It’s that time of year again! The Brotherly Puck Awards are here! All members of the Brotherly Puck and Brotherly Pod staff were given a vote, and from those results Twitter polls were crafted so you, the Brotherly Puck fans, could weigh in too!
Mike Knuble Most Improved Player
Staff vote- Tyson Foerster
Fan vote- Cam York
There were quite a few different players that could’ve laid claim to the most improved player during the 2023-24 season, but the two to rise above the crowd were rookie forward Tyson Foerster and 23-year-old defenseman Cam York.
Foerster posted 20 goals and 33 points in 77 games while becoming one of the better two-way players on the roster. While York’s TOI jumped from 19:39 to 22:37 as he stepped into the number one defenseman role on the team.
Kimmo Timonen MVP
Staff vote- Travis Konecny
Fan vote- Travis Konecny
For the second consecutive season, Konecny posted career bests in goals and points and was second in the NHL in shorthanded points (7) behind only Scott Laughton. The Flyers lack any game-breaking talent, but Konecny did his best to rise to the occasion given the circumstances.
Simon Gagne Offensive Player
Staff vote- Travis Konecny
Fan vote- Travis Konecny
Konecny finished with 15 more points than the second closest Flyer and was the only player to break the 30-goal plateau.
Samuel Morin Defensive Player
Staff vote- Cam York
Fan vote- Cam York
Cam York’s first full 82-game season saw the 23-year-old defenseman step into the top defenseman role on the team. It was hopefully a foundational year for York, who will only develop further as his career goes on.
Steve Mason Goaltender of the Year
Staff vote- Sam Ersson
Fan vote- Sam Ersson
Even though Sam Ersson finished with a 2.82 goals against average and .890 save percentage, he valiantly attempted to set into the starter role after the other guy left. He gave them a chance to win more often than not, and he was better than Cal Petersen, so the award is all his.
Richards/Carter Duo of the Year
Staff vote- Cam York & Jamie Drysdale
Fan vote- York & Sanheim
York and Drysdale represent the future of the Flyers’ defense corps, while York formed a tandem with Travis Sanheim as the team’s top unit this season and did a decent job holding down the fort.
Eric Desjardins Unsung Hero
Staff vote- Brad Shaw
Fan vote- Sam Ersson
Assistant coach Brad Shaw has done wonders for the defense, turning this otherwise ragtag group into a machine. And despite the flack Ersson took from the fanbase, most people can realize that he was fighting from an unsatisfactory situation and did play some decent hockey at points during the year.
Ilya Bryzgalov Most Quotable Award
Staff vote- John Tortorella
Fan vote- John Tortorella
This one somehow wasn’t 100% unanimous from either the fans or staff, but it was pretty close. Tortorella won both votes last season as well, and there’s probably a safe bet he’ll take home the crown every year he’s employed by the Flyers organization.
Gritty WTF Moment
Staff vote- Cutter Gauthier trade
Fan vote- Cutter Gauthier trade
It was yet another season of relentless bull pucky for the Flyers, but losing their fifth overall pick and theoretical franchise forward due to some, still unclear, communication breakdown is so on-brand for the Flyers that it hurts.
Wayne Simmonds Leadership Award
Staff vote- Scott Laughton
Fan vote- Scott Laughton
The newly-named captain of the Flyers didn’t win the staff or fan vote. Just let that one sink in for a minute.
Brotherly Puck Contributor of the Year
Staff vote- Noah Caplan
Noah’s contributions help Brotherly Puck reach a new viewership mark in 2023.
Brotherly Pod Co-Host of the Year
Staff vote- Andy Pappasergi
Andy’s first season with the podcast was a successful one as he flawlessly integrated into the group.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
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