With their overtime victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on April 13th, the Philadelphia Flyers’ 2022-23 season finally came to a close.
They finished the year with a 31-38-13 record, finished 7th in the Metropolitan Division, 14th in the Eastern Conference, and 26th in the NHL. In other words, for the first time since 1991-92 to 1993-94 – and only the second time in franchise history – the Flyers missed the postseason for the third consecutive season.
Head coach, John Tortorella, was brought in over the summer to instill a new identity, system, and belief in a franchise and organization that has lost its way over the last decade and a half. One thing that reverberated from his pressers over the summer all the way to the end of the season was that he was going to make the Flyers compete, put in full effort, and be harder to play against. Yes, those intangibles shouldn’t be at the forefront of your to-do list entering a season – you should already have those in place – but the Flyers’ process has only begun and after year one, they bloomed some flowers.
The Flyers were a complete mess under Chuck Fletcher and company and things weren’t so rosy with Alain Vigneault or Mike Yeo behind the bench. Heads were butted, players were jettisoned out, and eventually the general manager and head coaches got the boot. The Flyers enter another pivotal summer where they not only have to make personnel changes, but they also have to restructure their front office and find the right pieces to the puzzle.
Chuck Fletcher was relieved of his duties as President of Hockey Operations and General Manager. Shortly after that, Dave Scott announced that he would be retiring as Comcast Spectacor CEO and handed over the keys to Dan Hilferty. Daniel Briere was named interim general manager, they are still in need of a President of Hockey Operations, but their head coach should be the constant moving forward.
The season started off on a surprising note with 5 victories in the first 7 games. The goaltending was keeping them in nearly every game during the first month of the season, the offense was sputtering, and the defense was as good as people expected it to be. We were expecting loss after loss to pile up, and that’s exactly what unfolded over their next 28 games. They went 6-15-7, scored 69 goals to 102 against, had a power play operating at 13.25%, had a penalty kill that was successful 73.8% of the time, but surprisingly their puck possession and analytics were not as big of an issue – they just couldn’t score.
From there, they won 9 of the following 12 games, scored 40 goals to 31 against, their power play was operating at 17.9%, had a penalty kill that was successful 82.14% of the time, and had a CF% and FF% above 50%. Unfortunately, they went back on a downward spiral as the goal scoring just completely froze up. They sported a 4-12-4 record in their next 20 games, scored 42 goals to 72 against, had a power play that was 5/44 and a penalty kill that was 41/58, but once again weren’t terrible with their puck possession numbers. However, averaging 2 goals a game over a 20-game stretch was tough to stomach.
With the Flyers planted firmly in the 26th position of the NHL’s standings, all those in favour of tanking were cheering loudly after their 4-12-4 run. Unfortunately for them, the Flyers had other plans and earned points in 7 consecutive games, going 5-0-2. Their analytical numbers plummeted, yet they were being opportunistic with their chances and finally scoring goals. They then lost 6 consecutive games in regulation, having them stuck in the 26th spot in the standings. They won their final 2 games in overtime after going 1-12 in the 3-on-3 format during the first 80 games.
The Flyers finished the season 29th in goals (220 goals and 2.68 per game), scored an NHL-low 35 power play goals on 225 attempts (6th-lowest) for another basement dwelling season with a 15.56% success rate. They allowed the 10th-most goals (276 goals against and 3.37 per game), they allowed the 10th-most power play goals against (59), had the 26th-best penalty kill, allowed the 8th-most shorthanded goals against (9) but scored the 4th-most shorthanded goals for (11), and sported the 21st-best team save percentage at .893%.
Without Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson for the entire season, not a lot was expected from this group, but Travis Konecny and Kevin Hayes were going to be the focal points moving forward. They started off the season producing at an elite pace but the latter dropped off, especially when the former got injured. Younger players stepped up and opened the eyes of their coaching staff and front office.
Nevertheless, without two of their top players, the offense struggled mightily. With Couturier making strides in the last few months and almost being cleared for a return, coupled with Atkinson finally being pain free, 2023-24 should be exciting in some sense with their returns, the younger players being more confident, and rookies potentially cracking the lineup like Tyson Foerster.
