan. 5th, some seven games ago now, the Flyers found relief (for some reason) in Carter Hart’s return and were able to gain yet another victory against the Arizona Coyotes, who have won just one game in their last ten which explains why they are currently positioned 7th in the Central Division with them only totaling 33 points on the season—making them now on pace to draft 4th overall. Then came an actual test when the Flyers faced off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 8th, where their star goalie (sarcasm) Carter Hart let in six goals with the Flyers only able to score two. Now while this loss should have given most fans a hard dose of reality on how their team compares to a true playoff contender, most just brushed it off. So, let’s continue; five games ago, Philadelphia lined up against the Buffalo Sabers on January 9th, and with Ersson back in net, the Flyers beat an improving Sabers team by a total of 4-0. Speeding it up now, the Flyers then went on to face the Washington Capitals in back-to-back games on Jan. 11th and 14th, resulting in Philly being able to win one of those contests against one of the oldest teams in the league. This brings us to Monday’s 6-0 thrashing dealt out by the Atlantic Division’s 1st-place team, the Boston Bruins, an outing that once again proves the Flyers cannot compete against the upper echelon of the NHL. Finally, we’ve reached their latest game, where the Flyers defeated the struggling Ducks again by a score of 5-2.
So, when you look at these last ten games with a bit of scrutiny, you’ll begin to see that these wins are not that impressive. Don’t get me wrong; I applaud the team for winning the games they played against opponents they should have beaten! But I’m not going to go on record and say I’m satisfied with how the team has played. Sure, there are bright spots like the way Konecny, Hayes, and Owen Tippett are on pace to have career years, and who could not get excited about the early success that the young Sam Ersson has had; but what is concerning is the fan bases willingness to buy into the teams’ propaganda (or selling of these players achievements and the teams’ recent success) in order to hide the franchises ongoing battle with mediocrity.
Let’s face it, when was the last time you truley felt the Flyers put together a roster that could compete for a Stanley Cup? I hope you didn’t say 2010 when the Flyers lucked out and squeaked into the playoffs as the seventh seed. Only then to somehow make it to the Finals with Michael Leighton in-between the pipes to take on the Blackhawks, who had Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, and Patrick Sharp gunning for him, with guys like Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Brian Campbell, and Niklas Hjalmarsson standing guard for Corey Crawford and Marty Turco.
No, I’m thinking more like the 1997 Flyers roster that the Legion of Doom Line of Eric Lindros, John LeClair, and Mikael Renberg led. With a supporting cast of Rod Brind’Amour, Eric Desjardins, Paul Coffey, and Ron Hextall. Sure, they went on to be swept by an incredible Detroit team that had SEVEN now Hall of Famers, then playing on their roster. But be honest; wasn’t that the last time you truly believed the Flyers had a shot at winning it all? It was for me.
That’s why since then, I think the Flyers have been Too Good to be Bad, and Too Bad to be Good. What I mean by that is the way the Flyers were able to stay so competitive over the years was by throwing their checkbook around. Today is different, though; no team has been able to buy a championship in the salary cap era. Instead, the successful ones have had to endure years of hardships to gain the nucleus of what would then become their dynasties.
Take, for instance, the Penguins. After Lemieux retired and Jagr moved on, their fans had to suffer through several brutal seasons to get the chance to draft Marc Andre Fleury with the 1st overall pick in 2003. Then again, to be able to select Evgeni Malkin with the second overall pick in 2004. Only to finish fifth in the Atlantic Division once more to take Sidney Crosby 1st overall in 2005 and Kris Letang in the third round that same year. Then and only then were they able to return to their winning ways, winning cups in ’09, ’16, and again in ’17.
Or how about the aforementioned Chicago Blackhawks, who it took drafting Brent Seabrook in the first round of 2003, Jonathan Toews third overall in 2006, and who could forget them lucking out and getting what was supposed to be the Flyers 1st overall pick in 2007 only to draft arguably the best American born player ever to play the game, Patrick Kane. (Let’s squash this argument before it happens-Remember Brett Hull may have always played for Team USA, but he was born in Ontario, Canada) Anyway, it took the Blackhawks drafting these three players before they could go on to raise banners in ’10, ’13, and ’15.
Or a more recent example would be the Tampa Lightning, whom it took drafting Steven Stamkos 1st overall in ’08, Victor Hedman 2nd overall in ’09, and selecting Andrei Vasilevskiy as the first goalie off the board in ’12 before they could win it all in ’20, ’21, and lose in the cup finals in ’22.
Now I don’t want to put this kind of pressure on the kid, but the Flyers may already have gotten a jump start building their own future dynasty when they selected Cutter Gauthier 5th overall this past off-season. He’s already scored 19 points in just 15 games played for Boston College this year. Along with scoring 10 points in seven games played for Team USA at the recent World Junior Championships. So why not continue on that trend for a year or two and get players like:
Andrew Cristall- in the upcoming draft from the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL, who currently has 62 points in 36 games played this season.
Then maybe grab a defenseman like Finland’s Aron Kiviharju in the 2024 draft.
In 2025 maybe the Flyers will try and take either American sniper Cooper Dennis
Or a goalie Gabriel D’Aigle who is already shining at only 16 years of age playing for the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL. I mean, he only spends his summers training with Marc Andre Fleury.
