Cam York’s Flyers experience this year is vastly different from last year’s winter call-up

Just over a year ago, Cam York joined the Flyers from Lehigh Valley just in time to play the last 11 games of the team’s historic 13-game losing streak.

This season, York was called up a month earlier, in December, just in time to play the last three games of a four-game skid. But in the 12 games since, the Flyers have had a winning record.

It’s a stark change from last season. York stayed with the Flyers until the All Star break and went 2-9-2. This season, the team is 8-5-2 with him in the lineup.

The vibes are good this season, York said. Compared to last year, everyone is in a much better mood. It hasn’t just affected the work on the ice or the locker room. It’s improved day-to-day life.

“When you’re winning, obviously, things are really nice,” York said.

Winning has improved the mentality of the locker room, but an improved mentality in the locker room also has led to winning. Coming in part way through each season, York can see a marked difference in the confidence of the room he joined last year and the one he stepped into this season.

“We come into games knowing that, no matter what happens, we’re going to battle and compete as hard as we can,” York said. “I think last year when we would hit an obstacle, we would kind of collapse. And this year just feels like the opposite. When we hit an obstacle, we push harder.”

York’s role is similar to last year’s after roughly the same number of games. He’s typically playing 16-20 minutes per night. He’s played on all three pairs, partnering with Justin Braun, Travis Sanheim, and Ivan Provorov.

» READ MORE: Should the Flyers trade Ivan Provorov? Here’s what a potential deal could look like.

But his play is vastly improved. In terms of numbers, York has more than doubled last year’s points. Instead of a plus-minus of minus-4 around this time last year, York has a team-best plus-8, despite playing against the league’s top lines.

By the eye test, he’s playing more confidently and more aggressively, just as coach John Tortorella requested. He’s still got room for improvement defensively, but Tortorella said that’s to be expected, and they’re happy to work on it with him.

And whereas York started on the top pair with Provorov out with COVID-19 and then saw his minutes drop, York played on the bottom pair and worked his way up this season. In the last four games, he has often played as Provorov’s defensive partner.

York is feeling good with his role. However, he said he doesn’t want to get complacent. He wants to continue to earn his spot. Last year, he was demoted following the All-Star Break (before getting called up again). But he’s making a convincing case for the coaching staff to hold onto him this year.

Rasmus Ristolainen scored 16 points in 66 games last season. Thirty-five games in this season, he has just two points.

But Ristolainen isn’t concerned.

“Only points I care is the team points,” Ristolainen said.

The organization has also been emphasizing his defensive game. Under assistant coach Brad Shaw’s tutelage, he’s focused on playing in the team’s systems, breaking bad habits, and moving his feet.

» READ MORE: Flyers progress report: Evaluating Chuck Fletcher’s offseason moves at the halfway point

As he’s gotten to his game, Ristolainen has clicked with Nick Seeler on the third pair. He said they both play a similar game and focus on the same things. Tortorella has liked their chemistry enough that he’s kept the pairings the same for the past four games despite his worry about sitting Braun for so long.

The Flyers play the Washington Capitals for the second game in a row with puck drop at 7 p.m. Saturday in Capital One Arena. ... Carter Hart will start in goal. ... Tortorella said his team has shown no signs of starting to understand how to manage momentum swings of the game (hence the removal of iPads from the benches). However, he added he’s not that worried about it yet. He could have expected that with his young team and said it will come. He added he also has to coach them through it better.