Flyers’ Cam York working to improve his defensive game with an eye on a close mentor

When 13-year NHL veteran Justin Braun entered the league at 23 years old with the San Jose Sharks, he quickly realized he wasn’t going to be able to hammer opponents into the boards to break up plays in the style of say defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

Braun, who was listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds when he was drafted 201st overall by the Sharks in 2007, found it imperative that he figure out how to properly use his stick and position his body to strip bigger, more skilled opponents of the puck. He learned not to crosscheck players in the back in when going into corners, instead prioritizing having his stick free and in a defensive position.

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“They’re going to make passes through you at this level,” Braun said — or over-commit on their forehand, because they’re talented enough to slip passes through on their backhand.

More than a decade later, Braun is watching 22-year-old left-shot defenseman Cam York make the same adjustment as a smaller defenseman transitioning to the NHL. York, listed at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, has been thrust into a top-pairing role with the Flyers after starting the season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. To make matters tougher, York is finding his way while playing his off side.

“Once he came up this year, I thought overall, his game looked great,” Braun said of York. “His puck skills, his vision on the ice, breakouts, those are tough things to come up at this speed to look really good right from the hop, his first game. But it takes a little time to, if you’re not a big guy, to go stick-on-puck.”

While Braun’s made his name as a stay-at-home defenseman, York has been tabbed as a more offensive-minded player since his tenures with the U.S. national team development program and the University of Michigan. But because the Flyers have been spending so much time defending in their own zone this season, ranking 25th in the league in shot attempt percentage (47.2%), York is getting lots of real-time experience when it comes to defending.

According to Evolving Hockey, York ranks fourth among Flyers defensemen in even-strength defense (2.7) and third in goals above replacement (4.4). In 41 games with the Flyers, he’s averaging 19 minutes, 26 seconds of ice time, the fourth-most among defensemen. He is also one of just two Flyers defensemen with a positive plus-minus this season (plus-3), the other being Nick Seeler (team-high plus-7).

“I feel like I’ve come a long way defensively this year and just improving,” York said. “But when you play a lot and you play against top guys that are good at exposing a weakness or whatever, it’s definitely something I’m trying to improve on is my stick.”

During the on-ice practice sessions between games, York is working closely with assistant coach Brad Shaw on aspects of his defensive game, including his stick and body positioning. Plus, he has a mentor in Braun, who remains a leader on the team despite not always being in the lineup.

Braun has made an effort to stay positive around the rink and be a good example for young players like York.

“I think Justin Braun has probably one of the best sticks that I’ve ever played with,” York said. “So it just always seems like it’s in the forward’s face and they never have time and space. He was my first ever D partner up here, and I feel like I was able to learn a lot from him. He obviously has a ton of experience, and he’s a great guy for me to kind of learn from.”

Coach John Tortorella has seen good examples from York when it comes to using his stick, but he still wants to see more consistency. Additionally, Tortorella also wants York to display that reliability paired with aggression in his offensive game, especially when it comes to staying in the offense and creating chances. York has one goal and 13 assists this season.

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York, in Tortorella’s eyes, has the natural ability to get there offensively because of his good hands and legs. Defensively, Tortorella said York has more to learn, and the ups and downs are expected for any young defenseman. But Braun is impressed with the strides York has taken since last season, especially while playing against the league’s top talent.

“I think overall, he’s looking really good, which is a bright spot for the Flyers’ future,” Braun said.

Carter Hart (18-21-10, .907 save percentage) will start in net against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night, according to Tortorella. ... The Flyers will play with 11 forwards and seven defensemen with defenseman Egor Zamula entering the lineup. Braun, center Tanner Laczynski, and forward Kieffer Bellows are expected to be the healthy scratches.