I could go on, but I think if Philadelphia just accepted how bad they really are and made sure they are in a position to draft these players in the coming years. Then a couple of seasons down the road, when these prospects join the group of talented youth they already have in place. The Flyers would then be able to at least spark the interest of some enticing free agents enough to make Philadelphia a place where talented players once again consider to come and play. Thus, they then, might have the makings of a successful NHL franchise. It’s worth a shot, right? I mean, everything they have tried since winning the 1975 Stanley Cup up to this point hasn’t, so why not give it a shot?
The Flyers would be wise to Trade Ivan Provorov to this NHL team ASAP
When the Flyers selected defenseman Ivan Provorov back in 2015 with the seventh overall pick in the NHL’s Entry Draft, they thought they might have just found their franchise’s next great blueliner. However, despite Provorov being able to log a ton of minutes for the orange and black over the last seven NHL seasons, I think most fans would agree he still is a far cry from the likes of Kimmo Timonen, Eric Desjardins, or Mark Howe.
With that being said, Philadelphia currently finds themselves in quite a conundrum. In the midst of their third straight losing season, the Flyers clearly can longer be considered the perennial playoff contenders they once were, and to add insult to injury, they are again up against the cap ceiling. So, with no clear answer in sight and far too many bad contracts currently on the books. The team must now look to unload what they can in order to acquire future assets that will help them moving forward.
Now it should go without saying that the team would love to rid themselves of the injury-prone defenseman Ryan Ellis’s contract that has the Flyers on the hook for $6.25 million for not only the rest of this season but the next four. But the likelihood that Chuck Fletcher will be able to find a fellow NHL general manager as gullible as he was when he accepted a trade for Ellis from the Nashville Predators is slim to none. So that should be considered but a pipe dream.
Instead, a more feasible option would be to try and trade away the aforementioned Ivan Provorov, who Chuck Fletcher overpaid a few seasons ago when he inked Ivan to a six-year $40.5 million deal with a cap hit of $6,750,000 a year. While this deal, on its face, does not seem that bad considering what other defensemen are getting paid nowadays, it does cause a problem when you take into consideration that the Flyers also just handed out an eight-year $50 million contract to fellow left-hand shot defender Travis Sanheim. If you do the math, Sanheim will be getting paid a cap hit of $6.25 million through the end of the 2031 season. That means the Flyers now have $19.25 million tied up into two left-hand shot defenders and a broken-down Ryan Ellis, who will most likely milk his injury until his contract runs out in 2027. Giving the team the earliest chance at any cap relief from these three players coming when Provorov is off the books after yet another two seasons.
However, if the team were to trade Provorov, who is still in his prime at just 26 years of age with term still left on his contract, they could not only get back quite the return but free up space in the top pairing for their 2019 first-round pick defenseman Cam York; which would finally give him the ice time he not only deserves but needs to have in order to continue to develop his game.
But then comes the question of what team might potentially be a buyer if the Flyers were willing to move on from Provorov? Well, if I were in Chuck’s position, I would call Rob Blake, the Los Angeles Kings general manager, and here’s why. The Kings are currently in second place in the Pacific Division, and this season may be their last real chance at hoisting another cup with the aging trio of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, and Jonathan Quick, who were previously able to hang Championship banners for their club back in 2012, and 2014. Why might they make this trade, you may be asking? Well, as good as LA has been this season, they still have needs. One of those needs is a left-hand shot defenseman. The team has only substantiated these claims by forcing their right-hand shot defenseman Sean Durzi to play his offside as well as kicking the tires on Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun. So why not try and offer them, Ivan?
The Kings are ideal trade partners for the Flyers because, besides the fact that LA’s window of winning a championship with their current roster may be closing, they have a plethora of promising prospects in their system that should be considered ripe for the picking.
Such as:
Right-hand defenders:
Brandt Clarke is a 6’2 185 pound, 19-year-old who was taken eighth overall back in ’21
Helge Grans is a 6’3, 205-pound 20-year-old who was taken back in the ’20 draft in the second round.
Or Jordan Spence, a 5’10 181 pound 21-year-old who the Kings drafted back in 2019 with their fourth-round pick.
Forwards:
Samuel Fagemo, a 6’0, 201-pound Swedish winger LA, picked in the second round of the ’19 draft.
Arthur Kaliyev, a 6’2, 209-pound sharpshooter who the Kings took back in the second round of 2019
Alex Turcotte a 21-year-old forward who stands at 5’11 and 185 pounds. That LA took with their fifth overall pick back in 2019.
Or Rasmus Kupari, a 6’2, 201-pound 22-year-old Finnish player that the Kings were able to acquire back in the first round of the 2018 draft.
If the Flyers could acquire a couple of these young and talented prospects in a trade for Provorov, they should not think twice before sending Ivan packing. For if they did, they would be not only giving themselves some breathing room financially but would be setting themselves up in the future as well, as most of these promising prospects have already started to show some success at the professional level in both the American Hockey League as well as the National Hockey League.
