Key questions as the Flyers head into the NHL’s holiday break

The NHL’s holiday pause has arrived and not a moment too soon for the reeling Flyers. Battered and bruised, the Flyers have lost 19 of their last 23 games, and after a few days off, will set out on a three-game west coast swing to finish out the year beginning in San Jose on Dec. 29.

It’s certainly been another long year for the 11-17-7 Flyers, who sit second from the bottom in the Metropolitan Division and have the sixth-worst record in the league overall. With a bit of a break in the schedule, we asked one of our Flyers beat reporters, Giana Han, and our Flyers editor, Gustav Elvin, for their observations from the season so far and what they are looking forward to from the Flyers over the final four months of the campaign.

GH: The record isn’t what has surprised me. I’ve been more surprised by how close the team has kept it. A lot of these games have gone down to the final minutes or overtime. Even some of their larger deficits are from empty net goals rather than being beat five-on-five. There’s a talent gap as well as an experience gap between the Flyers and a lot of teams. However, over the last three months, there’s been noticeable improvement and consistent effort. The inability to close out games is concerning, but there are positives to look forward to. Overall, I’d say the team’s effort has allowed them to play beyond their talent level, but the lack has shown through in the record.

GE: The Flyers have been overmatched from a talent perspective on most nights, so I wouldn’t say their record is too much of a surprise. This was always going to be a year when they took their lumps and went through some growing pains with so many young players. That said, you can’t really fault the effort they’ve shown, as the team has definitely played harder under John Tortorella. Despite their clear roster limitations, they have been competitive in most games and have consistently displayed a resilience (nine comeback wins) that wasn’t on display last season. While Tortorella won’t be happy with moral victories, the fact the team is losing games while being competitive is probably best for the organization in the long run, especially ahead of what is considered a very strong draft.

GH: There aren’t many veterans on the team, but the majority of them haven’t stood out. Travis Konecny has done well (more on that later) and James van Riemsdyk is making a big impact. But the rest of them have been inconsistent or not noticeable. Outside of Cam York, the defense is the older group on the team yet struggled through the beginning of the season. While they’re tightening things up, they still haven’t shown they’re up to the task of shutting down opponents’ elite lines. Scott Laughton has been big in his leadership of the team but has been inconsistent on the ice. Kevin Hayes has consistently produced offense but has been inconsistent in the other parts of his game. Joel Farabee might be 22, but he’s one of the most experienced players on the team. There are times I’ve forgotten about him because he blends into the background. The young players need to step up and seize the moment, but you would hope the veterans would lay a better foundation them to work off of.

GE: Outside of the never-ending injury saga, the biggest disappointment for me has been the defensive core. Entering the season, this was viewed as the strength of the team as the Flyers lined up an experienced group that included four defensemen who are/or soon will be making at least $5 million dollars. Last year’s second pair of Rasmus Ristolainen and Travis Sanheim has been broken up with both players really taking a step back this season — hardly ideal, considering the Flyers just locked up both to lucrative, long-term deals. Ristolainen, who is in the first year of a five-year, $25.5 million deal, has just one assist on the season — without even mentioning his disastrous defensive analytic numbers. Neither Ivan Provorov ($6.75 million) nor Travis Sanheim ($6.25 beginning next year) has played up to their contracts, and the team still desperately lacks a No. 1 defenseman. Finally, Tony DeAngelo has been what was advertised: a point producer who doesn’t defend well. The Flyers’ top four is a real concern when you consider Provorov, Ristolainen, and Sanheim are locked up through at least the 2025 season.

» READ MORE: Flyers coach John Tortorella is benching millions of dollars in his top defensemen

GH: At the end of last season, Travis Konecny said he’d be taking a hard look at his game and making some changes. So did everyone else, though. But Konecny came back and put his words into action. He has consistently proved that he was worth the Flyers 2015 first round-pick and that his 2019-20 season wasn’t just a tease. He’s averaging over a point per game (1.10 points per game), and there are just seven games out of 29 that he didn’t record a point. Even his injury didn’t slow him down. In his first game back, he scored a goal. But Konecny’s contributions have gone beyond that. He’s playing better without the puck. He’s become a big part of the penalty kill. And Tortorella said he’s relying on him to be a leader as he tries to build the organization’s future.

GE: Carter Hart. After back-to-back disappointing seasons, including a nightmare 2021 campaign, Hart has risen to the occasion this season and looked every bit the part of a No. 1 goaltender. Hart has posted a .911 save percentage and a 2.89 goals-against average, but he’s been even better than that. He’s faced the most shots in the league (840) and ranks fifth in the league in both goals saved above expected (12.8) and wins above replacement (2.13), according to MoneyPuck. With a poor defensive team in front of him, Hart has stood tall all season against a barrage of shots, and on several nights has been the sole reason the Flyers either won or were even competitive. The Flyers have been waiting for Hart to make good on his potential and prove he’s a No. 1 goaltender, and so far this season, he’s done exactly that. (Note: Hart left Friday’s game with an upper-body injury).

GH: If you had asked me this after Thanksgiving, my answer might have been different. I felt like every time we’d start to get excited about a player, he’d disappear a few games later. Noah Cates was the only consistent one, but that isn’t surprising, and it also isn’t flashy. But when I returned from my 10-day stint in concussion protocol, it seemed like something clicked. My first game back, Frost had a career-high four points. He’s produced consistently since. The second game back, Frost and van Riemsdyk got Tippett going, and he’s continued to do well on that line. And Farabee, who’s been struggling hard, broke his point drought on Dec. 20. York, who was pulled up just ahead of my return, has been making an impact and giving Tortorella reasons to keep him.

GE: I’d call the play of the young players another silver lining, as Owen Tippett seems to have found his footing at the NHL level, Morgan Frost is suddenly producing, and Noah Cates has shown to be a reliable player all year long. Add in Cam York, who was recently recalled, and there are a few reasons to be excited. Tippett, 23, has been the best of the group as he is starting to use his size to create offense and is on pace for close to 25 goals. Meanwhile, Frost has four goals and eight points in his last seven games and is playing the best hockey of his NHL career. Is this another tease from the skillful first-rounder or has he really turned the corner once and for all? On a one-year, “prove it“ deal, the Flyers are hoping Frost can still be part of the long-term solution.

GH: As I said before, I felt like every time the Flyers flashed something exciting, it fizzled. But it finally seems like the young players are worth Flyers fans pinning some hopes on. It will be really fun to see if Frost can keep this going. He’s a name that’s been talked about for a while, and when it finally seemed like it was time to give up on him, he started to prove the doubters wrong. The loss of Claude Giroux may always sting some fans, but Tippett is proving that the trade was useful in helping build the future. Beyond all the players we’ve already mentioned, I’m excited to see who comes up. When we checked in on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the youngsters there were doing well and having fun. Maybe they’ll bring some of that fun up to the NHL.

» READ MORE: Down on the farm: Checking in on Flyers prospects Tyson Foerster, Ronnie Attard, and more

GE: I think seeing more of the young players in high-leverage situations. Can former first-rounders Tippett and Frost keep it up over an 82-game season? Will the Flyers finally take the reins off of Cam York and give him a run of games? Will we see others like Bobby Brink, Ronnie Attard, and Tyson Foerster at some point? This season is all about developing the young players and building for the future, and despite mixed messages over the first half of the season, it is clear now that needs to be the priority at this point. The team also has some players they could trade to add future draft picks and assets. Oh, and landing the No. 1 overall pick would be nice!