Philadelphia Flyers
A franchise currently caught in no mans land with an off-season of decisions ahead
It was a rough first season for the Philadelphia Flyers under new Head Coach John Tortorella, as the franchise missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season. The team fought hard all season but could only muster so much with the talent they had to work with.
The most significant blow to the Flyers' hope of making anything of the 2022-23 season came before the puck was even dropped on opening night, losing their best player, Sean Couturier, for the season, to back surgery. The procedure was Couturier’s second in eight months, as he also missed the majority of the 2021-22 season.
The Flyers began their rebuild last season, shipping off long-time captain Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers for draft picks and some young players in return. The biggest asset coming back to the City of Brotherly Love was forward Owen Tippett. At 24 years old, Tippett will be someone newly appointed General Manager Daniel Briere looks to build his team around.
The Flyers have shot themselves in the foot over the years with some poor contracts, most notably James Van Riemsdyk and Rasmus Ristolainen. While Van Riemsdyk’s $7M AAV is set to come off the books this off-season, Ristolainen is still owed $5.1M AAV over the next four years.
Briere will be tasked with deciding if he'll try and move some of his younger players like Travis Konecny, looking for a payday soon, in exchange for more draft capital, or make them part of the rebuild.
Cutter Gauthier, 19, C/LW, 1st Round (5) 2022, Boston College (NCAA)
32 Games Played, 16 Goals, 21 Assists, 37 Points
It’s been one hell of a year for Cutter Gauthier, playing in his Freshman season in the NCAA and representing the United States in both the World Junior Championship and the World Championship. Aside from having one of the best names in hockey, Gauthier has been dominant at both ends of the ice regardless of opponent. After being drafted fifth overall out of the USNTDP, Gauthier joined Boston College, where he has flourished under the tutelage of Head Coach Greg Brown. In his freshman season, Gauthier led the Golden Eagles in points, announcing that he plans on returning for his sophomore year. Gauthier plays a strong, two-way game and is incredibly balanced in terms of dishing the puck or making an attempt on goal. He uses all 200 lbs of his body to protect the puck and drive the net as a true power forward.
Bobby Brink, 21, RW, 2nd Round (34) 2019, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
41 Games Played, 12 Goals, 16 Assists, 28 Points
Continuing with the trend of great hockey names, Bobby Brink plays nearly the opposite style of Gauthier. At only 5’8” and under 170 lbs, Brink likes to create from the perimeter as a playmaker, looking to set up teammates instead of shooting the puck himself. Brink played three seasons with the University of Denver, leading the nation in points (57) in his final season, as his team was crowned National Champions. After his season ended with the Pioneers, Brink headed east to Philadelphia, making his NHL debut and appearing in ten games for the Flyers. Starting the 2022-23 season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL, off-season hip surgery kept Brink from making his season debut until January. Despite his undersized frame, Brink is not the best skater but makes up for it with a perpetual engine.
Tyson Foerster, 21, RW, 1st Round (23) 2020, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
AHL: 66 Games Played, 20 Goals, 28 Assists, 48 Points
NHL: 8 Games Played, 3 Goals, 4 Assists, 7 PointsSince his 2020 draft year, Tyson Foester’s career has been a bit of a roller coaster. In his draft year, Foerster put up 80 points in 62 games with the Barrie Colts to earn himself a place in the first round. He spent the COVID shortened 2020-21 season and the start of 2021-22 with Lehigh Valley before returning to Barrie to finish the season. He’s struggled to find the groove he was in during his draft year but picked up the pace in the second half of this past season. Foerster led the Phantoms in points, earning him a call-up to the NHL, where he appeared in eight games. While in Philadelphia, Foerster failed to register a point in his first three games but found his game, contributing seven points (three goals, four assists) in the next five. Foerster’s shot is the top aspect of his game, as it was one of the best from his draft class. He finds solace on the power play setting up at the top of the circle where he likes to tee off. When struggling with one aspect of his game, it seems to affect the rest of his play.
Emil Andrae, 21, D, 2nd Round (54) 2020, HV71 (SHL)
SHL: 51 Games Played, 6 Goals, 20 Assists, 26 points
AHL: 10 Games Played, 2 Goals, 4 Assists, 6 PointsWith HV71’s promotion to the SHL (top tier of Swedish hockey), Emil Andrae has relished playing in the bright lights of the top division. A General on the blue line, Andrae is a setup man from the point, using his vision to scan the zone for the tightest of passing lanes. This season, Andrae finished the season tied for the most points among U22 defensemen in the SHL. Aside from his high-end passing skill, Andrae has a tireless work rate. He likes to engage in puck battles where he typically comes out on top. Following the Swedish season, Andrae made the voyage to Lehigh Valley, appearing in ten games with the Phantoms, including all three playoff games. He’s expected to remain with the team at the start of next season.
Yegor Zamula, 23, D, Undrafted, Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL)
AHL: 44 Games Played, 1 Goal, 18 Assists, 19 Points
NHL: 14 Games Played, 0 Goals, 4 Assists, 4 PointsHe may have gone unnoticed at the draft in 2019, but Yegor Zamula has been omnipresent since. Two years after not hearing his name called on draft night, Zamula made his NHL debut with the Flyers appearing in two games. Zamula has seen NHL action in the subsequent two seasons, participating in 26 games, but has yet to find the back of the net. He’s been registering more and more assists as he’s developed in Lehigh Valley, but is known more for his defensive game. He stands at 6’3” with a slender body type weighing only 175 lbs. Zamula can potentially become a bottom-pairing NHL defenseman, but his offensive skill set is limited. With a strong training camp, Zamula can potentially make the Flyers' opening night roster.
The Flyers' youth is the most substantial aspect of their current roster. Konecny has been arguably the team's most valuable player for the past two seasons at only 25 years old. Meanwhile, Carter Hart has shown flashes of brilliance during his up-and-down career. It feels as if Hart has been around the league for years but will only be 25 come opening night.
At the deadline, there seemed to be a trade in place with the Detroit Red Wings that would yield the Flyers more draft picks, but at the last minute, the transaction fell through.
It’s shaping up to be a fascinating off-season in Philly to see which direction Briere decides to take this team. No matter the makeup of the opening night roster, the Flyers will always be a tough out under Tortorella.
Cam York, D, 22
Joel Farabee, LW, 22
Morgan Frost, C, 23
First Round Picks
No. 7
First Round Targets
The Flyers can potentially end up with one of the top forwards as we look ahead ten years into the future. Briere will have the option of multiple high-end players at his disposal, like Zach Benson, Oliver Moore, Ryan Leonard, and Dalibor Dvorsky. All four players have the potential to be stars down the road in specific ways. The scouting department can decide to look in the direction of the skilled playmaker, or have a future JVR replacement with a power forward.