Prospect Watch: Avery Hayes
Prospect Watch is back once again with another name that you, the fan, should have on your radar. This week that name is non-other than the latest member of Peterborough Petes, forward Avery Hayes. Who was acquired in a recent trade from the reigning Ontario Hockey League (OHL) champions, the Hamilton Bulldogs. A very successful franchise in which Hayes played a big part in over the past few seasons.
So much so that it has left, this writer perplexed as to why no NHL team to date has thought to sign this now 20-year-old undrafted free agent. Far too often, professional clubs focus solely on building their team from the draft, which to their credit, does play a massive part in the development of their future, but it is not the only way to stay competitive. For example, the true contenders who are forced to select at the tail end of the draft year in and year out have found ways like signing late bloomers such as Hayes (and players like him) to entry-level deals to compensate for their lack of draft capital.
While this type of thinking may be considered innovative, when you think about it, it is nothing more than common sense. I mean, why would any prospecting club not want to add a player who is a threat to score each and every time he touches the ice? Who cares that Hayes is 20 years old when he possesses such a quick and accurate one-timer that it has allowed him to pile up goals on the power play? Not to mention the fact that he has been blessed with the patience of a seasoned NHL veteran that has allowed him to buckle the knees of goaltenders in the OHL for the last few seasons when on a breakaway. With that being said, it is this writer’s opinion that Avery would instantly become a top prospect for whatever club is smart enough to offer him a contract after this season. Don’t believe me? Just look at these stats. Last season, while playing for the Bulldogs, Avery scored 41 goals and 38 assists for 79 points over the course of 66 games played during the regular season. Folks, that means he was able to score at a 1.19-point-per-game pace. What may be equally impressive to NHL clubs, though, is that as dominant as Hayes was able to be in the offensive zone last season, he was able to match that defensively with him being able to maintain a +43 average. A feat that he sought out to best come playoff time when he scored 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points in just 16 games played, which, again, if you do the math, averages out to an astounding 2.12 points per game. This kind of production led to Hamilton winning the aforementioned Ontario Hockey League Championship. But because of the NHL franchises’ inattentiveness to anyone not in their first year of draft eligibility, Hayes’ historic run last season was all for naught.
That’s why once again, this Michigan native was forced to set out this season with the intent to open the eyes of any scouts that may be attending their games. Which, so far, I think he has done. In 33 games played for the Bulldogs this season (before being traded), Avery maintained a 1.24-point-per-game pace scoring 27 goals and 14 assists for 41 points. In addition, since being traded to the Peterborough Petes just a short time ago, Hayes has been able to instantaneously step into an unfamiliar offense and produce, scoring two goals in his first game with his new club. To put into perspective just what type of year Avery is currently on pace for, here are his projected end-of-the-season totals: 55 goals, 27 assists for 82 points.
I don’t know about you, but if Hayes can finish the year with these stats, he at least deserves a camp invite from somebody for his troubles, if not a 2-way contract.
Flyers Players that should be considered the Foundation for their Future
Today, the Philadelphia Flyers find themselves seventh in the Metropolitan Division, only managing to total 14 wins in 38 games played. Three of those wins, mind you, have come in the last three games after rookie goaltender Samuel Ersson took control of the crease after starter Carter Hart had been placed into concussion protocol. With that being said, the team is well on its way to their third straight losing season and, therefore, should start to embark on a full fledge rebuild. Yes, I know the team is on a three-game winning streak, but let’s be honest two of the teams they defeated during their current winning streak were the Anaheim Ducks, who currently sit in last place in the Pacific Division with just 24 points on the season. The other team being the San Jose Sharks, who find themselves right above the Ducks in seventh place in the Pacific with 31 points, both being worse off than the Flyers. Now in case you suffer from short-term memory loss like this writer has pretended to suffer from when it comes to the Flyers the past three seasons. Let us not forget the outcome of the teams’ games right before Christmas break when the Flyers were forced to face actual playoff contenders like the Hurricanes, Maple Leafs, Rangers, and Avalanche, which all resulted in losses for Philadelphia. When you factor in those L’s, it only further substantiates my claim of why this team should now look to whom they should consider as the foundation of their future and part ways with anyone they deem not on that concise list.
Travis Konecny
For example, one person that should be considered a part of that new foundation for this franchise moving forward is the still-youthful 25-year-old winger Travis Konecny. The Flyers 2015 1st-round pick, who this season while playing under the tutelage of head coach John Tortorella has not only been able to revitalize his career but compete at such a breakneck pace that he is projected to have a career year. Konecny (who is signed for two more years after this season at just $5.5 million) is currently playing at a 1.15 points-per-game pace, scoring 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in just 32 games played, which if you do the math that has him projected to score 45 goals and 43 assists for 88 points this season. A feat that would mean that he would not only meet but surpass his previous career highs of 24 goals and 61 points by scoring an additional 21 lamplighters and 27 apples on the score sheet!
