The Philadelphia Flyers are 56 games into their season before the Olympic break. It has been a season of highs and lows. We have seen some show-stopping performances, but we’ve also seen forgettable moments.
Let’s focus on the good from the first 56 games. Who has stood out? Let’s rank the top five Flyers through this point of the season.
In my mind, just on the outside of the top five are Bobby Brink, Matvei Michkov, Cam York, Travis Sanheim, and Jamie Drysdale, in no particular order.
So, if none of those players have been the Flyers’ top-five players this season, who have?
5. RW/LW Owen Tippett
Owen Tippett started the season with the Flyers on fire, looking like he took the next step in his development. The 26-year-old winger did hit a down spell with his numbers in the middle of the season, but has picked up his level of play before the Olympic break.
Recently, Tippett has been one of those players that you notice every night, in a good way, even when he does not appear on the scoresheet. That is something he had been missing in past seasons, and it is something that has been very nice to see.
Still, just looking good is not the sole reason he is on the list. This year, Tippett is on pace to end up right around his career high of 53 points. In 56 games, Tippett has 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points. If he keeps up his level of play since the start of January (17 games, 7G 5A), he is well on his way to a career year.
4. C Christian Dvorak
Christian Dvorak has been a pleasant surprise for the Flyers this season. When he signed the one-year prove-it deal in Philadelphia, I am not sure anyone could have seen a five-year extension coming. Yet, here we are.
The now 30-year-old center man played his way into the Flyers’ future. This year, he has 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points. However, points have never really been his identity. Dvorak has been a lockdown two-way center, super reliable on both ends of the ice. Like a handful of other Flyers, Dvorak is well on his way to breaking his career highs and has already tied his career number in assists.
His biggest contribution has been his versatility, playing both power play and penalty kill, as well as his early-season ability to play up and down the lineup. He is also impressive at 53.9% in the faceoff circle this year. What an offseason pickup Dvorak has been.
Read More: Breaking Down the Christian Dvorak Extension
3. C/LW Trevor Zegras
Trevor Zegras has been quite impressive this season. Coming to Philadelphia after a couple of down years in Anaheim, it was unknown whether the Flyers were getting the Zegras from a few years ago or the Zegras from the past two seasons.
Through 56 games, it looks like the Flyers have got themselves a brand new player, one that can reach much higher than he ever has before. For a good bit, Zegras was leading, or at least neck and neck with Travis Konecny for the team lead in points.
Now, the Flyers star has 20 goals and 29 assists for 49 points through 56 games. He was dominant on the left wing, but has since moved back to center, mostly out of team need. Zegras hit a lull in points, which was part of the “why now” of his move to center. I am excited to see what he can do once play resumes after the break. For what it’s worth, Zegras went into the Olympic break on a three-game point streak.
2. RW Travis Konecny
Talk about Mr. Consistency, Travis Konecny has been that for the Flyers. The veteran winger leads the team in points this season with 54 in 55 games played. Konecny has 22 goals and 32 assists so far this season, leading the team in both categories. He is also +8 on the year so far, which is second among the forwards, only behind Noah Cates.
Even though it may look like a down year for the Flyers star on the surface, his production has been there and he is once again on pace for a career-high point total. Since the shortened COVID season, Konecny has improved his point totals in each season – impressive in its own way.
Once again, Konecny is leading the way for this Flyers team.
1. G Dan Vladar
This time last year, who would have thought that the Flyers’ best player would be their goaltender? Well, Dan Vladar has changed that.
The Flyers’ offseason acquisition has entirely changed the team’s dynamic between the pipes and has given them stability in goal and a true starter. Vladar has started in 32 games, appearing in 33, and has tallied 17 wins and 8 regulation losses. His .905 SV% is 18th amongst NHL goalies that have played in 20+ games. His 2.47 GAA is 10th among goalies who have played in 20+ games as well.
You could see Vladar’s impact on the team’s struggles while he was injured. In the 7 games Vladar missed with injury, the Flyers went 2-4-1. Dan Vladar has very clearly been the team MVP through this point.
Read More: Flyers Blog: Why Matvei Michkov Needs More Ice Time