Flyers roster: An early look at how the Orange and Black could line up next season

With the draft in the rearview and the initial rush of free agency now petering out, the picture of the Flyers’ 2023-24 opening-night lineup is starting to come into focus.

The Flyers don’t open the season for 3½ months, but their roster more or less seems finalized after a whirlwind summer. New general manager Danny Brière wasted no time resetting the squad, trading away veterans who no longer fit the club’s direction in Ivan Provorov, Kevin Hayes, and Tony DeAngelo (whose trade can be made final on July 9).

Travis Sanheim was also shopped, but with the draft over and Sanheim’s no-move clause having kicked in on July 1, the defenseman will likely start the season with the Flyers.

» READ MORE: ‘Oh, the game’s about to start’: Behind the scenes of the Ivan Provorov trade

While the Flyers didn’t make any huge free-agent splashes, Brière smartly added depth pieces on affordable deals to round out the roster. The fourth line should benefit from an infusion of speed and tenacity from Ryan Poehling and Garnet Hathaway, while Marc Staal brings some experience and leadership to the team’s defensive corps.

Here’s an early look at how the Orange and Black could line up on Oct. 12 in Columbus:

Couturier is on track to return after missing most of the last two seasons following a pair of back surgeries. He has missed the last 135 games in all, but if healthy, he figures to slot right back in on the team’s top line. While there will likely be some rust, the Flyers hope the 30-year-old can get back to being the elite two-way, 70-point center he was before the injuries.

Having Konecny on the top line is another no-brainer, as the right winger is fresh off a career season. Konecny led the Flyers in goals (31) and points (61) despite missing 22 games. Over 82 games, he would have been on pace for 42 goals and 83 points, and he finished as one of just 38 players to average over a point a game. Konecny and Couturier would certainly bring an identity and likely a higher offensive ceiling to the top line compared to last year.

» READ MORE: How analytics have fueled Travis Konecny’s breakout season with the Flyers

That leaves Farabee as the top left wing, almost by default. The talented youngster struggled last season after recovering from offseason disk replacement surgery but is the best of a weak position group. This season is a big one for Farabee, who has failed to fully harness his speed and offensive ability since popping for 20 goals in 2020-21. Farabee, who finished last season strongly with six goals and 12 points over his final 15 games, is a real X factor for the Flyers.

The first thing you’ll notice here is that Tippett is playing on his off wing. With a logjam of right wingers in Konecny, Tippett, Atkinson, Tyson Foerster, Wade Allison, Hathaway, and Bobby Brink, at least one player will be moving to the left. Insert the 24-year-old Tippett, who exploded for 27 goals and 49 points last season in his first full campaign in Philadelphia. Tippett played some left wing last season and seems to have genuine chemistry with Frost.

Frost, another member of the under-25 club, also had a breakout season in 2022-23, posting career highs in goals (19), assists (27), and points (46). He also made significant strides with his play away from the puck, which helped him slowly earn John Tortorella’s trust. A gifted playmaker, Frost, who is a restricted free agent, finally found some confidence over the second half of last season.

Atkinson is the other wing after missing last season with a neck injury. The speedy veteran will hope to rediscover his scoring touch after firing in 23 goals in 2021-22. In Tippett and Atkinson, the Flyers would have two shoot-first wingers flanking a playmaker in Frost. Tippett’s evolution as a power forward also adds some size (6-foot-1, 207 pounds) and ruggedness to this unit.

Now this could be a really fun combination. Laughton moves back to his best position at left wing with Cates in the middle and rookie Foerster on the right. Laughton brings a little bit of everything to this line in terms of speed, work rate, and skill, and is coming off career highs in goals (18), assists (25), and points (43).

Cates was a revelation defensively last season after moving to center, and ranked highly in several defensive metrics. He ranked third among forwards in Evolving Hockey’s even strength defense model (6.5 goals above replacement), behind only Radek Faksa and Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron.

Then there’s Foerster, one of the organization’s top prospects. The 21-year-old impressed with seven points (three goals, four assists) in an eight-game NHL stint last season and looks poised to take another big step in 2023-24. While it wouldn’t surprise me to see Foerster on the second line at some point due to his big shot, he would bring some goal scoring and size (6-2, 194 pounds) here, and maybe unlock a little more offense from Cates.

While they may not be the Broad Street Bullies, the Flyers’ new fourth line has a lot of beef and features two guys in Deslauriers and Hathaway, who aren’t afraid to chuck ‘em. All three players on the line are over 6-1, while Deslauriers weighs 220 pounds and Hathaway 208.

