Quick Hits: August 29, 2023
1) There is still no breakthrough to report in the negotiations for a new contract for Flyers restricted free agent center Morgan Frost between the Flyers organization and Frost's agent, Darren Ferris. Sources close to the negotiation still believe something will be done before the start of training camp, even if it's a one-year compromise ahead of Frost gaining arbitration rights for the first time next summer.
2) Additionally, and there may be a degree of posturing involved, the organization may be planning as of now for Frost to have a reduced role compared in 2023-24 as compared to the latter five months of the 2022-23 season (i.e., back down to the bottom six and reduced power play time). This is based on an assumption that Sean Couturier makes a healthy return to the Flyers' lineup.
Doubters have said that, rather than focusing on Frost leading the Flyers in total scoring (40 points), even strength points (36), and assists (24) over the final 55 games of last season, there's concern over the proportion of his scoring that came late in the season (March and April) and/or against non-playoff teams.
I'm of the belief, however, that every player on the Flyers with the exception of Travis Konecny was pretty much in the same boat. If Frost is to be criticized for his month-to-month splits and have his numbers against certain non-playoff teams (such as his eight points in two games against Arizona) simply tossed out as meaningless, the same should be done for everyone. Owen Tippett scored 16 of his 27 goals against non-playoff teams (including four goals and five points in four games against Columbus, a hat trick game representing his three goals and three points in three games against the Sabres, and four goals in three games against Montreal).
To be clear, I do NOT believe in tossing out either player's numbers from their games against lfellow non-playoff clubs. The schedule dictates your club's opponent on any given night, and standings points (or the lack thereof) all count the same. Don't worry about who is a "playoff-ready player" before you've even gotten in position to be in the postseason. I'm more concerned with whether the TEAM itself is playoff worthy.
Lastly, and I'll use the Frost/Tippett example again because perceptions are quite different but the bottom line really wasn't all that different, their month-by-month splits from last season are actually quite similar from December onward. In December/January of last season, Frost had 20 points (7g, 13a) to Tippett's 18 (8g, 10a). The entire Flyers team went into a scoring drought in February, especially after Konecny went down with an injury. Tippet (3g, 1a, 4 points) and Frost (1g. 3a. 4 points) were no exceptions. They were also tied in points in the team's 13 games in March (Tippett with six goals, four assists and 10 points while Frost had five goals, five assists and 10 points) and the eight games in April (Tippett with four goals, three assists and seven points to Frost's three goals, four assists and seven points).
The main separation last season came at the tail end of October to the latter part of November during the 10-game stretch where Frost was demoted to the fourth line, playing eight to 10 minutes a night with his most common linemates being the likes of Nicolas Deslauriers, Zack MacEwen, Kieffer Bellows, Tanner Laczynski, Max Willman and Joel Farabee (A line of Farabee-Frost-Willman played 15.3 minutes together over parts of two games). Frost only had one point (0g, 1a) during that stretch.
Did he deserve to get moved up during that stretch? No. Was he being deployed in a way where he was likely to succeed? No.
Conversely, during that same stretch, Tippett -- who suffered a concussion on opening night against the Devils and was able to play only in three October games -- started to find his footing upon his return. His ice time grew to 17:28 per game. His confidence started to soar. He also outpointed Frost, eight (5g, 3a) to two (0g, 2a) for the month, which was the only month of the past season where there was a major bottom line difference. Once Tortorella finally moved Frost up in the lineup, putting him with Tippett and James van Riemsdyk for an uninterrupted six-week stretch, the two played some of their best hockey together.
The same, incidentally, was also true in 2021-22. Frost struggled to produce with Gerry Mayhew and Willman as his linemates for a month but came on with Noah Cates (at left wing) and Tippett as his late-season linemates.