With Travis still being relatively young and thriving in his coach’s new system, the Flyers should not view him as a tradeable asset if other teams come calling in the next few months, but rather, they should reward him for elevating his play. How might they do that, you might be asking? Well, I’m no general manager, but if I were in charge, I would liquidize as many of Chuck’s bad contracts and players that aren’t viewed to be in the team’s future plans as possible leading up to the trade deadline so that I could acquire the Vancouver Canucks 27-year-old captain Bo Horvat who is in the last year of his contract that only pays him a very reasonable $5.5 million a season. Now hear me out. I know the Flyers are in no possession to be buyers, but if they are looking for a move that can help the current roster both now and in the future, here’s their guy. To start, Bo is Travis’s second cousin, so you know there would be instant chemistry there if he was to be acquired. Not to mention upon his arrival they would have the makings of two-thirds of a respectable NHL first line, seeing that Bo is a 6’0, 216-pound center-ice man who has scored 28 goals and 14 assists for 42 points so far this season. I would rate a trade of this magnitude of extreme need and importance for the Flyers, with Sean Couturier being out with multiple extended injuries the last couple of seasons and Kevin Hayes currently finding himself in Tort’s doghouse.
Now before you jump to conclusions NO, I am not saying that I think that Philadelphia should trade away their coveted 1st round pick to make this happen. I honestly don’t think it will take that much to get a deal done. Every team in the NHL knows Bo is unhappy and probably won’t re-sign there, and therefore should balk on a deal if Vancouver tries to ask for too much. So in order for both the Cauncks and the Flyers to ensure they get the most out of this trade I would want it to a be a sign and trade scenario where only then should the Flyers be willing to offer up a couple of their more promising prospects, such as the diminutive 5’9 defenseman Emil Andrae and their other, former second round pick Samu Tuomaala with the Flyers then throwing in say a 3rd or 4th round pick this year seeing that the team has multiples of each. This would be possible because, as I stated before, Horvat is an unrestricted free agent after this season and the reports coming out of Vancouver are that the Canucks low ball offers when attempting to re-sign Horvat have all but seen to it that Bo will have his suitcases all packed and ready to go before even heading to the rink for the Cauncks’ last game of the season. Once the two teams agree to a trade, the Flyers should then work on signing Horvat to no more than a five-year deal that would have him be a free agent again at 32 years of age. Only then would I agree to a deal.
Owen Tippett
Another player who should be viewed as a part of their future foundation is their recently acquired sharp-shooting winger, Owen Tippett. Tippett (who we all know was acquired in the trade with the Panthers last season that sent Claude Giroux packing) has been on a tear this year. Scoring 12 goals and eight assists for 20 points in just 33 games played, Owen is well on his way to setting new personal best in every statistical category. In fact, if his play continues at this rate, he is projected to score 28 goals and 19 assists for 47 points this season. Not too bad for a 23-year-old who is only making $1.5 million through the end of next year, eh?
What could this team do to ensure Tippetts’ production continues on an upward trend? Easy, lock him into a top-six role and make sure whoever is on the line with him can place the puck on the tape of his stick; if they manage to do that, Owen will do the rest. Don’t believe me? Think about it; look at what he has been able to do with the Hodge podge group of players that this year’s Flyers roster has been made up of. Then imagine what he could do playing on a consistent line with players who aren’t named Morgan Frost or Noah Cates. I like Cates and all, but I don’t think you’ll find Frost or Cates currently on anybody’s Fantasy Hockey Team, do you?
Cam York
The last player on the Flyers’ current roster that I think the team should solidify as part of their foundation moving forward is defenseman Cam York. While I know he is still just 21 years of age, York has previously exhibited the ability to win at many different levels. It didn’t matter if it was junior hockey, where he led team U.S.A. to a gold medal at the World Junior Championships back in 2021, or in the NCAA, where he was able to develop into a dominant force on the Wolverines’ blue line. York has been able to make whatever team he is playing on better. Take, for instance, the Flyers; since he joined the team some 11 games ago, he has scored one goal and six assists for seven points. But his point production and ability to become an asset on the power play in such a short amount of time isn’t even the best part. He already possesses a team-best +6 average, which is more than any of the other overpaid defenders on the team can say. With Provorov being a -10, DeAngelo a -9, Risto. a -5 and Sanheim being -3; someone tell me why this kid is still playing third-pairing minutes?
What the team can do to ensure they continue to facilitate York’s development would be to utilize him correctly and evaluate who they can get rid of ahead of him on the depth chart to enable him to get the kind of ice time he deserves. For example, Cam is a left-hand shot defender who, previously to this year, has not been able to excel his game on the world’s largest stage. Because last season, he was forced to play on his unnatural side due to injuries that occurred to other Flyer defenders; this being a task that (in this writer’s opinion) should have been delegated to one of the team’s more experienced veterans that were still in the lineup. I mean, with Ryan Ellis going down, wouldn’t it have made more sense to slide Ivan (who at the time was already playing in his sixth NHL season) over to the right side rather than force a 20-year-old prospect to do it? And, as far as the depth chart issue goes, the team has Provorov, who is a career -21 player signed for $6.75 million until the end of 2025, and Sanheim, who is a career -22 player who they just inked until the end of the 2031 season for $6.25 million a year. So, in saying that, I guess my question is, who is staying and who is going? With $13 million already wrapped up into two left-hand shot defenders, does management really expect York to play third line minutes for the next two to three seasons? Or do they try and move Ivan’s inflated contract in a trade, even if it means retaining some of his salary to free up cap space and allow York to slide into a more prominent spot in the lineup? I don’t know about you, but I know which choice I would make if I had a say in things.
