The 2022-23 season was a bit of a double edged sword for the Philadelphia Flyers. They were still a bottom ten team in the league, but it felt as though they built a foundation to work off of rather than the complete listless ship they’ve been the last few years. It has set the stage for the 2023-24 season to be a season of growth and some internal development from some of their up-and-coming talent. So who can we expect big things out of next year?
Number 5: Bobby Brink
The 34th overall pick in 2019 was a college standout at the University of Denver and suited up for 10 games with the Flyers in 2021-22 before a hip injury sidelined him for a decent chunk of the 2022-23 campaign. He returned to the AHL in early January and posted 12 goals and 28 points in 41 games to close out the season. Due to the overcrowding on the main roster, he may not see an abundance of NHL time this season, but now that he’s fully healthy, something he flat out admitted during development camp, the organization will get their first full taste of what Bobby Brink has to offer.
Number 3: Ronnie Attard
The Flyers have long since been looking for a defenseman that can blend offense with solid defense, and Ronnie Attard looks to be the next man up for that role. He’s developed very well in Lehigh throughout the 2022-23 campaign and could very well make the Flyers main roster out of camp if the Flyers actually ditch underwhelming acquisition Tony DeAngelo during the offseason (it has been a longstanding rumor but hasn’t actually happened as of this writing). He possesses a cannon of a shot and seemingly sturdy enough defense that he can actually be deployed in actual NHL minutes. Is Attard the two-way right-shot phenom the Flyers have been hoping for?
Number 3: Owen Tippett
Tippett had a rather large cross to carry as the player the Flyers received back in the Claude Giroux trade. Nevertheless, he has risen to his new role with the Flyers. He finished the 2022-23 season with 27 goals and goals and 49 points through 77 games while putting on display of potential that’s even higher than that. He seems to be one of the players with plenty of raw skill but suffering from the lack of ability surrounding him on the rest of the roster. If the team ever takes a step forward talent wise, expect Tippett to grow as well.
Number 2: Noah Cates
Noah Cates made quite the first impression with the Flyers during his 16-game sample size to end the 2021-22 season, and served the Flyers in a new role during the 2022-23 season when he was transitioned to center and utilized more in a shut down role as opposed to the scoring winger he seemed poised to be. While he is still learning his new role, there have been plenty of flashes of potential that he’s going to succeed as time goes on. He even garnered a few Calder and Selke votes for his play. Especially with Sean Couturier’s condition upon his return unknown, it’s not a bad thing they could have a new above-average two-way center on the team.
Number 1: Tyson Foerster
2023-24 will technically be Tyson Foerster’s fourth professional season, but 2022-23 was his first full uninterrupted campaign. He was one of the top players for the Phantoms, leading the team in points with 48 in 66 games, and dazzled during his eight game debut for the Flyers scoring three goals and seven points. The raw skill is off the charts for Foerster, though still has a bit of polishing to do round out his overall game. If he rises to the occasion during training camp in the fall and stays on this trajectory, the Flyers may finally have that long lost sniper they’ve been looking for.
Honorable mentions
Olle Lycksell
Lycksell was high on the list of players that surprised in 2022-23, so it’s likely to believe that his stock will continue to rise in 2023-24. The sixth round pick in 2017 made the jump to North America last season and has been raising eyebrows dating back to the rookie game last September. While he may not be a scoring winger full-time in the NHL, he’s more than likely going to be a very solid two-way third line winger with a higher end scoring upside if ever given the chance. Lycksell finished just shy of a point-per-game pace with 45 in 53 games with the Phantoms.
Wade Allison
Wade Allison didn’t have a bad 2022-23 season, his first full year in the NHL, per say, but he didn’t quite lived up to the lofty bar he set in the AHL either. John Tortorella has tried to mold him into a two-way depth player, which just isn’t the player he is. He’s an all-offense net crasher whose ability to play with reckless abandon is a positive. Whether it ends up being with the Flyers or someone else, the first coach to capitalize on his strengths will be rewarded with a very good player.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: nhl.com
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