‘We’ve got more work to do’: Flyers coach John Tortorella is still seeking more from Kevin Hayes

When John Tortorella addressed the media via Zoom following his hiring in June before he even set foot in Philadelphia as Flyers coach, he said he already knew which player he was most eager to meet in person — Kevin Hayes.

Yes, he understood that Hayes has been a critical voice in the Flyers’ locker room. But on the ice, after watching Hayes from afar as he battled back from multiple surgeries last season, Tortorella determined that there was more there for Hayes. His improvement could be a boon for the organization at center, a position that has been lacking talent with Sean Couturier suffering from a back injury.

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However, nearly a quarter of the way into the season, Tortorella is still searching for more from Hayes.

“We’ve got more work to do,” Tortorella said. “Very, very good with the puck. But still some things to work on as far as away from the puck.”

Hayes, 30, has played predominantly on the team’s top line at center alongside leading scorer Travis Konecny this season. Hayes leads the team in assists (13) and ranks second in points (18). Tortorella raved about his playmaking, acknowledging that Hayes’ points-per-game pace is valuable to the Flyers, especially considering their lack of overall offense (2.56 goals for per game, ranking 30th in the NHL).

However, Tortorella added that there are certain “habits” that he wants to see Hayes adjust in his game. Tortorella said there have been “struggles” in Hayes’ ability to be responsible down low defensively. While Hayes leads Flyers forwards in expected goals for at five-on-five (10.98), he is second among forwards in expected goals against (13.99), according to Natural Stat Trick.

“I’ve had good games, I’ve had bad games,” Hayes said. “Still maybe a lot more there. And offensively I’ve been producing, but on the ice for too many goals. So, I think pros and cons so far.”

As the team continues to suffer from injuries, the latest to Konecny (hand) and forward Scott Laughton (undisclosed), Tortorella has been forced to shuffle the lines again. Going into Monday night’s game against the Calgary Flames, Tortorella plans to use Hayes at left wing on a line with Noah Cates at center and Zack MacEwen at right wing.

Right now, Tortorella views Cates as a more responsible defensive player than Hayes and is committed to developing him there. Hayes couldn’t recall the last time he played on the wing, having slotted in at center for most of his nine-year NHL career.

“It’s a little different,” Hayes said. “But it’s still hockey. I’ve been in the league long enough to know how to play a certain position. So shouldn’t be too bad. But if I have a bad game, maybe we’ll blame it on that.”

Although Cates will start out at center, the 23-year-old rookie understands that he and Hayes may swap roles throughout the night, making communication a must between the two players.

“A really big player on the boards and obviously can make plays, so I’ve just got to get open and support him and get him the puck,” Cates said. “He’s obviously a really special player for us and really important for this team. I think moving him on the wing, hopefully it helps us. We need something to get going here.”

After the Flyers lost Laughton in the third period of Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, general manager Chuck Fletcher recalled forward Tanner Laczynski from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Monday morning.

Laczynski, 25, made the opening-night roster as the Flyers’ fourth-line center. He played 12 games with the team (two assists) before Fletcher sent him down to the Phantoms. After he stood out in two games with Lehigh Valley (one goal, two assists), Fletcher deemed him worthy of an NHL return.

“Being able to go down there and play some big-time minutes and kind of just get my feet under me, touch the puck a little bit more, gain some more confidence,” Laczynski said, “I think any time you do that, it kind of helps your game.”

Goalie Carter Hart (6-3-4, .922 save percentage) will start in net against the Flames. ... Before the morning skate, wingers Cam Atkinson (upper body), James van Riemsdyk (broken finger), and Konecny participated in a rehab skate with skills coach Angelo Ricci. The only player with a specified timeline for return is van Riemsdyk. He underwent surgery on his left index finger on Oct. 28 and had an approximate recovery time of six weeks, which could indicate a Dec. 9 return. ... The Flyers loaned 22-year-old defenseman Egor Zamula to the Phantoms. He played nine games (two assists) and had been a healthy scratch since Nov. 8.