If management were to take my advice and start the demolition process of this team with these easy steps in mind, they would not only be solidifying the foundation for their future, but they would be making sure to safeguard the development of star prospects like Cutter Gauthier, Elliot Desnoyers, Bobby Brink, and Alexis Gendron in ensuring that when they make the jump to the NHL that they will have someone on their level, they can play alongside.
Prospect Watch: Zaccharya Wisdom
The latest name I have for you to keep an eye out for is 18-year-old Zaccharya Wisdom, a 6’1, 172-pound right winger who currently plays for the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
Yes, before you can even ask, he is the younger brother of the Philadelphia Flyers’ 2020 4th-round pick Zayde Wisdom. Let me assure you though I am not writing about this young man because he’s a prospect who shares the same surname as a professional athlete. On the contrary, Zaccharya’s play this season has earned him this acclaim all on its own.
That said, if I had to describe his game in one word, it would be aggressive. Never missing the opportunity to make contact with the opposition, Wisdom has shown the ability this season to produce some of the most mind-erasing hits the USHL has seen in quite some time. Wisdom is far from a goon, though. He chooses to deliver these filling rattlers in order to create turnovers and regain puck possession. Hence, the reason why he has been so successful on the forecheck and his team has been able to create/capitalize on so many offensive chances this season.
In addition, Zaccharya has also been known to utilize his physical aggressiveness to stand out on the Rough Riders’ power play by not only crashing the crease but also establishing a net-front presence. In fact, Wisdom spends so much time parked in front of the opposition’s goaltender he should get his mail forwarded there! Moreover, while his willingness to take the physical abuse that comes with setting up shop there should be enough to earn him the respect of anyone who has played the game before. It is Zaccharya’s veteran-like ability (once there) to position his body in a way that prevents his opposition’s defenseman from being able to hinder his chances to deflect a shot or gain control of a rebound that sets him apart from others in his age group.
Given all of these traits listed above, it should come as no surprise when I tell you that Wisdom has posted 14 goals and 12 assists for 26 points in just 23 games played so far this season, which, if you do the math, is a 1.13 point per game average. A feat. that currently sees Zaccharya as not only the highest-scoring player on his team but among the USHL’s top ten in both goals and points scored as well.
Keep an eye on #26
Now, since we all know everyone will try to compare him to his brother in the months leading up to the draft, I’ll save you the trouble. While Zayde and Zaccharya both play the game as it should be, PHYSICAL. There are some areas where they are different. One main difference is their skating ability. While his older brother (who stands at only 5’10) has to rely on a lot of short choppy strides to gain momentum, the younger/taller Zaccharya tends to get up to speed faster with fewer, more powerful strides. These extended strides assist the younger of the two brothers in leading the offensive zone rush, or if he doesn’t have the puck, allows him to arrive right on time to put a nice juicy rebound in the back of the net.
Don’t get me wrong, by no means does all of this praise suggest that I think Zaccharya is a perfect prospect and, thus, will be taken along with the upper echelon of this year’s draft class. Wisdom (like most young players) should be viewed as a project (who will likely be taken in the later rounds) because he has a couple of things he will still need to work on before turning pro. One of which is his defensive game. While he is still a plus player this season, at times, I have seen him lose or fail to pick up his man when the opposition’s offense is set up in the Rough Riders’ defensive zone. Don’t fret, though; this is not because Wisdom is solely out to score goals, but rather that he has been caught unsuccessfully trying to pick off a pass or wipe a player of the puck entirely. I don’t know about you, but I much rather have to teach a player to dial it back a little who is pressing too hard rather than be stuck coaching one who isn’t trying hard enough!
With the Holiday’s & Chuck’s Imminent Dismissal now upon us, here are some Objectives his Successor must look to Achieve.
With the team in the midst of their third straight losing season, the Flyers’ General Manager (GM) Chuck Fletcher’s dismissal seems imminent. What is sad, though, is despite how bad of a job Fletcher has done during his tenure here in Philadelphia, Dave Scott, who holds the title of Chairman & CEO of Comcast Spectacor as well as the self-appointed title of “Governor” over the Flyers will likely, not outright fire his beloved Chuck, but rather “promote” him to the title of “Senior Advisor” a job the aging 67-year-old Paul Holmgren currently holds.
Now Chuck’s firing/possible promotion should mean the team will go out and look to fill Chuck’s impending vacancy with a proven young initiative thinker like Chris MacFarland, the Colorado Avalanche’s assistant general manager, Eric Tulsky, the Carolina Hurricanes Ast. GM who is an analytics genius and holds a master’s degree from Harvard and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. Or perhaps even the highly decorated Brooks Bandits head coach and general manager Ryan Papaioannou, who discovered and developed both Cale Makar and the NCAA’s current point leader Ryan McAllister to name a few. However, that search is likely not even to begin because the Flyers have already been grooming their next man up for some time now, and that, of course, is former Flyer, Danny Briere.
