For the Philadelphia Flyers, the most important focus of the season is fully committing to the rebuild and allowing for several of their important prospects to play in the NHL this year. The most anticipated of these young players was Tyson Foerster, the team’s first round pick in 2020. As a reward for a stellar 2022-23 season with the Phantoms, Foerster was brought up at the end of last year for a brief stint, and he dazzled with 7 points (3 G, 4 A) in 8 games. Foerster was all but a lock for the opening night roster as he looked ready for the rigors of playing in the NHL full time.
Instead, we’ve received somewhat of a mixed bag from Foerster thus far. Foerster was a participant at rookie camp and was noticeably lackluster – an impressive feat considering he was bigger, stronger, and older than the majority of the invites. Thankfully, he did come into main camp looking a lot more like himself, but still not at the level that fans were expecting. Instead of being a surefire lock to make the team, Foerster found himself at the center of debate during training camp over whether he or preseason breakout Bobby Brink should make the team.
While both wingers did make the team out of camp this fall, only one has left something to be desired. In 14 games so far, Foerster has only registered 3 points, all of which are assists. It’s concerning that a player lauded for his booming shot and offensive ability has struggled to put points on the scoresheet. Despite this, Foerster has been playing well. He is getting plenty of scoring chances, just not finishing on them. The numbers back this up, as his 2.58 expected goals for at 5-on-5 ranks 2nd on the team. Not only is he generating quality chances, he’s also driving play. He is 5th among Flyers forwards with a 53.85% Corsi For despite taking the 3rd-most defensive zone starts on the team. In this regard, he looks like he belongs in the NHL.
It’s not time to push the panic button on Foerster, but it is fair to wonder what the best path forward for him is. Are his scoring woes merely growing pains of adjusting to the NHL, or would he be better served working on his game for a little bit in Lehigh Valley? Sending him down might send a bad message because he’s played well to this point, but it could also allow him to score some goals and regain some confidence. There’s a solid debate that can be had for both sides, but if Foerster doesn’t start racking up the points, and fast, it might not be a debate anymore.
By: Katie Bogan (@cl4udegiroux)
Photo credit to Matt Slocum of AP Photo.
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