During the Flyers training camp and preseason, We released a series of prediction pieces including the goaltending, forwards, defense, team leaders and some bold predictions. Now, that the Flyers have made it to the quarter-season mark, why not take a look back and highlight some of those predictions to see how right or wrong they are turning out to be.
Forwards
Claude Giroux- 21 goals, 64 points
Even as his 34th birthday approaches, it’s pretty clear Claude Giroux is still the lifeblood of the Philadelphia Flyers. He is tied for the team lead in goals and leads in points with nine and 21 respectively. 21 goals and 64 points are still very much within reason and if he hits them, it’ll be the ninth 20-goal season of his career.
Sean Couturier- 27 goals, 73 points
Couturier started the season strong and has gone ice cold since. He’s got just two assists in his last 10 games and just one goal in his last 15. His overall play has diminished, so there’s a good chance that he’s playing through an injury and it’s hampering his game. If the offense starts to fire again, there’s a good chance he’ll rack up some points, but until then, expect some low numbers for Couturier this year.
Cam Atkinson- 26 goals, 53 points
Even though Atkinson is tied for the team lead in goals with nine, his pace has slowed tremendously as the season has gone on. 26 goals is still within the realm of possibility, but it’s going to take a re-ignition of his early season fire if he wants to sniff the 25 to 30-goal mark.
Joel Farabee- 30 goals, 55 points
Farabee is undoubtedly one of the biggest disappointments of the season so far. He’s going through his sophomore slump during his junior year and it’s a big reason the Flyers’ offense is struggling so badly. He does have seven goals in 21 games, including goals in three straight games before his shoulder injury, so even though he’s not on a 30-goal pace, 25 is still within reason even if he stays at this slower pace all season long.
Travis Konency- 24 goals, 48 points
TK’s famous 24 goals sure seems like it’ll be a struggle for him to eclipse this year. After opening the season with three goals in three games, he’s scored just two in the last 20. He, for whatever reason, just cannot re-find his mojo from 2019-20 and continues to be an overall disappointment.
Defense
Ivan Provorov- 15 goals, 37 points
The Ivan Provorov redemption tour has faced some bumpy roads as the man who was supposed to take him game to another level, Ryan Ellis, has missed all but four games with a lower body injury. Provorov has done a fine job holding down the fort in his absence with Justin Braun, but he only has two goals and eight points through 23 games. The overall offensive struggle the team is going through, especially the weak powerplay, has really limited his offensive contributions, and his overall play is struggling to stay average.
Travis Sanheim- six goals, 21 points
Sanheim has just five assits through the first 23 games of the season. The offensive side of his game has been much better over the last handful of games, but ultimately has nothing to show for it so far. He’s on pace for the worst full season of his career points wise, but has looked the best he has in years while doing so.
Rasmus Ristolainen- six goals, 24 points
Ristolainen has a history of decent offensive production, but his point totals were helped greatly by his presence on the powerplay. So far, he hasn’t been trusted with powerplay time in Philly and his decreased points are a sign of that. He has just one goal and five points in 21 games.
Justin Braun- two goals, 10 points
Justin Braun is the savior of the defense. He was the unsung hero last year and is once again stepping into the role once again with Ryan Ellis on the shelf. As far as offense goes, he is already at one goal and eight points, smashing his total from last season in one-third of the games.
Goaltending
Carter Hart and Martin Jones
No numerical predictions were made for the goalies, but it’s safe to say they’ve far exceeded expectations, Martin Jones especially. Even through all the struggles, both goalies sat with a .920 save percentage before the recent slide hurt their numbers. Very respectable all things considered. They’ve been by far the best players on the ice every night and could be in contention for the Jennings Trophy if the rest of the team got it together.
Team leaders
Goals
prediction- Joel Farabee
current leader- Claude Giroux and Cam Atkinson
Giroux and Atkinson have been the only two players regularly producing goals for the Flyers this year. Farabee tied them at seven, but his injury will keep him from once again leading the team in goals.
Assists
prediction- Claude Giroux
current leader- Claude Giroux
Don’t think anyone should be surprised about this. The offense always has and always will flow through Giroux.
Points
prediction- Sean Couturier
current leader- Claude Giroux
Giroux has finished atop the team in points pretty much every season minus 2019-20. As long as the offense continues to circle around Giroux, don’t expect his scoring to stop any time soon.
Team record
prediction- 44-27-11 / 99 points / third in Metro
currently- 8-11-4 / 20 points / sixth in Metro
32-34-16 would be close to the end results if the season continues at this pace. That’s only 80 points, that could very well be dead last in the metro based on how tough the division is. That’s what happens when you lose nine in a row (and counting.)
Barry Ashbee Trophy- Ryan Ellis
It’s hard to claim the award for the best defenseman when you’re not playing. Quite frankly the award belongs to Justin Braun through 23 games.
Pelle Lindbergh Memorial- Wade Allison
Similar to Ellis, it’s hard to win when you’re not in the game. So far the most improved player could arguably be Travis Sanheim, but he already won the award in 2019. If Sanheim isn’t the guy it very well may be Carter Hart, provided he posts similar numbers for the rest of the season.
Bobby Clarke Trophy- Joel Farabee
The team MVP Joel Farabee is not. Right now the race is probably between Claude Giroux, who is looking for his fifth win, or Carter Hart, who is looking to secure his first Clarke Trophy.
Bold Predictions
the original list went as follows-
Number 5: AV gets fired
Number 4: Wade Allison breakout season
Number 3: Ristolainen is actually good
Number 2: Carter Hart wins the Vezina
Number 1: Flyers win the Cup
Two (and a half) out of five isn’t bad. Ristolainen is certainly good, and AV certainly got fired. Carter Hart was among to top goaltenders in the league stat wise before the Flyers fell off a cliff and could’ve very well had his name circulating in the Vezina talk if the rest of the Flyers didn’t suck so bad.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
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