Offense
- Travis Konecny: 60 games, 31 goals, 30 assists, 61 points
- Kevin Hayes: 81 games, 18 goals, 36 assists, 54 points
- Owen Tippett: 77 games, 27 goals, 22 assists, 49 points
- Morgan Frost: 81 games, 19 goals, 27 assists, 46 points
- Scott Laughton: 78 games, 18 goals, 25 assists, 43 points
- Tony DeAngelo: 70 games, 11 goals, 31 assists, 42 points
- Joel Farabee: 82 games, 15 goals, 24 assists, 39 points
- Noah Cates: 82 games, 13 goals, 25 assists, 38 points
- James van Riemsdyk: 61 games, 12 goals, 17 assists, 29 points
- Ivan Provorov: 82 games, 6 goals, 21 assists, 27 points
- Travis Sanheim: 81 games, 7 goals, 16 assists, 23 points
- Rasmus Ristolainen: 74 games, 3 goals, 17 assists, 20 points
- Cam York: 54 games, 2 goals, 18 assists, 20 points
- Wade Allison: 60 games, 9 goals, 6 assists, 15 points
- Nick Seeler: 77 games, 4 goals, 10 assists, 14 points
- Nicolas Deslauriers: 80 games, 6 goals, 6 assists, 12 points
Some of the key players offensively this season:
Travis Konecny
Travis Konecny was the heartbeat of the offense and despite missing 22 games this season, he led the team in goals (31) and points (60). He smashed his career-high in goals – a number he hit in 3 consecutive seasons between 2017-18 to 2019-20 – and tied his career-high in points from 2019-20 – in 6 less games. Konecny also fired 191 shots on goal, which would’ve put him on a career-best pace as well had it not been for the injury. He averaged 20:07 of ice time per game, which was 2:30 more than last year, his shooting percentage returned to its status quo with a 16.2% success rate, and he recorded 34 takeaways to 26 giveaways.
Konecny recorded a 7-game point streak, as well as a 10-game point streak, and his longest drought without a point was 8 games. He also had a 13-game goalless drought as he was searching for that elusive 25th goal. Given penalty killing duties, Konecny formed a dynamic duo with Scott Laughton and scored 3 shorthanded goals and recorded another 3 assists while a man down. On a team that finished near the bottom in a lot of offensive categories, Konecny was the beacon of light on an otherwise cold, dark, and windy night.
Kevin Hayes
The veterans in Kevin Hayes, James van Riemsdyk, Ivan Provorov, and Travis Sanheim were rather disappointing this season, for a myriad of reasons. Kevin Hayes finished the season second in points with 54 but at the time of Konecny’s injury, he had compiled 17 goals and 47 points – Konecny had 54 points in 52 games up until that point. Hayes then finished the season with 1 goal and 7 points in his final 24 games with his ice-time dropping with the resurgence of youth taking over. He went 23 games without a goal, his on-ice play, attitude, and body language were absent, and after compiling 45 points in his first 49 games, there’s not much you can say about the way his season ended other than the fact that he mailed it in.
He didn’t take too kindly to being a healthy scratch midway through the season, his 200-foot game was abhorrent at times, his turnovers started to rise, his stick was never on the ice to make a play, and he found himself on a 3rd line with fellow undesirables in van Riemsdyk and Allison. His ice time dropped from 19:08 in his first 30 games to 16:39 in his final 51 games. He understands why his role diminished, he’s heard all the rumours, and knows the team is heading into a rebuild. Look for trade talks to heat up leading up to the draft.
James van Riemsdyk
James van Riemsdyk falls in that same boat as he finished the season with 12 goals and 29 points in 61 games. The 12 goals represent his lowest since 2011-12 when he scored 11 goals – but in 18 less games, his 29 points are his lowest since that same season as well. His 0.475 points per game average was the lowest of his career since his rookie season when he scored at a 0.449 pace. He averaged less than 2 shots per game (119), he only averaged 15:21 TOI, and finished his second go-around with the Flyers scoring 4 goals and 8 points in his final 32 games.
Mixed in with injuries, he started the season with 6 goals and 16 points in his first 19 games, to which he ended the year with only 6 goals and 13 points in his final 42, firing only 76 shots at a 7.9% rate, and while only averaging 14:49 TOI. He was disappointed to not have been traded at the trade deadline but just likes Hayes, and he was just going through the motions.
Owen Tippett
Owen Tippett was the prize jewel of the Claude Giroux trade and even though he wasn’t able to light the lamp all that often in his first 21-game stint post-trade-deadline last year, he showed a lot of poise, potential, and promise. This season he earned his opportunities and surprised his head coach with his effort, determination, and tenacity. He scored 10 goals and 11 assists in 2021-22, averaged 13:25 TOI, and fired 126 shots. This year he scored 27 goals, recorded 22 assists, for a grand total of 49 points, while averaging 17:26 TOI, and fired 231 shots on goal.
Tippett was named as the team’s most improved player for obvious reasons, finished the season with 9 goals and 15 points in his final 15 games while averaging 19:49 TOI, and had a stretch of 10 games where he averaged 21:30 TOI with 47 shots on goal. There were moments where he struggled to get on the scoresheet – 5 goals in a 25-game stretch between mid-January to mid-March – but his effort was on full display all season long and that’s the kind of thing that gets you in Tortorella’s good books.
