Amidst the repetitive and seething hatred spewed on Philadelphia Flyers Twitter these days, it is en vogue for tweeters to claim, scornfully, that the Flyers are “running it back” in 2022-23 with last season’s 61-point squad.
This assertion is incorrect: No, the Flyers are not “running it back.” Here’s why.
- First and foremost, the Flyers enter the 2022-23 season with an entirely new coaching staff led by the inimitable John Tortorella. Tortorella brings a bluntness and emotional fire the Flyers have lacked at the helm since Mike Keenan piloted the squad over three decades ago. On numerous occasions since his hire, Tortorella has stressed that the locker room must and will change, and Torts’ drive for increased accountability and raised standards is exemplified by the unanticipated demotion of the talented but complacent Cam York.
The Flyers’ attitude adjustment behind the bench, and mission to build a new foundation and identity under Torts, should serve as stark and welcome contrasts to last season, when the team proved soft mentally, easy to play against, and accepted losing all too well.
This season’s Flyers may struggle to win consistently, but at least they should exert a much stronger effort, re-establish Philly as a hard team to face, and provide the solace that they are on a positive track moving forward.
- Secondly, despite claims to the contrary, this season’s Flyers squad is markedly different than the team we saw for the majority of the abominable 2021-22 season. Perhaps the most significant change is that the Flyers will commence a season without their former captain, Claude Giroux, for the first time in thirteen years.With the captain gone, there are opportunities for new players to step into larger leadership roles and for younger players to assume more substantial responsibilities in the team’s offense.
Besides the changes in leadership and responsibility, the Flyers have eleven players on their opening roster in 2022-23 who were not on their opening roster a year ago. These players are Wade Allison, Noah Cates, Nicolas Deslauriers, Morgan Frost, Hayden Hodgson, Tanner Laczynski, Owen Tippett, Ronnie Attard, Tony DeAngelo, Egor Zamula, and Samuel Ersson.
Sure, some received varying cups of coffee with the NHL squad last season, but the team was already far off the rails. This season, all have a chance from the outset to become key contributors and improve the fortunes of the franchise. When a team has eleven new faces on its opening roster compared to the season prior, it can hardly be described as “running it back.”
- Lastly, an oft-overlooked but crucial factor in the Flyers’ disastrous 2021-22 was injuries to its key players, particularly at center. Sean Couturier, the team’s top player and number-one center, played in only 29 games because of injury, and was not his normal self even in the games he did play.Kevin Hayes, the squad’s number two center, played in only 48 games due to surgeries and resulting complications, and was a shell of himself when he did play (save perhaps for a handful of games at the end of the season). Even Scott Laughton missed 15 games and struggled in the games he played after suffering a concussion, and Derick Brassard, who was supposed to provide center depth, was injured for most of the season, playing in only 31 games.Better health and key players playing more games at full-strength will make the Flyers a different and improved team compared to last season.
Thankfully, if preseason is any indication, Hayes is healed from his core-injury debacle and in excellent physical condition. While Couturier unfortunately suffered a setback in his recovery from back surgery, the good news is that Couturier appears on track to rejoin the roster at some point in the (hopefully) relatively near future.
Additionally, Laughton is back to full health, and, if he can return to his pre-concussion level, he is an underrated asset who previously played well on Hayes’ left-wing. Critical to the Flyers’ depth at center, particularly with Couturier sidelined to start, are Noah Cates and Morgan Frost.
There are reasons for hope with both: Noah Cates was the Flyers’ best player in training camp according to Tortorella, which is high praise; and Frost is now 23-years-of age and staring at a gaping opportunity to finally make good on the offensive promise he showed in the Ontario Hockey League.
The inevitable next time you encounter disgruntled fans complaining about the Flyers “running it back” this season, don’t believe it.
With a new coaching staff led by a unique personality in John Tortorella; new leadership roles following the trade of Claude Giroux; eleven new faces compared to last season’s opening day roster; opportunities for promising young players to assume significant responsibilities; and key players hopefully returning to full health and playing more games than last season, this is a new Flyers team forging a fresh foundation for 2022-23 and onward.
Joe Kalia is a writing contributor at HW Hockey
Photo Credit: Travis Ballinghoff ©
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