‘He makes the transition seem easy’: Noah Cates handling the rigors of NHL schedule amid increased responsibilities

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Whenever there is an optional Flyers morning skate, there typically is a Noah Cates sighting, much to the chagrin of coach John Tortorella.

As a rookie, the 23-year-old center is committed to doing “those little things” to earn his place in the Flyers locker room. But Cates, who has been a fixture in the Flyers’ top six this season, is learning that his intense, in-season, on- and off-ice routines from his college days at the University of Minnesota Duluth don’t fly in the NHL. He may not be ready to fully relinquish his beloved morning skates, but he has made a concerted effort to be less active when he can be.

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“It’s definitely tough, just being pretty used to the college schedule, you only play a couple games [per week],” Cates said. ”What I would do up there at UMD was work, work, work. And now, you kind of can’t do that. You’ve got to take your days [off], and less is more.”

A heightened focus on his off-ice recovery has allowed Cates to handle more on the ice. Last season, Cates played a total of 57 games split between Minnesota Duluth (37), the Flyers (16), and Team USA at the Olympics (four). In a much smaller window of time, Cates will play his 50th game of the season in his home state of Minnesota when the Flyers face off against the Wild on Thursday night.

The native of Stillwater, Minn., has held up physically, not only with the faster cadence of games, but also with a more rigorous workload compared to his role with the Flyers last season. As the Flyers’ second-line center (formerly a left winger) and a member of the power play and penalty kill, Cates is averaging 17 minutes, 36 seconds of ice time.

Last season, Cates played just 13:15 per game and did not play special teams. He eclipsed 20 minutes for just the seventh time in his 65-game NHL career on Tuesday night in the Flyers’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings (20:14).

Tortorella, who has been an NHL head coach for more than 20 years and has worked with hundreds of players, could not compare Cates’ trajectory and responsibilities this season to anyone else he has encountered.

“I haven’t run across many players that have been taken off the wing, put at center, in a team that’s been floundering, that couldn’t defend, that’s trying to defend, and get the minutes that he’s gotten so far in the first 50 games,” Tortorella said. “I just don’t have anybody on the top of my head right now that I think could accomplish what he’s done.”

Winger Joel Farabee, Cates’ linemate, understands the challenges of transitioning from college to the NHL. The 22-year-old Farabee played one season at Boston University in 2018-19 before joining the Flyers the following year.

Farabee has been impressed not only with Cates’ ability to adjust to the schedule, but also with the lack of “rookie” in his game. Instead, Farabee views Cates’ game as being “mature,” with the rookie playing with a sense of defensive responsibility that transcends his young age.

“He makes the transition seem easy,” Farabee said. “I think for me, I personally probably didn’t feel comfortable with my game until probably like my 50th game in the league. So credit to him. He’s been really good for us. For him to step right in and be able to make an impact is really important. He’s only going to get better.”

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Even though Cates hasn’t been as productive offensively as some of his counterparts in the Flyers’ top six, collecting 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) through 49 games, Tortorella said he has made some “sneaky” plays alongside leading scorer Travis Konecny. Still, Cates’ strong defensive details are his hallmark, and Tortorella said he trusts him in any situation because of them.

For now, Cates is focused on preparing himself physically and mentally to take on the continued challenges of the NHL. But he hasn’t been sucked into the offbeat recovery undertakings of veteran winger James van Riemsdyk, which includes some unusual breathing exercises ... yet.

“Maybe here and there, I’ll take something from him,” Cates said with a smile. “But a lot of it’s pretty, pretty crazy.”

Goalie Carter Hart (14-14-7, .908 save percentage) will start against the Wild on Thursday, Tortorella said. He said there would be no additional changes to the lineup, so defenseman Justin Braun and forward Kieffer Bellows are expected to be scratched. ... Wild forward Ryan Hartman, who briefly played for the Flyers during the 2018-19 season, will also be a healthy scratch. Wild coach Dean Evason has been frustrated recently with Hartman taking bad penalties.