The Grooming Process
It all started with a not so gently push from the team’s “Alternate Governor”/ President and CEO of Spectacor Sports and Entertainment, Valerie Camillo. She suggested that Danny go back to school and get a degree. So Briere decided to attend and graduate from the prestigious Wharton School of Finance. To further this push, upon Danny finishing school, he was gifted the job of running another Comcast-owned team, the ECHL’s Maine Mariners, for a couple of years. Then when the powers at be thought he was good and ready to assist with the big club, ownership created his current job with the Flyers: Special Assistant to the General Manager so he could be under the tutelage of the floundering Chuck Fletcher.
So, seeing that the plans are already in place for not if, but when Chuck Fletcher is relieved from his current duties, let’s focus on what Danny should be assessing the minute he moves into Chuck’s old office.
Tradeable Assets:
With the season nearing the halfway point and the team currently seated in the 7th spot in the Metropolitan Division, Danny (or whomever the new gm may be) should be thinking about his tradeable assets, especially since this draft is projected to be one of the best in quite some time. Who should they look to be getting rid of, you may be asking? Of course, the popular name floating about the rumor mill right now is Kevin Hayes, whose chances of being traded are being quantified as we speak because of his current disagreement with his head coach John Tortorella. While most feel Hayes would bring a decent return, I think the possibility of finding another gm who is willing and or able to take on his $7,142,857 in salary (which he gets paid until the end of the 2025-2026 season) during the middle of the season is a bit of a pipedream, primarily, because Kevin holds a modified no-movement clause.
Instead, a player who is more likely to get moved by the end of the year would be James van Riemsdyk a 33-year-old impending free agent who was the Flyers’ top goal scorer last year and currently has 12 points in 13 games played this season. While James is no longer the competitor he once was when playing for the Maple Leafs, he is still an effective net-front presence who could help any contenders power play unit. Plus, Philadelphia could easily retain half his salary for the rest of this season in exchange for a potential 1st or 2nd round draft pick.
Another tradeable asset is their 23-year-old impending restricted free Morgan Frost, who, despite playing in 109 NHL games over four seasons, has only begun to show a smidgen of what the Flyers thought he would be. In my opinion, his career 0.119 goals per game average, along with his 0.321 points per game average, does not warrant the team turning down an offer full of future assets. And yes, I know he has scored a goal in each of the last two games, but remember, the Flyers are playing against teams’ backups most nights now. For example, against the Rangers, Frost did not score on Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin. He scored on 37-year-old Jaroslav Halak. Against Columbus, he was not facing starter Elvis Merzlik; he scored on prospect Danil Tarasov.
Moving up in Draft:
Another thing Chuck’s successor should look to do once they are named the tenth general manager in team history is to move up in the draft. The Flyers do not possess a second-round pick in this upcoming draft or the following year. However, they hold two third-rounders and two fourth-round picks this summer. When paired together in a draft day trade proposal, Philadelphia could acquire another first or second-round pick. Something this struggling starless franchise so desperately needs. Think about it. This current roster is not set to win now. Still, they could be considered a contender sooner rather than later if they manage to pick up a couple more high-end prospects with any combination of players like Will Smith, Calum Ritchie, Brayden Yager, Andrew Cristall, Riley Heidt, or Cameron Allen from this year’s draft to go along with their 5th overall pick from last season Cutter Gauthier.
Assess the Goaltending Situation:
If there is one particular position that has plagued the Flyers franchise over the years, it would be goaltending. Since Ron Hextall played his last game for Philadelphia in 1999, the team has had an unfathomable 29 different goalies start a game for them. Still, despite Hextall drafting the highly coveted Carter Hart back in 2016. The team still has questions and concerns about who they have standing guard in the blue paint. While Hart is still well-liked in Philadelphia, his career numbers leave a lot to be desired. Defend him all you want, but Carter is now in his fifth year in the NHL. At what point is he going to have a breakout season? Sure, he has shown glimpses at times, but he has yet to put together a solid FULL SEASON of work. To date, he has played in 171 regular season games. He has just three career shutouts to his credit and only 72 wins. Folks that means he has only won 42% of his starts! Shocked? You shouldn’t be, considering his career averages are a 2.94 goals against and a .906 save percentage. Hell, in what was considered to be his best season, he only won 24 games. Those kinds of numbers will get you fired if you’re a backup, let alone if you are now considered the face of the franchise.
What about the guys in the system? Felix Sandstrom is a year older than Hart and has only managed to win one game in the NHL! That’s with him playing in 14 games thus far, and if you do the math, that equates to him winning a laughable 7% of the games he has played in.
Ivan Fedotov would have been an impressive addition this season, but his future is still unknown after being forced into military service in Siberia after signing with the Flyers.
The Troy Grosenick signing was a joke. He currently holds a 3.93 goals-against average while only managing to play in three games for the Phantoms this season, and we won’t even mention Samuel Ersson or Alexei Kolosov, who are struggling in their respected leagues just to maintain a .500 record.
Therefore, this team’s next general manager must take a long, hard look at this position moving forward and ask himself. If Hart continues to struggle and no goaltending prospect steps up to take his place. At what point should we cut our losses with him? And if the new gm isn’t willing to do so, he must ask himself, is it worth being forced to resign Carter after next season just because we have no one better in the system?
If the rumors are true and Chuck is on his way out, seemingly leaving this team in shambles. These previously stated issues are the first of many objectives whatever poor sap that ownership can con into taking the job of general manager of the Flyers should look to achieve. For if they don’t, they will no doubt have a short tenure on South Broad Street.