Cates was moved from left wing to center last season, and rarely was on the ice at the same time as a trio with Tippett and Frost (although they did combine for a Cates goal in Winnipeg in the final game before the All-Star break). The plan seems to be for Cates to remain at center despite Couturier's pending return. That is understandable because the player handled the positional switch quite well. However, there was some sacrifice made in terms of Cates' ability as the first forechecker (the F1) and stretches where he had fewer scoring opportunities and shot attempts.
With Couturier returning, Cates may see more offensive deployment in 2023-24. As of now, the pecking order in the middle appears to have Couturier and Cates in the top six, newcomer Ryan Poehling as the fourth line center and Frost at 3C with Scott Laughton potentially competing for the spot if not deployed at wing.
We shall see. Things have a way of changing due to performance, injuries or a combination of the two.
3) Cates, incidentally, had some interesting stat splits of his own in 2022-23. His two-way play was strong both by the eye test and underlying numbers, whether at home or on the road. However, his offensive production numbers actually skewed more toward the road (10 goals, 22 points, +5 in 41 games) than at home (three goals, 16 points, -2 in 41 games).
Additionally, among Cates' 13 goals, seven were scored against teams that made the playoffs in 2022-23. He also had 12 of his 25 assists in those games for an even split of 19 points apiece against playoff-bound (7g, 12a) and non-playoff (6g, 13a) clubs.
4) The 2023-24 KHL regular season gets underway on Friday (Sept 1) with a game pitting CSKA Moscow at home against Ak Bars Kazan. Goaltender Ivan Fedotov, whose contract for 2023-24 is still in dispute between the Flyers and CSKA despite an International Ice Hockey Federation ruling in the Flyers' favor, is suspended from KHL league play (and from Team Russia) until Jan. 1, 2024. However, he's physically with CSKA.
On Saturday, Matvei Michkov's SKA St. Petersburg club is on the road to Dynamo Moscow in their respective regular season openers. Additionally, goalie Alexei Kolosov (on loan from the Flyers for 2023-24) opens on the road on Saturday against Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.
Goalie Yegor Zavragin, drafted by the Flyers in the third round (87th overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, will start the 2023-24 season at the MHL (Russian junior league level with Mamonty Yugry. The 18-year-old could work his way up to seeing some time in the VHL (the closest Russian hockey equivalent to the American Hockey League) over the course of the season with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk. He appeared in one VHL game last season.
5) Today in Flyers History: August 27
* 1983: The Flyers sign defenseman Randy Holt -- a tough customer who had had multiple fights against Flyers players especially as a member of the LA Kings -- to a one-year contract a a free agent. Holt would dress in 26 games (0 points) for head coach Bob McCammon's team, posting 74 penalty minutes and a minus-one traditional plus/minus.
* 2022: The Flyers re-sign restricted free agent winger Hayden Hodgson to a two-year contract. Year one (2022-23) was a two-way arrangement and the second season is one-way. The deal carries an $800,000 average annual value at the NHL level.
Hodgson made the Flyers opening night roster and was in the lineup against the New Jersey Devils, although head coach John Tortorella publicly said he was not impressed with what he saw of the player in training camp and the preseason. Based on positive reports about the player's late-blooming progress in 2021-22, he made the roster. However, Tortorella and the Flyers pulled the plug after the one game. Hodgson cleared waivers and was assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Hodgson had a disappointing AHL season in 2022-23 (44 GP, 3G, 5A, 8 PTS, 83 PIM) and was moved back down to the bottom of the Lehigh Valley lineup after working his way up to top-six time at 5-on-5 and PP duty in 2021-22.
On June 6, 2023, Hodgson was traded to the LA Kings as part of the three-team trade with the Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets that sent Ivan Provorov to Columbus (via LA) for a package that included goalie Cal Petersen, defenseman Sean Walker, defense prospect Helge Grans and the 22nd overall pick (defenseman Oliver Bonk) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
6) August 29 Flyers Alumni birthdays: Mike Murray (1966), Doug Sulliman (1959), Tim Tookey (1960).