Joel Farabee is healthy and ready to embark on a pivotal season with the Flyers

The Flyers have entered a “new era of orange,” which apparently doesn’t only mean that their jerseys are a slightly different shade. The new slogan is also meant to come with an identity shift, and according to Flyers coach John Tortorella, a large part of that is trying to become a team that scores more goals.

“We need to change our mindset a little bit, and we need to score goals,” Tortorella said. “We don’t have a superstar offensive player. Some teams have a couple. Some teams have one. We don’t. We still have to manufacture goals.”

» READ MORE: Flyers place right winger Wade Allison on waivers

The Flyers’ 220 total goals last season were tied for fourth-fewest in the NHL. Without that superstar or two who seem to score at will, the Flyers will need to rely on a collective effort to generate the sort of offense Tortorella is looking for this year. A key piece of that will be 23-year-old Joel Farabee, who is poised for a crucial year coming off a healthy offseason.

“He’s an important piece, as far as now there’s some kids maybe arriving here, it gives you some balance within your lineup,” Tortorella said. “He’s a huge piece there, because he can play left wing, right wing; I think he’s even played a little center.”

Last summer, Farabee’s offseason training regimen was disrupted while he recovered from the disk replacement surgery he underwent in June 2022. It was a similar injury that sidelined Cam Atkinson last year, though Atkinson underwent a slightly different procedure to repair it.

While Farabee was ultimately able to participate in camp last year and play a full 82 NHL games for the first time in his career, he finished up with 15 goals and 39 points. Compare that to 2020-21, when Farabee had 20 goals and 38 points in just 55 NHL games.

That 2020-21 season was Farabee’s breakout year, and with it he earned himself a six-year, $30 million extension. Since then, he hasn’t consistently followed an upward trajectory. But with an offseason he was able to spend training, rather than recovering, Farabee feels like his old self.

“I think just getting a whole summer workout, able to put the time in the gym and things like that, I think it just prepares me a lot better for the season. I kind of rushed into things last year,” Farabee said. “[This summer] my legs felt like they did two years ago.”

Farabee, who is looking for consistency this season, scored two goals in four preseason games. It has helped that he knows what to expect now, coming into his second Tortorella camp — though Farabee said that “he made it harder this year.”

But in addition to the physical aspect, Tortorella thinks a healthy offseason has also helped Farabee mentally prepare.

“Just to know that he’s able to go full-bore, has a full summer under his belt as far as training,” Tortorella said. “I think he’s more clear headed, I hope, and that he knows he can go, and he knows he’s had the proper trainings. He’s put on some weight. And I think that’s really important to us as he progresses as a player.

“Right now, all signs are pointing up with him. It’s just a matter of him staying together, and staying about his business, and going about it the right way.”

Farabee says he prefers to lead by example on the ice, but off the ice, he makes a point of trying to ease younger players’ transitions to the city and the team. Sometimes, that even means housing them.

When Tyson Foerster got to rookie camp in September, he said “the guys helped me out so much, especially Joel.” Farabee let Foerster, 21, and Wade Allison, 25, live with him over the summer. Bobby Brink, 22, spent a lot of time at Farabee’s house, as well.

» READ MORE: Travis Sanheim wants to turn the page with the Flyers, in more ways than one

“I think since the first day I got to Philly, my first year here having Kevin [Hayes], Scott Laughton, Michael Raffl, really taking me under their wing, letting me stay with them when I need dinners, you name it,” Farabee said earlier in camp. “I felt like this summer, now that I have a place in the city, housed a few young guys ... It makes you feel a lot more comfortable around the rink.”

Despite the mentor role he’s taken, though, Farabee doesn’t consider himself a veteran.

“It’s my fifth season, obviously, but I still consider myself a young guy,” Farabee said. “We have some really good leaders on the scene already. So I just try and follow them.”

The Flyers placed Allison on waivers on Friday. ... Across the league, former Flyer Oskar Lindblom was also placed on waivers by the San Jose Sharks, as was Nic Aube-Kubel (Washington).