Prospect Watch: Calvin Vachon
If you have glanced at an NHL Mock Draft lately, you would have seen that this upcoming draft looks to be chalked full of offensive talents, especially down the center of the ice. However, what you won’t find is a lot of quality goaltenders on those lists. That doesn’t mean that they’re not out there, though. Merely that they have just fell victim to NHL clubs narrowing their parameters when searching for their next goaltender of the future. Those parameters in question are that of a goalie’s height. Over the years, the league as a whole has developed the thought process of “the taller a goalie is, the better he must be.” Hence why the league’s average height of an NHL goalie today has climbed to 6’3, compared to that of a forward or defenseman playing in this league that has a mean of just 6’1.
Now, while I understand the game is a lot different than it used to be, I don’t believe a goalie’s height should define his career’s ceiling! Plenty of great goaltenders from the past were of diminutive stature. Take Hockey Hall of Famer Rogie Vachon for insistence. He was able to win a Vezina Trophy and raise the Stanley Cup on three separate occasions with Montreal despite him only standing at only 5’8, and that’s before he ever went on to don the purple and gold in LA, where he became thought of as one of the premier netminders of his time.
For these reasons mentioned above, I think Rogie’s grandson Calvin, who is a 6’0 tall draft-eligible goaltender, has not yet received the acclaim and/or respect he thus deserves. Calvin is a classically trained goaltender who, (like his grandfather) is aggressive in the net, challenging the shooter on every play by coming out well past the top of the crease to cut off the shooter’s angles. On top of that, Calvin follows the puck very well, and when he has to drop to the ice, he tends to keep his hands high to cover the top of the net.
Now, I already know what you’re thinking, but I assure you while being born with a famous surname may have helped to get Calvin some early media exposure while he was playing for the Los Angeles Jr Kings in his early teens. It has been this young guardian of the blue paints’ skill set that has gotten him to the point of possibly being drafted by an NHL team this summer. For example, Vachon has been on this path of greatest for some time. At just 13 years of age, Calvin posted an unheard-of 0.59 goals-against-average (G.A.A.) over 57 games played that season.
If we transition our focus to the current season, we can see that not much has changed. So much so that Calvin got the chance to represent Team USA in this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup and is now playing his third season up in Minnesota for the Shattuck St. Mary’s 18U Preparatory High School team (a club that has such alums as Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, and Zach Parise, just to name a few) where he has played in parts of 14 games this season and currently holds an 11-0-0 record on the year with four of those wins coming by way of a shutout. All of which while averaging a 1.86 G.A.A. and a .932 save percentage.
But sadly, because Calvin is not 6’6, he is only being projected to go in the 7th round of this year’s draft. This reminds me of a 6’0 goaltender in Devon Levi, who was a 7th-round draft choice from the 2020 entry draft that I said would prove to be one of the best goaltenders coming out that season. Ergo Levi being named both a Hobey Baker Award Finalist and receiving the honor of being named the Mike Richter Award recipient (award given to the top collegiate goaltender) last year in just his first year competing in the NCAA.
So, I guess what I’m saying is if you’re an NHL team this off-season that is in the market for a goaltending prospect, don’t follow the league norm and pass up the chance to select this excellent young goaltender with an exceptional NHL pedigree just because he is a little shorter than you would like. Because if you do, he is bound to make you regret it!
Back up Options for the Flyers in case; they can’t land Bedard or Fantilli
Photo Credit: @Kelowna_Rockets/Twitter
With the Philadelphia Flyers in the midst of their third consecutive losing season, it would appear as though the orange and black will be drafting once again from within the Draft Lottery. However, this may not be such a bad thing, considering this year’s draft class is stacked with high-end talent.
Now the real prizes of this draft are, of course, Connor Bedard of the Western Hockey Leagues (WHL), Regina Pats, and Adam Fantilli of the Michigan Wolverines of the NCAA. Both of these players will no doubt make a significant impact on their respected clubs the moment they step on the ice in their new teams’ sweaters, but what if the Flyers aren’t one of those lucky teams who get to call out one of these two players’ names come draft day?
Well, I’m here to tell you there are other prospects in this draft class who I think will develop into top-line talent as well, but for Philadelphia to make the most out of their pick, they will have to ensure they do more than just take a “good player.” They will need to find a new face of their franchise, someone who not only will be a real threat to score every time they touch the ice but who every fan in the tri-state area will be willing to go out and spend a couple of hundred dollars on a jersey with their name on it as well.
Brayden Yager
Now, that may be a tall order to ask of the Flyers GM (whoever that may be, come draft day), but it’s a task they should indeed try to ascertain. For example, one player who could grow to fit that need over time from this draft class is Brayden Yager of the WHL’s Moosejaw Warriors. Brayden has one of the most incredible shots in this draft class. He is what they call a finisher, a pure sniper whom every one of his teammates out on the ice looks to in key situations. Last season in the WHL, Brayden scored an impressive 34 goals and 25 assists for 59 points in 63 games played in his inaugural campaign, winning him the honor of being named the CHL’s Rookie of the Year, but somehow, he was still overshadowed by his teammate Jagger Firkus who the Seattle Kraken took in the 2nd round of last years draft. This year though, he and Firkus are being viewed as equals as Yager has managed to light the lamp 16 times and assisted on 18 others totaling 34 points in 28 games played thus far. Folks, that averages out to 1.21 points per game.
