The 2019-20 Philadelphia Flyers season is going to be a proving ground for many players. There are quite a few “what if” players that are looking to bounce back or make a positive first impression with their new club. So which Flyers have the most to prove in the 2019-2020 season?
Number 5- Samuel Morin
Now fully healthy for the first time in two seasons, it is finally Samuel Morin’s chance to show what he can bring to the Flyers. Morin had a strong preseason, but has found himself as the seventh defenseman to start the regular season. With Vigneault’s promise to shakeup the roster early in the season, hopefully Morin has a chance to prove he belongs in the NHL.
Number 4- Shayne Gostisbehere
After posting the worst season of his career during the 2018-19 season, Gostisbehere is looking to get his career back on track under a new coach. The blueline was upgraded over the summer and Gostisbehere won’t be relied on to play huge minutes defensively. If he can re-find his scoring touch and play the point on the powerplay, Ghost may get back into the fan’s good graces.
Number 3- Kevin Hayes
After signing a massive seven-year, $50 million contract he has a huge weight on his shoulders to carry the weight for the Flyers. Hayes has come out of the gate strong on a line with Claude Giroux and has played a solid 200-foot game. If he can keep this pace up throughout the season, he will earn every dollar of that seven million dollars this season.
Number 2- Ivan Provorov
Much like Gostisbehere, Ivan Provorov is coming off a disappointing season where he didn’t live up to his role as the number one defenseman. Chuck Fletcher brought in reinforcements in the offseason in Matt Niskanen and Justin Braun to try and alleviate the pressure on Provorov. He will continue to be given every opportunity to revive his game.
Number 1- Carter Hart
Hart took the NHL by storm during his rookie season, and now to prove the first season was no fluke. Historically, top goalie prospects don’t have great sophomore seasons. Carey Price, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Jonathan Quick, just to name a few, all struggled after a hot rookie season. The Flyers organization made multiple improvements on defense and forward to help Carter Hart the best they can. He already has a save of the year candidate and a .938 save percentage through the first three games. If he can keep this play up all season long, he may be a Vezina finalist.
Honorable Mentions
Nolan Patrick– This list was essentially made with Patrick in mind, but due to his diagnosis of a migraine disorder a few weeks back, he will be on the shelf for the foreseeable future. After his lackluster first two seasons in the NHL have soured some fan’s opinions on him, this was the year he should have taken a step forward with his role diminished. With his return timetable still unknown, who knows what the future holds for Nolan Patrick.
Travis Konency- With a brand new six-year, $33 million contract in tow, Konecny’s expectations have risen. He’s currently one of the best five-on-five scorers in the league, and with three goals already this season, he seems well on his way to a new career highs.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: letsgoflyers.net
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