Morgan Frost
Another player that was in need of a big turnaround season was Morgan Frost. He signed a one-year deal over the summer that was viewed as a “prove-it” deal and after struggling at the beginning of the season, he ended up leading the team in points in the second half. He scored 16 goals and 40 points in his final 54 games while averaging 17:17 TOI compared to the 3 goals and 6 points he had in his first 27 games, while averaging 14:27. It was a night and day difference for the 4th-year pro after coming into the new campaign with 7 goals and 23 points in is first 77 games across 3 seasons.
In his final 19 games, he scored 8 goals and 17 points, was a plus 3, and averaged 17:55 TOI. He was given top-6 minutes with top-6 players for the first time in his career on a consistent basis. Even when he struggled, Tortorella never wavered in the second half, and allowed his youngsters to learn from their mistakes, while usurping the middling veterans. He stepped up in the best of ways and, whenever Tortorella talked about the “young players” stepping up or the “young players” making strides this season, he’s not just talking about Tippett and Cates – Frost is a part of that list too.
Noah Cates
One of Tortorella’s favourites this season, Noah Cates turned into a very good and dependable two-way player before our eyes. The 24-year-old rookie played in all 82 games, scored 13 goals, added 25 assists, was a plus 3, averaged 17:46 TOI, and had a ridiculous 60:13 takeaway to giveaway ratio at such a young age.
Cates was used in all situations with 1153 minutes at even-strength, 151 minutes on the power play, and 154 minutes on the penalty kill. He finished the 2022-23 season with 3 goals and 11 points in his final 14 games, averaged 18:29 TOI, and never wavered under the pressure or limelight. He’s not the flashiest player, he won’t rack up the points like Frost or Tippett could, but he is a two-way centre that has been likened to Sean Couturier and has already shown flashes of that development in just one season.
Cates led the team with a +3 rating, only took 6 minor penalties, had the 3rd highest shooting percentage – 4th if you count Tyson Foerster – 3rd most ATOI for a forward, had the most defensive point shares as a forward, 2nd most blocks as a forward, and led the team in takeaways by a large margin, and he had the 8th least amount of turnovers with players who played a minimum 25 games.
As a bonus, Cates was taken under Couturier’s wing and when both are in the lineup, coupled with Scott Laughton, the Flyers will have 3 able bodied, two-way centres in their lineup that play the way Tortorella wants.
Joel Farabee
After undergoing off-season neck surgery, Joel Farabee wasn’t supposed to be in the lineup until mid-October at the earliest. Some speculated that his most likely return would’ve been early November, considering that he’d have missed training camp and coming off a serious surgery. Miraculously, Farabee made it just in time for opening night. He was held pointless in the first 4 games before scoring 5 goals and 14 points in his next 18 games.
He then struggled to the tune of 4 goals and 13 points in his next 45 games, which included a 26-game goal drought. Tortorella benched him, he was never scratched however, but his head coach didn’t want his injury to be an excuse for his poor play. Whether or not that was the case remains to be seen but he definitely didn’t look like the same player that earned a 6-year deal worth 30 million dollars the year prior.
Tortorella admired his effort, determination, and compete as he never gave up even when the goal-drought was rising. The 23-year-old forward finished his regular season with 6 goals and 12 points in 15 games and averaged 18:12 TOI. Despite his struggles he still managed 15 goals and technically reached a career-high in point with 39 – albeit in 27 more games. With a full off-season, training camp, and exhibition games lined up, look for Farabee to have a turnaround season in 2023-24.
Scott Laughton
The only player that earned a letter on his jersey this season, Scott Laughton showed flashes of why he was a first round pick many moons ago. The soon-to-be 29-year-0ld veteran of 10 seasons, had a career season with 18 goals, 25 assists, 43 points, 170 shots on goal, and 18:17 ATOI. His previous career highs were 13 goals that he scored in 49 games in 2019-20, 20 assists, 32 points, and 130 shots in 2018-19, and 16:25 ATOI in 2021-22.
His season was up and down but he was used as a utility player, playing both wing and centre, being utilized on all 4 lines when necessary, and became a focal point of the offense in stretches. He started the season with 3 goals and 7 points in 21 games, then scored 10 goals and 27 points in his following 33 games while averaging 6 seconds short of 19 minutes. Unfortunately, he ended the season with only 5 goals and 9 points in his final 24 games but was only a -2, his ice-time dropped to 16:46, but was still used increasingly in high leverage moments.
With Tippett, Frost, Farabee, Cates, and Konecny stapled in the top-6 to end the season, Laughton was mostly relegated to third line duties. He was finally given power play time this season and scored his first power play goal and added another 4 along the way. He was a force on the penalty kill with 3 shorthanded goals and 4 assists, was 2nd on the team by winning 47.3% of his draws, and was 4th on the team in hits.
Laughton played a career high 1,119 minutes at even-strength, 136 minutes on the power play – 95 more than last season – and 170 while shorthanded. He is tabbed as the leader of the room, has been for quite some time, and entering another season without a captain, look for Laughton to be that guy moving forward, even with Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson making their eventual returns.
