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Back in early October when the Flyers’ general manager (GM) Chuck Fletcher found himself hesitant to finalize his roster. So, with Chuck not being completely satisfied with his team’s depth (given the injury to star center Kevin Hayes), he set out to find some last-minute additions. One of those additions was Patrick Brown, who was claimed off of waivers when placed there by the Las Vegas Golden Knights. At the time, a lot of fans not only questioned the acquisition but were left reaching for their phones so they could type his name into their google search bar to find out just who this virtually unknown player was.
What they found out was that he is a 6’1 210-pound center/winger who is now 29 years old. Before turning pro this undrafted, American born talent spent four years playing with the Flyers’ Kevin Hayes when both attended Boston College from the start of the 2010 season to the conclusion of the 2014 season- where they were able to win the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Division One Men’s Ice Hockey National Championship in 2012.
Once he turned pro, Brown spent five seasons playing within the Carolina Hurricanes’ system, bouncing from the team’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Charlotte Checkers up to the Hurricanes and back again multiple times over the course of his time there. Starting in the 2019-2020 season he did much of the same thing for the Las Vegas Golden Knights franchise before being claimed this past off season by the Flyers.
Since joining Philadelphia, though, everything has seemed to have clicked for Patrick: The Flyers’ head coach Alain Vigneault has commonly utilized him on the fourth line which, over his six games played for the Flyers thus far, offers a nice balance given the fact that each player on that line is able to apply/offer up a different skill set that have all melded nicely together. Center Nate Thompson is able to offer his league renowned faceoff win percentage and veteran experience, Linemate Zach MacEwen has been able to showcase the kind of grit and toughness the Flyers’ roster had been lacking previously, and Brown has shown an innate ability to use his speed and determination to keep the play alive.
Unfortunately, this line’s nascent interplay came to an abrupt halt back on Tuesday November 16th after a win against the Calgary Flames when it was announced that Brown had suffered a dislocated thumb during the game. This injury has him now labeled as week-to-week. I know that this line’s time together offered us but a small sample size of things to come, but if you have paid close attention over the course of the last couple of games there has been a big difference without him in the lineup.
In an effort to try and replace Brown, the team was forced to bring up Maxwell Willman from the Phantoms. Although this move made sense at that time (seeing that they are a similar style of player), that line just hasn’t had that same spark since Willman was inserted into the lineup. Before, the 4th line (with Brown in the lineup) saw an increased amount of playing time that gave the Flyers’ star players the opportunity to sit on the bench and catch their breath. This was largely due to Brown utilizing his speed to forecheck the opposition that allowed for the Flyers to stay in the offensive zone and create scoring chances. In every game that Patrick has played in for the Flyers he has demonstrated an absolute refusal to give up on a play. When others often retreat or go for a line change when their opponents looked destined to retrieve the puck in their own end, Brown simply digs in and tries to create a turnover. At that point Patrick doesn’t care if there’s a difference of five inches in height or reach given up to his opponent; his only thought is to come out of that board battle with the puck.
Without him in the lineup (and with Willman now inserted) there’s been a gross difference in the line’s effectiveness. Where previously they would push the play and often be found in the offensive zone, the fourth line now struggles to get out of their own end, let alone advance into the neutral zone. While Willman has shown he can skate he has often mishandled outlet passes and has been giving up turnovers as he tries to pull the puck out of his skates. In other words, he is simply trying too hard. Instead of receiving the pass and then taking off, Maxwell’s brain looks to be two steps ahead of him which can be common for a player who has been recently called up and is trying to prove himself.
But the line’s success has suffered: With these failed attempts, the line has been made to not only shorten their shifts but not allow for their stars to be set up with as good of ice position after a line change (as they had before Brown’s injury occurred). This may not seem like that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, but think about it: If you’re a forward, would you rather start your shift in the offensive zone or be forced to win a faceoff deep in your own end and have to try and bring it all the way up the ice?
So, if you begin to look at the game this way, you can see why a player like Brown (who may not bring the type of point production that former Flyer Michael Raffl once did) can still be an integral part of the team’s success. Case in point: since his absence in the lineup the Flyers have failed to win a game, losing 5-2 to the Bruins on the 20th and losing in a shootout this past Thursday to the Lightning (who just got beat 5-3 by the New Jersey Devils in their very next game).
Although, still very underrated, Brown’s play this season has helped the Flyers win games. Fletcher and his staff did not just take a shot in the dark when they placed a claim on him: They knew his worth and what he can bring to the table. Every player on a team has a job and they were selected because they bring a certain component to the team that the club was previously lacking. Brown is no different. That is why he stayed and Nicolas Aube-Kubel departed. Together, Brown, Thompson, and MacEwen are- in this writer’s mind- one of the most complete fourth lines in the league. Each one brings something different to the table and Brown is the propellant that makes this line go. Hurry back Patrick, your team needs you!