Opposing teams will not look forward to playing against this group, as Hathaway is an in-your-face agitator, Deslauriers is one of the league’s top heavyweights, and Poehling has great speed and plays a sound defensive game.

Prospects Brink, Wade Allison, Tanner Laczynski, Elliot Desnoyers, and Olle Lycksell will also compete for minutes and likely see NHL time this season. Could one of them push the slowing Deslauriers out of the lineup?

While the Flyers should field an exciting group up front led by Couturier, Konecny, and Tippett, the defense is a much bigger question mark.

With Provorov gone and DeAngelo set to follow him out the door, York becomes the team’s No. 1 defenseman. The smooth-skating 22-year-old finally established himself as an NHL regular last season, and now is set to shoulder a much bigger workload. York excelled last year driving offense and was above average defensively. While it didn’t necessarily lead to a ton of points (two goals, 18 assists), York was the Flyers’ best puck-mover and showcased his offensive skill. This season, with a bigger role and more confidence, he should be the Flyers’ top offensive option.

» READ MORE: Flyers defense: What’s next after the Ivan Provorov trade?

While there is no obvious top-pair caliber partner for York, Rasmus Ristolainen might be the best fit. Ristolainen might be overpaid at $5.1 million per year, but he was actually pretty good defensively last season. While not a true top-pair guy, he would at least handle the defensive burden and allow York a little more freedom to jump into the play more offensively, as Tortorella wants him to do.

Sanheim headlines the second pair and will be looking for a bounce-back season as he begins his eight-year, $50 million contract. A standout in 2021-22, Sanheim was the only Flyers defenseman last season to finish with a negative goals above replacement mark both in terms of even strength offense (-3.8) and defense (-3). He could partner with newcomer Walker, a steady right-shot veteran who can provide some offensive value but is probably best suited to be a third-pair guy.

Staal was just signed Monday. Seeler had great analytic numbers in his 2022-23 minutes, blocks shots, and provides toughness. While not a dynamic offensive player, Seeler has carved out a nice NHL role and is a real bargain at $775,000. The 36-year-old Staal is now probably the favorite for the sixth spot, and really is more valuable as a veteran in the locker room than anything he does on the ice. He’s a big-bodied left shot at 6-4, 208 pounds but is really on the downswing of his career.

Ideally, one of Ronnie Attard, Egor Zamula, or Emil Andrae will beat out Staal in training camp for the sixth spot. The Flyers have high hopes for all three, but the Staal signing could block their respective developments. Zamula is no longer waiver exempt so he would seem to have the inside track to making the team out of the camp. Attard has the most offensive upside of the trio and seems to be a Tortorella favorite.

Carter Hart will again be the Flyers’ starter after arguably being the team’s best player last season. Hart, 24, is entering the final year of his three-year bridge deal and will be looking at a substantial raise either with the Flyers or someone else. Last season, Hart posted his best season since 2019-20, putting up a .907 save percentage and a 2.94 goals against average. He also ranked 15th among goalies with 10.3 goals saved above expected, according to Money Puck.

While there were some rumblings about the Flyers exploring the trade market for Hart, no deal will happen until the findings from the investigations into an alleged sexual assault by the 2018 Canadian World Juniors team are made public. Hart was a member of that team, and a team trading for him would want to know if he was involved and if there would be any subsequent punishments or penalties. No one has been charged as the investigation continues.

» READ MORE: Danny Brière: Flyers would at least listen to trade offers for goaltender Carter Hart

Veteran Cal Petersen could back up Hart, after being acquired in the Provorov trade. Petersen was a salary dump by Los Angeles, and the Flyers will hope a change of scenery helps him rediscover his game. Petersen, 28, is just three years removed from posting a .911 save percentage over 35 games with the Kings, so he is far from a lost cause.

Felix Sandström will also compete for a backup role, but could be the odd man out. Sandström’s first full NHL season yielded tough results (.880 save percentage, 3.72 GAA), and he could be playing for his Flyers future in training camp.

The Flyers are also very high on Sam Ersson, who played well last season in his time with the big club.

The Flyers have more options with Ersson, so the backup spot could come down to Petersenand Sandström, at least to start, if they don’t want to put Sandström through waivers. That said, Tortorella likes Ersson and he’s the best goalie of the trio. Don’t be surprised if he’s the guy backing up Hart on opening night.