Calum Ritchie
My next suggestion comes from a position of need for the Flyers, which is down the middle of the ice. Calum Ritchie is a 6’2, 187-pound center who currently plays for the Ontario Hockey Leagues (OHL) Oshawa Generals. Simply put, Ritchie possesses all the intangibles it takes to be great. Sure, his clean shot and rapid release are nice, but what really makes him stand out from the crowd, in this writer’s opinion, is his on-ice vision which allows Calum to skate through the opposition while making a no-look pass to an awaiting teammate at the mouth of the goal with ease. So far this season, Ritchie has been able to score eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 24 games played. I got to tell you, if the Flyers were to end up with this kid, I would not be mad because not only could Calum be trusted to produce offensively, but he would also be sure to make everyone else who plays with him better as well.
Andrew Cristall
If I had to pick one impact player out of this draft that I think the Flyers would benefit most from drafting after Bedard and Fantilli were both off the board, it would have to be Andrew Cristall. This explosive winger who plays for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL has had me memorized all season long. Why, you may be asking? Well, Andrew plays the game with so much charisma that you just can’t wait to see what he does next. Whether he’s celebrating after scoring an impossible goal, passing the puck right to the tape of an awaiting teammates stick for an assist, or stick handling through the other team’s defense like a warm knife through butter, Cristall manages to appear as though he is performing these acts with little to no effort at all. This season Andrew has been able to score at a rate of 1.87 points per game, posting 18 goals and 27 assists for 45 points in just 24 games played! With those numbers only being bested by Connor Bedard himself this season in the WHL.
While other draft experts in the coming weeks and months may begin to suggest other prospects that the Flyers should take, based on that player being viewed as the next best available talent according to where the team ends up selecting. Remember, these are my suggestions based on who I think would help to address the Flyers most immediate needs moving forward. Which of these players would you like to see playing on South Broad Street in the near future?
It’s Nice to see Kevin Hayes Finally Living up to his Contract
With the Flyers franchise currently in shambles and its general manager Chuck Fletcher appearing to suffer from delusional ideations when speaking to the media a few days ago about how he thought the team still had the chance to make the playoffs this year. It should come as no surprise when I tell you it’s been hard to find something positive to write about this team again this season.
Now, although a lot of their misfortunes have been brought on by their previously mentioned general manager, whose actions may, in fact, be the cause for his imminent demise, there has been one bright spot this season, and that is the play of center Kevin Hayes.
With Chuck desperate to make his first big acquisition upon being appointed to his current role with the team late in 2018, he thought it would be wise to bring in someone who could help integrate his new head coach (Alain Vigneault’s) systems. Ergo, the decision to make a trade with Winnipeg for the then 6’5, 220-pound impending free agent Kevin Hayes, who had played for Vigneault during their time with the New York Rangers.
Once acquired, in true Fletcher fashion, Chuck decided to pay Hayes, not for the player he was currently, but rather for the player he hoped he would be. What I mean by that is Fletcher had the bright idea to hand out an inflated seven-year $50 million contract, which carries a $7,142,857 cap hit until 2026 (with no movement clauses built-in), to a player who, to this day, has never even managed to score 50 points in a single season despite him playing the last decade in the NHL.
Since coming to Philly, Kevin has found himself on the injury list more often than not, managing to play in just 172 games over the course of the last three seasons. Where over that same time span Hayes only succeeded in scoring 41 points in the ‘19- ‘20 season and 31 points in each of the last two seasons, which, if you do the math, comes out to him scoring at a rate of only 0.59 points per game. When you have those kinds of stats coming from one of your highest-paid players, it isn’t exactly conducive to your team winning games. For comparison, the Avalanche’s Captain Gabriel Landeskog (who made only $7 million last season) scored darn near double Hayes’ regular season point totals from last year despite him suffering a knee injury that caused him to miss the last 23 games of the Av’s regular season and required surgery to repair. However, Landeskog was able to battle back from the injury earlier than expected to not only play in the postseason but to lead his team to a Stanley Cup victory scoring 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points in 20 games played.
This season thankfully has been a different story for Kevin, who the Flyers are stuck paying for the next three years. Hayes has managed to keep his name off of the Injury Report list (knock on wood) and be productive at the same time. However, I would contribute much of that newfound success to his now head coach John Tortorella, reinforcing that he expects a lot out of Hayes this season. To prove this, Torts even went to the extreme of sitting him the entire third period of a game the Flyers were losing against the San Jose Sharks earlier in the year simply because he was not happy with his play. Tortorella’s tough love must be working, though, because as of right now, Hayes is scoring at a point-per-game pace, which, if he continues on this path, would make this season easily the best of his career.
Now, we all know a lot can change over the course of a long NHL season, but with the way things have turned out for the Flyers over the past couple of years, Hayes scoring eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points in 24 games played so far this season should be viewed as nothing short of a Christmas miracle, and who knows it is also Flu season, so maybe we will get lucky, and his play will turn out to be contagious so he can pass it along to some of his teammates!